Month: July 2011

Today we took a drive down to Mt. St. Helen’s.

On our way to Mt. St. Helen’s.

Stopping by the visitor’s center first…

Between Grandpa and Isabel you can just make out the mountain in the background.

A bit disappointed that visitor’s have to pay to go into the center however the bathrooms were free! We head back to the car to eat our lunch and get a drink before heading up to Johnston Ridge Observatory.

20 miles up the road we stopped at Hoffstadt Visitor Center.

Our first look of Mt. St. Helen’s from Hoffstadt Bluff Visitor Center.

Blowing dandelion seeds while we watch the helicopter tours at Hoffstadt Bluff.

Memorial grove dedicated to the 57 people who dead on Sunday May 18th, 1980.

Large leaves at Hoffstadt Bluff.

Back in the car, we drove another 6 miles before we stopped at the Mt. St. Helen’s Forest Learning Center.

Pretty flowers along the way to the lookout.

Mom and I walked up to lookout, while Isabel, Gino and Dad took Daisy for a potty break.

St. Helen’s from the lookout point.

Dad playing with the “critters” in the learning center.

Isabel with a black bear skin and puppet in the learning center.

Isabel playing in the virtual helicopter at the Forest Learning Center.

 

Violet and white of the Agapanphus plant or Lily of the Nile.

Another sunflower for Sarah.

The center of this flower caught my attention!

Such a bright punch of pink!

Sunflowers along the window so deep in color!

Outside again, we decided to walk around the park.

Interesting bark on this tree.

A photo with a lion that reminded Isabel of Aslan the “Great Lion” from the Chronicles of Narnia.

The trees in the park were amazing to photography. The one in the above photo is a Rock Elm.

The bark on this tree reminds me of elephant skin.

We walked around the park and ended up at the playground where we let Isabel burn off some of her energy for a half hour. We then walked over to a half filled large pond and watched some baby ducks and seagulls fight over cracker crumbs thrown from the bridge by some girls. We then walked back to the car and headed home.

When we stepped into the second room of the Conservatory, my mother spotted a small area of miniature orchids. If she wouldn’t of spotted them, I would have missed them entirely!

The miniature orchids were hanging in small sticks and stuffed into small pouches of moss. The orchids can grow just about anywhere in a humid temperature, even without dirt!

White miniature orchids

Peach miniature orchids.

My Dad took this photo of Isabel and I in the Conservatory.

Isabel wanted her picture taken with this Rex Begonia plant, she said it was the prettiest.

The leaves of this Rex Begonia grow in a spiral!

This plants leaves grow into a heart shape and the flowers look like candies with chocolate on top!  Something you might eat during Valentines day coincidentally it is called a Hoya Kerrii “Sweetheart” or Valentine Hoya plant.

At the end of the path we had to turn around and walk back the way we came but we took a few minutes to look around and take a few photos.

My Mother took a picture with me in it. Great shot Mom!

 

This morning Grandma, Grandpa, Isabel and I went to the WW Seymour Botanical Conservatory in the park.

When we arrived at the park the first thing Isabel said was she didn’t want to go inside. But after an hour inside she changed her mind and said she was glad she went.

When we walked in the door this “fuzzy” flower was hanging just to the right of the door. After looking on the internet, I’ve discovered that this “fuzzy” flower is a Chenille plant or Acalypha hispida.

Pink Begonia.

Orange Begonia.

Marbled Begonia.

Yellow with red rim Begonia.

Just down the path after we arrived. Isabel still looks like she doesn’t want to be here.

I took this picture for my dear friend Sarah. I love how it turned out!

Sunflowers and Agapanphus or Lily of the Nile plants.

We found a Koi pond and waterfall just off the main path.

The natives have BIG hair with Red Margined Dracaena.

Across from the pond and down the path Mom spotted this very large Split Leaf Philodendron plant. She has had one of these plants in her house for several years.

The bright red plant on the right is a Fancy Leaf Caladium.

Fortunately for my parents it hasn’t gotten this large! It was taller then my Mother! Further down the path we saw one that was even larger!

This tiny delicate flower is an orchid! So small and very pretty indeed! I have never seen a miniature orchid before.

 

My Mom and Dad wanted to take Isabel to see the new Cars movie and I got to take along…

Mom, Dad and Isabel with their 3D glasses. We went to the 3D matinee and almost had the theater to ourselves.

I tried to get a picture by the poster but there were no posters… so we got the marquee instead.

After getting back home from the movie, Isabel wanted to run through the sprinkler. So we headed out back to watch a play Scrabble.

She didn’t get wet to long because the wind started to blow which made it very cold for her being wet.

Mom and I played Scrabble on the Ipad… she won this game.

After drying off Isabel sat with Grandpa while having an apple for a snack.

Much later after dinner Gino surprised Isabel with a sandbox full of sand! She played in the box…

Enjoying her new sand in her box.

While Grandpa and Gino fixed the back steps to the garage.

 

Today was full of activities with Grandma and Grandpa.

Hanging out with Grandpa at the park.

She can’t swing from handle to handle but she can now hang from 2.

A bit of swing time.

Going down the rope.

After we headed home for some much needed lunch, we decided to take a bike ride around the neighborhood.

Haven’t been on a bicycle in years but since Gino got me one for my birthday. I can now ride along with Isabel when she rides her bike.

It was a bit awkward at first, a few times I thought I was going to crash! But after about 15 or 20 minutes it all came back to me. I think will enjoy riding again.

Gino and I used to ride all the time when we first got married but we sold our bikes when we moved.

 

Later in the evening I caught Isabel and Grandpa working at the table together…

on her Littlest Pet Shop puzzle.

They got it done. Way to go!

Isabel says she loves her Grampie!

Tonight we headed to a BBQ and get together with some of our church family and friends.

After arriving we took a walk around the pond, while we waited for others to arrive and dinner to be served.

After dinner Isabel went off with 2 girls that were around her age. We found them later playing volleyball in the front yard.

We sat over by the pond for the fireworks, which were going to launched in the far left area of the yard.

After dessert Isabel came back and hung out with Grandma and I while we waited for the fireworks to begin.

Snuggling down with Grandpa and Grandma as the fireworks begin.

Started out small…

a bit bigger…

bigger still!

It got cool after the sun went down but that doesn’t matter when you’re enjoying the show!

Almost to dark to get a photo.

As the sun gets further away the fireworks get brighter!

Starburst.

What a great show.

It was getting harder to capture the fireworks, so I stopped trying and sat back to enjoy the show!

 

Happy Independence Day America!