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Bridging the Gap

Today was the first day I’ve seen the new pedestrian bridge at Winthrop open and it was a glorious day to try it out! After spending most of the morning at the MVSTA ski swap it was nice to get outside and be reminded about some of the things we like about living here. The clear blue skies, the cottonwoods, the fish in the rivers, the birds flying in the trees and over the rivers, the camraderie of the friendly people who live here.

This new suspension bridge joins the old part of Winthrop with the newer developments to the south. Also it makes it incredibly easier to WALK from downtown to the Town Trailhead and the Ice Rink and other destinations on the west side of the river. Not only walk, but bike or ski. It’s a great place to watch wildlife – birds, fish, deer, rubber ducks…….. I saw and heard American Dippers flying up and downstream. It’s a great place to see Bald Eagles.

The most amazing thing to me is that many people have been and continue to be opposed to it! It is the first and needed step to continuing the trail system down river. Congratulations Winthrop on a job well done.

The new bridge is located slightly downstream from the confluence of the Chewuch and the Methow Rivers

Mount Gardner

Ken enjoyed watching the fish and talking about them. He identified at least four different species – whitefish, steelhead, bull trout and coho salmon!

Coho returning to Spring Creek to spawn. We were able to see numerous redds, the places where the fish lay their eggs.

 

Looking up Spring Creek on the left

Morning Walk

Just another pretty fall morning

walking the dogs

through the tall grasses

on our little hill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paddling into November

Yesterday with my boat piled up high on the truck I drove to Patterson Lake. It might be the last paddle of the season. Snow is in tonight’s forecast and according to local predictions, we may be skiing before the end of the month. I sure hope to get my boat out again before winter sets in for good.

 

The weather was chilly with a light breeze and brilliant sunshine on the fading autumn foliage. It’s been too long since I’ve been in my boat and I felt clumsy to start but soon got into a rhythm. A Pileated Woodpecker crossed the lake in front of me. Hooded Mergansers acted as though I was a threat and flew before I could approach closely. The males are already showing off their big hoods while the females act disinterested. I heard but didn’t see, Mallards. No little birds were heard – no chickadees, nuthatches, finches.

 

At the south end of the lake, I observed these green round ‘things’ in the water. They were small, mostly less than a quarter inch in diameter but some a bit larger. Are they algae? Some sort of eggs? Seeds? In some places they were piled several layers deep; other places they covered the lake bottom in a single layer and in some places they were sparse. I’ve never seen them in the water before. With me on a boat and these underwater, they were hard to photograph. I got some in my hands their texture was spongy. I should have taken them back to shore to get a better look.

 

My boat matched the scenery.

 

I also saw a number of dead fish at the south end of the lake. Are these 8-10 inch fish planted kokanee? Are they spawned out? I also saw schools of similar fish swimming in the same area.

 

This not quite grown-up Bald Eagle flushed from a pine as I paddled by. Looking closely, you can see that it has one of those small fish in its bill.

A few seconds later it flew back in the other direction but now the fish is in its talons.

Life is full of excitement.

The Neighbors’ Chickens

Our neighbors have a fabulous garden and I imagine that part of that is due to their chickens. These stocky egg layers spend much time scratching and eating bugs and making fertilizer within the protected confines of the garden. When I visited yesterday, the big red rooster was ruling the roost, so to speak, chasing away hens that got too close to where he was foraging and making sure others were producing fertile eggs. Mostly the hens ignored him and went about their business – eating, pooping and laying eggs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fog Drops on Flowers

Life’s adventures are conspiring to keep me from going hiking, paddling or having other fun times away from home. What to do? Yesterday I went outside for some errand or another and I noticed that the rising fog was leaving tiny droplets on all the flowers and foliage. I rushed upstairs to get my macro lens to capture a few images before the moment dried up and went away. Flowers still blooming include sweet peas, nasturtiams, parsley, coneflower (well barely still holding on to some color), asters and some sunflowers. Temperatures tonight are forecast into the twenties and tomorrow night, the LOW twenties. Maybe even the teens. Good thing I got a few more images of summer before it all goes away.

Perennial aster, one thing the deer don’t seem to eat at all

 

 

Coneflower or echinacea, something that deer seldom even taste

 

Leeks, inside the garden fence

 

Nasturtiam, also inside the fence

 

Parsley umbel growing in a planter on the deck

 

Oh yeah, these sunflowers are inside the fence. deer love them.

 

Sweet peas. I like sweet peas. These grow on the garden fence. Fortunately, they grow tall and the deer only get some of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yup, I really like sweet peas.