Camping on Latah Creek

I noticed this campsite this afternoon while walking. It is on the west bank of Latah Creek at the confluence with the Spokane River. The river is about as high as it is going to get. The higher water is the snowmelt from the 4 - 5 inches of snow we had yesterday. There will be no surge.

The campsite reminds me of a long held desire to go down the Mississippi River from Saint Anthony Falls in Minneapolis to St. Louis. Maybe I will satisfy my longing by reading Huck Finn again. It is always a pleasure.

Rimrock Drive, March 29, 2008

This morning it was cold and we found ourselves in Spokane with a 4 inch blanket of snow, at least that was how much we had on Rimrock Drive. The dogs were in heaven.

Ritzville

Ritzville is the the first major town west of Spokane on I-90 to Seattle. This statue is of a pioneer woman. It is across the street from the gas station which has been at the East Ritzville exit since I have been traveling the route, circa 1969. The history of the European in Eastern Washington is not very old. The Europeans have only been in the area in any real number since about 1880.

The Outhouse

This truck is delivering a outhouse. The flatbed includes each of the parts, even the septic tank, and a big one it is.

Spring Again, A View from My Back Yard

The inch or so of snow on the ground this morning melted off in by mid-afternoon. Spring has returned, even though it is still cool. We may have a frost tonight.

These pictures were taken in my back yard looking north over the Spokane River Valley.
The mountains you see in the first photo are the far out to the west foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

The abutment in the foreground is a remnant of the north side of the High Bridge -- the railroad bridge over the Spokane River connecting many of the east to west railroad tracks to tracks south of the river. High Bridge, a steel bridge, was cut down about 1978 - 79. Only the concrete footings and abutments remain

Beavers on the Spokane River

Our local beavers have commenced an ambitious public works project. They are gnawing down some tasty trees along the Spokane River. They have commenced their efforts about 150 yards upstream from the confluence of the Latah Creek and the Spokane River. They are also working on the Latah Creek banks too. Wonder if they are not planning on damming both the creek and the river. D*** these are mighty courageous beavers, and it looks like they are doing their work without a government subsidy!

The creek used to be called Hangman Creek as a commemoration of the hanging of some Native Americans by the local settlers who could not wait for a treaty to be forced out of the local tribes.
These optimistic beavers remind me of the lawyer who thought his clients, in bringing public trust and public interest cases to the court, cases which were based upon the constitutions and the laws and simply community good sense, would gain a respectful hearing from the judges on the benches. These were cases where the judges were merely being asked to enforce the law.

Alas, it was not so in most instances.

One of the more recent surprises the optimistic lawyer experienced was when he brought to the attention of the court a situation where a local law firm had attempted (it seemed and what was said was in writing) to bribe some local state specialty district commissioners. What did the judge do? She did nothing and instead threatened to order sanctions against the lawyer who had brought the alleged bribe (the actual document) to the court's attention.

 
Oh to be in England! What beauty, what dangerous beauty.

Bethel, Maine

In Bethel, Maine, one can find a 122’3” Snow Woman with skis for eyebrows, skidder tires for eyes and buttons and 30 foot spruce trees for arms. Note the crane in the background to the right. Note also, the very small sign at the base of the Snow Woman. I wish we still had winter.

The Rimrock in Summer, Vachel Lindsay

In a few weeks Spokane is going to look like this from the Rimrock.

When Vachel Lindsay lived here he liked to go to the Rimrock. He lived at 2318 West Pacific in Browne's Addition just a mile or so from the Rimrock. He is buried in the same cemetery as is Abraham Lincoln.