Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
Monday Monday with Benji
It’s a blustery day and I start out in my office – slowly – till my coffee wakes me up.
Benji cries at the door and I let him in so he can join me on my lap.
But he’s on the prowl finding the loose cords under my desk till I have to threaten the squirt bottle.
He knows he’s in trouble so finds a place to hide.
Poor boy I say and pull out his favorite toy
till I finally wear him out
and we can both rest.
Just another Monday with Benji.
~ Susanne
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Can’t Get Enough of the Waterfalls on the Historic Columbia River Highway
We are nothing if not consistent. One year ago we visited the Columbia Gorge to celebrate my husband’s birthday – we just returned from the same place yesterday. And why not? The Gorge is a fantastic place to visit anytime of year, and it’s especially beautiful in the fall.
Our first stop was at Crown Point where we got a good look at the Columbia River facing east.
Vista House, perched 693 feet above the river, opened here in 1918 as a rest stop and observatory for the new scenic highway.
Afterwards we cruised along the Waterfall Corridor through the forest
until we arrived at the first waterfall – Latourell Falls.
A short trail took us to the base of the falls where we were wowed by the thundering water dropping into the beautiful basin below. We didn’t join the tiny people who ventured behind its drenching spray.
Next up was Wahkeena Falls. Neither of us remembered this one so we took the trail to see it for the first time. It was steep but short and the fragrance was heavenly. Or perhaps I should say earthly? Actually, it was both.
Our final waterfall stop was at the most famous and tallest of them all – 620 foot Multnomah Falls – split between 542 ft. Upper Falls, and 69 ft. Lower Falls. We started at Multnomah Falls Lodge which has been serving travelers since 1925 and is a visitors center and gift shop.
After enjoying the view from below
we headed up to Benson Bridge for a look at Upper Falls. We’re glad we did. The boulder you see in the basin is the size of a bus.
Here’s a video in case you want to feel the spray in your face.
We lucked out and made it back just as the rain began to fall.
The next two days we were socked in by heavy rain but it was expected so we happily visited the museums in the area. I’ll tell you more about that later.
~ Susanne
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A Gallery of Cats and Hummingbirds in the Garden
Both are welcome in my yard though I understand the risk.
Fortunately the hummingbirds prefer to be high in the trees above where they like to preen. (Click on the pictures in the gallery to enlarge.)
When they drop down to drink they are speedy and cautious, always aware of their surroundings, ever watchful of the photographer nearby.
The cats are fast too so I keep my eye on them.
Tiger
Benji
They share the garden so it’s the best I can do. So far so good.
Sharing with Sunday Stills Challenge.
~ Susanne
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Cruising the West Coast to San Francisco – Rainy Day Armchair Travel
Two years ago we took a cruise from Seattle down the West Coast with no masks, no vaccines, and of course – no covid! Those were days of carefree travel and I can’t wait until they return!
But until then I thought I’d revisit our trip (our second ever cruise) with some of my favorite memories.
Seattle
We left Seattle under stormy skies and I lamented booking so late in the year.
But the rain stopped as we sailed out the Straight of Juan de Fuca and we enjoyed sunshine every day thereafter.
Cruising to Astoria
The next morning I woke at sunrise and took my morning promenade.
It wasn’t long before we arrived at the mouth of the Columbia River and were piloted into Astoria.
Astoria was founded in 1811 by John Jacob Astor who funded the expedition but never set foot in the town. I have set foot many times but enjoyed seeing it from another angle – from the ship at sunset.
Onward to San Francisco
After a day at sea we arrived in San Francisco, slipping stealthily under the Golden Gate bridge – or so it seemed to me. (Click on pictures in the gallery to enlarge them.)
Watching the sunrise over the city is still one of the highlights of our trip.
Later that day we visited Alcatraz, taking the boat from the pier next to ours. (Which is why I didn’t purchase the shore excursion from the cruise line for almost double the price.)
I know it was a prison with a creepy past but honestly it makes a great tourist destination!
Afterwards we explored more of the waterfront before heading back to the ship for dinner and sunset.
Monterey
We woke the next morning in Monterey, only two hours south by car but the ship took us slowly while we slept.
This was the only port where we took a tender to shore – see how small is the tiny orange boat next to our ship.
For our shore excursion that day we traveled along scenic 17 mile drive through Pebble Beach to Carmel. One of my favorite stops was at Bird Rock where sea lions, seals, pelicans and gulls share the accommodations.
A Day at Sea and North to Victoria
Why Victoria? Why not a return directly to Seattle? Because of the Jones Act which prohibits foreign ships from carrying passengers from one US port to another without stopping at a foreign port. No it doesn’t make sense to me but Victoria is fun to visit anytime.
There was all the usual charm of the capital city of British Columbia.
But there was something new for me on this trip – a visit to Fantan Alley in Chinatown, Canada’s oldest.
After a full and wonderful week we crept back into Seattle the next morning where yes, it was raining.
Ready to be home again, but already plotting the next cruise.
Maybe next year. 🙂
~ Susanne
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Golden Gingko
I first discovered the Gingko Biloba tree a few years ago when I was walking on the Cedar River Trail. Since then I try to visit each fall to catch it in its golden finest.
Today was the day! 🙂
~ Susanne
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Half the Fun is Getting There! On the Road to Yellowstone
Some destinations are better than others and certainly Yellowstone is one of those. Still, half the fun of any road trip is getting there!
We left Seattle after Labor Day and headed east on I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass where I never get tired of the views.
But the mountains don’t last forever and it wasn’t long before we crossed the mighty Columbia River
welcomed to the other side by wild horses! The Wild Horses Monument, officially called Grandfather Cuts Loose the Ponies, looks so real I updated this post so you’d know it’s a sculpture.
Then we were in a strange wasteland where all was barren and full of sagebrush, and creatures from outer space dominated the landscape. No wait, they’re wind turbines!
Windfarms have sprung up everywhere – harnessing the wind for power – and not I hope wiping out bird populations.
After riding through the desert of the Evergreen State the trees finally reappeared near Spokane and soon after we entered into Idaho.
Time to stretch our legs in Wallace!
Established in 1884, Wallace sits at an elevation of 2,728 ft. and boasts a population of 925. Self described Silver Capital of the World, over 1.2 billion ounces of silver have been mined there. A fun town nestled in the mountains, we loved walking on its historic streets.
(Click on pictures in the gallery to enlarge.)
We visited the old train station – now a museum –
and admired the Stardust Motel – at least its kitschy sign.
Later on we spent the night in Missoula, and the next day took the road less traveled through Montana
enjoying the ghost towns of Nevada City and Virginia City – more on that here if you missed it.
We arrived in Yellowstone that afternoon, welcomed by a herd of buffalo and their young, ready for more adventures.
I’ve already shared some pictures from our trip – Yellowstone in Color – but I only scratched the surface and suspect there’ll be more to come.
~ Susanne
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Eerie Places and Things
Anything can look eerie in black and white.
Spiderwebs
Trees
Hotels
Staircases
Bunkers
and of course …
Cemeteries
Did I scare you? 😉
Just for fun – and for Sunday Stills Photo Challenge – Eerie.
~ Susanne
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Outdoor Decor in the Garden
I thought I might miss another Sunday Stills photo challenge for lack of material until Terri suggested my garden. I hadn’t really thought of my garden as having any ‘outdoor decor’ but as I considered further I saw it really does, starting with the garden shed.
When we moved into our house over ten years ago one of the first things we did was add the shed. A carpenter friend of ours built it and it’s solid as a rock; my husband painted it and keeps it tastefully decorated.
Not only does it provide storage for garden tools and supplies, it also provides privacy from the neighbors in back (we need that since the woods were razed behind us.) And it’s become a place for Bob to mount the birdhouses he builds and exhibit his latest finds. I took the soggy wet pictures today – after a week of heavy rain from the Pineapple Express.
You’ll notice artifacts everywhere including a wooden man sitting against the shed, and an old bike under the tree.
I had my doubts when I first discovered the bicycle but since then I have grown to appreciate Bob’s genius in putting it there as it has become a focal point all year round.
One final thing I love about the shed is its proximity to the hummingbird feeders. I sometimes hide in it with the door slightly open to stalk – I mean photograph – the hummers as I did today. This beauty did a flyby after he was done feeding to let me know he saw me hiding, but was thankful nonetheless for the fresh sugar water.
Sharing with Sunday Stills who inspired this post on Outdoor Decor.
~ Susanne
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Perspective on the Green River Gorge
The Green River flows from Washington’s Cascade Mountains for 65 miles becoming the Duwamish River before emptying into Puget Sound.
There are many places to enjoy the river but my favorite is from the one-lane bridge over the Green River Gorge.
You get a different perspective of the Gorge from below, if you’re willing to pay the $5 to walk the rickety stairs to the waterfall which we did last year.
It was five dollars well spent, don’t you think?
Sharing with Becky’s PastSquares, Perspective.
~ Susanne
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 