Beauty of North Central Washington

 I think where I live is one of the most beautiful corners of the state. We just returned from the Methow Valley in north central Washington state. It has it's own beauty. Higher mountains, stark landscapes, river, and lovely trees. Above is a view in early morning on the highway. 

Here is a view toward the Okanagan Highlands.

The bare trees bunch together in the morning light.

Here is a view looking toward the Cascade Mountains. 

It is a beautiful part of the state and well worth a visit.

Another Magnificent Corner of My World

When our friends Joan and Dave were visiting last week-end we tried to decide the best places to take them so they could see the beauty that surrounds us in northeastern Washington state.

We couldn't have timed it better. The sun was shining. The leaves had begun to turn. Our friends paused to pose.

Everyone felt like hiking.

I had time to take many, many pictures.

We didn't have any schedule so we could take our time.

They agreed at the end of the day. It is a magnificent corner of the world.

(photos taken along the Sherman Pass Scenic Byway with a stop at the Sherman Pass Overlook)

Reflecting on Summer

As a teacher summer ends when I return to school. No calendar that marks the first day of autumn changes my mind. Tomorrow summer is over.

I am ready for school, teaching, learning, and autumn. It was a summer of trips, finding beauty, celebrations, laughter, sadness, challenges, entertainment, good food, and quiet times.

I saw most parts of Washington state. I never went camping, but enjoyed the beauty of the Pacific Ocean and a lovely cottage rental.

 I discovered that fertilizer is a big key to beautiful  flowers. ( I always forget to fertilize.) The weather made our cycle of flowers very unpredictable this year, but I am pleased with the results.

With my siblings we traveled to parts of central Idaho I hadn't been to in over thirty years. I am proud to be born and raised in the beautiful state of Idaho.

There were birthdays, family visits, trips to the theater, dinner out, and company here. All of it was lovely.

 Now the slower days, the sleeping in, the late nights watching the stars, and the long trips are over for another year. Now I can sit back and watch the beautiful colors of autumn unfold around me when I return from school each day.

The Beauty Around Home

Recently I have had the opportunity to appreciate and photograph beauty right around my area of northeastern Washington. Above is my niece Zoe taking in the beauty at Lake Ellen.

 The picture above is at French Rock on Lake Roosevelt.

On a trip to Lake Ellen I took advantage of the beauty of a  milkweed plant.

Scenic Lake Ellen is about twenty minutes from my house. It is beautiful all year round.

Evergreens and filtered light make for a lovely contrast.

Here is my niece Zoe again. She is looking for photo ops at Lake Ellen.

Washington Coast Retreat

Retreat:  A place affording peace, quiet, privacy, or security.


I recently completed my thirty-fourth year of teaching.I have taught students from age five to sixty-two during my career. I have had my own elementary classrooms, traveled to rooms as a reading and writing specialist, taught adults in the summer months, and now teach middle school students. I have taught myself much and learned even more from my students.

After this school year I was ready to retreat. I needed time to decompress and rest. My husband,dogs, and myself found the perfect place at The Coastal Nest at  Pacific Beach on the Washington coast. Lisa McElliot designed this cottage with me in mind. Once you walked in the door,  the first thing you noticed was the calming colors throughout the cottage. 

The decor was casual, clean, and inviting. Each room has a unique decor , but the theme was all about the beach. We had big plans to drive up and down the coast and visit the rain forest. With the soft music playing and the  rare June sun shining in the windows of the Coastal Nest, I found myself wanting to stay put. Lisa provides everything you need to be comfortable and taken care of.

Stay put we did. We drove down to the ocean for glorious sunsets and beachcombing adventures. The dogs soon learned that the ocean sand was for them, 

We ate in local restaurants Lisa recommended. We sat on the deck and sipped drinks as the day came to an end. We drove down to the beach and enjoyed the rain. We love the Washington coast because you can drive all the way down to the beach and park.

Yes, the place was the retreat I needed. I rested, read, and began to find myself again. I took pictures to inspire my own decorating back home. I learned that some people thought the cottage should be torn down when Lisa and her husband bought it. 

With much hard work and love... they brought it back to life. They now have another cottage to rent across the street. This cottage has even been featured in a magazine.

If you are interested in a vacation or getaway to the Coastal Cottage here is the information above.


You can read LIsa's blog here or join her on Facebook. Even if you want a place to park your stuff while you explore the coast, this is your place. Let me warn you though.... you do want to just  get comfortable and stay. We plan to return and maybe we will see some sights on our next trip. Lisa has a library of books to help us with that.

Thanks Lisa. The Coastal Nest Cottage was just what I needed.

Geography 2: A Poem for This Social Studies Teacher

  I will return to teaching social studies in the fall. I love reviewing geography, Washington State history, ancient history, and current events. I was looking for ways today to combine literature and history. I was reminded of this lovely poem.

Geography 2
The land wrote itself before any
came to chart it: continents broke
and reassembled;two masses crashed
and threw a mountain range, a border
waiting for customs posts; glaciers cut
narrow valleys, close and separate,
each shuttered cautiously from its neighbour.
A coast curved itself into a haven
for shipping; a hill kept watch
on the landscape till the fort was built,
A river spread rich gentle living
over these fields; elsewhere, the want
of water made the contours stand out
like starving bones.

And when it was all ready
they came, at last, to be masters
of it all; to take up the lives
mapped out for them.

Sheenagh Pugh

Traveling the Rivers of Washington

 The Pend Orielle River by Metaline Falls

 Traveling the Rivers of Washington

In Washington state

 rivers flow out of the mountains,

connect to guide travelers,

 merge with the ocean,

and roll on to the Columbia.

Coastal Indians paddled the Nisqually, Nooksack, Quinault;

Northern bands camped on the Kettle, Colville, Sanpoil, Okanogan;

Explorers relied on the Spokane, Yakima, and Palouse;

Missionaries journeyed close to the Touchet, Tucannon, and Walla Walla;

Locals love the sound of Methow, Pend Oreille, Puyallup;

Wynoochee, Chehalis, Skykomish, and Elwha;

But when it comes to spelling them-

My favorites are Green, Snake, Lewis, and Rock.

by inlandempiregirl

Christy Woolum

Washington Sky

After a gray and cloudy day yesterday I was amazed at the bright beauty of today. I was so relieved I carried my camera as did a day of appointments in town. I followed the sun in the morning and caught images of it setting as I returned home.