Picture of the week ~ A blue bench

My husband and I were walking along the Squalicum-Harbor trail yesterday and I spotted this lovely blue bench near the Hotel Bellwether. 

It was such a bright spot on an overcast day.

Little Cranberry lake from Avenue A, Trailblazer hike

As I packed my things last night for today's hike, I put in my rain gear. It was pouring outside and the forecast for today was looking pretty wet.

I was shocked to see 15 people at the Senior Center for the day's hike to Little Cranberry lake. After some discussion one of our members decided it was too wet and went back home. Frank and Marjan decided to hike Fragrance lake instead. So our group of 12 headed towards Anacortes, and yes it was very wet when we left.

Wet drive looking down I-5 south

We were cautiously optimistic about the weather, many times it is drier in the Whidbey Island/Anacortes area than here in Bellingham. The sky did lighten the farther south and west that we travelled.

We started our hike with a few showers that soon gave way to just a cloudy sky.

As with last weeks hike, the mushrooms are plentiful along the trail.

We were treated with the appearance of the cutest little Salamander.

We found a nice little knoll with a small view of the lake to eat our lunch.

Of course now that we were in the open and settled down to eat the rain decided to come down. 

You can see the water running in a small stream down the trail....

and then the sky opened up to......SUNSHINE!

Enjoying the view

We went a bit off our route and enjoyed going in to an old Copper mine.

Joe (thinking optimistically) came prepared for today's viewing of the partial eclipse of the sun that was supposed to happen today. He brought a piece of cardboard with a hole in it and a sheet of paper for us to see the eclipse.

Joe and Owen working together

I cropped the above picture, so you could see the image of the eclipse better. If you click to enlarge the below photo you will be able to see the partial eclipse crescent image.

What a day, I would never have dreamed we would have had such glorious weather for today's hike. Then as I turned into our driveway at home....behold, the frosting on the cake!

I know I have an abundance of photos in this posting, but can you blame me considering what we left in Bellingham this morning ;-)

Endomondo stats:

Total miles hiked - 6.95 miles

Minimum altitude - 226 feet

Maximum altitude - 528 feet

Total ascent - 829 feet

Total descent - 797 feet

Come and run 8 miles with me

I thought I'd take you on my run today :-)

We live in northern whatcom county, where the landscape is dairy farms, corn fields and raspberry fields. I have the pleasure of getting to take my runs, walks and bike rides in this beautiful place.

It was a nice day so I took some pictures so I could share my route with you.

Here we go!

at about 1/2 mile & a dairy farm

at about 1 1/2 miles, a corn field

long straight stretch at about 2 1/2 miles, and more corn fields

still long straight stretch, 3 miles and the same corn fields

luscious green fields of the dairy farms

4 miles & another dairy farm (on a less cloudy day Mt. Baker is visible just over that hill)

Almost 5 miles & more dairy farms (if you enlarge the photo you can see the Twin Sisters peaks in the distance)

7 miles and raspberry fields

Almost home! 

The below picture is the same field where we began. 

I took the beginning photo here over my shoulder.

and back where we began!

It was a great run, hope you enjoyed it as much as I!

Picture of the week ~ Jesse Owens

Jesse Owens with me & our kids at the Arco Jesse Owens games 

in Bellingham (summer 1977)

Aldergrove Regional park, BC Trailblazer hike

Fall hiking north of the border today. 

We are back on our lowland hiking schedule for the year, the summer hiking season has been spectacular and now we get to savor what the lowland forests have on display. Nine of us headed off after getting more sleep than usual for a Thursday. After we leave the summer hiking schedule we start our hikes at 9am instead of 8am. Yay!!

We welcomed Ginny and Norbert back after their summer's absence and Joan a guest Audubon club hiker also joined us.

We hiked at the Aldergrove Regional park in British Columbia today. It's just a short drive past the Aldergrove border crossing. The park has a nice trail system in it.

Ferns and Fungi -

We stopped for a moment to enjoy the lake and saw a Blue Heron and several Mallard ducks fly up in front of us.

I loved how the light shined through the leaves as we hiked along -

The nice thing about lowland hikes in parks is every once in a while we get a nice dry place to eat, with tables!

Some more of the beauty of the day that I just couldn't resist photographing - 

Thanks to Joe (the birthday guy), 

We stopped at Edaleen dairy on our way home!

for sharing his endomondo stats with me. I didn't use my phone app since we were in Canada. I don't want to pay the international data rates!

Endomondo stats:

Total miles hiked - 5.47 miles

Minimum altitude - 45.9 feet

Maximum altitude - 255.9 feet

Total ascent - 912 feet

Total descent - 967.8 feet 

Bailey's Vegetables and a XC run

Our granddaughter is having fun running cross country at her middle school. This is her second year and last year to run as a middle school student. We have enjoyed going to her meets, one of our favorite locations for the meets has been the Bailey Vegetable farm. The setting is perfect for a fall activity. The crops were still in the ground, the corn still standing and the scent of Kettle Corn tempting in the air.

The squash were set out on tables and there were so many fun color and shaped ones on display.

Also, baby pigs to thrill the children.

I enjoyed trying to find our way through the maze with the granddaughters

.

I also was photographed with a Turban squash on my head. 

It makes a lovely hat don't you think ;-)

Such a fun place for a cross country run.