Movin' On

Wow, has it really been eight and a half months since I posted last?  Has it really been eight and a half months since I packed up and moved 250 miles across the state to Vancouver, Wash.?  Indeed, it has!  And oh so much has happened.  My job is going well, we're loving it over here on the west side of the state, and - the biggest news of all - we are now a family of four!  Those of you who have been following me since the beginning (or at least over the last three years) remember when Little Miss was born in July 2009; now her little sister, Miss Bennett, as we call her, has joined the family.  She is currently five and a half weeks old and is, while cute, exhausting.  But...what new baby isn't?  The photo above is of Miss Bennett when she was about a week old.

This post is not just to ramble about my family life; I wanted to let any of you interested parties know that I'm starting a new photo blog to showcase my new home.  I wasn't sure if I was going to do it or not, but I've decided there is just too much beauty and interest here to NOT create another blog.  So, if you're interested, join me to explore Vancouver, Wash., Portland, Ore., and their surrounding areas at my new blog, ilivethepnw.blogspot.com.

See ya there!

Final Autumn 4

This is one of my favourites from this season so far.  I don't know what kind of tree this is; it's in our neighbour's house and is actually the same tree I posted a photo of earlier this week - the gorgeous orange/yellow tree.  Anyone recognize this fruit?  It looks like an upside-down apple to me, but I know it's not an apple tree.

Final Autumn 3

This is the view from our front porch this week.  I love the various colours.  Happy Autumn, indeed!

Final Autumn 2

These leaves are on a sumach tree in our front yard.  I love the bright red and I think the dark center of the leaves is gorgeous.  It makes for a stunning tree this time of year.

Final Autumn 1

We'll spend my last week in the Walla Walla Valley enjoying the valley's autumn beauty.  This is a tree in front of our house.  I love the contrast between the tree and the sky.

Sunrise

This is Chan Shun Pavilion, the engineering building on the campus of Walla Walla U.  Friday's sunrise struck the glass building just right and I couldn't resist a quick capture of the vibrant glow.  You can see that all the windows on this side of the building are covered with condensation; it got quite chilly Thursday night!

Scarf Day

I took this image earlier this week when the morning showed us the first fog of the season.  It's a little early for fog like this, but we had a very mild summer so I'm wondering if winter will hit early this year.  This is 8th Street in College Place.  Notice the changing tree colours?  I'm going to try to get more pictures of this stunning transformation (my favourite time of year!) this weekend.

Skywatch Friday

This is the sky that greeted me as I left home for work this morning.  And with this calm and lovely view, I must share some sad news.  I have only one week left for posting on this blog.  On Oct. 31 I will be leaving the Walla Walla Valley to start a new job and the next chapter of my life in Vancouver, Wash.  I will be serving as Director of Communications for a non-profit organization there that works with troubled and at-risk youth, and while I'm sad to leave the WWV, I am very excited for this next new life adventure.  I may start a photo blog in my new home, and if I do I'll be sure to post a link here for you faithful friends whom I have enjoyed hearing from every once in a while.  I will try to post a picture every day between now and when I leave.  Happy Friday, everyone!  And may you be richly blessed in all you endeavor today.  View more Skywatch Friday posts at the Skywatch Friday website.

Old Transportation

A non-edited photo by my mother, from Klickers.  They had, in addition to pumpkins, a tall haystack with a slide on the other side, old trucks to climb in, an antiques shop, and a produce shop, complete with homemade ice cream.

From the Good Ol' Days

Another photo from Klickers that my mom took and I edited.

Fall Harvest

This afternoon we went with my parents, who were visiting from out of town, and some local friends to Klickers.  I've mentioned Klickers before; it's one of my favourite places to visit in the fall, especially now that Little Miss is old enough to enjoy it.  This is a picture my mom took and I edited.

What a View!

On Sunday, Husband, Little Miss, and I took a little drive in the country.  I was driving and my goal was to take all the OTHER turns - the ones I never take when we're back there.  I wanted to go somewhere we hadn't gone before, and I succeeded!  We ended up on a gravel road that wound past beautiful houses surrounded by trees, and plenty of fields.  At one point, the view forced me to stop my car and take a picture.  What a stunning view of the valley, don't you think?  And on a very typical autumn day, too. 

Fall is Here!

I am so excited to report that Fall is definitely here in the Walla Walla Valley.  This picture from my cell phone doesn't do this gorgeous tree justice; I will try to get a better picture later this week.  I'm wearing a scarf and a jacket today and am loving the chilly fall weather.  Perfect for tea, blankets, scarves, and my daughter's adorable rain boots.  Which reminds me - I haven't posted a picture of my Little Miss here in a while, have I?  I should do that soon.  So is fall in your area yet?  What does fall look like where you live?  (Or for those of you in the southern hemisphere - what does spring look like where you are?)  Happy October!

Baker Boyer Bank

Late summer afternoons in downtown Walla Walla are wonderful.  The kids are back in school so they aren't hanging around yelling and running you over with skateboards, but it's still warm enough to enjoy an iced coffee as you wander down the sidewalk and window shop.  I love this valley!  Baker Boyer Bank has been around since 1869, and its building is still one of the most beautiful in town.

A Lot Going On

I know I tend to take a lot of breaks from posting these days, but I've been quite busy lately.  Not least on my list of worries and stresses: my father-in-law was in a farming accident on the other side of the Blue Mountains in La Grande, Ore. 

This is where we spent our night last Wednesday: Providence St. Mary Medical Center Emergency, Trauma One.  Here the ultrasound technician is attempting to find a large enough vein to put an IV in his arm so he can be transported via Life Flight to Portland, Ore., for surgery.  My father-in-law is half-asleep on the bed, lying flat, covered by heated blankets and an air pumped plastic wrapping filled with heated air.  It was quiet, so we just watched the medical professionals do their work.

Though my father-in-law is still in a major hospital in Portland, Ore., he is doing a bit better and is no longer in the ICU (intensive care unit).  We spent the weekend there with family.

Kudos to the staff at Providence St. Mary Medical Center; they never made us feel as though we were in the way as we watched them work, and did what they could to make my father-in-law comfortable.  They also worked quickly and got Life Flight on their way as soon as they could.  This hospital is where I gave birth to my daughter, and I would recommend it to anyone who needs medical care in the WW Valley.

Cougar Sighting

 

 Wes Marcum, a local photographer, got the shot of a lifetime when he saw these two cougars in a field three miles east of Walla Walla earlier this week.  This photo is circulating on Facebook without credit, so if you see it, make sure and post the photographer's name.  Special thanks to Wes for allowing me to post some of his awesome shots.

Hazy Daze

Smoky end-of-summer days make for fantastically stunning sunsets.  I took this picture on 4th Street in College Place on Friday, Sept. 9.  There are always fires in the foothills and fields this time of year, and while it makes for hazy horizons during the day and sometimes - at its worst - stinging eyes from the smoke in the air, it doesn't last long, and in the meantime you can enjoy gorgeous views like this.

Summer Ride

These bicyclists had stopped by the "Welcome to Washington" sign on Highway 11 to take a photo of themselves.  The one on the far right is trying to rig up the camera on his small portable tripod and set the timer so he can be in the photo, too.  Just to the right of this image is Stateline Road - the state line between Oregon and Washington.  I was waiting at a red light when I spotted this crew of bikers.  I hope they're enjoying themselves, wherever they are now.  Bicycling is a popular sport in the Walla Walla Valley; the valley itself is quite flat (riding from the west side of College Place to the east side of Walla Walla only takes you up 300 feet in elevation), and the scenery can be quite spectacular.  I often see groups of bicyclists enjoying a ride in the countryside on the outskirts of town.

Good Evening, Night.

Another sunset from this week.  We've been having a lot of brush and field fires (that time of year I'm afraid) and the smoke makes the sunsets unbelievably colourful and intense.

Farewell to Monday

This fabulous sunset took place Monday evening. The photo was taken near a Latter-day Saint church in Milton-Freewater.