No words needed.
Bree
How many dogs fit on a log?
Trip
Bree and Sky
Cubby
Cubby and Vera
Cubby is four months old.
Trip
Vera
Trip and Sky
Vera and Bree
Author Archives: Teri J Pieper
Yesterday the girls and I joined with Molly (remember Molly from last year?) and Mary for a nice hike, mostly above tree line in the North Cascades. We drove through a layer of wildfire smoke to get to the trailhead and found perfect blue skies with fluffy clouds. Ground squirrels and hoary marmots and pikas gave their warning calls as we walked by. At the end of the hike we could see the smoke column from the Diamond Creek wildfire east of us. In the meantime we were treated to vast vistas of mountains in all directions. We all felt grateful to have this in our ‘backyard’. The dogs were most grateful for the last of the snow and a creek of snow melt leading to a clear refreshing pond for cooling off.
A few wildflowers still blooming
a pika haystack
Views and more views
Cool rocks
Sky tells Molly to stand still
Do it this way Molly
Molly remains defiant
Look! All five of us looking at the camera! Ok. So Luna wasn’t exactly looking at the camera, but almost.
Molly leads the way
We were over there!
Tatie Peak
Wildfire smoke to the left of center on the horizon
Despite the heat and the valley full of smoke, animals are abundant. There is a mule deer with twin fawns that we see around our hill pretty often. All the young birds have fledged and are learning to forage with help from their parents. Ken’s bees are still out collecting pollen and nectar from our garden flowers. I do wonder how the smoke affects these animals and if they have shortened life spans because of it.
Big-eared mule deer
The honeybees beard up on the outside of the hive during the hot afternoons
Bullock’s Oriole
Bullock’s Oriole
With the strange light from the smoke-filtered sunlight, I can’t decide if this is a Western Kingbird or a Say’s Phoebe although I lean towards the kingbird.
Female Northern Harrier
Wildfires in British Columbia and a 10,000 acre fire in the Pasayten Wilderness have left much of Washington blanketed in a thick layer of smoke. Air quality in Twisp and Winthrop was the worst in the nation in recent days. People are warned to stay inside with windows and doors closed and not everyone has air conditioning. Temperatures have been in the high 90’s. It is strongly suggested that a person should wear a mask when outside and strenuous activity is being discouraged. Needless to say in our area with a strong emphasis on outdoor recreation, this is a great hardship. I ventured out with the dogs for a couple of hours yesterday and it was painful. ‘They’ say a weather system should be here in a few days, perhaps with wind and rain but most likely with lightning too, and that some of this smoke may be dispersed. It’s hard to hope for lightning but I do want a break from this thick air pollution.
The sun
Not such a bad day with maybe three miles visibility
Patterson Lake. Less than a mile visibility.
Smoky moon
The girls and I have been out and about on some trails this summer. After a wet and cool spring, we have not had any rain in weeks. The paths are all dusty and dry. I carry water for my dogs and they appreciate it. The streams and lakes and snow patches are welcome sights!
Mine.
I dropped my stick.
Will you get it for me?
Luna, why don’t you care about my stick?
Ahhhh.
My Everyday Photos 