That Was Then and This Is Now
Sep. 3rd, 2013 07:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tiggymalvern
Hmmm. Once upon a time there was August, and now there isn't. That largely happened without me noticing.
People wanting me to work more, because they're all on holiday, is part of it, and then I did the Marine Life course for the diving, and I've started the Rescue Diver course. I only managed one day of real hiking this month, which is tragic for the most fabulous month in the mountains (the one day I had free to hike last week was the one day of Rain and Thunderstorms, which altered my plans). I did some short local hikes so I don't get too lazy, but they hardly count. There was birdwatching though, with a life bird, since the elegant terns are having one of their northern irruptive years.
It was as beautiful as ever in the Lower Coulee at Sun Lakes State Park.
It was even more amazing in the Grand coulee by Banks Lake. Whenever I go there, I find I've forgotten just how stunning it is, and I fall in love all over again.
Steamboat Rock, Banks Lake.
Columbia National Wildlife Refuge.
There were other parts of the weekend less scenic, of course. It wouldn't be a birdwatching weekend without a visit to a sewage pond or two. And then there were the Para Ponds, which had obviously had an anoxic event, because the ponds were ringed by at least thirty huge dead carp stinking in the 90F/32C sun. The smell was quite potent. But we did get to see Washington state's first ever eastern wood-peewee, which has been hanging out in a chestnut orchard.
This month is not promising to be less busy, with more work, more Rescue Diving (and somehow I've ended up organising a dive for the local club too. I made a suggestion, and I got a sudden promotion and was told to get on with it.) The SO and I have a trip planned for the later half of next week, with a day of whitewater rafting, and a day of hiking near Mount Rainier, so hopefully the thunderstorms stay away for that one. Life is hectic, but fun!
People wanting me to work more, because they're all on holiday, is part of it, and then I did the Marine Life course for the diving, and I've started the Rescue Diver course. I only managed one day of real hiking this month, which is tragic for the most fabulous month in the mountains (the one day I had free to hike last week was the one day of Rain and Thunderstorms, which altered my plans). I did some short local hikes so I don't get too lazy, but they hardly count. There was birdwatching though, with a life bird, since the elegant terns are having one of their northern irruptive years.
It was as beautiful as ever in the Lower Coulee at Sun Lakes State Park.
It was even more amazing in the Grand coulee by Banks Lake. Whenever I go there, I find I've forgotten just how stunning it is, and I fall in love all over again.
Steamboat Rock, Banks Lake.
Columbia National Wildlife Refuge.
There were other parts of the weekend less scenic, of course. It wouldn't be a birdwatching weekend without a visit to a sewage pond or two. And then there were the Para Ponds, which had obviously had an anoxic event, because the ponds were ringed by at least thirty huge dead carp stinking in the 90F/32C sun. The smell was quite potent. But we did get to see Washington state's first ever eastern wood-peewee, which has been hanging out in a chestnut orchard.
This month is not promising to be less busy, with more work, more Rescue Diving (and somehow I've ended up organising a dive for the local club too. I made a suggestion, and I got a sudden promotion and was told to get on with it.) The SO and I have a trip planned for the later half of next week, with a day of whitewater rafting, and a day of hiking near Mount Rainier, so hopefully the thunderstorms stay away for that one. Life is hectic, but fun!
