Cottonwood

We took a walk last week along the boardwalk at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. The cottonwood trees were in the process of shedding and it looked as if it had snowed or that heaven's washing machine had malfunctioned.

Along with the cottonwood, there were birds aplenty, swooping overhead, filling up on tasty bugs, and just ahead of us, a young deer strolled under the boardwalk, stood quietly watching us, then scampered off in the tall grass.

The Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is a wonderful place to visit if you are in need of a quiet walk alone, or with a friend, along a beautifully constructed boardwalk, across marshes, among giant maple and cottonwood trees that are filled with an incredible variety of birds. Along the mile and half trail you also pass two identical old barns whose eaves are home to a multitude of barn swallows busily feeding their young. Along the seashore they have removed the huge old trees so that the sea and fresh water can combine once again and give a home to the tiny salmon before they go off to sea.