Sunday Drive

Come and take a Sunday afternoon drive with us.    

First we head to our favorite orchard to buy apples. 

   They are just starting to pick this season's crop, 

so we’ll be back again as the variety of apples increases.

 

Here are the apple boxes waiting to be filled.

This is the old and dry apple wood, 
left from earlier pruning. 
This wood is what my husband Steve likes to use 
when he smokes pork and chicken.

 
Look at this sign we passed.
No we did not want to turn and go down that road.
These orchard people are very serious when it comes to their crops. 

Moving on down the road toward the town of Soap Lake, WA.

Believe it or not I did not enhance these photos of the lake.
I guess that I was taking them in the right light at the right time :)

Soap Lake is often called Washington’s health resort. 
The lake is meromictic, meaning the water is stratified 
into layers that do not mix with each other. 

The mineral-rich waters of the lake,
 therapeutic mud, and desert climate make it a popular place 
for visitors from Eastern Europe, 
who compare Soap Lake to the highly acclaimed Baden Springs in Germany.

 Originally built in 1905, the Inn at Soap Lake 
 started as a stable and blacksmith shop 
and was converted into a hotel in 1915.
Today it is a lovely bed and breakfast. 

 I tried to get a good photo of this stone house, 
but I was shooting into the sun.
These stone homes are no longer being allowed to be built.
So the few that are standing are memories of the past.

For its small size (population 1,542) it is a very artsy town. 

 It has a wonderful community theater, yarn and bead shops and many antique shops 

filled with everything from early pioneer relics, Native American artifacts, 

farm equipment dating from early pioneers, the great depression, 

and the modern 1950’s.  

 It also is the home of many artists and boasts of its modern art gallery 

with monthly showings and creative speakers.

 

The last five photos are all taken outside this old antique shop.
It is my very favorite in the area,
but now is closed and everything is being auctioned off.
As you can see, you can go online a bid until Sept 27th. 
Here are a few photos of the inside:
http://yarbro.com/index.php?slb=1&photos=1&pid=33696

Back on the road and heading toward home.
We could have taken the main road that we always travel,
but we decided to take the back-roads as far as we could.

When we came across this old deserted railroad car we were glad that we did.

I would have loved to walk over there and get better photos,
but what you need to know about our desert area is that
we have a large rattle snake population. 
Therefore; I zoomed in as close as I could.
Something that you may not know about me,
is that I've been scared by garden snakes.
My old heart would burst if I came up on a rattle snake.

 Do you see the walking bridge down this path?
It is over a beautiful little creek, but with a huge snake population.
Maybe in the winter when they are all sleeping, 
we'll come back and walk this path.  

  There is so much beauty in this area,
but it is a rugged beauty.

 

Well, this is the end of our road trip.

We are only about 5 miles from home.

I hope you enjoyed seeing our desert. 

If it were not for the building of Grand Coulee Dam

and the irrigation canals that travel through it like life lines,

we would not have the farm land and the orchards that we do.

This has been my home for almost forty years now.

At first I hated it, and longed for trees, and the farms of the Midwestern states,

but through these years it has grown on me,

and I see so much beauty in this gorgeous area.

Next summer, I will have to get out and show you our fields of wheat.

They will steal your heart :)

Thanks so much for going on our Sunday drive with us.

Have a wonderful week.

Your blogging sister, 

Connie :)