Hot weather and extended visits from family have changed the routines around here. Walks are few and far between. Last night Luna and I and a friend enjoyed a much-needed walk up the hill after sunset. Thunderstorms were passing to the north and east of us leaving us dry and with a wonderful show in the sky. Billowing clouds topped the horizons and the sky colors were magnificent. And on the way back down the hill, Luna found a bull snake.
In addition to a parade, the Methow Arts Fest happens on the Fourth of July in the Twisp Park near the confluence of the Twisp and Methow Rivers. All afternoon, there were hands-on art booths, music, dancing, food and more. Methow Arts sponsors this fun-filled and creative event.
Methow Arts – The Legend of the Superhero!
One of the Methow Arts Superheroes!
Charlotte – Volunteers are Superheroes too!
This goldendoodle is also a Superhero. She is a Therapy Dog!
Superhero stockings
There were lots of murals of local Superheroes for participants to paint. Many thanks to Erik Brooks for designing them.
Salyna’s Scheherazades – a belly dance troupe and part of the Methow Dance Collective.
Dancing Superheroes.
Examining his art projects – magic potions for Superheroes
Ken’s mom, one of our personal Superheroes, paints a landscape at the watercolor booth.
A member of the Wanderlust Circus performs graceful midair stunts.
The Music Man director Julie Wenzel and music director Wayne Mendro watch excerpts from the play.
Another arts Superhero – Mark Wenzel stars in The Music Man
The last musical act makes a dramatic entrance
Superheroes in the audience
Captain America arrived to join the others
On a Harley! How many Superheroes have a Harley?
Yesterday Twisp celebrated Independence Day with a homegrown parade. Participants gathered at Twisp Works to prepare for the four block march down Glover Street. There were lots of dogs, bicycles, some horses, Roller Derby Girls, polticians, old cars and firefighters. It was a perfect day for a parade.
His parade face
It’s an election year
Vote with your feet
Not sure what they are voting for
Appropriately dressed spectators
Derby Girls don’t like candy under their skates
There goes the winner of the Doggie Dash!
Cast members from The Music Man hamming it up
The theme of the day was Superheroes
Why is this man smiling? He is running for office.
Firefighters – true Superheroes!
Otto
We often find these tiny chorus or tree frogs on our deck, in the potted plants, even in the bbq – we need to open the grill before lighting it – and also in the garage. I don’t know why they think that these places are good frog habitat but here they are. There is no open water for them and we never hear a ‘chorus’ of them, just lone frogs here and there. Once, in the fall, when I was bringing plants back in the house before cold weather set in, a frog came in and its calls of protest were so loud, we were encouraged to find the animal and return it outside, to its ‘natural’ habitat!
Here is some information about these wide-spread frogs.
Back in April, there was a fire on our hillside – you can see the images from that day here. Our neighbor’s place suffered a lot of damage and he asked me to document the recovery over the course of the growing seasons with my camera. He set up a photo point for me to visit on a regular basis and after 2 1/2 months, it’s easy to see that recovery is well on its way. So far, there has not been a big influx of weeds in most places. In fact, the native wildflowers are doing well – even more abundant than in the areas that were not burned! The bitterbrush, a favorite food for the local mule deer, does not seem to be sprouting back. This will be a major change in the habitat. Grasses and forbs are doing well.
April 20, three days following the fire. The yellow rebar marks the photo point.
May 1. The burned pine tree on the right and bent over to the left burned bitterbrush show up in all the images in this series.
May 13
May 22
May 30
June 14
June 28
Balsamroot bloomed very well in the burned area.
Lupine is blooming more abundantly and for a longer season in the burned area compared to the non-burned area.
Douglas sunflowers are also more abundant.
Lush growth
The day of the fire.
My Everyday Photos 