[Alpendave]

Had a very nice family day on the Olympic Peninsula. Had to do a couple errands at first. Then went to Silverdale to check out the waterfront park before heading to the Sequim area. The drive is quite nice with some fabulous views of the Olympic Mountains — especially from the Hood Canal floating bridge.

The docks at Silverdale?s Waterfront Park on Dyes Inlet.

Low tide at Silverdale's Waterfront Park

Watching the crabs in the water

On the pier in Silverdale

Motorcycle or slides?

Going for the slides

Went to the Olympic Game Farm in Sequim. It’s $12 per adults and free for kids 5 and under. We spent another $2 on a loaf of whole wheat bread to feed the animals. It’s the only thing one is allowed to feed them. The kids really enjoyed it and I got another one of life’s unique experiences — having a llama burp right in my face. As if that wasn’t enough, I nearly got a slimy smooch from a bison bull who stuck his enormous head in the driver side window as I was watching the kids feed the european fallow deer on the passenger side. What fun!

Baby llama and a zebra

My first friend at the Olympic Game Farm

How about a smooch?

Please!

1st bear

Lazy bear

Browsing bear

Cool bear #1

Olympic Mountains

Cool bear #2

Awaiting our arrival

Mountain views

European fallow deer

More deer

Young bull elk getting close

Bunnies tormenting captive tigers

Next, we went to the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge. From the parking area, a nice little trail leads down through the woods to a sandy beach beautifully ornamented with driftwood logs. It was nice to be able to let the kids loose with so much open space where they couldn’t destroy anything.

Can you see the lighthouse?

Beach from the trail

Darlene and the kids almost at the beach

Looking toward Port Angeles

Playing chicken with the waves

Looking toward Port Angeles and the Olympics

Caleb collecting beach artifacts

Their own different worlds 1

Their own different worlds 2

Typical boy with a rock

Becoming one with nature

Enough of that

Bonding time 1

Bonding time 2

Bonding time 3

Wave about to crash

Wave crashing

Will mom endure my sand storm?

Nope

Abby braving the water

Abby pretending to dig for clams

Nothing like a little beach sand in the mouth

Wahoo!

Caleb gaining some perspective

Tide coming in

You getting this Dad?

The way fun was meant to be

Caleb on the driftwood

How can I ride this?

Abby found a feather

Abby found a feather

Soaking it in

Abby and her staff

Abby and her staff

Klahane Ridge and Mt Angeles

Time to snuggle

Driftwood exlporation 1

Driftwood exploration 2

Driftwood exploration 3

Driftwood horseback riding

The end of a perfect day

[nuclear_eggset]

That looks like it was a lot of fun!

[Hiker Mama]

Looks like you all had a great day!

[Alpendave]

One thing I forgot to mention was how a fair number of rabbits were nonchalantly hanging around just outside the enclosures for the predators. Felt bad for them. The predators, that is, being so mercilessly tantalized and all.