THURSDAY MORNING WALK ~~ IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT ~~ PARTING SHOT

THURSDAY MORNING WALK

Last week we decided to go on a walk at Tahoma Cemetery. I know I have documented walks at this cemetery before, so I hope I don't repeat myself with pictures and videos already posted. Still, there were a few things going on there that were new.

A few days ago I saw a post on Facebook about a new memorial at Tahoma Cemetery to honor Yakima's only Medal of Honor recipient, Sgt. Jack J. Pendleton. Linda and I found the memorial without much trouble because there was a blue flag flying overhead. It is a very beautiful memorial. The back side of the headstone tells the story of how Sgt. Pendleton ordered his squad to stay back while he crawled toward the enemy. He was able to distract the enemy long enough for another squad to advance and complete the mission by knocking out the machine gun nest. Sgt. Pendleton was shot several times and killed within 10 yards of the machine gun. I'm glad he was finally recognized for his sacrifice.

Yakima's Medal of Honor Recipient

Sgt. Pendleton's original headstone

Continuing on in the cemetery, we came upon another veteran's grave that was sweetly decorated for the holidays.

Sad but sweet

We like to walk the cemetery in the summer months because everything is nice and green and the huge trees are full of leaves, providing welcome shade from the hot sun. However, in the winter the scenery is very bleak, with bare trees and not much color to be had.

Linda spotted some activity in one area, so we walked over to check it out. There is a Japanese Garden in the cemetery that was started a few years ago but work apparently was put on hold. On the day we walked, there was a cement truck pouring concrete footings around the circle area, so hopefully they will resume work on the gardens in the spring. It would be nice to have some plantings around the archway.

Japanese Garden in the works

If you would like to learn more about the Tahoma Cemetery, click on the link here to read an interesting article from our local newspaper.


Walking on around the cemetery, we came upon a group of birds. Linda recognized them immediately. So now we finally know where all the quail have gone...to the cemetery! This group was busy foraging around in the grass beside the road. It was strange to note that most of the quail in this group were males, as evidenced by their large topknots and black throats. Even though these are fairly large birds, they can still move pretty fast! It was so nice to see them again.

IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT

Yesterday Linda and I had a coffee date at Starbucks. We like to do this about once a month when we save up enough reward points to get a free drink. Our favorite Starbucks is the one on Summitview Ave, which is nearby our local bookstore, Inklings Bookshop. We like to go there and browse around after our coffee. One of the employees at the Summitview Starbucks made this gorgeous Christmas wreath out of coffee cups that had been dropped on the floor and were unusable. What a great idea! By the way, if you like an occasional holiday drink, but find them too sweet, ask for it "half syrup." Believe me, it is way better tasting!

A unique wreath

Nothing better than Starbucks holiday drinks!

PARTING SHOT

Summer Girl is taking every chance she gets to sleep on the big bed. I disturb her every now and then and I get a half-hearted "mew" for my trouble. At least when she's asleep she isn't trying to head-butt my camera!

Sweetie Pie!!

The Southerner in the Northwest is going to be taking some time off until after the first of the year, for holiday doings. Be sure to check back here on Wednesday, January 2nd, for our first 2019 post! I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday, and Happy New Year. Be careful out there, my friends!

A DAY OF NATIONAL MOURNING ~~ THURSDAY MORNING WALK ~~ SPACE NEEDLE AT NIGHT ~~ PARTING SHOT

A DAY OF NATIONAL MOURNING

Today our nation says goodbye to a former President, George H.W. Bush. Right now I am watching his funeral on CNN Live and it is really impressive. The eulogy by his son, George W. Bush, was truly heart-warming and heart-breaking. I don't recall the last time I watched a Presidential funeral. I'm sure it has been a long time. But today I witnessed our nation say goodbye to a loyal, honorable, respected, and honest man who had great integrity and humility. We should all be thankful that we had a president such as this to lead us.

THURSDAY MORNING WALK

With the onset of cold weather here in Yakima, Linda and I are trying to take a walk out in nature at least once a week. During warmer weather we are outside a good bit of the day. But as the temperatures go down, it gets more difficult for us to be out in the cold. So this past Thursday we drove over to Randall Park and walked a couple of times around the pathway. The first walk around is slow so I can take pictures. The second walk around is a little bit faster so we can get something that at least resembles "exercise." We pretty much had the park to ourselves and the ducks and geese ignored us as we walked past their napping area, with only a few getting up and walking around. The trees were still holding on to a few leaves but had dropped tons of them on the ground.

A carpet of fallen leaves

As we walked past the napping area, a couple of very large geese came by, loudly honking at us. I snapped a couple of pictures to show both the male and female. I looked them up on Google and I believe these are African Geese (click here for info on this breed), although they are thought to originate in China.

Male goose, called a "gander"

Female goose, just called a "goose"

Moving on around the park, we came to the pond area. There weren't many ducks or geese out on the pond because most of them were taking their mid-morning nap on the shore. But business seemed to pick up as they spotted us over on the viewing platform.

Bibbed Domestic Mallard

Mallard couple

While on the viewing platform, we observed a Mallard couple displaying a common courtship ritual. (natural sounds on this video and the one below it).

On the shore of the pond there was a group of cattails growing in the water. The leaves on these cattails still had an autumn-like color to them.

Cattail plants

As we walked on around the park, we came to the little bridge across the creek to a wetland area. I stopped on the bridge to take a picture of some berries on a tree. I took a picture of these same berries back in October.

American Mountain Ash tree

Picture from October

High up in a tree near the bridge I spotted a huge insect nest. I don't know if this is a Yellow Jacket nest or a Hornet nest, but I do know it isn't a Paper Wasp nest because those are flat and comb-like and do not have a paper covering over them. Those pesky Paper Wasps are all over the place here in Yakima, and let me tell you from personal experience, they can really sting! Whatever kind of insect made this nest, it does not look like it is occupied now.

Hornet or Yellow Jacket nest

Along the shore of the creek is a small stand of some kind of birch tree. Since there are 30-60 kinds of birch trees (according to Google), I have no idea which one this is. All I know is that they are pretty.

Birch tress along the creek

The little creek that runs into the pond is small by comparison to Wide Hollow Creek (which is technically a "stream") on the other side of the park. I tried to find out if this little creek has a name, but apparently it doesn't. It is just a trickle at some spots, but it does supply the pond with run-off water.

As we left the creek area I put away my camera so we could take another circuit of the park without interruption. I remarked to Linda that I wished Kissel Park, near our house, was as nice as Randall Park. She reminded me that we are lucky to have a park that is just a few blocks from our house, so we can go on a walk there anytime we want. And you know what...she's right (as usual)!

SPACE NEEDLE AT NIGHT

Emily and John went to a play this past week at a theater near the Space Needle. Emily took some pictures and this shot below of the Space Needle all lit up with a Christmas tree and fountain in the foreground is just gorgeous! I can remember when I was in the sixth grade, I did a school project where we had to make a scrapbook of sights around the U.S. I remember putting a picture of the Space Needle in that scrapbook! Oh, how I wish I had it now, it would be fun to look at.

Space Needle at night

PARTING SHOT

Summer Girl has been holing up in her favorite wintertime spot lately. Guess where it is.

On the big bed

That's it for this week, my friends. Please check back again next week for another edition of "Southerner in the Northwest."