Picture of the day - October 15, 2007

Gold Creek and the Cascades

Photo courtesy of Winston Rockwell. Today's picture features Washington state's Gold Creek. It was submitted by frequent contributor Winston Rockwell, and as usual he has a very interesting "story" to go along with it: "It was a glorious fall day, the first really nice day in a couple of weeks, so I spent the afternoon up in the mountains. The area around Gold Creek, in the Cascade Mountains of Washington, is among my favorite spots for photographing nature at its most beautiful. Although the scenery is beautiful any time of year, in autumn it's especially lovely, as the leaves change colors and paint the hillsides with brilliant yellows, reds and golds. There's a small lake nearby that was a gravel quarry in the 1980's, but which has since been allowed to fill with snowmelt and rain- water, resulting in a crystal clear, icy-cold and beautiful, blue-green jewel nestled between the steep mountain slopes. It is now a habitat for wildlife, a recreation spot for picnicking and hiking, and a place for people to "get away" and enjoy the serenity and beauty of our mountain wilderness... even though it's less than an hour's drive from the city of Seattle. This photo, which almost looks like something from the wilds of Alaska, was in fact taken from a bridge over Gold Creek, less than 200 yards from Interstate 90! The sun was going down when I took this shot, and the golden late afternoon light made the scene even more lovely. Even though it's relatively close to civilization, the area remains unspoiled, as scenic and beautiful now as it was a hundred years ago. It's a wonderful spot to go for a day, to revel in the sun and enjoy the sounds of birds, the wind sighing in the trees, and the chuckle of water flowing over the rocks. A visit here will recharge your soul, and make your cares vanish like smoke on the breeze."   --Winston Rockwell You'll be able to enjoy many more of Winston's outstanding images when you visit his website.   Visit the POTD Archives for previous "Pictures Of The Day"!     Submit a photo of your own!            Why I publish the "Picture of the Day"