If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 331 [a few days late]

 Snowy trees in front of the Harry Whitney Treat Home, Queen Anne and Highland Drive, Seattle, 

ca 1916

 [Note:  I was without a computer for a few days so this Thursday postcard is a few days overdue.]

Although this postcard looks more like a snapshot than a card it was printed as a postcard.  That was a fairly common way to share pictures of places, people and even pets in the early 1900s.  There has not yet been significant snow in the city this year but the photo was probably taken in 1916 when Seattle had a heavy snowfall.  The undated note on the back says:  “In front of Harry Whitney Treat’s Home, Queen Anne and Highland Drive.”  The Treat family lived in this 64-room home from the time it was completed in 1905 until his death in 1922 when it was sold to developers.  Then it was turned into apartments.  In 1975 it was modified into what is today known as the Gable House complex.  It is a Seattle Landmark building worth more than 11 million dollars.

I thought it interesting and amusing to think that someone took this picture showing the snow covered trees and not much of the mansion.

Harry Whitney Treat was a businessman and financier who originally came from New York and arrived in Seattle in 1902.  He formed a partnership in 1896 with the promoter, Ed Blewett, for whom Blewett Pass is named.  Together they formed the Van Anda Copper and Gold Company on Texada Island in the San Juan Islands.  They had three mines, the Little Billie, the Copper Queen, and later the Cornell.  Under Treat’s leadership the mining operations moved underground.  Blewett and Treat developed a narrow gauge railway to move the ore to dumps on Van Anda Bay.  By 1900 they had also constructed a smelter to service not only their mines but also other mines on the island.  Treat was called “The Magician” who waved an invisible wand and his caves produced copper, gold and silver. 

Locally Treat bought hundreds of acres of land in Ballard where he developed Loyal Heights and Loyal Beach, both named for his youngest daughter, Loyal Graef Treat.  Loyal Beach later became Golden Gardens Park.

For more information, see:

https://seattle.curbed.com/2014/9/3/10051856/treat-house-gable
Texada Island Heritage Society – Harry Whitney Treat
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texada_Island

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 330

 Currier & Ives, "Frozen Up," 1872

Merry Christmas!  This used postcard has a reproduced Currier & Ives lithograph of a winter scene titled “Frozen Up.”  Although the message is not dated, this Hallmark card with the number 150PX 20-9 on the reverse probably dates from the early 1970s or about 100 years after the original lithograph, from 1872, was hand colored and sold.  The snowy scene with a red caped woman holding a basket, two oxen about to pull a loaded dray on runners, a horse drawn loaded sled with driver crossing a bridge over a creek, frozen waterwheel and dark cloudy sky, is seasonal and it seemed perfect to share a few days before Christmas. 

Currier and Ives, based in New York City from 1834 to 1907, was a very successful American printmaking company.  Nathaniel Currier (1813-1888) and James Merritt Ives (1824-1895) produced prints from paintings by various artists as black and white lithographs that were then hand colored.  Known as “the Grand Central Depot for Cheap and Popular Prints” with lithographs advertised as “colored engravings for the people,” that could be reproduced quickly and purchased inexpensively.  The company produced over 7,500 lithographs during its 72 years of operation. 

Nathaniel Currier was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts 27 March 1813.  The family was very poor.  When he was 8 years old his father died and it became necessary for Nathaniel and his older brother, Lorenzo, to work odd jobs to support his mother and their other two siblings.  When he was 15 he apprenticed with William and John Pendleton in their lithography shop located in Boston.  At age 20 he moved to Philadelphia and began doing contract work for a noted engraver and printer named M.E.D. Brown.  A year he was making lithographs under the name of Stodart & Currier but his partnership with Stodart only lasted one year.  In 1835 he created a lithograph of a fire that swept New York City’s business district.  That print was so successful it sold thousands of copies in four days.  He then began working alone as “N. Currier, Lithographer,” for about 20 years until 1856 producing many current news and disaster prints. 

In 1857 Currier approached his bookkeeper and accountant, James Merritt Ives, about becoming his partner.  Ives was about 10 years younger than Currier, and had married the sister-in-law of Currier’s brother, Charles. It was Charles who recommended Ives to Currier.  Ives became general manager handling the financial side of the business and also helped Currier select artists and craftsmen.  He had a knack of knowing what would be popular and began adding images the firm could produce to expand the range into political satire and sentimental scenes, like sleigh rides in the country and steamboat races.  The card shared this week would fall into the category of sentimental scenes. 

All the lithographs were produced on lithographic limestone printing plates, the drawings done by hand.  Each print was then pulled by hand and then hand-colored by a dozen or more women who worked in an assembly line fashion.  The company occupied three stories in a building in New York with the printing presses on the third floor, artists, stone grinders and lithographers on the fourth floor, and colorists on the fifth floor.  Small works sold for 5 to 25 cents, larger pieces went for $1 to $3 each.  As the firm grew the products were made available via pushcart vendors, peddlers, and book stores selling both wholesale and resale.  Currier & Ives prints were considered appropriate home decorations according the American Woman’s Home in 1869.  Currier died in 1888 and Ives continued on until his death in 1895.  The sons of both Currier and Ives followed in the business until improvements in offset printing and photoengraving diminished the popularity of lithographs.  The firm was liquidated in 1907. 

For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currier_and_Ives

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 329

Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France, ca early 1900s

It is always great fun to find an old postcard of some place I have been, like this unused vintage card of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris France from the early 1900s.  No other information about the publisher/printer except the number 23 and the title found at the bottom of the card front.  The back is divided hence the card was issued after 1900 even though the picture suggests a date perhaps earlier.  Horses and carriages can be seen in the middle of the picture and at the left side.  A few people are walking or standing in the large square.  Three of the six large doors into the cathedral are open.  Only one door was open when we visited in 2012.

There is still a large square in front of Notre Dame in Paris but now there are also benches and plantings as well as a statue of Charlemagne.  Otherwise, it looks much the same.  When we visited it was necessary to wait in an enormously long line of people that wove around the square to go inside.  

 A section of the long line of people waiting to enter

 

 Part of the square near the statue of Charlemagne

 

Looking from one of the bridges across the River Seine the cherry trees and part of the cathedral is shown at the lower left side.  The stalls where all sorts of things from books and artwork to miscellaneous used items are for sale can be seen at the lower right.

The buildings in the background on the postcard, especially on the right side, seem a bit too close to me as there is just a green strip and a sidewalk next to the River Seine that runs right along side the cathedral with bridges across in several places.  The river is not very wide at that point; however, so the buildings on the other side appear closer than they really are.  It is also hard to tell if this is a tinted photograph or an artist’s rendition of the scene.

 The entire front of the cathedral is covered in relief statues

We walked here a couple of times from our hotel during our visit.  It is impressive both from the outside and inside.  Once inside the light coming in through the stained glass windows was splendid.  The cavernous dark interior also had additional lighting that helped make it seem airy and bright.  There are places to light candles in several areas inside.   It is truly a magnificent structure.  

Large rose window and smaller stained glass windows

Looking toward the windows from further away

Groundbreaking for the cathedral began in 1163 and it took until 1345 before it was completed.  Considered one of the best examples of French Gothic architecture Notre Dame is one of the most well known church buildings in the world.  During the French Revolution in the 1790s the church was damaged severely.  It also suffered some damage during World War II.  The first restoration was in 1845 with another in 1991.   

 The side and back views of Notre Dame are as beautiful and interesting as the more recognizable front view facing the west.

 Last but not least, the famous gargoyles, and chimeras

For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame_de_Paris

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 328

"The Senator," the oldest Bald Cypress tree, ca 1945

The black & white photograph on this unused postcard of "The Senator" shows people holding hands and surrounding the tree.  Helping to date the card is the original fence and plaque.  Parts of the fence and the plaque were lost to theft in 1945.  Modern photographs show a different fence and the plaque placed higher on the tree trunk.  Named "The Senator" after Florida State Senator Moses Overstreet, who donated the tree and surrounding land to Seminole County for a park in 1927, the tree is over 3,500 years old.   At the bottom of the card it reads:  “The ‘Big Tree’—Oldest Cypress in the U.S., 3,500 years old (127 ft) high, 47 ft. in circumference, 17.5 ft in diameter.  On U.S. 17 and 92 between Sanford and Orlando, Florida.”  Senator Overstreet dedicated the site with a commemorative bronze plaque, parts of which can be seen behind the boy standing in the middle of the picture. 

The tree was once taller than described but a hurricane in 1925 destroyed the top of it reducing the height from 165 ft to 118 ft.  When the photo on the card was taken the tree had grown to between 125 and 127 ft.  The Seminoles and other Native Americans used the tree as a landmark and it also attracted many visitors even though it meant crossing swampy land by sometimes leaping from log to log to get to the tree. 

Sadly in January 2012 a fire started at the top of the tree and burned from the inside out.  Firefighters tried to save the tree but it collapsed leaving the tree 20 to 25 ft tall.  At first it was believed that lightning had started the fire but it was later determined to have been the result of a human built fire that got out of control.  The perpetrator was caught and given jail time. 

Even after the fire had destroyed so much of the tree people continue to believe that parts of it are still living evidenced in part by saplings discovered at the base of the tree.  Also officials have said that the tree was cloned at one time and after the fire a search was conducted to locate clones and bring them back.  A small group of artists and woodworkers were allowed to create works of art from the charred remains of the tree.  A few of the items produced include vases, pens, flutes, and sculptures some of which have been made available for sale.  Seminole County officials are working toward having a permanent and traveling exhibit with selections of these artifacts.

The Big Tree Park was closed for about one year after the fire then reopened in 2014.  A memorial was constructed that includes signs and an improved boardwalk, a playground, and a clone of the Senator was planted near the playground.  The clone has been named “The Phoenix.”  The Senator was not only the largest Bald Cypress in the United States but also the largest tree of any species east of the Mississippi River.  In addition to the Senator there is a companion tree in Big Tree Park named the “Lady Liberty Tree,” 89 ft tall, about 2,000 years old.


For additional information and pictures, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Senator_(tree)

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 327

 Stonegate, City of York, Yorkshire, England, ca 1950s-1960s

Stonegate, one of the oldest streets in the City of York, Yorkshire, England, is shown on the unused postcard (1950s or 1960s ) above as it looks at night.  The card is a Colourmaster International published by Photo Precision Limited, St. Ives, Huntingdon.  It has two numbers on the reverse, YOR 310 at the top and PLX22102 at the bottom of the center divide. 
First mentioned as early as 1118 AD, Stonegate was built on the Via Praetoria, a Roman road, and accessed through a gateway called Porta Praetoria, now under St. Helens Square.  It is thought that the name was derived from the stone brought by boat from quarries near Tadcaster to a landing place near where the Guildhall stands today.  That stone was used to construct the Minster.  It is also possible that the name comes from the original stone road built by the Romans. 

The street was once called the “Street of the Printers,’” because during the 16th century and was well known for books shops and printers.  Although several signs can be seen on the postcard picture one of the more famous ones is missing.  It is of a chained, red devil, and sits at the top of the door to number 33.  The devil is a reference to the boys who were apprenticed or assistants to the printer and had the job of carrying hot metal type.  According to folklore, every print shop was haunted by a mischief-maker, one blamed for misspelled words, removal of lines, or inverted type.  The printer’s assistant thus acquired the nickname “the printer’s devil.”

Today Stonegate is home to interesting little shops selling things from jewelry to teddy bears.  Books stores can still be found there as well.  From the picture on the card it looks like a person would step back in time or into a Harry Potter scene walking along the street.

This card, like several others shared, comes from the travel collection received from J & K.  Thank you, they are much appreciated.

For additional information, see:

http://www.york-united-kingdom.co.uk/stonegate/
http://secretyork.com/the-stonegate-devil/

A family gathering . . .

Right after Thanksgiving, appropriately enough, and just before Christmas, finally something to show after many years of promising that these were in the works, here are the first 3 volumes of a projected multi volume set on the extended family history.  The books are being sold on an invitation only basis.

Interested family members can contact me by email or by leaving a comment on this post with your return email address and I will send the link(s) to the online publisher so purchases can be made directly from Blurb.com.  I will delete the email addresses from the blog after I reply.

Blurb is an online self-publisher and offers several formats for each of the books ranging from soft cover (paperback) to hardbound versions and a digital format ebook.  The pictures above show the hardbound image wrap option.  Currently only the Lorig book is available in all the options.  The ebook version can be read using a tablet such as an iPad or Kindle or smart phone.  The other two books were published using an older format and I am still working on converting them so they can be viewed as ebooks.  Hopefully the conversion will be successful and they will also become available as ebooks.  I'll post an update when that happens.  In the meantime they are available in soft cover and hardbound.
 
In progress volumes will cover the Landaas, Lee, and Thompson families and perhaps a couple more given enough time and energy and if my “little gray cells” keep chugging along at full capacity.

I am so thankful to get these done and hope that the effort will preserve some of our family history for the generations to come. 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 326

Prebends Bridge and Castle Durham

Here is another postcard from the travel collection that shows the Prebends Bridge and Durham Castle in the U.K.  The card is unused, a product of Photo Precision Limited, St. Ives, Huntingdon, Cambs., Great Britain.  Two identifying numbers are found on the reverse, DU 399 and PLX20603.

A footbridge over the River Wear was built at this location in 1574 but was swept away during a flood in 1771.  George Nicholson then designed this bridge, called the Prebends Bridge, and it was constructed during the years between 1772 and 1778.  A restoration of this bridge was done in 1956-1957.  The bridge forms part of the estate of Durham Cathedral.  It us used primarily as a footbridge since it joins riverside paths and leads to a closed road barrier, but it is wide enough for vehicles and was temporarily opened to them in 2010 when roadwork on the main roads necessitated it. 

Durham Castle, an example of early motte and bailey castles, seen above on the hillside is a Norman castle built in the 11th century.   It was the seat of the Bishop of Durham who was appointed by the King and exercised royal authority on his behalf.  It remained the bishop’s palace until the castle was donated to a newly formed college in 1837.  Since 1840 the castle has been occupied by University College, Durham.  Although it is a working building with over 100 students the castle does offer guided tours for visitors. 

Trivia:  The Great Hall is 46 ft or 14 meters high and over 98 ft 30 meters long.  The castle has two chapels, the Norman Chapel built about 1078 and the Tunstall’s Chapel, built in 1540.  In addition to services the chapels are also used for theatrical performances and other like purposes.  During university vacation periods the college offers rooms mostly for academic conferences.  The entrance was remodeled in the 18th and 19th centuries.  The castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

Thanks to J & K for sharing the postcard.

For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prebends_Bridge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durham_Castle

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 325

Roman Baths and Hot Springs, Bath, Somerset, England

Today’s unused postcard published for the City of Bath by the Bath City Council has photographs of the Roman Baths in Bath, Somerset, England.  The top left picture shows a northeast view of the pillar base of a portico leading to the sacred spring named for the Celtic goddess, Sulis, and associated later with the Roman goddess Minerva.  The lower left photo is a northwest view of the ruins of a structure adjacent to the sacred spring building.  The larger photograph on the right has two re-positioned corner stones of a sacrificial altar.  In background is the Pump room foundation, 1790.  The card has the number 1246 in the square where a stamp would be placed.  The baths are a major tourist attraction with more than one million visitors a year.

The Roman Baths are below the modern street level.  Entrance is through an 1897 concert hall.  Visitors can see the Baths and the associated museum but are no longer allowed to enter the water due to health concerns related to lead pipes and infectious diseases such as meningitis.  A newer Thermae Bath Spa, designed by Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners and the refurbished Cross Bath allow bathers to experience the waters instead.

The postcard below has a photograph of the Kings Bath viewed through the Roman arch.  This was probably built in the late 10th century for Edgar the first King of all England by the Benedictine Bishop of Bath.  It has been possessed and controlled by the City of Bath since 1554. The card was photographed and published by Unichrome and bears the identification number of 1169.

Where does the water come from and how hot does it get?  The water bubbles up from the ground at Bath falls as rain on Mendip Hills.  It percolates down through limestone aquifiers thousands of feet where it is heated by geothermal energy to temperatures between 156 and 204 degrees F or 69 and 96 degrees C.  The water then rises to the surface along fissures and faults in the limestone.  There were three baths, the caldarium, hot bath; the tepidarium, lukewarm bath; and the frigidarium, cold bath.  Drinking the water is also considered a curative or health practice.  A new spa water borehole was sunk to provide a supply of clean, safe water for drinking in the Pump Room.  The neo-classical Grand Pump Room salon is still used for both taking the waters and for social functions.

The first shrine at the hot springs was built by the Celts.  The Romans constructed a temple (60-70 AD) and the bathing complex was gradually building over a period of about 300 years.  The baths have been modified several different times due to disrepair after the Roman withdrawal, flooding and silting.  In 1810 it was thought that the Hot Springs were failing or had failed but upon investigation it was discovered that the water had changed course.  Once the water was re-directed to its original course the baths filled in less time.

The museum houses artifacts from the Roman period including the remains of an elaborate hypocaust heating system that served the sweat rooms.   It is a little hard to imagine how large these bathing rooms were.  I have not been to these in Bath, but the Cluny Museum in Paris is built over old Roman Baths.  One is marked as a Roman bath outside the building but not labeled hot, cold or medium. The frigidarium or cold water bath, the warm and hot water rooms are identified and located on the lower level of what is currently the museum.  Perhaps the picture below from the Cluny will provide some perspective on size.  Originally there must have been walls like a modern swimming pool around the room edges but those no longer exist.  As far as we could tell the windows do not date from the Roman times but were added later.

 Roman Bath, Cluny Museum, Paris, France

These postcards were among those in a group of travel cards shared by J & K and much appreciated.  Thanks!

For more information and additional photographs, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Baths_(Bath)

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 324

Manitou Cliff Dwellings, Colorado, 1952

The used postcard this week is another Linen-Type but without the typical white border.  It is dated 1952.  A Sanborn Souvenir Co. of Denver, Colorado publication, this card like the one last week uses C.T. Art-Colortone.  It has an identifying number on the reverse at the upper left, 2176. 

The Anasazi lived and migrated between 1200 BC and 1300 AD, within the Four Corners area of the Southwestern United States, several hundred miles southwest of Manitou Springs.  The dwellings pictured on the card were rebuilt in the early 1900s to serve as a museum, tourist attraction, and to preserve the culture of the people who once lived in them.  Reconstruction began in 1904 and the museum opened to the public in 1907.  The stones for the dwellings were taken from collapsed Anasazi buildings near Cortez, Colorado, shipped by train to Manitou Springs where they were reassembled at their current location.  In addition to this group of cliff dwellings the museum also has displays of what life was like for the people who lived here, exhibits that include archaeological artifacts, tools, pottery, and weapons.  Visitors can walk through the dwellings.  Anthropologist, Dr. Edgar Lee Hewett, and Virginia McClurg, founder of the Colorado Cliff Dwelling Association, approved and participated in the project. 

For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manitou_Cliff-Dwellings
 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 323

Highway Through the Needles, Custer State Park, Black Hills, South Dakota

This linen-type postcard, #7A-H2560, was published for the Burgess Co., Inc. of Keystone, South Dakota using the genuine Curteich-Chicago C.T. Art-Colortone method.  The title is given as, 116 Highway Through the Needles, Custer State Park, Black Hills, So. Dakota.  As mentioned previously, linen-type cards were popular during the 1930s and 1940s but some were also produced into the 1950s.  The Needles really do look this surreal.  An interesting place to visit.

Perhaps this beautiful but ominous sky should have warned us that . . .

the thunder, lightning and hail were almost upon us

On our long road trip this past July Bob and I stopped at parks and other places of interest both coming and going.  One of the places we visited was Custer State Park in South Dakota.  There are separate roads within the park so one can choose different things to see.  We were able to do both the Wildlife Loop Road and the Highway Through the Needles.  And while the day started out nice enough we did experience twenty-minutes or so of thunder, lightning with hail that left about 3 inches of hail on the road and hillsides before once again clearing.  

 As we rounded the bend we could see this large herd of bison

 There were lots of calves and all seemed calm, grazing . . .

but just before the storm began the herd started moving closer to the road.  This one is just a little too close, even looking through the closed car window.

The park is home to about 1500 bison aka buffalo.  We came upon a herd of about 200 or 300, some were very near to the road and others were dispersed on the surrounding hills.  A few minutes before the storm hit we noticed they were getting a little agitated and starting to move toward the trees and the roadway.  Several cars, including ours, were parked along side watching the animals.  Some people had gotten out to take photos.  We decided we should move the car, as we knew once the herd started to cross the roadway we would have a long wait for all the animals to pass and we did not want to get too close.   We had just pulled out and started then looked back to see the first bison beginning to cross the street.  It was only a few moments later that the thunder and lightning started.  The animals must have sensed the impending storm and started moving toward shelter.  

Besides the buffalo some of the animals we saw --

Pronghorn antelope 

 Mule deer

Mountain goat and her two kids

The park named after Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer and established in 1912, is huge, covering some 71,000 acres and is home to a number of wild animals.  The scenery is beautiful and the two routes we took were well worth the time.  In addition to the wildlife area is The Needles shown on the card above.  It is a region of granite pillars, towers and spires.  Originally the Needles were suggested as the place for the carvings that eventually ended up on nearby Mt. Rushmore instead.  The Needles attracts about 300,000 visitors a year both tourists and rock climbers.  

Highway through the Needles parking area near the main attraction

The Eye of the Needle

 The scenery and animals kept our attention and kept us in the car most of the time so not many flower photos this time

The new postcard below was found at the Mt. Rushmore gift shop, RP 498,  and shows an example of the open wildlife region

For more information, see: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Needles_(Black_Hills)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custer_Stake_Park

For more information, see: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Needles_(Black_Hills)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custer_Stake_Park

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 322

Vernazza, Italy, 1967

A friend living in Italy found the above postcard in a flea market.  It is a used card dated 22 August 1967 and sent from Vernazza.  The identifier at the lower left on the reverse is 10889 Ed M. Ginocchio, La Spezia, printed by Rotalcolor.  The logos on the reverse show two sea horses with the initials M.G.S. between the tails, a world globe is featured at the top of the card also.  The panorama view is of the perched village of Vernazza one of the five towns making up the Cinque Terre region in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, in northwestern Italy.

Reverse

The two stamps on the postcard are from the 1960s also and show sculpture profiles.

Vernazza was a fortified town as early as 1080.  The Italian noble family of Obertenghi used it as their maritime base.  Likely a departure point for naval forces in defense of pirates the tower on the point in the center of card is part of  Doria Castle built in the 1400s.   The other tall structure seen at the right in the photograph is the Church of Santa Margherita d’Antiochia, first mentioned in 1318 but because of the materials and mode of construction it is thought the church was built probably some time in the 12th century.  It has been modified, expanded and renovated several times.  In the 16th or 17th century the octagonal bell tower was erected.

Vernazza provided a port, fleet, and soldiers in Genova’s conquest of Liguiria.  In the 1200s almost 90% of the most powerful families in Vernazza had pledged allegiance to the republic of Genova. 

Trivia:  A fortifying wall was erected in the 15th century as protection against repeated pirate raids.  The main product of Vernazza has been wine.  In the 19th century new terraces were added to the hillsides to increase the growing area.  UNESCO recognized the Cinque Terre as a World Heritage Site in 1999. In October 2011 flooding and mudslides as a result of torrential rains buried the town in over 13 ft or 4 m of mud and debris and caused more than 100 million euro damage.  The town remained in a state of emergency for many months.  Tourism is the main source of revenue today although fishing, wine, and olive oil are still being produced.


The postcard came with a letter in an envelope that had three beautiful new Italian stamps and one fun stamp of a Fiat 500 "one of the symbols of Italy, just like pizza and the Colosseum in Rome."  As always, thanks to my friend for sending the card and the stamps.  

For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernazza

Fall colors in the mountains . . .

The past few weeks we have been choosing days and places that would provide some cool, but not rainy, weather and fall colors.  One hike took us to Cottonwood and Mirror Lakes in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Park area.  The Northwest Forest Pass or a Senior park pass is required there.  That day also included a stop at Franklin Falls near Denny Creek.  And, of course, the obligatory stop at the candy store on the way home for marzipan and dark chocolates.  Then we missed a week due to weather and other commitments.  The next outing was to Beaver Plant and Ashland Lakes on the Mountain Loop Highway, Discover Pass required.  Both hikes were approximately 4 miles round trip. 

Lots of solitude, we saw 5 people and one dog on the hike to Cottonwood and Mirror Lakes.  We left the car about 1/2 mile from the trail head and walked up a steep, very eroded, rutty, rocky stretch of road, perhaps only suitable for an ATV to attempt, before entering the almost covered with vegetation trail.  Both lakes were calm and had wonderful reflections.  No facilities at the trail head or at the lakes.

The trail later opened up in places like the one shown and was in relatively good condition.

 Weathered sign for Cottonwood Lake, Mirror Lake and the Pacific Crest Trail

Fireweed gone to seed 

 Cottonwood Lake

 The hillside along the trail to Mirror Lake

 Mirror Lake living up to its name . . .

 Looking down from the Pacific Crest Trail on the forest colors from near Mirror Lake

 The perfect lunch spot to enjoy the view

 Tree ablaze with color along the Kachess highway

 The same day we took a slight detour along the Kachess Highway to admire the beautiful autumn leaves.  Most of the trees were vine maples with their green, yellow, orange, and bright red colors.

Bob has been making trips along the Kachess Highway for the past 15 years to see the colors and knew exactly where to stop to get the maximum displays. 

 Franklin Falls with rainbow

After the drive along the Kachess Highway we stopped for a short walk to Franklin Falls and timed it perfectly to see a rainbow through the mists.  Amazingly the rainbow dipped into the pool at the bottom of the falls as well.

 Trail marker to Beaver Plant & Ashland Lakes

Two weeks later we hiked to Beaver Plant and Ashland Lakes on the Mountain Loop.  This trail requires a Discover Pass.  It was well kept but much of the trail is over boggy areas and there are many boardwalks and a few stairs.  The camping areas have wooden platforms for tents.  It is like the rain forest with lush, greenery.  We did see a little bit of melting snow along the sides of the trail.  We only met 8 people and one dog this day.  The limited wildlife sightings included a dragonfly near the lake shore; a waterstrider bug, I had never seen one except on TV nature shows, a Douglas squirrel dashing across the trail, and a curious chipmunk who came close when we were having lunch then darted away.  The State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has had more funds to provide amenities than the federal US Forest Service, therefore, there are outhouses at the trail head and at each of the camping areas by the lakes. 

Bright red Bunchberry on a bed of moss

 Beaver Plant Lake

 There are lots of boardwalks along this trail

 Lily pads in Ashland Lake

 Typical fall colors along the shores of Ashland Lake

 The view from our lunch spot

We were able to have our lunch sitting on the dry platform behind the sign and enjoy another lakeside view