TREES

                         WASHINGTON IS FULL OF TREES.  TALL TREES ARE EVERYWHERE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE.  MOST ARE EVERGREENS STANDING LIKE SOLDIERS IN ROWS.  IT'S GREEN BUT IT'S GEORGE WASHINGTON'S PROFILE THAT IS ON ALL THE HIGHWAY SIGNS.  IT SEEMS AND IS A LONG WAY FROM THE POTOMAC AND THAT FAMOUS CHERRY TREE.  THE LICENSE PLATE HAS MT. RAINIER IN ALL ITS MASSIVE WHITE SPLENDOR.  PERHAPS RAINIER IS ON THE PLATE TO REMIND PEOPLE WHAT THE CLOUD SHROUDED VOLCANO LOOKS LIKE.  IT HASN'T ERUPTED IN THOUSANDS OF YEARS.  BUT IT'S UP THERE STEAMING OUT OF ITS VENTS IN THE ICE ON TOP.  WE MET SOME MEN WHO CLIMBED IT YESTERDAY.  IT WAS VISIBLE AT 9 AM SO HOPEFULLY THEY SAW THE REAL DEAL.  THEY LOOKED EXHAUSTED WHILE STOWING THEIR CRAMPONS AND ROPES IN THEIR CARS.

WOODMAN SPARE THAT TREE

                           SEATTLE IS A PORT TOWN WITH LOTS OF EXCELLENT SHOPPING MALLS,A MARKETPLACE WITH FRESH SEAFOOD,FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES.  SAM IS AN EXCELLENT ART MUSEUM WITH AN EXTENSIVE COLLECTION.  THERE'S PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL AND BASEBALL PLUS THE SOUNDERS SOCCER TEAM IS VERY POPULAR.  THE ISLANDS IN PUGET SOUND PROVIDE A WHOLE OTHER TYPE OF HABITAT AND LIFE OF FISHING AND BOATING.  WHALES ABOUND IN THE SUMMER MONTHS.   ANOTHER EXTENSIVE NATIONAL PARK WITH MOUNTAINS AND TEMPERATE RAIN FORESTS IS ON THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA.  THE SUBURBAN AREAS NEAR SEATTLE RESEMBLE THE REST OF AMERICA WITH NEIGHBORHOODS AND MALLS.
                              RAIN AND DRIZZLE PERSIST WITH A CHANCE OF SUN.  COFFEE RULES.  VACATIONS TO SUNNY MEXICO,ARIZONA,LAS VEGAS OR HAWAII ARE A NECESSITY.   IF NOT IT'S OVER THE MOUNTAIN TO DRIER,HOTTER,SUNNIER SPOKANE AND COEUR D'ALENE.  

MT. RANIER

                      EVEN WHEN HIDDEN BY CLOUDS RANIER IS MAGNIFICENT.  THE GLACIATED (25) VOLCANO PEERED THROUGH THE WISPY CLOUDS FOR US AT THE SUNRISE VISITOR CENTER.  THERE WAS TONS OF SNOW ALONGSIDE THE PARKING LOT AND IN THE MEADOWS.  IT LOOKED LIKE THE GLADES SKI SLOPE IN LATE JULY. THERE ARE ZILLIONS OF PINES IN WASHINGTON AND ENORMOUS WATERFALLS ARE VISIBLE AS YOU DRIVE INTO THE MOUNTAINS.  WE TOOK A WALK WITH A PARK RANGER FROM OREGON AT SUNRISE VISITOR CENTER AND LEARNED ABOUT THE FLORA AND FAUNA IN THE PARK.  WILDFLOWERS BLOOM AS THE SNOW RECEDES AND MARMOTS COME OUT OF HIBERNATION.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

                   BACK IN KENT,WASHINGTON WE HAD WOOD FIRED PIZZA AT THE ROCK.  IT WAS VOTED BEST IN WETERN WASHINGTON.  TOMORROW WE BREAKFAST AT BLACK DIAMOND ,A FORMER COAL MINING TOWN.  THE NEXT DAY WE ARE OFF BY BOAT TO THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS FOR WHALE WATCHING.    IT IS SUNNY IN SEATTLE NOW WITH SHOWERS COMING BACK IN  A FEW DAYS.  RANIER WAS FULLY VISIBLE IN THE MORNING BEFORE THE AFTERNOON CLOUDS ROLLED IN.
 

MAUI

SEVEN SACRED POOLS-MAUI