Methow Valley | My Everyday Photos

Tag Archives: Methow Valley

Bee Days

February 13, 2014 – 5:23 pm
Posted in beekeeping
Tagged honey bees, Methow Valley, winter
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Just last week the temperature got as low as nine below zero, Fahrenheit, at my house. Today and yesterday it was pushing fifty above zero! The weather also brought in some new snow that was greatly appreciated. The warmth brought some stirring to Ken’s bee hives encouraging the honey bees to fly and relieve themselves and do some serious house cleaning. Here are a few of the images I made today. Those with blue backgrounds are on the metal surface that covers the tops of the hives. The bluebird sky makes a nice reflection, don’t you think? Some bees were walking around on the snow.

New Year, New Trail

January 2, 2014 – 11:34 am
Posted in hike
Tagged bald eagle, Bear Creek, dogs, hike, labrador puppy, Methow Valley, pitch
Comments (1)

The new year started with a gloriously sunny day and after we gathered our wits and woke the dogs, we went out for a walk on a trail we have not walked before. It went up and down Bear Creek between Lester Road and the Wildlife Area headquarters. It was a pleasant walk, not steep at all, although if a person wanted she could easily climb lots of hills for more exercise. The creek has aspens on both sides of it and also some nice patches of water birch. These are punctuated with ponderosa pines and there was one deeply shaded area when we walked through some douglas fir. The hills above are covered with bunch grass, sagebrush and lots of forbs. With the low snowfall, the hillsides are brown, waiting for spring already. We heard and saw a few birds. Chickadees were making their spring ‘cheeseburger’ call that I associate with territory claims. A Hairy Woodpecker also seemed to declaring his ownership of the tall aspens.

three deer watched from above

Bear Creek

Sky – how do you get your ears to do that?

Sunshine through the forest highlights the lichen

What caused the damage to this tree to make it lose so much pitch?

pitch

aspens

What a treasure

I saw this eagle briefly til it saw me

We never get tired of the snow covered vistas

lone pine on the horizon

Evidence of past lives

Big rock

Reason with her.

November Walks

November 13, 2013 – 2:29 pm
Posted in walk
Tagged dogs, fall, Methow Valley, November, reflections, walk
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The mostly gray weather has not kept us inside at all. We try to get at least one walk everyday. The dogs (and I) would go stir crazy if we didn’t get out regularly.

Ken’s friend Bill came up from Yakima with his dog Rani

Black and Blue

Ahhhhhh

Sky wanted Rani to be her mentor but Rani would have none of it. She has become a curmudgeon.

Hairy Woodpecker listening

And looking

Listening

And pecking

Oregon grape in front of an unnamed pond.

Nice fall colors and reflections

Buffleheads and mergansers

Reeds and reflections

Sky makes her way through tall grass

Another view of the same pond

Nice color

Sky keeps up with Mary Ann

The Northern Lights from my Porch

October 2, 2013 – 6:50 am
Posted in northern lights
Tagged Aurora borealis, Methow Valley, northern lights, photos
Comments (7)

Last night I saw on FB that my friend Julie was seeing the Aurora Borealis from her place. She’s at least 50 or 60 miles east of here and 30 miles north but still in Okanogan County. We do get to see them here from time to time so I went out to see what I could see. There was a long glow on the northern horizon but nothing too exciting and I was underdressed for being outside on a cold night (still adjusting to fall temperatures). Inside, I found some warmer clothes and put my camera on its tripod and returned to the porch. Luna kept following me around and looking at me like I was nuts but that’s how it is when you’re a dog.

After a while the sky got brighter and soon there were curtains and streaks and colors and it was all very exciting for an hour or so. My view to the NW is blocked and I wonder what my friends across the valley were seeing – something even more spectacular is my guess.

I love that I can see the Big Dipper in some of the images!

Fall begins

September 25, 2013 – 1:43 pm
Posted in Big Valley
Tagged Big Valley, Methow Valley, MVSTA, trail
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Luna and I went to Big Valley this morning. It is one of the MVSTA winter ski trails where a person can take her dog and it is a great place for a contemplative walk the rest of the year. My computer has been under the weather recently so this post is from my phone. That is why it might seem klunky and abbreviated.