Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center flowers

 

Flowers outside the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center

 

Maryhill winery tasting

 

Wine tasting on Maryhill winery

 

Girls Weekend outside Maryhill Museum

 

Blue Lake trail hike near Randle, WA

 

Girls Weekend

We've had a couple of busy weeks. First we went to the state square dance festival in Longview over the June 20-21 weekend. We had fun dancing being with our friends, Everett and Virginia.

We traveled home over highway 410 through Morton and Randle, etc. We met up with friends, Paul and Carol, in Randle and did a 7 mile round trip hike. We thought it was suppose to have a 800 foot elevation gain hike, but we did more like 2000 feet of elevation gain. We had to walk 1 1/4 miles to get to the trailhead and after reading the trailhead sign on the way out discovered it said that the elevation gain was 1700 feet. And the last 1/2 mile or so was on snow. We were doing the Blue Lake trail but stopped about 1/4 mile short of the lake - it was just too hard walking on the snow. But, it was lots of fun and a beautiful trail along a rushing stream.

Next on our agenda was a girls weekend for me. I drove to Yakima where I met up with 5 other women from the bank where I worked for 20 years. After lunch, we headed down to Maryhill museum on the Columbia gorge. Next was a fun wine tasting at the Maryhill Winery. One of our group had purchased a tour of the winery through a fund raising event. We heard all about the wine making process, tasted wine in the barrel room, and even had a taste right out of the barrel.

Next we drove to Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, Washington. This is a huge resort with hiking trails and a golf course. We had dinner at the lodge and then headed to bed. Sunday morning 5 of us took a 2 mile walk from the lodge. Then after showers we had the breakfast buffet at the lodge. After checking out we headed across the street the Columbia Gorge Interetive Center. This center had great displays and a movie on the history of the gorge. All too soon our weekend was over. We sure had fun talking, driving, drinking wine, and walking. We must give a huge thank you to Susan who bought the wine tasting tour, arranged the whole thing, and drove her car. Our group tries to meet quarterly to walk, but this was the first time (and I hope not the last time) we had gone overnight anywhere.

Hudson and his Dad

Father's day - Hudson's shirt says Property of Dad's ath. Dept. 

Brian on the 'box'

We rented this tool from Home Depot - it trenches and also scoops to move dirt 

Bob and I, with mom and Hudson

 

Hudson and Great-Grandfather

 

Hudson with great-grandma

 

Great Grandma meets new great- grandson

Over the weekend we went to Circle 8 square dance ranch for a fun weekend of dancing. We came home on Sunday to get ready for a visit from my mom and dad.

Mom and dad arrived by noon on Monday. Friends of theirs from Arizona, Larry and Linda, came over to have lunch and visit. We also had son, Brian, daughter-in-law, Toddi, and grandson, Hudson over as well. We enjoyed hamburgers, potato and fruit salads, and pineapple upside down cake for desert.

Mom and dad spent the night and then on Tuesday morning we went to Sears to have a 4 generation picture taken. After lunch, mom and dad headed back to Sumner where they are spending a few weeks this summer.

Friend, Carol, Hudson, and Toddi

 

Friend, Paul, pushing Hudson

 

Ingalls Creek

 

Ingalls Creek

 

Indian Paintbrush along Ingalls Creek

 

Ingalls Creek hike

This past Saturday we met friends, Paul and Carol, for a hike up Ingalls Creeks. This hike is easy for us to get to as the trailhead is only 1 mile off the Blewett Pass highway. The hike follows Ingalls creek up into the mountains. We hiked a little over 3 miles one way with a 1300 foot elevation gain. The creek was more like a mini river with lots of water. The wildflowers were in bloom everywhere. We enjoyed a picnic lunch next to the creek.

Paul and Carol spent the night with us and on Sunday we went geocaching. We found a couple of them in the morning. Afterwards we all watched one of Brian's ball games - he was in a tournament. They won their first 5 games and lost the championship game, so took 2nd place in the tournament. They were very happy with how they did.