How Low Can You Go?

Pretty low if you are this daring crop duster pilot.

Crop Dusting Near Mattawa, WA

Coming In For Another Pass

Good Fences - Grand Coulee

Recycled Large Wooden Spool Ends Fence - Grand Coulee, Washington

Linking to TexWisGirl's Good Fences meme.

I Love a Parade - Part 2

I found my missing parade photos!! My camera started a new folder and I wasn't paying attention to what was on my SD card. I happen to take some additional photos yesterday and when I went to get them, guess what I found?! Hip, hip, hooray!

Our Turn is Next

Feeling the Cool (even got a water drop on the lens)

Ahhhhh! Refreshing!

Time to Soak Another Group

Since it got up into the low 90's today, I would LOVE to go do this part of the parade again.

Twisp Fly-in - Family Style

My sister, Karen, sent me a message last night. "Whatcha doing tomorrow?", she asked. I replied that we were playing golf in the morning and then hanging out around the house in the afternoon. "Why?", I asked back.

While George and I were out on the golf course this morning, plans were firmed up with Jim, my brother-in-law, this morning for them to fly over for a short visit. Cool! My sis and BIL live southwest of Seattle and we are on the eastern slopes of the North Cascade mountains - a five hour car ride away but only a 45 minute flight.

Here they come!

Doing the Fly-By First

Aligned with the Runway

A safe and smooth landing behind them, time to taxi to the parking area.

We're over here!

One of my sister's friends, Becky, also came along for the flight. George and I took them into town and we had a late afternoon lunch at the Twisp River Pub. Luckily for them, they didn't have to ride into town in this "classic" courtesy car provided by the airport.

Ain't she a beauty? But a ride in this is better than no ride at all!

It was fun to visit for an hour or so before it was time to take them back to the airport. No TSA hassles, no parking fees, just a little old country airport.

George helped Jim push the airplane out onto the taxiway and then Jim started his pre-flight checklist. I have flown with Jim before and he is a very competent pilot. I am not afraid to fly with him at all!

Push, George, Push!

Checking for water in the fuel

We said our good-byes and the trio took off.

They're up!

Up!

And away!

Until next time!

I Love A Parade!

Our little town of Twisp had their annual Fourth of July parade on Friday. We are definitely small town America!

From the requisite fire trucks to horses and local "floats", there was a little something for everyone to enjoy. The kids especially enjoyed the candy being tossed out but it sure made for a few anxious moments for me.

The best part of the parade for me were the fire trucks. Every 100 feet or so, they'd stop and spray the street in front of the one truck. The kids would rush out to get soaked and even I got a little wet which was fine on a hot summer day. Too bad my camera shut off on me while taking pics. Either my battery died or it timed out waiting for the fire trucks. Its a waterproof camera so the spray wouldn't have done it. I didn't notice that it was off and I was snapping away! Oh well, there's always next year.

Enjoy the parade!

Arriving for the Parade

Pre-Parade Entertainment

Waiting for the Parade to Start

Methow Valley Horsemen

Aero-Methow - Local Ambulance Service

Tossing out Candy to the Kids

Parade Goers in Fourth of July Gear

More Candy Tossing!

Spartan Art Project Float (one of my favs since I love old trailers)

Hot Rod

Vintage (sort of) Hot Rod owned by our Local NAPA dealer, Dwayne

North Central Washington ATV Club Group

Another Business Float

Antique Truck Powered by 3 Men (Yep - they were pushing it)

Local Balloonist

Pipestone Music Float

Old Army Truck

Another Old Army Truck

Firemen Cooling off the Crowd

Local Firetrucks and Spraying The Crowd

Hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend!

Chief Joseph Dam

My journey home from Minnesota the other weekend took me past Chief Joseph Dam in Bridgeport, Washington. It is not often that you see water spilling over the dam so of course I had to stop!

A Huge Flag on the Dam Powerhouse - Happy Fourth of July!

Chief Joseph Dam is the second largest hydropower dam in the United States (Grand Coulee Dam is the largest) and is operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The single powerhouse is over a third of a mile long and can supply enough power for the entire Seattle metropolitan area. Whew!

Panoramic View of the Dam

There are several viewpoints around the dam. One puts you almost at the base of the dam where you can feel the mist on your skin.

Spray Mist at the Base of the Dam

Another viewpoint is higher up overlooking the dam and the Columbia River.

The Spillway from up high

Yet another viewpoint is on top of the dam. You first see the calmness of Rufus Woods Lake that is created by the dam before reaching a parking area that provides another view of the spillway.

Rufus Woods Lake behind the Dam

Another view of the Spillway

Looking across the top of the dam, closed to public access like all dams are today

As I drove to the viewpoint on top of the dam, there were several marmots scampering about. The noise of the car scared them and they went into hiding, except for this brave one...

Marmot sunning himself at the dam

Just for kicks, I went back to the viewpoint at the base of the dam and made a short video. Listen to the roar of the rushing water!

Happy Fourth of July to all of my American friends!

Rurality - Darn Birds!

It's close if not time to harvest the cherry crop in North Central Washington. To protect their crops, the growers resort to several different ways to keep the birds away and the cherries on their trees. Gone are the days of the old style scarecrows on a stick out in the field.

Shiny Mylar Ribbons to Spook the Birds

More Mylar Ribbons

Netting over the entire crop of trees

Another set of trees covered with netting

The Modern Scarecrow - an inflatable placed at the edge of the orchard

Linking to Madge @ The View From Right Here and the Rurality bloghop.