A Few Pictures from the Columbia River Gorge

I traveled from Spokane to Portland recently and spent a few hours one evening in the Columbia River Gorge along Old Highway 30, which parallels Interstate 84 through the some of the more scenic areas of gorge, but which is much slower but also much more beautiful than the Interstate.  I stopped first at Horsetail Falls and took some, pictures and then went on to Multnomah Falls.  By the time I took some pictures there, the sun was setting and I hurried on to Vista House on the cliffs above the gorge only to discover that the road was closed.  I ended up taking a few pictures of the sunset from a viewpoint along the Interstate instead, not nearly as beautiful a vantage point as Vista House.

Horsetail Falls

Multnomah Falls

Sunset Along Interstate 84

Cacti and Succulents

We have opportunity from time to time to visit several Botanic Gardens, The Devonian Botanic Gardens in Devon, Alberta, connected with the University of Alberta, and Manito City Park in Spokane, Washington.  Both have very nice collections of cacti and succulents and though I love the flowers and take every opportunity to photograph them, I am especially intrigued by the shapes and forms and patterns of these unusual plants.  I thought, for that reason, that I would do a post featuring some of these unique forms but without trying to identify them.  Those who are better acquainted with these plants than I am will probably know their names anyway, and those who don't will very likely be, as I am, more interested in just seeing them.  I hope you enjoy the post and are not bored by the large number of pictures.