Fun with the Kids
It was a cold, crisp, sunshiny day. Jill and a friend went hiking in the mountains, a 7.5 mile hike to Lake Serene near Mt Index. They planned to snowshoe, but the lack of snow turned it into a hike.
I wasn't there, so I have no photos.
Instead, I got to play with the kids!
This morning after I picked them up we went to nearby Tukwila Pond Park, a bit of remaining natural landscape now surrounded by warehouses and in back of a Target store.
I zoomed in on a few ducks, and found Northern Shovelers,
and Hooded Mergansers,
and Common Mergansers!
Our "lake" was pretty serene too.
The trail is short here, but we poked around and found interesting things on this frosty morning.
The moisture in the gravel paths had formed ice crystals.
The ice threads were very cool.
Ice is meant to be broken, but we also examined the interesting patterns formed in it.
Will your rock break through or bounce?
We did a little shopping in the nearby Target store, and then went home for some down time (aka screen time, me too).
In the afternoon Tom came with us to Seahurst Park, over on the shore of Puget Sound, again just a few miles from home. Tom and I walked while the kids had fun just playing.
Bird planted holly has invaded the native flora, with lovely results. I don't know why this holly lost all its leaves but kept the berries, but it was beautiful.
Leaf buds are already swelling on the Salmon Berry.
Frost on buttercup.
Did I mention it was cold?
Grandpa always has informational stories to tell.
Jill joined us for dinner of left over turkey soup and to get warmed up. It was really cold in the mountains.
Yeah, it's been cold here in Hawaii, too.
ReplyDeleteGood to get out and enjoy nature.
You always find plenty of beauty on your walks. Love the ice crystals and the mergansers. It has turned cold here, too. Maybe we'll get a decent snowstorm soon.
ReplyDeleteit sure looks cold, but you captured some real winter beauty.
ReplyDeleteIt was cold enough that I did my exercising indoors. Tomorrow, though, New Years Day, will be a five-mile walk with the Fairhaven ladies, and a nice potluck afterwards. Love your pictures, Linda, as usual. That new header one is gorgeous! :-)
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had great fun with the kids, and I loved your pictures with the frost on everything. Those ice threads are fascinating.
ReplyDeleteLinda,
ReplyDeleteBEAUTIFUL! Well you know how I feel about the PNW!
Neat to find such beauty on your walk with the grands.
Looks like a fun time in the cold! I bet that leafless holly is Ilex decidua which is, as the name implies, deciduous, dropping its leaves and leaving branches of beautiful berries. They are grown in gardens and a bird could have planted that one as well.
ReplyDeleteit's cold everywhere, even here-we may have snow tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteDidn't realize how cold it was till I saw you two bundled up. Brrr. The frost on buttercup was so pretty.
ReplyDeleteEven in winter, your area is pretty.
Looks a tad chilly! Happy New Year! :)
ReplyDeleteIt looks really cold looking at you and Tom, but somehow the kids seem unfazed. It reminds me of Halloween in Illinois. We were frozen, but the kids seemed to just not care.
ReplyDelete