Showing posts with label travels with Charlie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travels with Charlie. Show all posts

Travels with Charlie: Our Summer Solstice Afternoon with McAleer Creek

Friday, June 21, 2024

Photo by Gordon Snyder

Great weather for being outside this afternoon for the Summer Solstice. 

After checking McAleer Creek. at Animal Acres Park, we headed up the Interurban - Burke Gilman Connector aka Perkins Lane from the Eagle Scout Park Kids Park.

There are a few pullouts where you can visit McAleer Ck. Gorgeous places to be spending our Summer Solstice Afternoon With McAleer Creek.

Here’s to Long Days,
Cheers,
Gordon Snyder


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Travels with Charlie: Apple Slices for Charlie and Applesauce Soon

Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Photo by Gordon Snyder

Great afternoon to see something new. Wandering around Fircrest. As Charlie checked out a phantom rabbit, I checked out one of my favorite wild apple trees.

Beautiful sight to see that the new apple crop is growing nicely.

Apple Slices for Charlie and Applesauce Soon.

Keep looking around. Cheers.

Gordon Snyder


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Travels with Charlie: Blowdowns at Horizon View Park

Sunday, June 16, 2024

Photo by Gordon Snyder

Walking around Horizon View Park, we noticed a change behind the court. There’s a boggy, spring type area where some trees grow. They’re sorta hiding the reservoir.

Photo by Gordon Snyder

The recent winds left some of the trees blown down. Charlie wanted to check them out.
 
Something new to sniff…


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Travels with Charlie: Charlie had a Visitor

Friday, June 14, 2024

Photo by Gordon Snyder

Today before we headed out for a walk, we had a visitor. Our neighbor was just outside my office where Charlie and I spend a bunch of time...

Urban Wildlife is a rare blessing.

Cheers
Gordon Snyder


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Travels With Charlie: Dog’s Point of View

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Story and photos by Gordon Snyder

During our walk on this fantastic Spring day, I noticed some of our wandering areas caught Charlie's sniff attention. 


He’d make an abrupt U-Turn to investigate.
While watching him take inventory, i knelt down to get a view from his perspective. 


It’s an explosion of Spring in miniature all around him.
Next sniff stop...


Green is unfolding at his eye level.


Ferns at bottom of a bank.


Bumped these beauties with his nose.


Heading back gives another tiny final view.


Thanks Charlie. I enjoyed walking and photoing from a Dog’s point of view…

Get outside for a walk when you can and take a few moments for some ground level views.

Cheers,
Gordon Snyder


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Travels with Charlie: Lost But Not Found

Sunday, May 19, 2024

Photo by Gordon Snyder

We headed to Horizon View Park between rain drizzles. After looping around getting some steps and sniffs, we circled by the kids' play area.

That’s where folks put any park lost items they’ve found.

I had found a lost child's hat and put it on the bench with a few other lost items that haven’t been found yet.

What a nice piece of neighborhood park culture.

Ok. "Let’s get going Charlie between these drizzles…"

Cheers,
Gordon Snyder


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Travels with Charlie: Exploring the first spring at No Fence Wetlands 330 miles away

Monday, May 6, 2024

By Gordon Snyder

We’ve been in Idaho (east of Moscow) for the last several days monitoring the status of the No Fence Wetlands' first spring after restoration.

The project is to restore cattle corrals / hayfields from the 1910s to the ancient wetlands conditions from before civilization…

8/5/2011 after haying. Photo from Google Earth

You can see historic water flow and wetlands remnants even after all the agricultural years.

Earth moving work on pond restoration was completed on 9/1/2023. After that, last fall we planted over 170,000 nursery grown wetlands plants. Plus, broadcast seeding of grasses and sedges.

9/7/2023 after haying and reconstruction. Photo from Google Earth

We lucked out when Google Earth satellite photographed the wetlands project just a week after reconstruction. The nursery plantings and seeding had begun when they were flying.

This spring we are seeing the ponds filling and wetlands plants sprouting and beginning to grow… Fantastic changes taking place.

Photo by Gordon Snyder

I am here photo and video documenting the progress and status of this first spring for the No Fence Wetlands.

Charlie is having a wonderful time
Photo by Gordon Snyder

Of course, my Buddy Charlie is with me out here. He is delightedly romping and sniffing while I’m doing my wetlands things. (Charlie changes from a “Dude” urban dog to a “Scout” country dog when we’re here.)

Photo by Gordon Snyder

Charlie helps by checking out the newly planted area.

Photo by Gordon Snyder

Charlie is mesmerized by honking from our new resident Canadian Geese on the shoreline of Bigfoot Pond….

Photo by Gordon Snyder

Meanwhile… I’m looking at water levels and success of bank plants and seed germination.

Photo by Gordon Snyder

We had less than 70% normal precipitation, but enough to get wetlands started.

Photo by Gordon Snyder

The plants need daily rain from those clouds to compete with existing hayfield grasses.

For more on this wetland project, check out No Fence Wetlands

Cheers,
Gordon Snyder


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Travels with Charlie: Strolling and Rolling Around Volunteer Park

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Story and photos by Gordon Snyder

Volunteer Park is a fantastic place above Seattle in the Capitol Hill area. Charlie and I parked and began strolling around the paths.

If you haven’t been there lately, put this park on your list. It's in the upper section of Capitol Hill at 1247 15th Ave E, Seattle WA 98112
When you arrive, you’re greeted with an amazing photo point framing the Space Needle.

When you turn around there’s the Seattle Asian Art Museum for exploration.

Wandering down the walkway, you come across a real Seattle Gem. The Volunteer Park Conservatory. It is full of plants that will delight everyone.

I’ve been there many times, but, of course, not with Charlie today. Be sure to go inside and get lost with plants.

As we continued strolling around, we pass the old Water Tank. This is the water supply built in the early days. You can go inside and climb the stairs to the top and catch some great views.

Nothing like rolling in the grass after strolling Volunteer Park

Time to head home. Stop for a moment and catch a great view of the Cascades and Lake Washington.  That’s the 520 bridge in the view.

What a great day for Strolling and Rolling…

Cheers,
Gordon Snyder


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Travels with Charlie: Full “Dude” mode along the Sound today

Monday, April 15, 2024

Charlie, looking his best
Taking advantage of a beautiful day while gathering parts for a project. We were at Home Depot so after headed to the Sound for a stroll.

Charlie was in Full “Dude” mode along the Sound today. He greeted some dogs and flirted with serval ladies…

He’s figured out who to flirt with.

They’d say: Oh..You’re so handsome. What kinda dog are you?

I answer a Cocker-Doodle-Doo.

He gives a few loving hand licks, a smile and looks to the next person he can greet and as if to say “Hello, what a day!”

Onward.

Cheers,
Gordon Snyder


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Travels with Charlie: Late to the Spring Bloom

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Photo by Gordon Snyder

Nice day for great clouds and colors. Blooms and buds are popping everywhere except this gorgeous Late Bloomer near Fircrest…

Give it a few warm days and it will be vibrant.

Cheers,
Gordon Snyder


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Travels with Charlie: Spring Green Leaves Glowing in the Sunlight

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Photo by Gordon Snyder at Log Boom Park
Everywhere you look. 

The new spring growth was nicely backlit by afternoon sun as we walked past the picnic area by Log Boom Pier.

The whole area is exploding with new growth. 

The new restoration plantings are budding along the shore area. 

The area will be different again soon.

Lots to sniff and see on a super day.

Cheers,
Gordon Snyder


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Travels with Charlie: This Bud's for You

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Photo by Gordon Snyder

Stopped to explore some bushes during this spring day, I stopped to give Charlie a chance to sniff. While waiting for him to take inventory, I spotted this piece of spring right in front of me.

Cheers,
Gordon Snyder


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Travels with Charlie: Sparkling Day with Charlie

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Charlie smiles for the camera
Photo by Gordon Snyder

Another perfect day in our neighborhood.

After enjoying sitting on a bench at the end of the Pier on the Lake Washington, walking back I noticed the sparkling water behind Charlie's smile.

Spring is here. We will see you somewhere…

Cheers,
Gordon Snyder


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Travels with Charlie: Daffodils and Otters

Monday, March 18, 2024

Photo by Gordon Snyder
Seventy and sunny at *Animal Acres Park as we enjoyed the day… Daffodils around the **Otters at the north end of the path.

Cheers,
Gordon Snyder


**The sculpture is by Georgia Gerber of Whidbey Island, whose bronze animal sculptures can be seen all around Puget Sound.


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Travels with Charlie: Today we headed to the Sound

Friday, March 15, 2024

The ferry heads toward Edmonds with the Olympics in the background.
Photo by Gordon Snyder

Today, Charlie and I headed to the Sound.

With a day like today, we met up with my daughter and headed to the Sound by the Edmonds Ferry Dock for some Strolling and Sniffing along Sunset Ave N.

The Ferry was docking with calm waters, sunny blue skies and the Olympics on the horizon.

Does it get any better than this?

Bald eagles circled overhead.
Photo by Gordon Snyder

Nope… Cuz the day continues. A pair of Bald Eagles screeched and glided back and forth over our heads.

Does it get any better than this?

Stamm Overlook Park

They flew over us twice while sitting on a bench at Stamm Overlook Park.…

This little Pocket Park is a perfect place to enjoy the open water views of the Puget Sound.

Does it get any better than this?

Hard to beat a beautiful day along the shoreline.

Cheers,
Gordon Snyder


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Travels with Charlie: Typical shore to shore rain all day

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Panorama of Log Boom Park between Lake Washington and the Burke Gilman Trail
Photo by Gordon Snyder

On our third day in a row of rain, we needed to head outside. Put on rain coats and wandered around Horizon View Park to get our steps and sniffs. Hiding between the downpours. 

Next went down to check Lake Washington. Here’s a Panorama of Lake Washington along the trail thru Log Boom Park…

Not many folks out enjoying these storms. But, we had smiles on our wet faces.

Cheers,
Gordon Snyder


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Travels with Charlie: Hummingbird Torpor

Monday, March 11, 2024

Hummingbird in torpor on the feeder
This was a unique experience I never expected to see….

When Charlie and I were outside in the yard, I spotted this Hummingbird on one of my feeders after the cold night.

It was motionless for several minutes. Its eyes were closed…

It didn’t move. It wasn’t dead, but in a state of Hummingbird Torpor.

(Torpor is the hummingbird version of hibernation. Hummingbirds are on the verge of starvation at every moment in cold temperatures. 

So they reduce heartbeats and body temperature to save energy. Especially on cold nights and days.)

Hummingbird in torpor, sitting
on the ground unable to move
As I watched this little guy sitting motionless on the feeder, a second territorial Boss Hummingbird attacked.

He knocked the Torpor Hummer off the feeder and it crashed on the ground.

"Stay Charlie. Leave it alone. Good Boy."

It was still in Torpor and couldn’t move. Plus hummingbirds can’t walk!

The little bird was defenseless as it sat there basically frozen.

Carefully, I picked it up and placed it in a small box with a towel. 

Partially closed the lid so it could warm up safely.

Signs of movement and recovery
Less than 10 minutes later, I hear rustling. 

Opened the box and we lifted the towel with the bird on it.

It glanced at me. Gathered itself and hummered off in a blur.

What a treat to experience this,

--Story and photos by Gordon Snyder

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Travels with Charlie: Ronald Bog Park Wetlands

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Ronald Bog Park
Photo by Gordon Snyder
By Gordon Snyder

We headed to Ronald Bog Park 2301 N 175th St, Shoreline, WA 98133 to look over the wetlands before everything started leafing out. Lots to see and to sniff.

This is an amazing example of Urban Wetlands that are being restored. A piece of Nature surrounded by I-5 on the East, N 175th on the North, Meridian Ave N on the West and residences on the South. It looks like natural progress has been happening over the last couple years.

The Canadian Geese have taken up residence and were grazing the lawns. Their droppings are everywhere. The riparian areas are preparing to explode with warmer spring days.

Bog Water is clear this time of year, but has warnings about contact because of possible urban pollution and algal blooms. That’s a tough challenge as restoration continues.

If you’re interested in an example of our local conifers, there is a small arboretum with living examples. Just a brief walk along the path.

Diane Hettrick wrote a terrific Shoreline Area News 2019 article about the Wetlands Restoration 
”What’s Happening with Ronald Bog Park?”

The Ronald Bog is fighting huge odds becoming a wetlands once again. But given a chance Water and Biology will make it happen.

Check out Ronald Bog over the seasons because it will always be changing...


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Travels with Charlie: One of His Favorite Landmarks

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Photo by Gordon Snyder

We were wandering around Fircrest’s open areas. After saying “Hello" to a couple of folks out for their walk, Charlie spotted one of his favorite landmarks.

Obviously, he needed to get caught up with who’s been there.  

We stop for photos and we stop for sniffs. 

--Gordon Snyder


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