Eastern Washington Fields, Forests Sparkle With Hues Of Autumn

We Washingtonians certainly do live in a diverse state.

“Golden” best describes the Eastern Washington scenery we saw a couple of weeks ago when our family took Highway 2 and headed for Winthrop in the Okanagan National Forest.

Outside Davenport, the road cut through rolling wheat fields that were still beautiful in their cropped, golden-colored stubble. Those waving fields of grain must be spectacular just before harvest.

Some of the scenery had little traditional beauty but was nevertheless striking in its own way. We passed through deserts and alongside volcanic rock outcroppings that told of a violent past a few million years ago.

I love stopping at Dry Falls to read again the history of the falls and its 3-1/2-mile span, a remnant from the last ice age. (In another life, I might be an archeologist.) When you look at the surrounding dry, stark landscape, it’s hard to imagine the lush forest that once flourished there.

We stopped for lunch at Waterville, where the movie “The Basket” was set. It’s a lovely little town one ought not rush through.

Then we were in apple country. Some orchards still had trees heavy with the fruit that’s acclaimed worldwide.

Driving north through the Methow Valley was breathtaking. Patches of fir and deciduous trees gleamed a brilliant gold against rich, dark-green evergreens.

Elsewhere in Washington

For the adventurous nature lover, now’s the time to see hundreds of bald eagles while floating the Skagit River along Highway 20 west of the North Cascade Mountains.

November through January is the most advantageous time to view the eagles as they feed on spawning salmon.

Chinook Expeditions offers float trips for all ages. Cost is $68 for adults and $48 for children 12 and younger. The price includes hot drinks, a homemade hot lunch and blankets to keep you warm.

Sounds fun, doesn’t it? Call (800) 241-3451 for more information.

The state’s Bavarian village of Leavenworth, at the base of the Cascades, would be a terrific place to spend the Christmas holidays. The town goes all out to create a 17th-century German aura, complete with a visit by Father Christmas in his horse-drawn carriage.

Visitors can take dog sled and sleigh rides, cross-country ski, go caroling and eat German delicacies.

For more info, call (509) 548-5807, or take a “virtual visit” on the computer: www.leavenworth.org.

Travel and art

The first major international exhibition to explore the dynamic art being produced by Chinese artists today will be exhibited Nov. 18 through March 5 at both the Tacoma Art Museum and the Henry Art Gallery in Seattle.

Artists in mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong have responded to the economic and political changes of the past few decades throughout the Chinese world.

The works are both startling and exhilarating, said Jennifer See, spokeswoman.

“Inside Out: New Chinese Art,” spanning the mid-1980s through the late 1990s, delves into uncharted territory, presenting colorful, challenging and politically charged art.

Tacoma Art Museum’s ARTravel is also offering an exclusive 18-day trip to China in conjunction with the show, including visits with contemporary artists, stops at famed ancient sites, a cruise up the Yangtse River and curators’ tours of many of China’s major museum. If you want to know more, call (253) 272-4258, ext. 3033.

Objects of art await beachcombers in Lincoln City, Ore., November through February as part of the city’s Oregon Coast Festival of Glass.

Some 2,000 Japanese-style glass fishing floats have been painted and signed by artist Bryan Duncan to celebrate the new millennium.

Ten floats will be placed on Lincoln City beaches each week through Dec. 20. Then, that weekly number will increase to a couple hundred from Christmas week through February.

If you really want a float but can’t take the time to comb beaches just now, they’re also available at several Lincoln City galleries.

There are also a variety of glass events each week through February.

Lincoln City is a scenic two-hour drive from Portland. For free visitor information, contact the Lincoln City Visitor and Convention Bureau at (800) 452-2151 or visit its Web site: www.oregoncoast.org.