Jaci Dawn

Summer is advancing in my garden. The gladiolas I painstakingly planted are starting to bloom and so are my beloved Shasta Daisies.

The weeds are also in full bloom and I don’t know when I’ll tackle them again.

The local wildlife was busy posing for photos this week.

The geese are back.

Sadly, the five little ducklings did not make it. Three of them made it three days, then there was one. Today there were none. 😦

My energy has not returned and tomorrow we have a huge hike planned. For my friend in the UK Suzanne Takes You Up: we will hike up 2,000 feet or 609 meters in elevation. We’re starting at 957 meters (1340 feet) and hiking to the summit at 1566.67 meters (1540 feet). I’ll post more about it tomorrow, but it is not a long hike and is rather steep.

We’re taking a group of tourists up to an old US Forest Service fire look out in the Cascades. Long story short, my husband met this family on the Internet. The mother (who just passed away in March) served as a Conscientious Objector during WW2 with her new husband by manning the look out one summer during the war. She sent my husband a copy of her diary of that summer (essentially their honeymoon).

The family “adopted” Don and now they have all come out West to hike up to the look out where they plan to either spread ashes or place a memorial for their parents.

I hope they understand this is not a hike in the park! And since many of them are ten years or more older than I am – I hope they’ve taken their heart meds! HAHAHA.

I will post tons of pics as this is a banner year for wildflowers and because I love taking photos in the high Cascades.

Last: I cannot believe this is the first time I’ve gone hiking this summer!! It’s the middle of July! I’ve usually managed at least a camping trip or two by now. Of course, it’s still ‘freaking’ cool out: only 70-something today for a high. This desert girl needs HOT sun in the summer… Not chilly winds and overcast skies. But the pay-off will be the wildflowers.

I’ll let you know how the hike to High Lake (what an original name!) goes.