Did you know March 30 is National Take a Walk in the Park Day? No matter where you live, walking in a local park or hiking in a state or national park is good for your health and well-being.
The first part of this post is dedicated to walking in various parks and will end with a quick look back at the month of March.
Wild Walks in State Parks
I am blessed to live 5 miles from Riverside State Park in Eastern Washington. Riverside State Park meanders along Lake Spokane and the Spokane River. The Centennial Trail Spokane begins near Nine Mile Falls and continues 40 miles to the Idaho border near Coeur d’Alene.
Sometimes, one can find something wild on the trail, such as wildflowers (grass widow) beginning to bloom in spring…
…or, Mr Moose out for a stroll.
Several attractions are within a few miles, including Riverfront Park in downtown Spokane. This was the first visit for my oldest daughter when she arrived during Thanksgiving in 2023.
The Bowl and Pitcher is a must-see attraction with easy-to-moderate hiking trails and camping. We like to bring anyone who visits us to this area.
The Centennial Trail follows the path of the Spokane River. There are always those who blaze their own trail.
“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” – John Muir
Around our property, wild deer hang out free of stress.
My Own March Madness
After we returned from our six-week stay in Arizona and San Diego, we realized how much we miss being close to our kids and grandkids, most of whom live in San Diego. Other family members live in the Scottsdale area (my brother, Dad, and stepdaughter), not to mention several blogger friends near Phoenix!
I haven’t shared this yet, but in mid-February, we got a “wild hair” and began to look for vacation homes in Arizona, primarily focusing on Northern Arizona, like Prescott and Payson, where the temperatures are much cooler on average. We found a small house we liked in Payson, where the elk roam free (hence the image), made an offer, and then got mired in paperwork. To avoid risking copyright infringement, I didn’t include an actual image of the house.
Hans flew to Phoenix to consult with the inspector on March 3. Sadly, the house needed a lot more repairs than we liked, so we were able to back out of the deal. Buying this home and spending $$ to fix it would put us at the top of our budget and comfort zone. This idea is on hold for now. Note that I am NOT ready to leave Washington just yet.
We’ve been working on various projects on our current home, and our local contractor finally scheduled us to build our front porch. They work fast, and this was done on Friday. Soon, Hans will build a small porch deck with a railing to complete the look.
Meanwhile, March weather came in like a lamb, but a wild lion suddenly roared mid-way through the month with winds and rainfall. And just like that, on March 26, our temperature in Eastern Washington broke a record set in 1881 at 75F (23C), which allowed wildflowers to suddenly appear.
By the time you read this, it is expected to rain again.
“Spring is a whimsical wanderer, blooming beauty along her path.” – Angie Wyland-Crosby
Sharing for Dawn’s Spring Festival, Jo’s Monday Walk, Johnbo’s Cellpic Sunday, and Lens-Artists: Wild.
Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders
The Sunday Stills weekly-themed photo challenge is easy to join. You have all week to share and link your post. Please use your own original images, whether new or from your archives.
- Remember to title your blog post a little differently than mine.
- Please create a new post for the theme or link a recent one.
- Entries for this theme can be posted all week.
- Tag your post “Sunday Stills.”
- Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post.
- I also recommend adding your post’s URL to the comments.
I can’t wait to see how you interpret this week’s theme! Creativity is encouraged, so please share your own photographs (old or new), poems, original short stories, and music inspired by the theme. Join me next week as we explore gardens and flowers (yes, again).
Please visit my Sunday Stills page for April challenges.
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