I took a litle hike along the Old Sauk Trail near Darrington, WA yesterday. It's a lovely trail walking through old growth timber along the Sauk river. It was absolutely pouring the rain and did not let up for one second. Fortunately, the forest canapy keeps the pelting rain off. But you get hit by huge drops once in a while.

It's an easy walk about 3 miles round trip. Yesterday the only sounds were my feet squishing along the rain drenched trail, the rain drops hitting the decaying folage, the Sauk river running high and an occasional bird.

There are several varities of mushrooms which grow along the trail. It is the only place around close where I know Indian Pipes grow in the early summer. These little button shaped mushrooms were everywhere.

"Solitary trees, if they grow at all, grow strong."- Winston Churchill

"Two roads diverged into the wood, and I, I took the one less traveled and that has made all the difference" Robert Frost.

My little mountain town is very colorful in the Autumn. Below are a few examples. Enjoy


Darrington has the prettiest mudhole around!

This is one of my favorite spots near Darrington. It's the ruins of the Old Forson Mill. Years ago it was a very active mill (before my time), sending logs down the valley by train . The picture of the bridge is the remnents of the railroad bridge.
There is a great swimming hole in the summer which becomes a great fishing hole in the winter.

Looks like an ancient ruin in a jungle.

The water flowing from the mill pond to the river.

Another wall of the old Mill.

Leaves and moss cover the old bridge. I want to walk across this bridge and as far on the old railroad grade as possible. I'm thinking it will take you all the way to Darrington, which is about 6 miles or so. I'm not sure if the old bridges are there which cross the river closer to town. Only one way to find out!!

Fire Pit Complete--for now

The fire pit is completed for this summer. Have a few ideas which I'll think about over the winter. I have other projects in the yard that I want to work on also.

Phase 4

Just the frame left to complete and it's ready for cement. What a job! It's been fun and exhausting. But it's going to be completed soon. A friend loaned me his cement mixer so that will make life a whole lot easier. I was dreading the wheelbarrow by wheelbarrow mixing and pouring.

Phase 3 Fire Pit

Here is phase 3 of the fire pit. I had the bricks and decided there needed to be some contrast between the cottage stones in the ring and the forthcoming cement. So I placed them around the ring. I have to level them all up and then the area is ready for cement. I have a few mexican tiles that I have no other use for so am trying to figure how to incorporate them also. It's been a fun project, lots of work, can't wait to be finished and the burn ban to be lifted.

Picture #1 the grapes look almost ripe. Flash made them look so. Picture #2 is more realistic as to the color. Taken without a flash. Using just a cheap digital camera.

There are tons of grapes this year. I think I will have plenty as well as the birds. I'll never use them all. Have to give some away. One can only make so much jelly. Gotta find out how to make some wine.
All in a (couple) days work. I've competely dug out around the fire pit and will pour cement. I still need to finish the framing and make sure it's all level. I hauled at least a dozen loads of sod as well as dirt away. Our dirt is actually sand, so it's pretty easy to work with.
Top picture is from edge of yard looking back toward the house. Bottom picture is from house side looking to edge. There is a huge area behind the trees that is wild. It's mine so I could dump the sod and sand back there.

I'll borrow a cement mixer and mix everything and pour. I can't see paying a cement truck an astronomical amount when I can do the work myself. Gotta ask my best neighbor for advice on finishing up.

Think I need a hot soak.

HOT AUGUST MOON

It's not the best picture, taken with a cheap little digital camera. But it certainly shows the color.

This was taken 8/5/09 as the moon was just rising over Gold Hill. There is a pretty substantial forest fire on the east side of the hill and the smoke has made from some beautiful moons the last couple evenings. And of course the more full it becomes, the prettier it gets.

Same evening about 10 minutes from first one. Just high enough to be above the smoke.

It's hasn't flipped it's lid, just a tree branch.

Building a Dam

Building a dam is pretty hard work when you are only 3,2,4 & 5 years old. That's the ages of these little girls in order from top to bottom. The little boy at the very top is 8. The girls were playing in very cold Segelson Creek. A pretty good sized little hole for them. Then along came the older boy on the left and they all worked on the dam. Those little girls never stopped for a minute until their leader told them it was finished.

As most of you know it's been a bit hot in W.Washington. My little mountain hamlet was beginning to feel like a huge hell. 111.7* one day, two days of 105*, one at 104* and now it's 91*. It has not been below 90* here for well over a week. But hey, it is really better than 9' of snow!!

The above picture is taken from the famous "Fortson Hole" swimming place. It's a wonderful spot on the north fork of the Stillaquamish river accessable off Hwy 530 or Swede Haven Road. To those is swim in the Stilly in Arlington and think it's cold at first, try swimming in the water that is close to the headwaters. But surprisingly it's not so bad.The hole is deep enough for the teenages (and a very couple brave younger kids) to jump off a tree limb from a fallen tree. There is no huge hidden rapid so it's really nice. The tree is still growing into the bank. The picture was taken around 8pm on the 111.7* day.

I absolutley loved being in that water. I have such great memories of swimming all day in the Stillaquamish river or Dan's Creek. I went across to the other shore and a little boy was standing with his swimming trunks hanging a little lower than perhaps they should have been. The following short conversation took place.

Me "A little cold huh"

Boy "Ya, but you get used to it"

Me " Probably but maybe I'm just a little old for it"

Boy with a very serious look " Well, ya!" with that voice inflection that says "you should know that"

Note to self: Never talk to that boy again.

Inspite of that conversation it was a wonderful swim. Cooled me off so well that I had no trouble going to sleep, with 3 fans in my room and an a/c unit blowing in the living room!

Tomorrow is the Roy & Maggie Green family reunions.

Here is a picture of the one and only time the entire family of parents and siblings were together.

By the time the younger ones were born the older were already married and the family was split between the mountains of Washington State and the mountains of North Carolina. They had 15 children, one set of twins of which one died at age 2 weeks. It will be a fun day swimming in the river and reconnecting with cousins from afar!

Blooming Evening Primroses. Finally got it to load! Isn't that the coolest thing. I love it. I wish I could get it from the time the leaves begine to peel back, but that takes forever! Once that happens it's still a slow process to get to this point. So I decided to share just the finale'. Sorry for the noise, not sure what caused that. Enjoy!