We started our August adventures with a trip to Snoqualmie Falls. The lodge at the fall was the one of the sites of the Twin Peaks tv show. The falls themselves are part of a historic hydroelectric plant.
Here was our first view of the falls.
Here's a close up. The roar of the water was amazing!
Ari happily sipping her coffee and admiring the view.
The view!
Alex being uber cool with his sunspecs and i-pod.
The falls with the electric plant in the background.
A beautiful blooming thistle.
A fabulous twisted root tree on the grounds of the fall.
Our next adventure, featured Anni and myself. We were off to gourmet cooking camp again. This one was at the PCC Market Cooking School. Anni made cuisine from Brazil, Italy, the Southern USA, India, and Thailand. It was all delicious and lots of fun!
Alex and me went on our next adventure with family friend, Lisa, and her nephew, Stu, visiting from Indiana. We spend a beautiful warm day exploring the Washington beaches near Ocean Shores where we saw sand dollars, foraging deer along the side of the roadway, a Japanese fishing god statue that washed up after the big earthquake and now resides the Ocean Shores Interpretive Center. We explored tide pools, spying hermit crabs, tiny fish, and lots of sea stars. At night, we got a look at a single shooter from the meteor showers before the evening clouds moved in. Fun, saltwater, and sand were experienced by all.
The next day of our adventure took us to Mount Rainier. It's been so long since I last visited that I'd forgot how truly majestic the 14K+ peak really is. We stood on a log bridge over the rushing Nisqually River and visited the 176 ft drop Narada Falls before checking out the new visitors center at Paradise. It was evening when we began our hike up the mountain. My goal was to see a marmot. Lisa spotted the first. I found two more, and Stu found a pair whistling away to the twilight. We all took a turn standing at the base of a glacier before it was time to head back down before we got lost in the dark. Our only mountain casualty was a mosquito bite on Alex's forearm that turned narly giving him a Popeye arm for the next few days.
Marmot
Our final adventure (thus far) was a visit to the Ballard Locks to see the salmon running, the boats passing, and the flowers in full view.
After all that fun, it was time to take care of the garden:
It's time for tri tomato balsamic salad with feta cheese and basil, my absolute favorite summer salad! Here's the recipe:
1 large heirloom tomato, sliced
5 golden pear tomatoes, halved
5-7 cherry tomatoes, halved
Arrange on plate in spirals.
Dressing:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 teasp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
Mix and pour over tomatoes.
Top with 1 teasp. minced basil and 1 Tbsp. feta cheese
Excellent with crusty bread and a glass of wine. Enjoy!
1 comment:
Marmot!!!
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