Falls and Wildflowers

Hello and thanks for dropping by.  We had a sunny day yesterday which was nice as my sister Denise and I volunteered at Multnomah Falls in the Visitors Center.  It's nice when it's a pretty day.  I went out to buy an iced latte and mocha for us and while the barista was making them I walked up to snap a photo of the falls.  See the sun shining on the new green of the leaves?

I love seeing people on the bridge admiring the massive waterfall, there is a big pool of water there and then the water passed beneath the bridge and then falls again.. a fun experience for the hikers.

I noticed that the sun was hitting the very top of the falls so zoomed up for an image.

As I walked back to the coffee kiosk I saw these cute little flowers.. they have the funniest name.. "Stinky Bob" - or Herb Robert.  

They are termed as a noxious weed.. but the flower sure is cute.  And little - the size of a quarter.

I then saw these pretty yellow flowers - I googled to find what it is and the closest that I could come was "Dwarf Cinquefoil", "Potentilla canadensis".

After a fun day of helping people to make the most of their visit to the gorge and meeting people from around the world, we closed up the center, brought in the signs, turned out the lights and locked up.  On the drive home I pulled over and got out of the car to take photos of a pretty group of Lupine wildflowers I'd seen on my way to the falls.  The far hills across the Columbia River are in Washington State!

I adore these spiked beauties!  Do they grow where you live?

At my favorite spot for a pretty view of the river looking downstream to Portland.  I opened my sun roof of the car and stuck the camera up and hoped for the best.  This is on the freeway entrance at Bridal Veil Falls.  Good old iPhoto - I straightened the image and then cropped it and it looks fine.  :-)

Have I shown you this painting I did when living in Louisiana?  It's the Cypress trees that grow in the swamps and have Spanish moss hanging from their limbs.  Those little points in the water are called "Cypress knees" - the cone-shaped exposed growths on the buttress roots of a bald cypress.

I found a new cookie recipe and Kristi made them for us.  They have Grape-Nuts cereal in them and are really crunchy!  I got the recipe from the King Arthur Flour website - click on the name if you want the recipe.  Loaded Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

I will be getting ready today to attend a big event tomorrow - the Oregon State DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) State Conference.  The leader of the organization worldwide is President General Lynn Young and will be attending.  I am signed up to sing in the State Chorus for the event.  I'll snap a few photos to share.  Do you have any fun weekend plans?  Do tell!  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)