Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden

Last weekend I had to go to SeaTac airport to pick up my husband from his business trip. My mom and I ended up with about an hour to amuse ourselves before Karl's flight arrived. We drove around looking for a park to walk our dogs and ended up at the Highline SeaTac Botanical Garden. It was a dog-friendly garden so we leashed up the dogs and walked through their gate. It was a magical and soothing setting. We chose the shade garden path and meandered along the beautiful path. We came to a lovely pond with a couple of benches to sit and enjoy the garden sights.

We continued our exploration of the small garden and in the Rose Garden it appeared that an evening wedding was being set up. I can only imagine how exquisite it must have been. Not only that, the weather was picture perfect as well.

The time passed too quickly and before we knew it, the call came that Karl's airplane was taxiing towards the terminal. Now that I know this place is here, I will be sure to make a return visit so I can continue to experience this wonderful little garden. There is still so much to see!

Runway #4

Oh, that runway looks so short, but we had plenty of room.

On Approach to Runway 4 at Okanogan Airport

Contact!

I stopped and watched the PBY airplane at the Arlington Airport as the crew started up the engines. Noisy, smoky at first, but cool to see!

PBY-5a @ Arlington Airport

Touch-N-Go

The last time I was in Knoxville on my way to the airport to pick up my rental car, I had the pleasure of watching this Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker do a couple of touch-and-go's at Tyson McGhee airport. The 134th Air Refueling Wing, Tennessee Air National Guard is based there.

On Approach

ANG 72597, 134th ARW, Tennessee Air National Guard, Knoxville, Tennessee

Lunch Time = Play Time

It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood so I decided to walk across the street from work and eat lunch outdoors while watching the airplanes.

Right off the bat, this aircraft sped down the runway and lifted off.

Hope it is not going to a fire!

I noticed a couple of gliders parked on the grassy runway area and another plane just to the other side of them. I was hoping I'd get to see a glider being towed up until it reached the proper altitude to commence soaring. I was in luck!

Aero-tow getting ready for take off

Off they go into the wild blue yonder

While I wasn't able to watch much of the glider action, it was still an enjoyable lunch. Hope you had a nice day, too.

Wheels Up!

Some of you may already know that I work across the street from a private airport. The airport used to be a former air station so it has a long runway. Consequently, small private jets use this facility quite frequently.

Many a day I have sat at my desk in a windowless office hearing the jets take off and land.

There are a couple of guys that own some older military fighter jets and the airport is their home base. On nice days, you can hear them doing touch-and-gos. Some days I see them, but mostly not. And never when I have my camera with me.

Today was my lucky day. One of them decided to do some practice runs and it just happened to coincide with my lunch time. Of course I had my camera with me.

I heard the jet taking off and landing a couple of times so I grabbed the camera and high-tailed it across the street. I had a pretty decent vantage point to snap some shots.

Dasssault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet (German Built Version)

See the Burn

Wheels Up!

Banking Left After Takeoff

Getting Ready for the Approach

Saturday Flying Squadron

There was plenty of activity at the Arlington airport today. I arrived just in time to watch 3 groups of planes taking off. I see these guys frequently but never have my camera ready to go.

1st Group

2nd Group

3rd Group

Just before I left the airport, I could see the squadron flying in formation far off in the distance.

Flying in Formation

I left the airport and headed over to Costco. Just as I pulled into the parking lot, the planes flew overhead, back in groups of 3, getting ready for landing.

1st Group

2nd Group

3rd Group

It was fun to finally capture these pilots in action.

More Signs of Spring

I made another trip to Burien earlier today that also gave me the opportunity for some photography.

I went to Eagle Landing Park that is right on Puget Sound. After a short hike in from the road, I reached the top of the steps. Not just a few steps, but 257 of them.

What goes down, must come up!

View of Puget Sound near the top of the stairs

I started down a couple of flights and then happened to see a pair of bald eagles in a tree off to the side and behind me.

I tried to get a better angle on them but no such luck. So you'll have to settle for this.

Look closely and you'll see two eagles

I decided to skip the trip down the rest of the steps to the Sound and instead headed for a park near SeaTac airport, but not before seeing more signs of Spring.

Currant blooms

What is it? I'm not sure so post a comment if you know.

I felt like I hit paydirt at Moshier Memorial Park. The first jet I saw soon after parking the car was an Eva Air 747 cargo plane taking off.

Eva Air Cargo
Boeing 747

Then several smaller ones including these two.

Southwest Airlines
Boeing 737

Air Canada Jazz

Bombardier Dash 8-300

Then yet another jumbo cargo jet. All in a short amount of time.

Asiana Cargo

Boeing 747

It was great fun seeing these colorful aircraft. Sorry Alaska Air - I skipped taking pictures of your plain white planes.

Then it was time to head home.

This evening we had 5 hummingbirds on our new feeder. This is the most we have seen. I wish I could have gotten pictures, but maybe another day.

And to my sis - I'm proud of you! Three more days!!!

Sky Watch Friday - Arlington Airport

The fog had not completely rolled back in Wednesday evening so I was able to capture the sun setting over the Arlington, WA airport.

It has been difficult to see much of the sky these past few days because of the fog. It was gray and dreary all day today. I will be glad when it clears out.



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