The Administration Building

We had one absolutely gorgeous morning last week and I just had to go for a walk and enjoy it. This is a photo I took on that walk; it features the administration building at Walla Walla U.

And Time Stood Still

The piece that casts a shadow has long been broken from this sundial installed on the Walla Walla U. campus many decades ago, which means that anyone who can tell time with a sundial is out of luck with this one. I rather wish they would fix it, especially since we are having only a brief period of sunshine before heading back into grey, overcast days and rain here in the valley.

Sunshine at Last!

It's a beautiful (though chilly!) day in the Walla Walla Valley today; I snapped this photo this morning while on my morning break. I had to take a walk when the sun came out - it was just too beautiful to pass up. This is a shot of the Walla Walla U. Church in College Place. The campus is one of my favourite places in the valley to walk, with a nearby subdivision bordered by a creekside path a close second. This Seventh-day Adventist church associated with the university on whose campus it resides has a membership of around 2,000. It hosts two church services each weekend, one at 9:30 a.m. and the other at 11:45 a.m., with multiple Bible study groups meeting in-between. It's easy to get lost in a large church like this...but music ensembles sound amazing here! If you're ever in the valley and have the opportunity to attend a concert here, please do! Almost every Saturday evening the university's music department hosts a musical vespers program featuring the church's large pipe organ.

An Odd Umbrella

While waiting for someone I was picking up, I was watching people out in the rain from the shelter of my car. This one, of course, caught my eye. I'm really not sure why he's carrying a mattress on his head, but it seems perhaps an umbrella would be a bit easier to manage...

A Thoughtful Gesture

It was nice of some thoughtful college student to wrap this warm scarf around Billy Budd's neck, but it seems maybe a coat would be more helpful. This picture was taken when the temperature was around 20 degrees (F), outside the Peterson Memorial Library on the Walla Walla U. campus. You've seen Billy Budd before: In the summer and in the winter.

U-Church

The biggest church in the valley, the Walla Walla U. Church, stands tall and regal, surrounded by the first snow of the season and given a backdrop of blue sky - some of the only glimpses we've seen for over a week! A couple thousand people attend this church every weekend, many of them university students. The university is part of the Seventh-day Adventist school system, which has over a dozen colleges and universities in North America alone, with dozens more around the world, including locations such as India, England, France, Australia, Philippines, Spain, Austria, Argentina and more.

Snow, Snow and More Snow!

It snowed practically all day yesterday and we had several inches by the time dinner rolled around. (I'm not sure what the official count was.) I took this photo from my (warm!) car; the central building on the Walla Walla U. campus is the administration building and the campus seems to fan out from this central point. It was, indeed, still snowing when I took this picture yesterday morning.

Tangled

The first thing that catches my eye about this photo is of course the bright red berries in contrast with the dark branches and white snow. But the next thing I noticed was the incredible woven "pattern" of the branches of this beautiful bush. This was taken at Walla Walla U. yesterday morning.

Perseverance

Yes, the snow hit the valley this weekend. We are forecast to have eight inches by tomorrow morning, and I believe it might just happen. I love the way the summer's last flowers look covered in snow. Their colours look even more vivid this way. This particular flower is determined to survive as long as possible on the Walla Walla U. campus this winter.

Awaiting Their Fate

The university grounds crew had come along and used their power blowers to push all the fallen leaves into one big long pile, presumably to pick them up and dispose of them. I liked the way it looked with all the oranges, browns, golds and yellows in an endless line.

Welcome Back!

While Whitman College resumed classes for fall term back in mid-August, Walla Walla U just opened its doors to students again on Monday. The university is on a quarter system, as opposed to Whitman, which is on semester. This means that Whitman College begins in mid-August but has graduation in mid-May, whereas Walla Walla U begins at the end of September but doesn't have graduation until mid-June. Personally, I prefer the quarter system, simply because it means I only have to have each class for ten weeks - which was especially good for the classes I didn't like! This banner welcomes folks back to the campus every year, hanging across College Avenue. The tall building in the background is Foreman Hall, one of two women's residence halls on campus.

Summer Rain

Surprisingly, a place as hot and dry as the Walla Walla Valley occasionally gets rain in the summer. It happened on Monday, in fact. These two girls were walking high and dry across the Walla Walla U. campus under their umbrellas. The small shower we enjoyed cooled off the temperature noticeably. Which, especially since I'm 39 weeks pregnant, is always a good thing in the summer.

Lunchtime View

I don't really enjoy summer, but one thing I do like is watching the world turn green. After the flowers are gone (and they pretty much are except for a few lilies and some roses), the varying shades of green emerge and spice up an otherwise drab summer valley. Another thing I like is early summer, when the weather is still comfortable and the breezes are enjoyable while you eat lunch at a picnic bench, like I did earlier this week. This was my view as I sat in the shade of this very full-leafed tree and enjoyed my lunch. I walked to one of the most open parts of the Walla Walla U. campus called Kretschmar Lawn (pronounced KRETCH-mahr) for the large glass building which borders one side. It was a lovely quiet summer day on the university campus, which although makes the campus a little lonely, is nice for a peaceful lunch.

Celebrate the Rain

This past Sunday was commencement at Walla Walla U. It was an overcast morning with chances of thunderstorms, and though we didn't get any thunder or lightning, the valley sure got soaked! I loved the collection of umbrellas across the lawn where they hold the ceremony each year. It's called Centennial Green, as it was dubbed in 1992 when the school celebrated its 100th year. It may have been raining, but that didn't subdue the celebrations and cheering! Congratulations to the WWU class of 2009!

April Fools

I've been out of town and didn't have a chance to schedule postings, so I apologize for the tardiness of this post. It was supposed to go up April 1, for April Fools Day (or so it's called in the United States - what is it called where you live?). This poor quality photo was snapped through my car window when I noticed spur-of-the-moment that some humourous person (student?) had placed an umlaut on the Walla Walla U. sign. I found it amusing...it didn't harm anything, and it was pretty clever. Happy April Fools!

All Good Things

Another bulletin board find. I have no way of knowing if the same person who did this was the same person who created the artwork in Thursday's post, but it would seem they were done at the same time. I found them at the same time, and they are both done on the same size and colour of paper, in crayon. Among so many overwhelming posters, flyers, and information, this really stands out. It's simple, beautiful, and easy to understand.

A Great Day

I've been making some great finds around the Walla Walla U. campus and hope to keep up the trend. Today's post was found on a campus bulletin board. In the Bible, Psalms 73:26 says this:

My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Whoever posted this smiled while doing it. I'm passing the smile on to you...what will you do with it?

Save Faith

Some of you may remember an earlier post I did of a stone about this size and shape that I discovered in the crook of a tree on the Walla Walla U. campus. That one read simply: "Pure." This one I recently discovered sitting on top of a walkway light in a different part of the campus. I don't know who is writing these or why...and how they're choosing where to place them. But they make me smile. And I don't even know their meaning.

Billy Budd II

This made me laugh as I walked past it a few days ago. This is Billy Budd, whom you've seen before on this blog. He just looks so distraught over the snow on his head and shoulders, I couldn't help but capture his misery with my camera. He looks like he's having trouble walking, too. I'm sorry, Billy!

Do You Have the Time?

Though this clock rarely tells the correct time, it is a beautiful timepiece, I think. It was a gift from the class of 2000 at Walla Walla U. No matter what season it is, this clock always catches my eye. It's probably the second most photographed item on the WWU campus, the first being the Billy Budd statue in front of the library (see previous post), of which I will post another photo tomorrow, since it looks great buried in snow. (You'll see what I mean tomorrow.) The snow persists, and though I love the beauty of it, I'm fine with the amount we have - and I don't want any injuries or deaths due to icy, snowy, wintry travel. My prayers are with all who travel in this weather. Vaya con Dios, mis amigos.