Tag Archives: wetlands

Marlake at the West Hylebos Wetlands Park

Marlake

Dear husband and I wanted to stretch our legs today so we went to the West Hylebos Wetlands Park in Federal Way. Our intent was to walk along the boardwalk path, but we turned right instead of left and ended up at Marlake (that’s what Google Maps says it is called). It is really a beautiful spot and some of the surrounding area must have been an orchard at one point because we found plum, pear and apple trees, as well as grapes and blackberry bushes. The blackberries and plums were delicious!  The lake itself has a dock with a bench on it to contemplate life. Many of the trees leading up to the lake were actually labeled and my favorite was a ginkgo tree. Such lovely leaves. The park really is a perfect place to take a walk.

On an amusing note, the handwritten sign that greats visitors asks us to protect the wetlands and no dogs (I get it), bikes (still get it) or Pokemon (what?!). I’m not sure what damage the not really there Pokemon could do. Perhaps they meant no Pokemon players. But there were a bunch of players and they were all respectful and having a good time with their families. Perhaps the highlight for me was that I won my first gym (it’s a game thing) and let out a yell of victory. An older teen smiled at me and we talk about the game for a while. He even set it up for me so that I could really win the gym since I obviously don’t know what I’m doing. I love that the game gave two very different people a chance to visit and work together. What fun. 🙂

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Skookum Wulge Beach Habitat Restoration

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Driving home from Brown’s Point the other day, I stopped to admire the view along Marine View Drive. The information sign told me that I was enjoying the Skookum Wulge Beach Habitat Restoration, a 1.19 acre parcel of uplands and tidelands of Commencement Bay that had previously been the Meeker Log Storage lease. When the lease expired in 1999, the property was purchased and the title conveyed to the Puyallup Tribe. The site was renamed to Skookum Wulge, which translates to powerful salt water. There are two other sites in this project, Yowkwala and Squally Beach. For more information on the Skookum Wulge, go here.

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Quickest Adventure Ever

9701944641_1edd8b3ff4_cSo the other day when I was near Baltimore Park, I went past this wooded lot between a new house and a vacant lot available for sale. I was intrigued. Was it a little park? A pathway? To be honest it seemed like a bad idea to go explore it by my lonesome, so I drove away. But today I was in the general area with dear husband and I talked him into going with me. It was a steep little trail down, but I made it and it was pretty except the trash (only two pieces), There was a culvert for draining water. I walked on about five feet, really no more, and found this

9705181344_eac1e40ca4_cWell, OK. That was fun. I climbed back up (dear husband had sensibly waited at the top). We did get to see some deer, two does, a fawn and a shy buck, so that was cool.

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