Oregon Kite Festival

We had a great weekend in Lincoln City, Oregon, exploring the coast and flying kites at the summer kite festival here.  There are a variety of kite festivals up and down the coast each summer; this one is Lincoln City is a show festival and not competitive.  These enormous kites are on display throughout the day, wind permitting, and some of the smaller kites in the background perform routines set to music, almost like a ballet dance.  They also perform precision kite routines.  There's a kite parade for kids and a competition to see who can run down the beach fastest while dragging a donut-shaped kite. Saturday we had tons of wind but it was sort of misty and overcast.  Sunday we got the sun, but it wasn't as windy so not all the display kites were flying.  Still, it was a fun event, attended by almost 15,000 kite-lovers.

In the Reeds

I liked this interesting reed reflection along the edge of 

Cranberry Lake in Deception Pass State Park on Monday.

Linking to Weekend Reflections

Deception Pass

View from the fence line of one of the beaches at
 Deception Pass State Park north of Seattle. 

Linking to Good Fences

Mount St Helens

Mount St Helens #4

And here she is! This was about the clearest the clouds got near her crater while we were there.  Visible in this photo are the north facing crater, the headwaters, the lahars, the toppled trees, and the beautiful carpet of purple and red wildflowers that bloom up here in June and July. Broad leaf lupine, red paintbrush as they call it out here, and Caldwell's pentstamon. The colors were overwhelming. I just had to keep pinching myself, this park was so beautiful. I definitely want to drive back for one more hike this summer.

Headwaters

Mount St Helens #3

After the lateral blast came a pyroclastic flow, which is a turbulent spewing of hot gases, ash, and rock, followed by lahars which are basically mudflows formed by melting snow and glaciers combined with rock and ash.  The lahars flowed down several of the north facing rivers, including the Toutle River which flows from Mount St Helens down to the Columbia River. We drove along the Toutle River entering the park. I read that five rivers originate on Mouth St Helens. I think this cut at the base of the mountain marks the origin of the Toutle River.

Lateral Blast

Mount Saint Helens #2

If you guessed Mount St Helens, you are correct. From Vancouver we have a terrific view of Mt Hood in Oregon, a partial view of Mt St Helens (the view is actually much better from Portland), and a glimpse of Mt Adams further to the east.  

Today's photo was taken from Johnston Ridge Observatory looking north (Mount St Helens was behind me.)  So she remains hidden for another day, because I wanted to show one of the many visible reminders of the blast. Throughout the park the charred remains of forests are everywhere. The eruption of Mount Saint Helens on May 18, 1980 involved a quick series of catastrophic events, beginning with the largest landslide in recorded history, followed by a lateral blast from the north side of the mountain. The blast, moving at 330 mph with a temperature of 550 degrees, snapped trees in a five mile radius and seared trees for an additional 17 miles. The matchstick-looking charred timber on this ridge is just one example. 

Incognito

We took a trip to the mountains yesterday. Hard to believe, but on a clear day we are able to see three different volcanic mountains.  When we started our trip, this beautiful lady was "out" as the locals say, but during our drive she disguised herself in some clouds.  This photo was taken from a visitor center about a half hour from the main park.  I took this shot quickly because I was worried she would disappear from view completely by the time we got to the park.  Lucky for us, she changed her mind, and I have a few more photos from this beautiful trip to share in coming days.  Who is she?  You'll have to wait and see (or peak in yesterday's post, but that's cheating!)

Flamingos

This is a repost of an old blog photo taken at the flamingo pond in the San Francisco Zoo. I'm posting it now as part of the  Weekend Reflection group, and also as a transition into posting again. I've had a rough time with calendar printing this month after switching printers for this year's calendar; and I've gotten a crash course in paper, ink, and the printing process. So I'm a little older and a lot wiser, and it's time to get pack to the fun part of all this. The photography! A trip up to Mt. St. Helens this afternoon, followed by a few days in Seattle next week, and a fresh SD card in my camera!

Fireworks

We're about to get a terrific display of color along the easement of our access road.  The mile stretch of road is bordered by a thick but seemingly uninspiring type of ground cover, so I was surprised yesterday walking Clover to spot a few early bloomers and then see a carpet of buds about to open.  No idea what this flower is; I think it resembles fireworks and also a fiber optics display.  Whatever it's called, we're going to have a brilliant display along the side of our road soon!

Daisy, Daisy

Look what is growing in the grassy field I pass through walking Clover.  Daisies!  I didn't notice that drooped over grass seed resting on the little daisy or I would have gotten it out of there before I photographed.  And I'm too busy to redo it, plus I haven't posted in so long so here it is, au naturel. Still, love the little cluster of daisies!