Pullman…June 2012

Again.  It was pretty.  Most of the time.  The first day was awful:  cold, rainy, windy, and just flat out nasty.  But the next day was better and the 3rd day (the day we had to leave) was stellar!  I found a park and did some hiking. I did realize at some point that hiking a 3 mile trail alone, when I haven’t told anyone where I’m going, and it’s in the middle of NOWHERE with only 3 cars in the parking lot is probably not my most brilliant idea ever.  But all’s well that ends well.  :)

The view from the vista at the park was incredible.  Gorgeous.  I would be totally content to stay for hours enjoying God’s creation.

The trail going back down went through the woods.  It was a LOT steeper (glad I didn’t go that direction to the top!) and very pretty…

…and had something that made me stop and catch my breath.  Ever heard of the ‘giant palouse earthworm’?  I had, but I never expected to see anything like it. 

I have no idea what one really looks like, but this is the biggest earthworm I have ever seen.  (Note the grand fir cones in the picture—they’re about 3” long)  Literally…the thing was HUGE.  It wasn’t a snake (trust me—I got a stick and checked!)  I stood there in a near panic, trying to decide what to do.  I did have enough smarts to take a picture, but then you all would have laughed to see me trying to gather the courage to step past it.  It’s just an EARTHWORM!!  The kind of thing I used to dig and collect as a child.  Sheesh.  What a girl!  The thing that pushed me into going on?  Knowing that I would have to trek back UP the path through the forest!  Stepping over the worm was easier.  (But I think it was probably 100 yards or more before my heart quit pounding.)

Okay…you all can quit laughing now.  :)  On to more serious news:

Remember these buildings?

And my desire to do a 4 season spread??  I already have 3 seasons (spring/summer/fall).  I drove past them last weekend.  Guess what???  There won’t be a winter picture!!  The buildings are still there, but they’ve been covered with corrugated aluminum siding.  :\  It just wouldn’t fit right, and I am sad. 

A few of us are headed north this weekend for some ‘first of the season’ camping!  Look for more pictures (and funny stories, I suspect, since the short entertainment is going along) sometime next week.