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| My lifelong friend and his youngest son drove from the Midwest to explore the Wild West, including Mt. Hood near Portland, OR. The views of the area from near the top of Mt. Hood, WOWed us :) |
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| Crater Lake is a nearly 4000 foot deep lake formed when Mt. Mazama erupted and the volcano collapsed in on itself. There are no streams that feed it, just 50 feet of snow a year! It is among the purest lakes in the world and on a good day observers have been able to see to the depth of 140 feet! |
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| In order to see the lake we had to walk ? up a small ? snowbank that was not hard packed after 20 inches of snow fell two days before we arrived. I stepped out of my right shoe twice, and was grateful for the steadying hands of my friend and his son!! |
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| Mt. St. Helens observation park is near where we went to St. Nicholas Eastern Orthodox Church Sunday. We thought we might get a closer view of Mt. St. Helens, but it was shrouded in clouds so we had to settle for watching a film about the eruption. I lived on the East Coast of the USA when the mountain erupted years ago, and was amazed that the ash traveled thousands of miles and effected us in NY state, too! |
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| I've dashed in and out of Chariteas for tea several times in the last three weeks, and also enjoyed her flowers... |
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| lavender and iris, |
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| more lavender and new growth on some pines, |
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| and rhododendrons ! |
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| One of the many gorgeous nurseries near our home... |
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| My two oldest granddaughters in balance :) |
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| This llama lives near our home. |
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| I enjoy seeing the alpaca on nearby farms. Have you heard alpaca hum? |
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| The wood ducks are so beautiful, and somewhere nearby are about 8 little ducklings hiding...they may belong to Mr. and Mrs. Mallard. |
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| Still trying to get an unobstructed closeup view of the wood ducks on the front pond :) |
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| I made four more knit bunnies for the little girls. |
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| Daisies Molly gathered for me at the park. For those of you who celebrate it, Happy Mother's Day Sunday! I hope your weekend is a joyous one! Gracie xx |
Hi Gracie! Goodness you've been busy!!! Crater Lake is so beautiful. Dennis and I rented a log cabin there about 5 years ago, just outside the park. It snowed while we were there and it was so pretty and cozy. We had a fireplace and rocking chairs and had a wonderful time. It looks as though you had a grand time with your friend. As always your pictures are beautiful and so are your grands. It's good to see you back posting. I was wondering where you were. :-)
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Betsy
Hi Gracie! What beautiful photos! I was fortunate enough to visit Crater Lake, and thought it was gorgeous! It was March, and there was snow on the ground then too.
ReplyDeleteI love the crochet bunnies!
The Wood Ducks....oh my. I adore them. There is a handsome pair on my Mom's lake that I have been trying to photograph for a few years. NEVER have gotten a decent photo. They are thrillingly beautiful creatures!!!!
Have a happy Mother's Day with your wonderful family!!
xo Kris
The crater looks amazin, and it looks like spring is everywhere around you.
ReplyDeleteHappy to see a new post from you, and the usual selection of delights for an Oregonian who lives far away! I don't know if I have ever been to Crater Lake, I hadn't realised you can occasionally see to the bottom. I'm amazed that iris are in bloom already! So lovely. I'm so glad you had a good visit with your friend and his son. Oh and I have a wee giveaway going on my blog, if you're interested.
ReplyDeleteLovely landscapes!! The lake looks very calm and clean. Glad to see you having a good time with your friend.
ReplyDeleteThe bunnies look very cute :)
Hello Gracie, what a lovely trip you and your friend and son had. Such beautiful photos of Oregon and Washington. And I think Oregon is such a gorgeous blooming state. Thanks for sharing all your beautiful photos. Hugs Judy
ReplyDeleteWhat an astonishing place! The lake looks absolutely incredible, so pure and blue.
ReplyDeleteAnd lots of sunshine too, something not too much in evidence here today.
Helenxx
Hello Gracie, long time no speaky! Loved your post today, full of light and coulour, the outdoors and smiling faces. Hope you are well. Jo x
ReplyDeleteHello Gracie what a lovely, and busy, time you have been having! I loved seeing your interesting photos, and am so glad you had a fun time with your friend and his son. I liked seeing your ducks too...ours flew away over the tree tops and I haven't seen them again! Such sweet bunnies....you have been busy making them too!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a happy week.
Helen xox
Happy Mother's Day to you lovely Gracie! I have so enjoyed your post filled with love and beautiful pics once again - so sweet to see you with your friend - and loved hearing your info on the various subject matter. Lovely makes you've been busy with again, and how sweet of Molly to pick you the daisies, bless her! Yes, I have heard alpacas hum, and also seen them spit!!!!! I love the animals but try to avoid that one fault that they seem to enjoy, haha! Love and blessings to you and yours, Joy xo
ReplyDeleteWonderful Gracie and I know I would have been crawling along the snow lol
ReplyDeleteGorgeous pictures and happy mothers day from Oz xo
What a pretty post. Happy Mother's Day to you as well. I hope you have a wonderful day. We have an alpaca farm down the road from us. I haven't heard them hum yet, but they are neat to watch run. Have a nice evening, Heather
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's Day! :)
ReplyDeleteLove your photos....such lovely flowers..and the Lake is awesome. Your knitted bunnies are so adorable, too. ((hugs))
It looks like you've had a nice time lately. I'm sure your friends loved their visit. I love that photo of the lone brown llama on the hill, he looks so peaceful. I hope you have a great Mother's Day.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if my post went through Gracie - there seemed to be a problem. I will check back later :-) thoroughly enjoyed catching up with you. Hugs Anne x
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post, your part of the world is so very beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI love your little bunnies, haven't you been busy!
LOVED your photos--it's been so long since I've visited Mt St Helens, I was glad you included it in this post! We were here when it erupted and I remember it (and the aftermath well). We also visited there about a year afterwards and the devastation was something one never forgets.
ReplyDeleteLove your wood ducks--the little glimpses they allow you (and us by your photos) are pretty amazing! Beautiful.
Blessings,
Aimee
PS: Great handwork--those bunnies are adorable!
Beautiful landscapes!! I am so jealous that you have some fantastic scenery right on your doorstep...but I am so happy that you share it with us via your blog :)
ReplyDeleteHope the rest of your week is just as wonderful as your photos.
Blessings, Sarah x
Gracie, thank you for taking us on the adventure with you, such gorgeous photos. Hope you are having a wonderful time with your friends visiting. Love your little bunnies.
ReplyDeleteMeredith
Hi Gracie, Wow those pictures are amazing! It's lovely to see the view from the near the top of Mt Hood and Crater lake is incredible! Sarah x
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day. Those photos of the Pacific Northwest bring me so many memories. I loved looking at Mt. Hood every day!
ReplyDeleteYou've been up to some fun things as usual! Crater Lake is one of the loveliest places I've ever seen - so beautifully clear and such a deep, deep blue. It sounds like you had a great visit with your friends.
ReplyDeleteIt's so green and gorgeous where you are. Our flowering trees haven't flowered yet ... I hope they will soon. Those wood ducks are very striking too. Thanks for all the great photos! :)
You have been busy the scenery is so beautifully and the knitted bunnies are so cute, thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteClare xx
Lovely blog! I've yet to go to Crater Lake when there's snow. One of these days we will make it there. Do you knit the covers for your eggs as well? Where is Chariteas? Nice idea for sure. I just make my own hot cup of tea and enjoy it when I can! Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteHi Becky!
DeleteI’m glad you enjoyed visiting me at OSL :) I have enjoyed visiting your blog, too, and now have you on my blogroll so that I can easily find you to visit you again.
Chariteas is in Sandy on Proctor Blvd. It is a treat for me to stop there, and I hope you can enjoy going there as well.
I crocheted the eggs from a pattern Teresa posted on her blog. I used it as a basis for the funny little chicks I made, too.
Our household is recovering from a horrible flu, but I am thanking the Lord we are all feeling so much better than we were, although we are still fumigating the house with bleach and have canceled having company this weekend to make sure we do not pass it on to others.
Blessings on you and yours,
Gracie :)