Thursday - I could kick myself!

We were beat last night.   We must be getting soft, the long drive really whipped us.   I took the dogs out for the last time around 10 and walked into a wall of water.  The park's sprinklers were on, full force,  all around Beluga!   The only place we could stand that wasn't being blasted was a tiny spot of gravel directly outside of the door.   The dogs finally got the idea that they'd be washed away if they tried to get to the grass so the gravel had to suffice.    What good dogs, they rise to any occasion.    We all went to bed and slept the sleep of the dead til morning.

We had second cup outside in the sunshine this morning and all enjoyed our lovely backyard du jour.  We watched a Bullock's Oriole worry a crow and lots of Western Kingbird's swoop and dive after bugs.

We used this free day to move a little more slowly and take care of a few housekeeping and maintenance jobs we've let slip.  Later in the afternoon we drove over to the McNary Dam to see if there were any fish moving through one of the fish ladders that were built to help Salmon and Steelhead migrate around the dam.

fish shoot through the fast flowing water behind the viewing windows

part of McNary Dam and the hills beyond

The hills on the Washington side of the Columbia River in this area are called Horse Heaven Hills.   I assume that is because they are covered with knee high yellow grass- like foliage that almost looks like oats. It certainly would be a horse heaven for wild mustangs!

  Horse Heaven Hills, hmmmm.  That sounds familiar.   I could just kick myself!   Columbia Crest Horse Heaven Hills Chardonnay!!!!    A favorite wine of ours.  Columbia Crest is a mere 10 miles from us and I didn't know it.   I could kick myself - we could have had a nice wine tasting and tour today instead of doing bills, vacuuming, trimming dogs nails, cleaning vents, etc., etc....sigh.