Beautiful Spots In Emily's District

We're staying with family for several weeks in Kirkland, one of the urban districts of Seattle in America's Pacific Northwest. It's a lovely location and we often get the opportunity to explore some of excellent environments characterising this area. This posting explores three in particular: Lake Sammamish, Bothel Landing and the Rhododendron Garden at Kenmore. The former is a large body of water stretching N - S in parallel to Lake Washington, which is near where we're staying, but lying further inland to the east. Here we're en route eastwards to Sammamish with the Cascade Range in the distance. It was a lovely day to take such a trip as Seattle is often cloaked in cloud!

The lake is a major recreation area, albeit surrounded by many lovely homes owned by people working the greater Seattle region. There was lovely play equipment for kids where they could stretch their imaginations, park-land through which one could amble, beaches for swimming and sun-bathing, and all manner of water activities, except of course surfing. One could kayak, paddle-board, sail or ride around in motor boats and Greg and I hired a kayak to paddle pleasantly around the lake for an hour. We covered quite a bit of ground as Greg is accomplished in that activity.

A nice lunch in a shaded area.

Water activities.

Remodelling the shore-line.

It was a lovely spot to spend a warm day.

Bothell Landing Park lies at the southern end of Lake Washington and some of its attractions are the same such as interesting playgrounds and kayaking the creek. But it also was popular with hikers and cyclists using a well-developed network of paths. Like Lake Sammamish the surrounding residential areas were blessed with a high class amenity.

One of its other attractions was history as this plaque and adjacent buildings attest. This area was developed towards the end of the 19th century, with the timber house dating from 1884 and the nearby school house having been constructed a year later.

On our journey back from Bothell to Kirkland we detoured via the fabulous rhododendron gardens at Kenmore, especially as (a) the flowers were just coming off their best and (b) it was another lovely day ... for which our hosts were duly thankful since we appeared to bring the sun with us. Would you expect anything different with visiting Australians? The gardens are large and criss-crossed with paths. The pictures speak for themselves.

Nice, eh!

AS

Energetic littlies

Maybe I'm too old to remember much of my past, but little kids in this day and age seem to have far more energy, daring, courage, imagination, inquisitiveness and so on compared with my recollections of my upbringing in post-war Britain, a period of considerable dullness and struggle compared with today.

When visiting our two grand-kids on the other side of the large ditch that separates us, we're astounded by their energy, exploration of opportunities and risk taking. Perhaps this all for the good, given the amazing speed at which our technology laden age is transforming itself at break-neck speed.

And this culture is particularly evident in the various children's playgrounds that we regularly visit. Both Ella and Flynn ride their bikes and scooters with aplomb, climb walls and netting with little fear, use equipment in ways the manufacturers never intended, and so on. This area is crawling with exciting parks and their equipment. Here's a pretend boat at Bothel Landing Park.

And another park on the Kirkland waterfront close to Lake Washington. It had lots of climbing and swinging opportunities, which Ella in particular used creatively.

And here we are on the shores of Lake Sammamish on a beautifully warm day, with Ella and Flynn riding the wires, together with a constellation of climbing opportunities.

I could go on and on. Today, for example, they were in a park at Renton - home to Microsoft - which had an amazing array of climbing and swinging opportunities which both Ella and Flynn used to the full with seemingly little care for their safety - which comes I suppose with constant practice. I cannot imagine myself climbing 20 feet off the ground on a rope ladder at the age of four!

I'll end with another exhibit. Ella received some water guns for her birthday and here she's watering window boxes, while Flynn sends a stream of water into the air. They had a ball! And the tools they were using were much more suave than the water pistols of 25 years ago which our kids had.

AS

Ella's 6th

I seem to have been off-line for a while, but now I have a moment or two relief from 10 days crammed with activities. We've just been visiting family members to celebrate little Ella's sixth birthday and it was an exceptionally happy two-part occasion. First there was a birthday party a few days before the official date, which was attended by many of her friends and their parents. This was held in, of all places, a recreation centre dedicated to wall climbing, something that Ella is becoming quite accomplished at. Even her younger brother, Flynn - who is now 4 year old, is taking an interest in climbing and managed to go up a vertical wall in a playground this afternoon which a little higher then me!

Given the venue, the ceremony started with nearly all participants climbing walls aided by two qualified instructors on the centre's staff. Some, alternatively, swing on the ends of ropes but also found that exhilarating as the pictures suggest. This went on for perhaps 50 minutes before we all headed to a room set aside for the more traditional elements of a birthday party ... food and cake, alongside the giving or presents.

Here Ella, centre, Flynn and one of E's good friends practice their skills in a fairly kid-friendly environment - lots of good hand-holds and walls of no great height.

Then kids were equipped with harnesses with staff showing how to put them on. And here's Flynn suitably attired.

Then participants lined up to climb walls with Ella at the front. And off she went to the top!

Meanwhile, Flynn didn't have the courage to climb high walls, unsurprisingly in that he recently turned 4. So Emily kitted herself with a harness that enabled her to hoist guests swinging in the air suspended by a rope and here's Flynn awaiting his turn - which he enjoyed. Emily obviously enjoyed the task, too, and she was able to take many kids a long way off the ground safely just like Flynn in the third of this trilogy.

Ella and her mummy having a lovely time! After which guest posed for a group photo where they seem to be very happy. Selecting this venue was a great decision.

And so to eat. There was lots of good food, possibly too much, though that didn't faze the participants who were having a whale of a time while parents looked on approvingly. No-one put a foot wrong.

And towards the end 6 candles were lit, blown out in traditional manner, a delicious cake was cut for each of us to sample, the contents were wolfed down rapidly.

Altogether, this was a highly successful event that attracted some curiosity from regular climbers who were not barred from practising their craft.

AS