North Central Wahington

 

From wooded hills and old barns,

 

to prairie-like wheat fields and blue skies.

 

This is the Sun Lakes Resort, just south of the Grand Coulee Dam. I was here with two busloads of classmates in 1966. It was the annual grade 13 outing for which my school was famous. It was the last year of grade 13. I had not been back since that time and I was amazed that it had not changed one bit.

 

There is a park in the town of Soap Lake at the south end of Soap Lake that has this interesting sundial. The tips of the feathers cast a shadow on the posts on the perimeter of the round walkway, each denoting a time of day. It was pretty much accurate.

 

I do certainly love this typical prairie look.

 

And the iconic derelict windmill which has since been augmented with power lines.

 

There is no difference between this scene and scores like it in southern California. So pretty with the yellow sage.

 

 

Hotel, saloon, and restaurant in Republic Wa.

 

As you leave Yakima heading north, you can take the quick route, Highway 97, or you can take this most beautiful of roads called the Yakima Canyon Road. And right then and there, a train came along to complete the scene.

 

It is not a long stretch of road, but certainly one of the most picturesque I have ever travelled. There is little traffic and many places where one can pull off the road and enjoy the quiet desert air, or, like me, take photographs.

Tomorrow, the ghost town of Molson.

Beautiful Washington State

 

Today, more random shots from the center of Washington State. I was not the only one with a camera.

 

Our trusty Mazda truck, very reliable and comfortable and it even has a better sound system than my car. We took it because we wanted to bring back cases of apples on our way home.

 

Steamboat Rock State Park.

 

A few more of these tomorrow and then a portfolio of photos from a ghost town we visited.

Stuff Older Than Me

 

The expression "older than the hills" would mean that I do not qualify in this case. These hills and most of these derelict buildings are older than me.

 

Which means that I am still relatively young.

 

The morning air was crisp and clear which made visibility unlimited.

 

That tiny yellow sign on the corner of the house is the only thing that kept me from exploring this old house. I am terribly curious about things like this.

 

Almost black and white!

 

I just love an open road with no traffic. This is along the shores of Soap lake.

 

Again, my kind of road.

 

Off road looking for mountain sheep. We did see about five of them, visible only with binoculars.

 

Next best thing to an unpainted old barn is an old red barn.

Drylands and Highlands

 

Highway 97 passes this most interesting of geological formations. It is called Dry Falls and is a dry riverbed with a massive cliff that was once the tallest waterfall in all of North America.

 

As glaciers receded and melted, this was similar to what Niagara is today.

 

All that remains is a bit of stagnant water in the deep pools carved out by the thunderous falls of long ago.

 

In the heat of summer, this gazebo would be sought out as shelter from the sun, but on this day, we were the only ones here.

 

More barns in the grassy highlands.

 

busylizzy asking a local woodsman where the powder room is.

 

An enterprising metal sculptor has erected a herd of life-like wild horses on a ridge high above the road.

 

Sage, weathered posts, pine trees and dry grass. So different from home and I love it.

 

Abandoned!

 

A view of the valley as one heads north out of Coleville Wa.

 

This is grain and hay country.

 

Bales of hay on the rolling hills.

 

And a hay truck rumbling down the road among the windmills.

 

To end today's post, I have a shot of busylizzy giving the Heimlich maneuver to a distressed stonemason. I asked her to "give him a hug" and this is what I got.