The Grain Train

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.

Straight Ahead: Adventure

An August evening drive through the countryside southeast of College Place will produce beautiful serene summer scenes such as this. We'll find the train tomorrow...

The Road

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?

Goodbye Daytime

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.

Fields of Gold

I wish I could claim this picture as my own, but a friend of mine, Marci, went walking with her family on a Saturday afternoon and took this fantastic photo. This is a canola field outside of Milton-Freewater. Canola is turned into oil, which is actually healthier for you than vegetable oil, though not as good as olive oil.

Perspective

A different perspective of yesterday's vista; this is, perhaps, what a small animal would see while perusing the field for dinner. A coyote, perhaps? Or a fox?

Scenic Spring

While out for a drive on the outskirts of the city, we came across a curve in the gravel road that looked out over this breathtaking scene. The deep green of the infant fields, the dusty blue of the newly uncovered mountains, and the grey-white of the unpredictable sky...all of this epitomizes the Walla Walla Valley in April. Welcome to my world.

Lonely, Yet Brave

The only object in the entire field braving the temperamental spring weather was this windmill, which was a fun object to photograph with such a tumultuous, threatening backdrop. This was taken in a field outside of Milton-Freewater.

Skywatch Friday

I drive past this field and farmhouse every day on my way to and from work. The sky was irresistible on this particular evening, and I love the silhouette of the tree against the soft colours in the clouds.

Country Drive 8

Rain in the valley usually means snow in the mountains. You can see along the horizon the end of the Blue Mountains, white with fresh snow.

Country Drive 7

I just love how the sky can be so many different colours in so short an amount of time. Spring weather does some beautiful things to the sky, especially here in the Walla Walla Valley.

Country Drive 6

Farms are often nestled down in dells (this is a shallow one) to protect the buildings and animals from the wind that frequently whips across this countryside. Some are out in the open, but are surrounded by trees to act as a buffer against the wind.

Country Drive 5

Power lines run parallel to Highway 11 nearly all the way between Pendleton and Milton-Freewater. It is really the only sign of advanced civilization when you're driving between wheat fields, silos and tractors.

Country Drive 2

We're on a drive in the countryside this week; thanks for tagging along! This is Highway 11 outside of Milton-Freewater. This highway connects the Walla Walla Valley to Pendleton, Ore. (yes, home of the famous Pendleton Round-Up), as well as to Interstate 84, which one takes to get to Boise, Idaho (headed east), or Portland, Ore. (headed west).

Country Drive 1

This week we are going to go on a little drive in the country surrounding the town centers of Walla Walla, College Place and Milton-Freewater. It's an early spring this year, according to experts (i.e. the groundhog), and the weather recently seemed to agree. However, later this week we are expecting an "arctic front" which will bring sub-freezing temperatures and perhaps even some snow. So we'll see! But for now we'll enjoy a spring-like drive in the countryside. Thanks for tagging along!

Content

A common scene around the Walla Walla Valley. These fine animals were photographed on the Oregon side of the border.

Stormclouds 2

Another shot taken not too far from yesterday's. The tree looks lonely, don't you think? This is a rather atypical scene in winter here - the sun doesn't come out very much between December and March. But when it does, it is extra glorious.

Stormclouds 1

View from the highway just outside the WW Valley. I love the way the sky looks behind this hill.

The Farmer in the Dell

Until I moved to the WW Valley, I didn't know what a "dell" was, or whether the farmer in the song being there was a good or bad thing. Though this is a quite small dell, it kind of gives you the idea; it's a low area surrounded by hills (too small to be considered a valley). The song "The Farmer in the Dell" talks about someone who might live in a little place like this, located on the south side of Walla Walla.

Balin' Out

This is another common sight around the valley these days; after the harvesters cut the hay, the balers come through and do their job. Finally, the bales are stacked all in one place, like this. Each of these large bales probably weighs between 500 and 1,000 pounds each and requires special equipment to move them.