Found a new really huge dog park and spent the morning casually walking around in it with the pups.  KatieBug found a playmate to chase and stopped just short of catching the larger dog so they both could rest up for another go.  I’m relieved that her negative experience with the Pit-bull didn’t intimidate her in the least. Even Millie ran joyously back and forth a few times, jowls pooched out and drool flying out of her mouth in streams.  Deciding that the pups needed some quiet time, we dropped them off at our room and left to do some exploring.

The Cascades Raptor Center captured our attention and was only a few miles up into the hills.  It was a bit difficult to walk around for me as no guard rails were available to clutch while stepping over and around the uneven rocky paths but very interesting to view these huge birds up close and read each raptors story.

We came late in the afternoon and, lucky us, we got to watch them rip into their dinner of fresh killed mice and baby chicks.  Eww!  That bone crunching noise and seeing those little bodies being ripped apart caught me off-guard, but then I do realize they have to eat however unpleasant I find the deed.

Several aviaries were for nesting mates and the gift shop had a live cam set up to watch one that was sitting on her egg.   Signs throughout the aviaries warned visitors to be quiet, not something little boys do easily anyway but I found myself giving their mom a disapproving look when they continued to beat on one another and yell at the top of their lungs while she continued to ignore them.  Words were on the tip of my tongue before I decided against speaking my mind and turned away thinking here was another neglectful pit-bull owner mentality, again not worth the effort.