Sandra Nachlinger's Blog, page 4

Nature's Jungle Gyms - SaturdaySnapshot

Children enjoy playing on jungle gyms, swinging on swings, and spinning on merry-go-rounds. But these kids at Volunteer Park had plenty of fun on "equipment" built by Mother Nature.



Looks like fun, doesn't it?



Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at A Web of Stories.To join in or view photos from around the world:Post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken, then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky on the website(Link HERE) Photos can be old or new and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. Please don't post random photos you find online. 

Volunteer Park Conservatory, #Seattle - Saturday Snapshot, Jo's Monday Walk, & Our World Tuesday

There's nothing quite like a cool, sunny day to enjoy the beauty of Seattle's spring. After walking from the Arboretum to Volunteer Park, I visited the Conservatory for the first time. Here are a few photos from that excursion.

According to the conservatory website, the original structure was constructed in the 1920s but had fallen into disrepair and been condemned. After twenty years of work, the restored Victorian-inspired greenhouse was completed in 2014. 

Here are a few of the many plants inside. Some of these seem to be Christmas cactus, or at least relatives of that plant.





A room full of hydrangeas, ferns, lilies, and more.


A few of the many plants in the orchid collection.




I'm not sure what this is, but it reminds me of an anthurium. 


More info about the Volunteer Park Conservatory HERE.

NOTE: I also took this hike in 2016. The link to photos from that outing is HERE.

Here's a map of our walk. This isn't the exact route we took from the Arboretum to Volunteer Park, because we detoured through more green space. We had a picnic at Volunteer Park, then walked back to the Arboretum. Our route covered about six miles round trip. As you can see from the map, there are miles of trails to explore within the Arboretum. The springtime blooms of azaleas, rhododendrons, bulbs, and trees are spectacular.










I'm linked with: Jo's Monday Walk -  Johanna at Restless Jo - Link HEREOur World Tuesday - Link HERESaturday Snapshot - Melinda at A Web of Stories - Link HERE 

Tiptoeing Through the Tulips - #MtVernon, WA

Have you ever experienced the beauty of row after row of tulips in bloom? Here are photos from my recent visit to the fields at Tulip Town in Mount Vernon, Washington.
(Click on photos for a larger view.)








If the beauty of these blooms has inspired you to plant tulips of your own, you can order bulbs online. They will be shipped in autumn in time for planting. The variety is overwhelming.



Skagit Valley Tulip Festival info HERE
Order bulbs online  HERE







I'm linked with: Saturday Snapshot - Melinda at A Web of Stories - Link HERE Jo's Monday Walk -  Johanna at Restless Jo - Link HEREOur World Tuesday - Link HERE

LaConner Crab Cruise - #Photos

A great day to cruise on Skagit Bay! Add in a lunch of Dungeness crab, good company, and lots of sunshine, and it was a day to enjoy. Here's how the senior center brochure described the outing: 
We will travel north to La Conner and board the Viking Star for a 2.5-hour cruise along the Swinomish Channel out to Deception Pass. The highlight of the day will be the cracked crab feast onboard as we ply the waters out to Deception Pass Bridge. 
(Click on photos for a closer look.)

The town of La Conner, Washington, sits on Skagit Bay
in northwestern Washington State. Our vessel was the M/V Chinook. 
We passed vacation homes and permanent residences perched along the shore.
Rafts of logs floated near rocky, wooded islands
Our destination: Deception Pass Bridge Snow-capped Cascade Mountains on the horizonAfter our cruise ended, we headed for the tulip fields of Mt. Vernon... but that's a story for another post.

Curious about Deception Pass's name? Wikipedia says: 
"[Explorer] George Vancouver gave it the name 'Deception' because it had misled him into thinking Whidbey Island was a peninsula. The 'deception' was heightened due to Whidbey's failure to find the strait at first."
More info 
Cruise info HERE







I'm linked with:Saturday Snapshot - Melinda at A Web of Stories - Link HERE Jo's Monday Walk -  Johanna at Restless Jo - Link HEREOur World Tuesday - Link HERE

Grand Ridge #Hike in Springtime - Jo's Monday Walk, #SaturdaySnapshot, & Our World Tuesday

Snow drifted down as we stepped out of the senior center van on my first hike at Grand Ridge Park in 2017. Last week raindrops replaced the snowflakes. I prefer the rain. (Issaquah, Washington, USA)
(Click on photos to enlarge)

Misty rain added to the quiet forest atmosphere
Creeks and rivulets swelled from recent rains
Some early flowers and bushes greeted springtime: trillium, bleeding heart, salmonberry bushes, curly fern fronds, and more.

Is it a flower? No, it's an oyster mushroom. We saw several
clusters of these beautiful mushrooms on our hike. This one
is about the size of a cantaloupe.
Photos from my previous hike in Grand Ridge Park in January, 2017 are HERE. 





I'm linked with:
Saturday Snapshot - Melinda at A Web of Stories - Link HERE 
Jo's Monday Walk -  Johanna at Restless Jo - Link HEREOur World Tuesday - Link HERE

Buffalo Gal - #Friday56 and #Book Beginnings on Fridays

What do a runaway bride and buffalo ranching have in common? And then there are the UFOs! You'll find out in Lisa Wanttaja's delightful romance novel, Buffalo Gal. I enjoyed the way the author made the North Dakota setting a part of the story (torrential rain, tornados), as well as her depiction of the heroine as a strong, independent woman. Lots of humor, too. Good writing.


Book Beginning:
PROLOGUE
Dr. Andrea Moore stared at the clock on her bedroom wall with rising terror. Two more hours and it would all be over. She'd be married.
     She tried to tell herself her nervousness was simply pre-wedding jitters. But she knew it was more than that.


Friday56 from 56% on my Kindle:
"It could be dangerous to stand in the way of our investigation. You don't understand what you're dealing with."

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 246 Pages
Where to Buy: Links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and More

Synopsis:


     On the morning of her wedding, veterinarian Andrea Moore knows she’s making a mistake. When she learns she’s won a buffalo ranch, she runs off to North Dakota but finds herself in the middle of what could be an even bigger mistake. The ranch she’s won is not only home to a herd of bison but also run by a man who can’t hide his hostility.     Foreman Mike Winterhawk worked long and hard to buy the ranch himself, only to have it handed over to some contest winner. His focus needs to be on why the bison can’t bear calves instead of teaching this city slicker in ugly green cowboy boots how to run a ranch. He can only hope she’ll quickly realize she’s out of her league and hightail it back to Seattle.     So, why is he so attracted to this intruder, and why does he feel she might be the one who can help him turn White Thunder Ranch around?


              


Anyone can participate in Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56.
Click HERE to connect to other Book Beginnings posts (sponsored by Rose City Reads) 
Click HERE to join other Friday 56 bloggers (sponsored by Freda's Voice)


Twitter: @SandyNachlingerFacebook: sandy.nachlinger

#Alki Beach, #Seattle - Saturday Snapshot and Jo's Monday Walk

Some of the sights on a rainy day at Seattle's Alki Beach. 
Trivia: Alki (ælkaɪ) is a Chinook word meaning "by and by," the unofficial state motto of Washington.
(Click on photos for a closer look.)

Luna Park In 1907 a saltwater natatorium was built for the Luna Park Seaside pleasure resort. (Known as the "Coney Island of the West.") Housed in a large airy building the swimming pool remained in operation until it was burned down in 1931. In the 1950s its cement walls were filled. Deemed unsafe, in 2004 the seawalls that once enclosed the swimming pool were demolished. 
Here's Luna Park today. Bike-share bicycles are parked all over the Seattle area.



View of the Seattle skyline across Elliot Bay (from Luna Park)

Shoreline Condos have replaced many (but not all) of the bungalows that once lined the shore.  


Statue of Liberty According to Wikipedia: The Statue of Liberty or Lady Liberty (at Alki Beach) is a replica of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. A gift from the Boy Scouts of America, it was installed at Seattle's Alki Beach Park in 1952 and has since been recast in bronze to repair damage from vandalism.
(Note: She's not the same lady as the original, but the idea is the same.)



Whales are still sighted in Puget Sound off Alki Beach's shores.

A lighthouse, built in 1913, still guides mariners safely through Puget Sound.

The paved walkway along the water is a great place to walk or bike. With a separate lane for bikers and a wide paved path for pedestrians and runners, it's a popular place to be, especially on weekends.

More pictures from Alki Beach can be found in earlier posts: 
HERE and HERE.
Luna Park's colorful history can be found at HistoryLink.org





PS: Need inspiration to start exercising? This article says it's not too late to start: Older Adults Start Exercising


Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at A Web of Stories.
Link HERE 
Jo's Monday Walk is hosted by Johanna at Restless Jo. 
Link HERE

#Amazon #Spheres - SaturdaySnapshot and Jo's Monday Walk

Last Saturday I posted photos taken at Amazon's Spheres (here). Today I'm adding a few more.

Before entering the Spheres, we stopped at The Understory. That's a mini-museum where docents give an overview of the Spheres and answer questions. One wall displayed gorgeous photos like this one. The screen took up the whole wall.
(Click on photos for a closer look.)


Here's what we saw at the Spheres.

Tree Aloe - Mozambique Huge trees stretched from floor to ceiling. Most of them
had orchids and bromeliads in their branches.
I'd love to visit when those plants are in bloom. Pathways led through lush plantings and allowed close-up views.
Many of the plants were labeled.

Unfortunately, this plant wasn't labeled.
What is it?
Streams meander through the foliage.

Anthurium Outside, the facility included a dog park.
Bikes to rent, too.




Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at A Web of Stories.
To join in or view photos from around the world:
Post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken, then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky on the website
(Link HERE) 
Photos can be old or new and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. Please don't post random photos you find online. 

Jo's Monday Walk is hosted by Johanna at Restless Jo. Link up HERE.

#Spheres - #SaturdaySnapshot and #MondayWalk

When I signed up for an excursion to "The Spheres," I figured Amazon's orbs would be filled with computerized displays, laser light shows, and other high-tech goodies. Boy, was I wrong! Here are some photos from our exploration of this amazing indoor forest.
(Click on photos for a closer look.)



The Spheres are open to visitors on the first and third Saturdays of the month and advance reservations (and photo IDs) are required. Although visitors have access to much of the facility, certain areas are set aside exclusively for Amazon employees.


Trying to capture this facility from top to bottom -- all four floors -- was a challenge! Every area is accessible by elevator as well as stairs.


It was impossible to photograph the entire 60-foot-tall "Living Wall" in one photo, too.

Ferns, bromeliads, anthurium, and more cover the living wall. 

Intermittent bursts of mist keep the plants hydrated and fans embedded in the walls circulate the air. Groups of people took pictures in front of this wall of plants with the Amazon logo.

One of the most fascinating structures was the "Bird Nest." 


Next Saturday I'll feature more plants, water features, and views in this lushly planted space, plus a glimpse into the neighborhood dominated by Amazon's headquarters.
For more info about The Spheres, visitor information, plants, etc., click on the official website HERE.

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at A Web of Stories.
To join in or view photos from around the world:
Post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken, then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky on the website
(Link HERE) 
Photos can be old or new and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. Please don't post random photos you find online. 

Jo's Monday Walk is hosted by Johanna at Restless Jo. Link up HERE.

2111 7th Avenue, Seattle

#Northwest Flower & Garden Festival (Post #2) - #SaturdaySnapshot and #MondayWalk

Last week I posted photos of the gorgeous displays at this year's Northwest Flower & Garden Festival HERE. Today I'm showcasing other random pictures from that event.
(Click on photos for a closer look.)


A skybridge over Pike Street links the north and south halls of the
convention center where the event was held. 
This sunlit area housed garden "rooms."

One of the outdoor rooms displayed on the skybridge. 
I'd love to have this on my deck.

I could definitely take a nap in this outdoor room.
View from a skybridge display, down Pike Street to Elliot Bay, Puget Sound.
The natural shape of this branch was enhanced by carving. Amazing! Tiny goldfish added a surprise element to this bonsai garden.
The exhibit was named "Taoist Myth: The Isles of the Blest" Fairies among the flowers!
This bench would look perfect under a Douglas fir tree
in my backyard.
This tableau made me want to dig in and start planting. I'm ready for spring!More info about the garden festival HERE.





Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at A Web of Stories.
To join in or view photos from around the world:
Post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken, then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky on the website
(Link HERE) 
Photos can be old or new and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. Please don't post random photos you find online. 

Jo's Monday Walk is hosted by Johanna at Restless Jo. Link up HERE.