This fabulous sunset took place Monday evening. The photo was taken near a Latter-day Saint church in Milton-Freewater.
Over the weekend a fine gentleman I know by the name of Terry Koch snapped this photo of a gorgeous white butterfly perched on a dandelion flower in his yard. He was gracious enough to allow me to use the photo for this blog, as he resides in the Walla Walla Valley. Though he's not sure, he thinks this might either be a Western White Butterfly or a Spring White Butterfly. Any butterfly experts out there care to try their hand at identifying this beauty?
There are really some fun treasures you find while driving around on back roads here in the Walla Walla Valley. I've driven past this little gem several times now as it is on the way back to my house after a drive in the countryside. I admire the bell tower every time we pass.
The sunsets in the Walla Walla Valley are not easily beat; this one changed so quickly I found myself snapping photos every few seconds trying to catch the beauty of it all. One redeeming factor of summer is that there are fantastic sunsets. Almost makes up for the typical 95+ degree heat (F). (Though I do have to say I've very much enjoyed this mild summer we've been having. I think we have only hit 95 twice, and we've stayed very close to 90 or under most of the summer so far. Very odd.)
This was taken from my front porch on a lovely evening not too long ago after my family had enjoyed dinner on the patio.
This is my dog, Raina. She's four years old and although people continue to tell me that black labs mellow out around three years of age, she has yet to demonstrate any mellowing. She loves to run, wade in water, play fetch, and chase my 2-year-old around the dining room table (which she, by the way, absolutely loves). She also enjoys dinner leftovers (in her bowl, not from our hands at the table), chewing on rawhide, and playing with other dogs - regardless of size. Here she is taking a breather after a long walk along the Walla Walla River.
A little bit north on the track from yesterday and we find this abandoned train. I'm sure it moves from time to time as it's not yet covered with graffiti and wasp nests, but there was no engine in sight when I took this picture with my phone on a beautiful summer evening in Walla Walla.
I glanced out my bathroom window while doing the laundry the other day and saw the sun glinting through the droplets watering my neighbour's lawn. I love the summery glow and the deep green of the leaves (though admittedly I did edit this version of the photo).
I was sitting at the table waiting to take pictures of my best friend's little girl taking the first bite of her birthday cake at her second birthday party, when I looked down and saw this little guy. My friend's nephew had caught the butterfly and brought it inside, and it was, I'm guessing, recuperating. I set my camera to "macro" and snapped away. It made a fantastic model - it never moved while I took pictures.
Another annual event (which is actually a TON of fun) is the Caledonia Games in Athena, a 20-minute drive from Walla Walla. This little town (population approx. 1,300) hosts thousands of people every year for an event that celebrates Scottish heritage, people, and culture. My husband's paternal grandmother had a Scottish name and is red-headed; we've traced his lineage back to a small castle on the coast of Scotland, too! Last time I went to the Caledonia Games in Athena we went to the sheepdog trials and then wandered around the displays and booths. This year we went to the tattoo - a "concert" of sorts of pipe and drum bands. As a percussionist I absolutely loved this event. I highly recommend stopping by this 2-day event that takes place on the second weekend of July every year. Next time I will go and hopefully purchase a bodhran, an instrument I've been longing to learn to play.
On accident, Husband and I ended up at the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Festival on Sunday. It happens every year, and I've never been to one, but Husband has, and he says it's really nothing to write home about. It's basically just another excuse for people to come and sell things, and it's an easy way to get some WW sweets without having to drive out to the highway and find a roadside farm stand. At the festival you can get anything onion - raw in 20-pound bags, breaded and deep-fried (still better than deep-fried Kool-Aid, I say), caramelized and on top of hot dogs - you name it, you can probably get it at the Sweet Onion Festival.
I am envious of anyone who has worked out space for a home garden. I have wanted one for years but haven't managed to convince my husband that we have a place for one - and we really don't, aside from building raised beds, which I'd like to do anyway. Maybe we'll build them this year and get our garden going in 2012...? The above photo was taken by a multi-talented family man who lives in College Place. I loved it so much I asked him if I could post it on my blog and he kindly obliged. Brenden Koch took this photo over the weekend and it features a bean vine taking full advantage of the twine placed there for its pleasure in his family garden. The garden is quite lovely, and I've enjoyed watching it grow via photos on Facebook this season. Everyone's gardens here in the valley are finally able to grow now that we're getting real summer weather, though it took a while getting here this year!
A lunchtime treat on a summer afternoon: Chocolate gelato and a lemon tart from the Colville Street Patisserie in downtown Walla Walla. Can you tell I love this place?
A 30-minute drive up the mountains from the WW Valley and you get to see this breathtaking view. This is actually where my husband proposed to me, all the way back in April 2004.
The green of the hillside is stunningly green to me. And no, I didn't edit this photo or have the camera on colour enhancing settings. I think it's the effect of grey, overcast skies above the grass. This is a hill outside College Place in a quiet piece of country.
It looks like this road leads right to the tree behind the hill in the countryside just west of College Place. The clouds look foreboding, don't they?
Another view from my friends' house out in the country just past the state line in Oregon. They own 20 acres and grow alfalfa, corn, and other things, as well as sheep, goats, cows, cats, chickens and dogs.
