Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
Snow Day with Benji and Tiger
The fire is going, the shelves are stocked and the promised Snowmageddon has begun in the Pacific Northwest.
Staying snug inside where all is warm and safe.
~ Susanne and Benji and Tiger
Cedar River Walk and Some History
Even though we’re in the middle of a Seattle Freeze I’ve been missing my walks so yesterday we set out for the Cedar River Trail.
We were greeted by other walkers including these ducks who were led by their fearless leader apparently looking for a handout. I would have obliged if I’d had some bread on me, but I did not. (Probably for the best as we’re advised not to feed the waterfowl.)
We walked the northern part of the trail passing the Boeing plant and these almost completed 737’s.
We also enjoyed watching planes land at the Renton Airport
and distant views of the Seattle and Bellevue skylines with Mercer Island in between.
And now for a bit of history.
It’s here that the Cedar River flows into Lake Washington, but it didn’t always. Over a hundred years ago Lake Washington emptied from its south end into the Black River. The Cedar River flowed into the Black, merged with the Green and emptied into Elliott Bay as the Duwamish River.
But In 1911 the citizens of Renton diverted the Cedar into Lake Washington to help mitigate flooding in the area.
Then in 1916 the Lake Washington Ship Canal Montlake Cut was completed which connected Lake Washington to Lake Union in the north and this lowered the level of Lake Washington by 8 feet drying up the Black River.
So the Cedar was left flowing into Lake Washington and ultimately out of the lake in the north via the new Ship Canal and Ballard Locks into Puget Sound.
A major engineering feat but not without ramifications as I learned when visiting Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry recently.
History is complicated isn’t it? That’s enough for now.
~ Susanne
Snow Day in the Garden
The snow arrived on little cat feet yesterday then mounted a lion-size assault overnight, so we woke to this.
Like most Seattleites I was thrilled as it seemed winter had been passing us by.
Parents called in, schools were closed and social media lit up with pictures of kids and dogs playing in the snow. Fortunately I no longer have to call in and no children here either so my own pictures were of the cat variety. Benji was anxious to explore the mysterious landscape and I was happy to tag along.
I love the snow because it makes the ordinary magical. But now that winter has finally arrived, I’m ready for spring.
~ Susanne
Susanne and Benji and the Selfie — Katzenworld
Benji visited Katzenworld today in case you missed it.
The post Susanne and Benji and the Selfie appeared first on Katzenworld – Welcome to the world of cats!. “Hey Benji, I’d like to practice taking a selfie. Can you help me out?” “Sure Sue, what’s a selfie?” “It’s when you use your phone to take a picture of yourself. It seems like everyone’s doing…
via Susanne and Benji and the Selfie — Katzenworld
Cat Tales from the Office
I’m in my office drinking my morning coffee when I hear a meow at the door.
“Someone wants to see you,” Bob says as he enters with my refill and lets Benji in who immediately finds my lap. Sweet boys both.
Tiger follows and pulls up alongside the chair asking for his share of the love. I oblige with pets and scratches.
They both linger as we ponder our day.
When I’m finally ready to work they provide moral support and much needed inspiration.
It all helps.
~ Susanne and Benji and Tiger
One More Sunset
I was sitting in my office tonight typing away on my computer when I looked out my window and saw this happening. I knew it was something special so I ran outside to enjoy the show.
I couldn’t resist sharing it with you.
~ Susanne
Sunset Rainbow Colors
Perhaps I just wanted an excuse to post these sunset pictures from a few days ago. In any case I think if you look closely you will find Yellow-Orange-Blue-Pink and variations thereof. And so for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge, Rainbow Colors, how about these?
~ Susanne
A Few Days in Juneuary
While other parts of the country are being hammered by winter storms, here in the Pacific Northwest we are enjoying a few more days of Juneuary. While not appreciated when experienced as a cold and rainy June, Juneuary is quite wonderful when it brings clear skies and balmy temperatures in the middle of winter.
What better time to get out and walk?
At Coulon Park all was blue
and a turtle came out to bask in the sun.
At Lincoln Park the skies were bluer still, making a nice backdrop to the madrone tree,
and bringing the promise of an early spring.
Promise maybe, but we’ve been fooled before. It was only last year when we woke to this on February 22nd – and doesn’t March come in like a lion?
Still, it’s all good in the Great Northwest. How’s winter treating you where you are?
~ Susanne
A Good Day in the January Garden
One day earlier this month, when the sun was shining and temperatures were approaching sixty degrees, I went outside and found Benji hard at work.
“Whatcha doing there Benji?”
“Getting ready for planting,” he replied. “Looks like spring is here.”
“Thanks Benji,” I said, “But you’ve been fooled by the weather. Spring’s a long way out yet. But I could really use your help over here. We’ve got a mole problem again.”
“Okay Sue! I’m on it,” he replied.
And he was.
~ Susanne and Benji
Cannon Beach in Black and White
For Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge this week I decided to revisit Cannon Beach in black and white.
~ Susanne
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 