Lighthearted Confabulations From Outside Our Tent: Sunshine on my shoulders....makes me happy!

Yesterday the sun came out in the Northwest. For those of you lucky enough to see the sun more than once every two weeks, it's probably hard to understand how deprived we are here. April was the coldest one in history in the Seattle area. May has not been much kinder with rain, rain, and more rain day after depressing day. Average temperatures have been well below normal for April and May. So...when the sun actually comes out and the land warms up- it's becomes a wonderful treat and EVERYONE gets outside. The news media is hyper about the sun and it's the breaking story. People take impromptu days off work to garden, hike or bike ride. Spending every second outside until the sun goes down is the thing to do! People even sit outside in outdoor dining at restaurants, despite the fact that the highs rarely reach 60 degrees. Sadly, it's usually just one day of this weather before the rain returns.

Yesterday was one of those days where the sun came out and we were given the gift of a gorgeous day with normal temps. I couldn't resist getting out there and enjoying it. Writing could wait for rain to come back. As luck would or wouldn't have it, the rain is back and is forecasted for foreseeable 7 day future. So instead of dwelling on winter still in our grasp, I'll focus on the wonderful day I had yesterday.

I took the old trail to the top of Mt. Si. It used to be the only way to get there, until a team of volunteers built the current, wide trail. The old trail is great because it is a little shorter, but OH SO steep. At times I was using both feet and hands. But I got to the top with no issues and most importantly...without the mob scenes of people throwing trail-elbows to enjoy the day. Here are some photos!

I was so thrilled that I spotted a Townsend's Solitaire. They are of the thrush family and aren't seen often. They fly silently and often sit very still, so you rarely see them unless you catch them in flight. Their song is a treasure! If you ever get the chance to hear one, you'll swoon. It's one of the most beautiful sounds I've ever heard. Here is a link with a sounds clip. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Townsends_Solitaire/sounds

I love how dirty robin's beaks are! They must eat a lot of soil.

Flowering red currant. The hummingbirds are crazy over this flower and it grows wild in our forests in the spring.

From the top of Mt. Si you get a great view of Mt. Rainier. I used my long lens to get a close up shot of the snow!

Looking to the east with freeway 'ribbons' below. The most prominent dark peak is Mt. Washington. Mt. Rainier in the distance.

It was really neat to climb up there and get this view. After spending many months writing about hiking around Mt. Rainier's base, it was great to get a visual again and think of how much snow must be on the Wonderland!

I don't know these two guys, but I thought it was a neat picture. Such contrast.

This shot is looking to the west from the top of Si. The 'white' in the distance is the Olympic Mountain Range. Also visible are the skyscrapers of Bellevue and Seattle and the waters of Puget Sound.

Bench at the top, partly covered in snow.

Vine Maple!

Wild yellow violets are out!

Another awesome and difficult bird to photograph is the tiny one seen here. No trip to the forest is complete without the song of the Winter Wren. It has been recorded to have the longest continuous song in the forest. Their song is comforting, melodic and just a wonderful treat to the ears. Here is a link so you can hear yesterday's 'forest ipod'. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Winter_Wren/sounds