A Pop and a Crash

So the other night I was sitting in my living room with the back door open to let in some fresh air, and I hear a strange popping noise. I listen, the dog perks up and stares at the door...but nothing else happens. So I go back to what I'm doing, only to be startled by more popping. Finally I get up and shut the door, unnerved at not knowing what the strange sound is. As soon as I sit back down on the couch I hear what sounds like oddly muffled thunder...just over my house. One glance out the back window reveals all: A large branch from the neighbour's tree had broken from the trunk and landed partially on our roof and partly in our yard. It's still partially attached to the trunk, I think. I'm still not sure what to do about this...

Dreaming Moon

This was taken from my front porch on a lovely evening not too long ago after my family had enjoyed dinner on the patio.

Summer Sprinkler

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).

Tollgate: E.J. Haney Viewpoint

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 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?

Posted

It may surprise you to know that this picture was not edited. I actually shot it just like this...unfortunately I cannot tell you how! Again, it is not my camera, it was a borrowed camera I was experimenting with, and I bumped some buttons and when I looked at the pictures on the computer (not in the bright sun on the small camera screen) I realized the colour was funny. I like it, but I wish I knew how I did it! On the other side of this tree is a small piece of grassy hillside (bordered by a creek) that someone could potentially walk on to get into our neighbour's backyard, but it is highly unlikely. I guess someone felt the need to demand solitude here. The sign is broken, but its message is still clear.

Lucky Catch

In the same trees from yesterday, I managed to catch a few shots of this little guy, who actually stayed long enough for me to get some pictures. Anyone want to venture a guess as to what he is?

Nothin' But Blue Sky

I really don't know why, but this picture makes me think of Australia. And I've never been there, so I have no idea how I would even know. At any rate, this was part of my view during lunch on Friday. I ate on my front patio in the gorgeous 70-degree weather.

Rainy Evening

If you look closely you can see the rain dripping steadily from the roof of my porch. We got a pretty good downpour Saturday evening, and yes, I opened the door to enjoy the sound and smell.

The Cycle

I love how spring has a predictable cycle. In my part of the world, there is an order to how the pieces of spring fall into place, starting with the crocuses near the end of February or beginning of March. The daffodils are next, bobbing their white and yellow heads across town and soaking in the inevitable spring rains. Tulips follow, in bright yellows, purples, reds, oranges, pinks, whites, and everything in-between, accompanied by hyacinths - pink, white, purple, red and more. As the last of the daffodils shrivel and brown and dry, the dogwoods begin to blossom. And that is where we are today - I've noticed small pink blooms on the trees lining one particular section of College Avenue in College Place, and the infant dogwood pictured here is just a block or so from my office. I also noticed this morning that the lilac outside my office window has tiny dark purple balls ready to pop open any day - that happened over the weekend because last week that bush was still all green! The lilacs will last only about two weeks, the dogwoods about the same, and then come June we'll be blessed with roses that greet us through the summer.

Signs of Spring 4

Tree flowers! I love this tree, which I pass on my way to most meetings outside my office. In just a few weeks (perhaps even a few days), this tree will be covered in delicate white flowers such as these early arrivals. I just love the lacy look of them and the fragile beauty of the petals on each bloom. I'm not sure what kind of tree this is, but it is probably related to the dogwood.

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.

Signs of Spring 3

I love that everywhere I look there are signs pointing to the change in seasons. Although I still prefer the change from summer to fall, this is an exciting beautification of the earth, as well. I'm looking forward to the large lilac bush outside my office window adding colour to my daytime view again. It's budding green, so it's on its way! New life is emerging on this young tree, too.

Signs of Spring 2

Again, not a black and white photo, but simply taken when the sky was a tad grey. This silhouette of a tree branch in my front yard demonstrates, like yesterday's crocus, that spring is here. The branches of trees across the valley are budding and it excites me; I know that one morning I'll wake up and the dogwoods will be in full pink and white glory and these trees in my front yard will surprise me with bright yellow. I love spring in the Walla Walla Valley!

Skywatch Friday

Believe it or not this is not a black and white photo. I simply took it on a very grey day. The tree is budding, which means spring is well on its way here in the Walla Walla Valley. Springtime skies here often look like this...full of rain. Welcome to spring in the WW Valley!

You can view more Skywatch Friday shots from around the world by visiting the Skywatch Friday website.

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.

Morning Glory

This is the view from my front porch. And on this particular morning it was exceptionally fantastic. I believe this was taken about two weeks ago.

The Sentinal

This large tree stands at a corner I pass by every morning on my way to work. It towers over the house and the telephone pole next to it, and I think it looks even more regal with the snow on its branches, don't you?

Public Christmas Trees 2

This lovely tree is quite a bit larger than the first Christmas tree I posted. It's probably about 30 feet tall and decorated beautifully. It resides in front of the firehouse in the 8,000-person city of College Place, and is highly visible from the main drag, College Avenue.

Public Christmas Trees 1

I'm going to try and take a picture of all the area outdoor Christmas trees this year, but I make no promises! This is the first of the series, and it is a tree located outside of a church in Milton-Freewater. I really love the colour of the sky in this shot.