Category: Out and About

At the top Dad took a picture of us.

Isabel sad the sun was bright (and it was!) in her eyes.

The lake behind us (by Isabel’s elbow) to the east is Spirit Lake, which used to be a gorgeous, popular place to hang out before the eruption in 1980. The lake rose 200 ft and is 10 percent smaller and shallower then it was before May 18th 1980.

Grandma, Isabel and Grandpa. The area behind them would have been a rich forest of trees, now is lays bare with stumps and trees blasted away from their bases.

Heading back down the other side of the hilltop an arched memorial with the names of the 57 people who dead that day in May of 1980. Very nice.

Out of the ash, new life has begun to grow…

By this time we were all getting a little tired and hungry so we headed back down the mountain side to the the Forest Learning Center. Our hope was to spot some of the Elk that roam along the valley floor just below the Center. We did see a few of them but they stick to the trees and bushes that have grown in the area.

I tried to get a picture of the trees that were planted along the way. When you looked at them your eyes would go blurry from looking at them. It was odd.

After the eruption the area had problems with flooding and slides. So volunteer’s came in and planted over 800,000 trees by hand! Tree planting is still going on in the area today to help with erosion and to make the landscape more inviting to the elk that have returned to the area.

Finally a family photo… right on!

Even our “old girl” got to see Mt. St. Helen’s but this was the closest she actually got to see it because dogs are not allowed outside of the vehicle at the Observatory. Don’t think she’s to bothered by it though she’s just happy to be with her man!

Isabel and I.

Isabel doing her impersonation of a firework!

33 miles down from the Observatory we found a nice little place to eat called Patty’s Place at 19 Mile House.

The after dinner homemade berry cobbler with ice cream was yummy-good!!

After spending a bit of time at the Forest Learning Center and learning all about what happened that Sunday morning back in 1980 and beyond…

We drove 18 miles up to Johnston Ridge Observatory.

Mt. St. Helen’s along the way to the Observatory.
The lake along the right side is Castle Lake.

Flowers along the way to the Observatory.

The Observatory is 5 1/2 miles from the crater which is at an elevation of 4,314 ft.

Maybe she’s bored.

Mt. St. Helen’s today 31 years after the eruption.

Inside the Observatory before we went into the theater to watch a movie.

After the movie we headed back outside to head up the hill by the center…

While we waited for Grandpa and Gino, Isabel and Grandma started dancing.

Pretty flowers along the path as we walk to the top.

One of the trees that snapped off at the base.

We made it to the top and Grandma and Isabel are being silly. Grandma was cold with the wind that was blowing so she put on her gloves.

As Dad and Gino made their way up to the top, Dad took a picture of the Observatory. Looks like a bunker but if Helen erupts again this place would be gone!

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!