Evening Light

I've shown a couple of pictures from La Grande before; this is another. La Grande is only 90 minutes away from The Walla Walla Valley, and is a fantastic place to visit. It's beautiful there in the Grande Ronde Valley, and because of its close proximity to the western border mountains (the highest peak of which is known as Mt. Emily), the evenings cool off much quicker and to much lower temperatures than the WWV. The other factor is that La Grande is at approximately 2700 feet; the WWV's highest point is just over 1,000 feet. Here the evening light is highlighting Mt. Harris, the highest point on the eastern side of the valley.

Bennington Lake

Bennington Lake is a man-made reservoir located south of Rooks Park on the east end of Walla Walla. In the winter the water level gets quite low, so the activities of choice shift from fishing to throwing sticks for Fido. On a beautiful Saturday (beautiful for the end of February!), my husband and I decided to take the dog for a long walk. We needed the exercise. So we grabbed his GPS (for some geocaching) and headed to the lake. Several walking paths and trails circle the lake, and on the north side lead to Rooks Park. We didn't make it to Rooks Park (that would've been approximately 6 miles), but we did walk around the entirety of the lake, including the beds of mud the recent rain created. We guesstimate we walked about 3 1/2 -4 miles. On our walk we encountered several people on horseback (they were smart - only the horses get muddy that way!), a lot of dogs walking their owners, and a few kids, some walking, some on bikes. Quite a crowd was at the lake, but as we moved to the far side, we were alone a majority of the time and were able to spot a couple of hawks, and, though none of them were visible, we did find some evidence of owls and deer. As you can see in the photo, spring is on its way...the fields are ready, and so are the trees! It was a lovely walk, and we were very glad we did it...in spite of being exhausted afterward!

The Hills of the Valley

Sounds like an oxy-moron, doesn't it? But really, it's true. This valley is a valley of hills. The cliche "rolling hills" really comes true here in the WWV. This is a view from a hillside on the east side of the valley, looking southeast. Husband and I were geocaching and when I turned around to take a look, this breathtaking view is what greeted me. True, it's not the Tetons, the Alps, or the blue Atlantic, but this area really grows on a person. After over 7 years of living here, I've started calling it home, and it really is beautiful. Just don't ask me in July as I hover in front of the air conditioning unit with a popcicle in each hand.

Desert Hills

Previously, I posted photos of Southfork, an enjoyable hiking and biking area just a few miles southeast of Milton-Freewater. It's hard to believe that the beautiful wooded trails along the river there are just a few turns of a road way from flattened fields and desert hills such as these. Most of the WWV is dry and brown. The elevation here ranges from approx. 700 to 1000 feet. Though it is hilly here, it is generally flat, making town biking a breeze. This contributes to the awful summers we have that average out at around 98-100* F (36-40* C). I hope to post photos of the Columbia River someday soon, which just touches the far corner of our little valley before curving off toward the West. The cliffs around that little section of the mighty Columbia resemble larger versions of these desert hills...and are much more picturesque!

Whitman Mission

Marcus and Narcissa Whitman were missionaries to the Walla Walla Valley natives starting in 1836. The valley was then in what was known as the Oregon Territory, but is now part of southeastern Washington. The settlement became a stop along the famous Oregon Trail, and was known as Waiilatpu (why-ee-LAHT-poo), meaning "Place of the Rye Grass" in the Cayuse language. Marcus farmed and provided medical care, while his wife, Narcissa, set up a school for the native children. The sudden influx of white people brought with it disease and sickness. In a short amount of time, many natives were dying with measles. The medicine to cure measles known to the white people didn't have the same effect on the natives, leading to more white people being healed than natives. This, coupled with the intense nature of the conversion attempts of the Whitmans and their white friends, led the natives to believe that Marcus was killing the natives and only healing the white people. Over the course of several weeks, 53 women and children were held hostage by the natives until negotiations were finally settled for their release. Unfortunately, in the angry acts that followed the hostage-taking, the Whitmans were murdered in cold blood by the very people they were trying to help: the natives. Today, Waiilatpu is an historical marker along Highway 12 just north of Walla Walla and College Place. Whitman Mission is a few miles outside of town, located on several acres of beautiful tree-filled land. It's free to park and enjoy the picnic area, and a minimal fee (used for upkeep and staffing) allows you to explore the grounds and the museum, as well as the monument to the Whitmans located on a lone hill to the east of the museum. This photo was taken on the grounds of the Whitman Mission during the winter two years ago.

Winter Landscape

As you're leaving the Walla Walla Valley and heading toward Tri-Cities (northwest of the WWV), you meet up with the mighty Columbia River. The area around the river is very wet, and has a few lakes interspersed with trees, reeds, and even some sagebrush. Everything is braced for winter, dressed in seasonal brown and ready for whatever the season brings. This scene shows one of the larger bodies of water that isn't the river itself in this area, and is facing northeast.

Walla Walla River 1

Here's a semi-bird's eye view of the south fork of the Walla Walla River. As you can see, November has taken its toll on the surrounding foliage, giving the area an entirely new (and seasonal) beauty. Though it looks rough and wild, this is a relatively small river - especially if you compare it with the nearby (approx. 30-minute drive) Columbia River. However, places along this medium-sized river do run deep, and in the spring, the water is much closer to the top of its banks. There is actually a geocache on the other side of the river from the trail, which has been frustrating my husband for many months. You can either cross in the summer, when it's fast and deep, or the winter when it's shallower...and much colder!

Good Morning

The view along the highway between Milton-Freewater and College Place is sometimes stunning. On this particular morning, it certainly was. The mountains (which sometimes resemble hills...depends on where you're from) are the Blue Mountains, and are actually decently tall; the highest peak is over 9,000 ft. Driving them in the winter can be quite hazardous.

Autumn is Flying By

And winter will soon be here. Thanksgiving (for those of us in America) is coming up next week, the trees are almost completely bereft of leaves - and colour - and the air is actually foggy/hazy in the mornings. This early fall view of a pasture west of College Place shows some tell-tale "end of summer" green. That's quickly slipping away around the valley; soon all there will be is brown. I do look forward to Thanksgiving, though - the colours of the table will be reminiscent of the gorgeous show of autumn splendor we had earlier in the fall.