Columbia Hills State Park, WA, Vista Loop 3/3/2018 (#9)
We walked the lower loop from the Crawford Oaks trailhead, passing Eight Mile Falls.
Eight Mile Falls from the trailhead
Signs along the way document the depth of the Missoula floodwaters – always an exercise for the imagination that this landscape was scoured many times!
Eight Mile Falls from the trail
Back toward the river and Horse Thief Butte
Eight Mile Falls from the trail
The trail continues on a oak lined road along the creek, then crosses the creek.
Gold Stars and oak trees
We then headed south toward the river on the Vista Loop, along along the Missoula Flood scoured benches of volcanic rock, with views east and west in wide angle view.
View east along the Columbia River
West view back toward The Dalles; shoulders of Mt Hood behind the clouds on the right.
The trail crosses the power line corridor a couple of times.
Mt Hood is behind those clouds.
The crest of the Columbia Hills was draped with snow.
Dalles Mountain Ranch and Columbia Hills
Early spring blooms were sprinkled throughout the dried grasslands.
A lovely 5 mile/1000foot hike – I had no problems, but I could feel my quads and triceps were a bit out of shape.
Quilting
I finished the crosshatch quilting in the center of the Jane Austen quilt, and made the binding. Still pondering center motifs.
Knitting
One sock done, another started. The strong heel fits fine – not sure why it isn’t more widely known, especially for people who don’t like to pick up stitches, and don’t like the wrap and turn short row heel.
Also, another scrappy tortilla is in the pile.
In my garden:
The first wind flower
In the meantime:
It has been almost two months since my surgery. I feel almost normal, but unfortunately, the growth hormone levels have not actually decreased as low as expected. It could still happen, but if not, then there will be trials of medication in store for me. I am visualizing a completely healthy and functional pituitary.
Margaret Quilts 