And The Dreams You Dare To Dream Really Do Come True

Take 3 minutes out of your busy day and treat yourself to this magnificent You Tube video -

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Video


You will thank yourself, and then the universe, for these moments of beauty and tranquility.
This Video won Grand Prize at International Wildlife Film Festival!

Video by Scott McKinley Productions, produced for Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation


Licensed music by Kenny G..

This short video won Grand Prize - Best of Show at International Wildlife Film Festival in Missoula, Montana!

The majority was shot on location in Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and The National Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Now I remember again what's important in life, and I'm excited to get back out in the parks.

Like a Moth to the Flaming Geyser State Park

Here is the namesake, flaming geyser at the state park. It is from a methane gas seep. The everlasting flame is hypnotic, although it is a small flame.

You'll enjoy the leisurely rural drive to get to this park, which is located between Auburn and Black Diamond, Wa.

Don't let your surroundings make you careless, like it did me.  Trails like this that are a little more natural and overgrown increase the potential for a fall.  I was surprised how fast a second of inattention can trip you up.  Take your time, and take it all in safely.



Although I was drawn to see the Flaming Geyser State Park like a moth to the flame, once there I was stunned by the beauty of the trail along the beautiful green river.  The trail meanders right next to the river, then wanders uphill for a lovely overlook, and all along you're surrounded by a vivid, lush forest.





Breathtaking!

Peek-a-boo view of the sun drenched river.  On the summer day that I visited, viewing forest creatures and walking the trails was my passion.  I met other friendly hikers along the way.  I also saw families and groups enjoying picnics, and there was some rafting on the river.

On my quest to visit 12 State Parks in the 12 months of the Centennial year, Flaming Geyser was number 7 in 6 months.

Plein Air State Parks

Thank you Plein Air Washington artists for beautiful renditions of our incredible State Parks. Your immense talent and loving efforts artistically commemorate the grandeur of nature in our state.  See details of the exhibit at Salute to Washington State Parks

Bravo American Art Company! What an elegant presentation of the State Park Centennial artworks. Such a welcoming owner, Tammy, who encourages browsing and conversation about the art. This gallery started in 1889; Tammy and her husband are the 4th generation of owners.

You really want to visit this gallery before year end when the State Park exhibit ends, but also during 2014, when there are some wonderful new exhibits planned.  www.americanartco.com



1st place went to Columbia River, Cape Disappointment by Kathryn Townsend of Olympia, Wa.  An inviting scene, I'll have to put this state park high on the list for 2014.



I wasn't expecting the painting of a building to be my personal favorite.  I thought I'd have a preference for a forested trail.  But this one is definitely my favorite of the exhibit.  St. Edwards Towers by Janice Kirstein of Seattle, Wa. is a masterpiece of color and style.  Coincidentally, St. Edwards State Park is on my list to visit in December, and now my enthusiasm is building!




Look at how creatively the entry to the second room of the gallery is laid out.  Featured in the entry is Clear Day at Beacon Rock by Paulette Johnson of Edmonds, Wa.



This is such a beautiful gallery!  The day we visited was a dark, gray, blustery, and rainy Pacific Northwest day.  We entered a cheery, warm and bright gallery featuring the beauty of the outdoors.  A drizzly day turned into a perfect day!  We were so glad we'd visited American Art Company in Tacoma, Wa.



This was Jeff's personal favorite watercolor.  He felt it showed amazing technique and skill.  Drifting at Dash Point State Park by Eileen Miryekta of Federal Way, Wa.  I fondly remember my visit to Dash Point this year.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I will surely visit again.



The Light by Mark Bistranan of Mt. Vernon, Wa is a painting of the Fort Casey light house, was our mutual favorite.  The lighting of this sunny day at the park was incredibly natural, and seemed to single handedly brighten the whole room.  We loved the detail on the lighthouse.



We so enjoyed our wonderful hike in the park, without getting any mud on our shoes.  Treat yourself to a stroll through the Plein Air Art Exhibit for the Wa. State Park Centennial before this exhibit ends on New Year's Eve.

Millersylvania State Park Has It All

On the trail in the forest of Millersylvania I was treated to a delightful butterfly dance amongst almost a dozen butterflies.  I was enthralled by the beauty of their flitting in and out and around each other in the silence of the forest.  Their dance continued for some time as they soared, and dropped and flew off in different directions, just to return again.  I was amazed by the speed of their flight.  Despite many tries, this amateur photographer was not fast enough for any picture of the whole entourage, but if you look very closely you can find two little butterflies in this picture.  At the end of the performance I wanted to applaud.  Bravo little butterflies!

The forest trail is captivating, you're surrounded by so many beautiful shades of green.  Living in the city, I find there is a startling little green in my sight daily.  This scene was so calm and restful all the way to the soul.

And not all ferns and bushes and deciduous trees.  Here you can see the trail moving into the old growth forest.

Colorful berries throughout the forest, this is just a sample.  Millersylvania trails are best described by the word - cheerful!

I was so delighted with the butterfly dance, I was happily surprised later on the trail to see the beavers and this is their beaver dam.  As I sat nearby and watched, I also listened to frog songs and crickets chiming in.

After hiking the forest trails, I treated myself to time by the beautiful lake.  This is the main attraction for many people who visit the park.

Mother and daughter enjoying a canoe on the lake.

A pair of kayaks on a lake adventure.

On my Centennial State Park quest to visit state parks, Millersylvania was number 6 in 6 months, and I'm so glad to have discovered it.  It's just south of Olympia and as you can see, it has so much to offer.

Welcome to Autumn in Discovery Park, Seattle

Hello Autumn!

How wonderful to take a photographers' hike with a friend through Discovery Park, right in the heart of Seattle.

A glorious forest rainbow



Like a burst of bright sunshine, here's a great place to get caught out on a limb.

And as if the forest trail isn't treat enough, you turn a corner, and you're greeted by a wide open meadow, and then this breathtaking view of the Puget Sound on the beach



A picture is worth a thousand words, or more.

And on your way back from the beach, be sure to walk through the Historic District, where your imagination about history can march through the Parade Grounds

A meaningful and beautiful legacy.  Thank You!

Paying respects at the Veterans Cemetery at Discovery Park