A Three Hour Drive

 Back to my first road trip of the summer...we left off here in West Seattle.  We are now on our way home.  A three + hour drive to the other side of the state.  What I wanted some of you to see was how different the west side of the state is compared to the east side where I reside.

 We are crossing over the Puget Sound from West Seattle heading east.  On the left as we are looking north you can see the harbor/port area with a distant view of down town Seattle.

This view is looking south toward Boeing and the airport, definitely the industrial end of the city.

 We are now on I-90 heading out of Seattle east toward home.  This area if full of evergreens everywhere you look.

 ...perhaps due to all the rain they get =)  The weather patterns are rain, and yet more rain.  To be in Seattle on a sunny day is indeed a treat.  We are maybe 30 minutes out of the city when this rain hit.

 Fifteen minutes later the rain is passed and we are getting a glimpse of the mountains we are heading over.

 1 hour and about 30 minutes later we are now at the top of the mountain pass Snowqualmie. On the right you can see the ski runs.

  As soon as we top the Cascades mountain range you can see a little peek of the sunshine to come in the  far distance =)

 We definitely know when we start to head down the other side of the pass.  The sun is shinning. We are now entering the central part of the state.

 Good by evergreens and rain!

 Hello lovely clouds and blue skies

 As we head over this ridge of hills/mountains without trees we are about 1 hour and 1/2 from home.

 If you look very closely in the middle of the horizon you can see one of our volcanic mountain peeks Mt. Adams.

 Heading into the Yakima Valley we see what irrigation has done for this largely arid region.

 Thanks to rivers like the Yakima and the Columbia irrigating this land has made it come alive.

 Oh yes, we are back in wine country!

 As you can see we are now 30 or so minutes from home.

 Notice (how can you not) the left side where the Yakima River and irrigation reign supreme verses...no water on the right side!

 Coming up to our exit!

Ah yes, home sweet home.  Maybe now it is understood why I love my garden so much!  I do need a bit of an oasis sanctuary in the middle of the desert.

I was thinking of Sara, Barbara, Vee and Melissa particularly when I was shooting this set of photos due to their various comments about my local terrain.    This is why it looks so different where I live =)