Baker Lake - part 2

I love the white bark on the trees along the road . . .

The rocks are impressive along the hiway . . .

A tunnel of trees in the sunshine. . .

We drove along the quiet side of the river - it was a longer drive, but we could stop
for pictures without having a lot of traffic behind us . . .

The river was full and flowing fast . . .

There was Pearly Everlasting growing all along the road so
I had to stop and pick some for drying . . .

And Grampa Bear had to help me. He is wearing his Oshkosk B'Gosh overalls (bought in Oshkosh, WI), so he feels he should help with the "farming"

Back home Grampa Bear is planning our next trip - and drinking my milkshake . . .

Baker Lake - part one

This summer we took a day trip to Baker Lake , near Cascades National Park.

The day was bright and sunny as we set out on our drive . . .

Puffy clouds everywhere . . .

I love this little hill in a field . . .

Sometimes we would stop for a picture - but many times I got these shots out the window - at 50 mph - love the technology these days!!!

Arriving at Sedro Woolley - we didn't stop - but just long enough at a stop light for this sign - with clouds . . .

The trees along the way were gorgeous - we enjoyed the nice summer weather . . .

Next we came to a town named Concrete - yes - Concrete, WA. The town had several names, but in 1908 when work was being done on the dams in the area, they changed the name to Concrete - because the Superior Portland Cement Company had built their plant there - to supply concrete for the dams.

Today it is a tiny town, with a scanty business district. This fabulous sign points to many businesses, but when we went looking for them, found most had closed. I asked one resident where we could get a sandwich in town and he said that we would have to go to the next town, back down the way we had come to Concrete.

The carvings on the sign are fabulous !

I'm not sure what this building is now - it says Police Department over the door - but the signs show that a thrift store had recently been here. The painting is wonderful of the valley and river.

An old log planter on the sidewalk outside two closed businesses. . .

I was excited to find a quilt shop - until I got to the door - and it said
"Open by appointment" and didn't give a phone number for calling the owner.
I guess everyone in town knows who to call. . .

At last - Baker Lake. We had driven up in sunshine, but as we got farther
into the mountains it got colder and cloudier.

This was the view from our picnic shelter. It was beginning to rain . . .

Grampa Bear was excited, waiting for his food. . .

He finally got Dons sandwich - bears get very hungry this time of year . . .

Two very nice ladies drove up and came to share our picnic shelter,
so Grampa Bear had to show off a little bit . . .

Mt. Baker is behind those clouds - they were moving fast!

You see a little of the snowy mountain peeking through . . .

A little more . . .

This was the best shot all day - through the rain and clouds - Mt. Baker is one of the most impressive mountains I've ever seen - and I've seen a lot of mountains.

Driving back down from the lake the moss on the trees was incredible . . .

A little house that used to be home to a Park Ranger. . .

Elk herds are often seen here - but not today . . .

The road home - it was getting warmer and sunnier as we drove south - to be continued . . .

Let Us Take You Shopping - We Could Stop and Get Ice Cream Too

Well it it time for thinking of Christmas gifts - so we have  a few hints as to a lovely gift you might buy for those friends, neighbors and loved ones on your list.  Someone hard to buy for?  SHE has written a book - it is a true story.

SHE was just a little girl of 6 when her family moved from California to Alaska - and wrote the true story of things that happened to her in Alaska in 1950.  My that was a long time ago.  

There were bears in Alaska and SHE wrote about how scary they are -  now isn't that silly?  We bears aren't scary, are we?  SHE also wrote about dolls, and squirrels and big dead whales - and boats and fishing and a few scary adventures too.  But hold your favorite bear frog doll, now stop that - I'm talking - your favorite bear while you read the book and you'll not get frightened at all.

Here's a shopping list of people bears frogs dolls to buy this fabulous true story for - it is family friendly and kids love it too.

1. Great Aunt Beary - Book from Amazon.com - Are We Walking To Alaska? she loves true stories of children from Alaska, as she was a child there a long time ago. And this is a true story.                                          
   

   

   Grampa Bear is going to read to us - he has the biggest lap.  Come - sit - enjoy - but please don't squash Grampa
2. Froggy and Frogette - the twins - they are reading chapter books now  - Are We Walking To Alaska? - from Amazon.com - they will love the adventures in this true story - bears, whales, deer, and a squirrel that comes indoors to play                                                      

   

   Lady Emily loves to look at the pictures in the book

3. Dad ( be it frog dad, bear dad, or doll dad) -  Are We Walking To Alaska?   - from Amazon.com -   he fished in Alaska as a young man and will enjoy the fishing stories - and bears love to fish too.                                                                                           
4. Uncle Hoppy -  Are We Walking To Alaska?  -  Uncle Hoppy can tell a story like no on else - and he'll get a big kick out of the stories in this book                                                                   
5. Paper Girl - Lawn Mowing Boy - Are We Walking To Alaska?  - plus a bit of money put in as a bookmark - they both do such a great job all year and now they can relax and go on a true story adventure in the wilds of Alaska in the 1950s                                  
   

   

   Do I see a doll in the book - look Mrs. BrownDirt - a doll
6. Cousin Brenda Bear -  Are We Walking To Alaska?  - she's brave and would love to have an adventure in the wilderness, and things that happened in the book will intrigue her.                                     
   

   

   Sir Edison, Billy Bear and me, Buddy E - we all can share a book
7. Sisters and Brothers, bears and frogs -   Are We Walking To Alaska?   - reminders of their time growing up in Alaska - they will pass this book on to their children                                                             
8. Next Door Neighbor, Mrs. Bearson -   Are We Walking To Alaska?  - Sweet neighbor is by herself, she'll enjoy the company of a young girl in Alaska, learning all about the new and different way of life.                                                               
   

   

   Look here - more photos - this is a very good book - thank you Grampa Bear for reading to us
9. Mrs. Raggedy Ann -   Are We Walking To Alaska? - a school teacher for years in  Alaska - this true story will remind her of all the wonderful children she has taught.                                                    
10. Mrs. Van Bear-Frog -   Are We Walking To Alaska? - Froggy's teacher, she might even want to read the book to her 4th grade class.

Don't you think SHE should write a book about us?

And so many others - just think how they'll enjoy this book - available in Kindle and print - makes shopping easy.

Others on your holiday lists  -  -  -  

• Mail Carrier - a break from every day life
• Friends in the Frog group
• Neighbor who stops by to chat most afternoons
• School Libraries - donate a book in your bear or grandbear's name
• Public Libraries
• Convalescent Hospitals - the residents will enjoy the true story of a young girl in Alaska - and they'd love to have you bring along a bear or a frog for entertainment - we can sing and dance
• Care Homes
• Bear Sitter
• Co-Workers (we just suppose you have co-workers - as we don't work at all)
• Anybear or Anyfrog or Anydoll that you know and love would enjoy this book - so shop already! (Don't  tell HER that we said that - she might take it out of this post - shhhhhh)

Hey - I'm not a bookmark!

One stop shopping - and if you have Amazon Prime you can have the print books shipped right to each person - or if you order Kindle it will be delivered to their Kindle for instant reading.

If you'd like an autographed copy, there is still time - leave  a message and a way to contact you and we'll work out the details.  SHE is always happy to autograph a book.  The autographed books have to come from us, as none at amazon are autographed - SHE have a good supply handy this holiday season.  If you want it autographed and sent as a gift SHE'LL even include gift wrapping free.  We'd help with that but we forever get tangled in the tape.

Click the title of the book anyplace - to order from amazon.
Thanks for shopping
And don't forget our ice cream - we'll be waiting.