Silver Falls

Silver Falls State Park boasts some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the country. Alice, Ashley and I had a chance to spend several hours hiking the park. We were able to be on top of falls and watch the water tumble over the rock ledge, stand in the rocks behind the falling water and get soaked by spray and wild drops, hike down to where the water smashes to the bottom and continue on as a river and walk along the banks of the river that looked deceptively peaceful. The best part of the morning was reconnecting with cousin Alice, who I haven't seen in 27 years, and her daughter, Ashley, who I have never met! What a treat! It was cool, wet, beautiful and a wonderful opportunity to share about each others worlds.

Alice and her husband are fruit growers, tending to blueberries, cherries, apples, peaches...and listening to stories about harvesting. The land they live on is lush, green, productive and surrounded by christmas tree farms, iris fields, filbert orchards and tulip fields. Have you ever seen fields of iris all in bloom?? It is a custom of the iris growers to leave a 5 gallon bucket full of iris blooms at each neighbors house before they cut the field. That bucket of flowers on the driveway smelled so good!

It is sad that it is too early in the season for cherries and blueberries! Would have loved to watch the picking and help to eat! Note - watch and eat!