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!

A Quick Shot

As we were driving down the road I saw a heron take off from a nearby pond. I grabbed my camera (which happened to be in my lap), turned it on, and my husband slowed down so we could try and capture its elegance. My camera is just a point-and-shoot, basically, so the zoom isn't as tight as fancy cameras that cost thousands of dollars. But I think this is my first shot of a bird in flight where you can actually tell what it is! These birds reside all over the WWV, since our land is quite marshy in some places, making for good feeding for the blue herons.

Natural Arrangement

Florists and nurseries probably spend hours putting together what nature does so beautifully all by herself in a matter of what must be moments to her. Another shot of the beautiful wonderland we had in the WWV on Sunday.

We're Still Here!

In spite of the colder weather and lack of camouflaging foliage, there is still some wildlife in the area. These beautiful birds were flitting around the branches and preening as I watched. I couldn't get close enough to see what they are...any bird experts out there recognize them? This is the same lake as yesterday's shot, but taken from another angle. This one is looking west.

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.

Signs of Winter

One last close-up shot from Southfork and then we shall move on! Above this frozen grass was a lovely, deep-green-moss-covered rock dripping with water. Apparently it had warmed up enough to keep the rivulets along the rock running, but not enough to thaw the grass that had already frozen. There were even miniature icicles on a couple of the blades of glass-encased grass. Winter is coming!

Frosty Morning

Another close-up taken along the Southfork trail. This was the first real frost I'd seen this season, and even these dead and rotting leaves looked fantastic with their dusting of white. I took a picture to document the first frost I'd seen in the fall of 2008. I was quite excited. Of course, the next morning it frosted at home. Oh well!

Walla Walla River 2

Another shot of the south fork of the Walla Walla River. As you can see, there are places along the river where things are still green. This is due to the fact that the large trees have spread their branches as a cover, and some of the undergrowth in the thicker areas have been protected from some of the destructive icy winds. This particular part of the trail is reminiscent of the PNW rain forests in northern Washington - moss-covered rocks, ferns, soft earth, and trails darkened by thick branches overhead. Even in the fall, this area is quite sheltered.

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!

Man's Best Friend

A man and man's best friend enjoying the walk along the Southfork trail. It was a beautiful November day, and perfect for a quiet walk in nature. (In spite of the mud!) Along this trail we met only 3 people: A hiker, a bicyclist, and a dirt bike rider. It was a fantastic excursion!

Curiosity II

Here's a close-up of the white berry-bearing bush. (Hooray for alliteration!) Anyone know what these are? They're beautiful, and fit the season so well! I would love to have some sprigs of this to liven up an evergreen display this time of year. This bush is growing along the south fork of the Walla Walla River. This week I've been featuring close-up shots taken while on a walk along this trail (commonly known as Southfork) last Sunday. For a more artistic shot of these berries, see yesterday's post.

Curiosity

Another close-up shot from Southfork, especially for Skywatch Friday! The berries pictured here silhouetted against the sky were all along the beginning part of the Southfork trail. They were white, which, if I'm remembering the little survival training I've had, would mean they were probably extremely poisonous. (Can anyone confirm that the lighter the colour, the more poisonous berries are to humans?) I'll post another photo of the bush so you can see the colour exactly. I liked this photo because of the gradient sky and seasonal silhouettes. More Southfork to come...

Nature's Accessories

Another close-up day... I'm not a horticulturist, or a mycologist (a word I used while posting this - it's a scientist who studies fungi), so unfortunately I can't tell you what this is exactly. It was everywhere along the trail at Southfork. It would appear (after consulting Wikipedia) that mosses are not fungi, but I didn't read the entire entry on "moss." So I'm not really sure if this is a moss or a fungi, but whatever it is, it's beautiful. The colour is cool and it looks like this branch is attempting to dress its finest - in spite of having lost all of its summer accessories. More of Southfork to come...

Topsy-Turvey

On Sunday, my husband and I went to Southfork, a popular walking/biking area to the southeast of Milton-Freewater. There is a picnic area and campground there, as well, known as Harris Park, but it is closed for the season. This is a beautiful time of year to go, as the summer crowds are gone, and the earth is preparing for a "long winter's nap." I of course took my camera to stock up on great WWV shots, and think I did fairly well at grabbing some interesting things to show you. My focus on this trip was, for some reason, close-up shots. So there will be a few of those this week, but all are from the Southfork area. Today's shot is of a mushroom turned upside-down. No, I didn't pluck and turn it myself - I found it this way! I just loved the uniformity of the underside of the mushroom. Oh, by the way, it's called Southfork because the trails take you on a tour along the south fork of the Walla Walla River. I'll show pictures of that this week, too.

First Frost

Well, last night we got the first real frost of the season. I love this time of year! The air feels clean, the plants and trees are dressed in sparkling white, and my breath fogs the air in front of me as I walk. It certainly feels as though the holidays are upon us, and it makes me smile.

Transformation

This beautiful bush greeted me for several weeks as I pulled into the parking lot at work. It grew more and more vivid every day, and I admired it each morning. Last week I noticed it losing its leaves. The colour was deep and almost bloody, and each morning there were fewer leaves on the branches, and more on the ground below. I was very sad about the loss of this cheeful autumn beauty. But THIS week, I noticed something new: Berries! All of the vivid colouring, the deepening, the loss of leaves - it was all leading up to something else beautiful. Here is a close-up of how that same bush looks now. Amazing, isn't it?!? I love this time of year.

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.