Use this thread to share pictures and stories of your adventures! I can't wait to see what everyone is up to :)

What a beautiful day. We've been experiencing a cold snap here in southern California, and the past few days have been cloudy and drizzly. I woke up this morning to sunny skies and a promise from the weather channel of temps in the high 60s. We headed down to the beach and parked the truck on the street on the bluffs. As we were walking down the path a lady stopped us to point out four dolphins frolicking right off shore. We watched them until they disappeared around the rocks and were out of sight. Once on the beach we dropped our stuff and the four of us spread out in opposite directions to explore. Gavin and I were looking at an enormous orange sea star when I heard the familiar barking that we often hear at this beach. I looked up and directly in front of us was a sea lion, swimming along just beyond the rocks of the tidal pools. We spent the whole day exploring and finding sea stars, hermit crabs, crabs of the non-hermit variety...lol, fish, sea hares, and sea anemones. We climbed the large rocks, played, ate lunch and had a great time. Shortly before we left my friend pointed out a gorgeous white shore bird that seemed to be feeding in the tide pools. It was out there for about twenty minutes, gobbling up goodies. My best guess from looking online is that it is a snowy egret, but I could be wrong.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/BrandyMama/cdm1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/BrandyMama/bird2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/BrandyMama/bird1.jpg

My photo skills leave a lot to be desired but I did get a pict of the kids on the San Juan Loop Trail in Cleveland National Forest yesterday.

It was a beautiful day and we had so much fun that I considered taking them again today. :) alas I had too much sewing to do.

2.2 miles and lots of fun. They even asked to go do it again!! Yipee! I'm hooked.

What a beautiful day we had yesterday. We took hiked the San Juan Loop Trail with friends from our homeschool group. We took it slow, as you have to do when traveling with toddlers and took lots of breaks. Our first stop was at a campground that the trail runs behind. It was just so lush and green and the kids wanted to check out the creek...our first glimpse of it since setting out from the parking lot. Here's a shot of Avery and Marcel chowing down...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/BrandyMama/sanjuan.jpg

We trekked along and found a really cool hollowed out tree. As you can see, you can fit at least four Amity kids in it :) Unfortunately this is where my camera batteries began to die so that accounts for the fuzz factor.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/BrandyMama/sanjuan2.jpg

After exploring the tree and the hillside above it we hiked on to a great area with rocks where the creek was flowing well for this time of year. We played there for a bit, I think that at this point almost every boy in attendance ended up wet...some more than others...mine completely soaked to their bellies of course...lol.

here are my guys taking off down the trail. Beautiful oaks and scrub all around and it smelled soooo good there!

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4cc39b3127cce9de7eed015b200000016108ScMWjNm3M

Taking a break in that awesome tree...
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4cc39b3127cce9de7e3a0555c00000016108ScMWjNm3M

The last few weeks we've been exploring trails near our home. I love the bonding time with my boys...here is Jacob and I. He's a great little hiker but I can still steal sling time
:heart:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4cc39b3127cceab9099e7d40d0000001610

The views are very peaceful
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4cc39b3127cceab9099d255080000001610

I'm looking forward to a warmer day to get outside trekking around. All these pictures are just lovely. I love the Sling'in picture Marchroses.

Another great day! Jenn (bonadea) invited us out to her family cabin for a potluck and to explore and play. Good food, good company and a wonderful area to explore...couldn't ask for more!

Gavin helping Jenn (bonadea) across the bridge...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/BrandyMama/helping.jpg

Avery (and Julia in the background) coming back from a nature collecting walk. Jenn made these awesome treasure pouches for all of the kids to collect acorns, rocks and sticks in :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/BrandyMama/avery.jpg


Gavin eating mint that was growing in the creek in front of the cabin...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/BrandyMama/mint.jpg

The beautiful and frigid creek...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/BrandyMama/creek.jpg

Crazy boy Marcellus wading through the freezing cold creek. Brrrrrrr!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/BrandyMama/wading.jpg

Here are some "Nature" pictures from my backyard. It is a beautiful day to play in the snow. Quite a contrast from the CA pictures, LOL!

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-6/224964/snowangel.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-6/224964/snowandrew.jpg

LOL...that is quite a contrast! We love the snow but the warm temps here lately have probably melted everything on the mountain. I'm crossing my fingers for some winter storms so we can go back up there. Great pics...my dd LOVES making snow angels!

I too love snow picts. :)

Originally posted by Brandy
Great pics...my dd LOVES making snow angels!

You mean you missed Julia's dirt angles for Hunter at the cabin? In the middle of the dirt road right after she finally put her clothes back on from her swim. :rolleyes:

I wondered what she was doing in the middle of the road on her back lol
The snow pics are great, can't wait for a little more down our way. Of course we have to drive over an hour instead of stepping out our back door so I'm a little jealous!
Jenn

You mean you missed Julia's dirt angles for Hunter at the cabin? In the middle of the dirt road right after she finally put her clothes back on from her swim. :rolleyes: [/B][/QUOTE]

Jacob exploring the river at a Bird Sanctuary with his awesome 'treasure pouch' made by BonaDea...

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5df28b3127cce9e53f70da27900000016108ScMWjNm3M

Jacob and Brandy's son, Marcellus....surprise surprise, In a river :p This time at O'neil Regional Park
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5df28b3127cce9e5333efa2f900000016108ScMWjNm3M

Nicholas exploring the tidepools

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5df28b3127cce9e534379a25700000016108ScMWjNm3M

Sea Urchins and Anemonies
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5df28b3127cce9e534c24e29500000016108ScMWjNm3M
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5df28b3127cce9e5349e4a2cf00000016108ScMWjNm3M

Snow photo from the 14th?

Thanks Jenn!

This would be me slideing down the hill on a blow up pool toy.

Since there are PreStorm picts of the cabin I thought I'd post a Post Storm pict.

The bridge is gone.
The waterpump is full of muck.
The high water mark was to the bottom of the step going into the cabin.
The cabin was an island unto itself during the storm. Just as the Old Sea Captin who built the place designed it to.

This pict was taken on the the 14th? of Jan

one more from a different angle

Wow Jenn! So, did the bridge totally wash away or was it damaged and removed?

Originally posted by Brandy
Wow Jenn! So, did the bridge totally wash away or was it damaged and removed?

You know it was ment to lift up and "gentlely float to the bank".

No such luck.

Dad and Jeff walked all the way down to the large bridge at the Hot Springs and there was no real sign of it. Some bits that may or may not have been part of it but not enough of anything to salvage or make a positive ID.

The boys are going to make a temp bridge this week end *if* CalTrans has Ortega repaired enough to open. To get to the cabin this week we'd have to go via Elsinore. Nope. Not my idea of a good time.

Originally posted by BonaDea
The boys are going to make a temp bridge this week end *if* CalTrans has Ortega repaired enough to open. To get to the cabin this week we'd have to go via Elsinore. Nope. Not my idea of a good time.

Really? We almost drove out there this weekend...glad we didn't! I didn't realize that Ortega was closed.

I can't belive it just washed away! Ugh

Tons of animal tracks in the fresh snow...
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5df35b3127cce9e27ecf455de00000016108ScMWjNm3M

My snow baby, Jacob
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5df35b3127cce9e27f9d6156e00000016108ScMWjNm3M

Nick, sledding on his own for the first time:thumbsup:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5df35b3127cce9e27fc8655a400000016108ScMWjNm3M

You girls always have so much fun! I'm jealous:)

Can I join in? :)

I love this thread and always mean to post our fun nature experiences, but never seem to have time to upload the pictures.

I love the pictures of Jenn's cabin....so sorry about the wash-out. It's beautiful, there!

Here's a picture of a recent Sunday late afternoon walk to Camano Island State Park. We had the whole place to ourselves. It was quite chilly...in the 30's and it was getting dark.

Spencer found a tree that reminded him of a little space ship. 01/2005

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/MamaNurse/P1090021.jpg

Here's a picture of Spencer on the beach of my in law's property in the San Juan Islands, here in WA. 01/2005

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/MamaNurse/P1130007.jpg

Same beach last Fall. Eeek. Sorry it's so huge. I've resized it 3 times in photobucket...not sure why it's not showing up smaller here....?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/MamaNurse/P9230053.jpg

Really beautiful wild mushrooms on a hike in the San Juan Islands last fall.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/MamaNurse/P9200056.jpg

Morning rainbow. You can see the faint hint of a double.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/MamaNurse/P9170012.jpg

Frolicking thru the field behind my parent's house in Central Washington. Fall 2004.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/MamaNurse/P9090100.jpg

Digging for dinosaur bones last summer on San Onofre Beach in So. Calif. before we moved.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/MamaNurse/P6220007.jpg

On Thursday we visited the Bolsa Chica Wetlands. We saw tons of shore birds, Great Blue Herons, Snowy Egrets, Sandpipers...it was really cool.

Here's Marcel wandering on the trail...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/BrandyMama/DSC02755.jpg

Here's Gavin...ummm...exploring a beetle!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v372/BrandyMama/DSC02779.jpg

Great pics!!
So, when is the best time of year to visit Washington? It will be at least a year before I can get to Oregon/Washington but the coast looks amazing and so different from what we have down here in SoCal.
:thumbsup:

Originally posted by marchroses
Great pics!!
So, when is the best time of year to visit Washington? It will be at least a year before I can get to Oregon/Washington but the coast looks amazing and so different from what we have down here in SoCal.
:thumbsup:

Thanks! Best time of year is probably end of summer and early Fall, IMO. Well...the "actual" coast looks pretty similar to the CA coast line. The coastal pictures were taken from within the Straight of Juan de Fuca, so there are no waves, since they're broken up by the land. Kinda hard to explain, but easy once you see a map. The waters are fairly calm w/in the San Juan Islands areas. They can get really bad during storms, though. :) Look us up when you come up here and we'll meet up w/you!!

Okay...resurrecting this thread cuz I love it! :)

Here are some new photos:
Skagit Valley, WA...where we live. :heart: Thousands upon thousands of snow geese. We sat at the side of the road to listen and watch for about 10 minutes before a police man told us we couldn't be there. Mount Baker in the background. Foreground: raspberries on a farm...below them are bright green cabbages growing...but I don't know if you can see them here. Beyond them are more agriculture fields :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/MamaNurse/P2260033.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/MamaNurse/P2260026.jpg

How's this for backyard nature? Last week, while sitting at our table, my 19 month old says: "doggy, doggy, doggy!!!!" Spencer and I look up and here's what we find. A coyote frolicking and jumping and running around in the field behind our house chasing field mice. We had seen him/her before. I'm just in love with this amazing animal.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/MamaNurse/Coyote_1_022305.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/MamaNurse/P2230003.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/MamaNurse/P2230004.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v518/MamaNurse/P2230006.jpg

oh that's so cool!