on saturday our family adventured to ridgefield national wildlife refuge, just over the border in washington. the landscape reminded us of our dear old midwest, with prairie and deciduous trees and open expanse. we fell so in love that josh has gone back the past three days since then, and the kids and i returned yesterday after our school studies were done.
little barefoot hikers
between our two visits we encountered great egrets, a great blue heron, barn swallows, blue-winged teals, canada geese, mallards, ospreys, prairie falcons, western painted turtles, wooly bear caterpillars, and even a coyote! (here is the extensive list of wildlife to be sighted at this serene spot)
long have i wondered what this prevalent beauty of autumn is called : teasel. some teasel we encountered still had their summertime frocks of tiny purple blossoms, reminiscent of thistle.
heron, nicknamed "little blue", came upon a great blue heron, within ten yards before it flew away.
queen anne's lace, forever my favorite wildflower.
heron spreading wild fluffy seeds in the wind
caring for our wooly bear caterpillars