Traveling Back in Time

Sagebrush and Mesa Country between Laramie WY and Salt Lake 1938  © Diane B Reed

While we had some nasty weather over the last week I took advantage of the down time to sort through some old photographs from my parents. Among them are a number of pictures they took on a rather adventurous trip they took in 1938 from Ohio to the West, including a stop in Seattle to visit my uncle and a tour of the coast of California. We had discovered the photographs of the trip a few years ago, including pictures of their traverse of the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming. Notes on the back of the photos commented on the steep road and the white-knuckle experience. We weren't aware of their trip until we found their pictures, which was shortly after we had returned from our own vacation trip which included a similarly harrowing passage over these rugged mountains which run from 5,500 to over 13,000 ft.

Blosser Auto Court, Laramie Wyoming          © Diane B Reed

There are lots of great pictures of old-time motels, including this one, the Blosser Auto Court in Laramie, Wyoming, which featured a garage for their car. A note on the back of the photo reads "Third night out. Betsey in her bed, but all set to go."

Boeing Pan Am Clipper on Lake Washington 1938    © Diane B Ree

I'm still looking for a journal or some record of their trip, it would be interesting to know if they found themselves in the Walla Walla Valley during their trip. But I did find a fascinating picture of Pan Am Clipper NX 18601 being completed by Boeing on Lake Washington in Seattle. This plane, which became the Honolulu Clipper  was scuttled on November 3, 1945, 650 miles east of Oahu when its engines failed and repairs could not be made in heavy seas. Fortunately the crew and passengers were all saved.

It's about that time of year when we start thinking about summer trips, but it would be hard to  match the adventurous trip my parents took through the West in 1938.

Snow Silliness

Snowy day on Lions Park Pond                                           © Diane B. Reed

The forecasters have been beside themselves for the last few days with dire predictions of massive amounts of snow. First it was supposed to arrive yesterday morning, then early last evening. As it turns out, about three inches or so fell here last night. Even though we didn't get that much snow, if you've been watching the news you must have the impression that we're all buried under mountains of snow. A breathless commentator marveled at the foot or more of snow in the Cascades. Snoqualmie Pass (the main route to Seattle from eastern Washington) at 3022 feet gets a lot of snow, even when there are only a few inches at lower elevations. The pass closes periodically when the snow gets overwhelming or so crews can do avalanche control. The mountains, including the Cascades and the Blues do get socked, but that's normal at this time of the year. If you travel back and forth across the mountains, you have all wheel drive, studded tires, or chains.
     And in Seattle, which is not accustomed to significant snowfalls, driving tends to get a little wacky. Folks with SUVs drive like the pavement is dry--a clip on the Weather Channel showed one sliding all the way down one of Seattle's many hills.

                                      © Diane B. Reed

     Here in the Walla Walla Valley most folks are used to the occasional snowfall. Schools were open today, and the garbage truck was right on time. Well, we did have to broom the snow off the satellite dish. And yeah, there were a few of those invincible SUV drivers on the roads, but most folks are taking it easy. It looks like we'll have a bit more of this snow/rain/freezing rain mix for the next few days. So be careful out there and if you don't have to go out, curl up with a good book and stay safe. This too will pass.
  
    
    

Visitors

Mallard and Coot on Lions Park Pond                                 © Diane B. Reed

It's that time of the year again. Family and visitors have gone home, and everyone seems to be settling in for a long winter's nap after the holidays. But it's also the time of year when we have a number of avian visitors to our birdfeeders and to the Lions Park pond. Some stay for the winter, like our Wigeons, Pine Siskins and Oregon Juncoes, others stop in for a few days, then move on. Right now we're enjoying the visit of a lone Coot. It's not that Coots are rare birds--you can see them by the hundreds in larger ponds and along the Columbia River. But we haven't had any at the pond for the last few years.  He's an energetic diver, which seems to baffle the Wigeons and Mallards, who are "Dabbling Ducks" who tip up on the surface. They can't figure out how he gets all kinds of food off the bottom of the pond. 

Snow Goose in Lions Park                             © Diane B. Reed

A few weeks ago we were surprised to see an unusual sight in the midst of a flock of Canada Geese which were grazing in Lions Park. When we looked through the binoculars we realized that it was a Snow Goose.  He seemed perfectly content to hang out with his Canadian cousins, but we haven't seen him since.  

Varied Thrush                © Diane B. Reed

There are interesting and unusual birds that visit the feeders or the pond from time to time, and we hope to be watching when they stop by. We've occasionally seen a Varied Thrush in the neighborhood, they're beautiful birds. So instead of taking that long winter's nap, you might want to keep an eye out for feathered visitors. I know I will.