This past Sunday, the Grand Mother with our long-time friend Margaret and Grumpy (driving and grumbling) enjoyed brunch at the Black Diamond Bakery. Our friend Margaret had invited us for this treat and we happily accepted, the food at said Bakery being always delicious. This past Sunday was no exception. The Bakery was crowded and noisy when we got there but Margaret had made reservations in advance so we were seated almost immediately. The visiting had to be postponed for later as the crowd noise was "something else"! Our seat was in an area where a good view of Mt. Rainier could be enjoyed. However, Mt. Rainier was "not out" on this day, the sky being heavy-laden with drizzle-threatening clouds.After being treated to a "more-than-he-should-eat" feast, Grumpy assembled the ladies back into the Red Rocket for a drive south and east where he hoped a glimpse of the mythical mountain might be seen. The skies seemed to be clearing toward the southeast, so Grumpy was optimistic. As we drove onto the plateau east of Enumscratch, it became apparent that the clouds might not part, but now Grumpy's assessment of the clouds suggested that they were of the low-laying type. Thus, his vast meteorological training suggested to him that as we gained altitude, we would "rise above the clouds" and be rewarded with a stunning picture of Tahoma drenched in bright sunlight with clouds shrouding her base.
Grumpy's optimism was not dampened in the least as we entered Mt Rainier National Park and began the ascent from 2,00o feet above sea level to the near 6,000 feet at Chinook Pass. As the Red Rocket punched through the 4,000 foot altitude on the Mather Parkway, a view of snow and rocks on the side of Rainier gave Grumpy hope that "we will see the Mountain!" At the Pass, Grumpy had to admit that his keen knowledge of weather and mountains was a total bust: No Mountain, No Picture of Rainier reflected in Lake Tipsoo. Well it was a nice drive anyway.
In an attempt to distract the ladies from realizing my total failure to satisfy my predictions, Grumpy tried to point out the beauty of the alpine meadow around Lake Tipsoo. (The reader will have to take Grumpy's word for the fact that these pictures are taken in Mt. Rainier National Park.)
The lavender flowers we spotted growing along the steep cliff next to the road just above Cayuse Pass toward Chinook Pass are called "lavenderia florabundii". The reddish ones, found growing profusely in the meadow by Lake Tipsoo, are called "paintus brushis indianensis". 
The whitish-petalled (actually I thought they were a pale lavender) daisy-like flowers with the yellow centers were growing right alongside the road at Lake Tipsoo and are called Yellow-eyed Daisies. (Well, what did you expect me to call them?)
A fascinating scene was this faux 1930's stone and beam railing which was tipped over by the snow this past winter -- the first winter after it was built. 
Close examination revealed an obvious design flaw (no reinforcing to tie it to a more substantial footing) or shabby construction (if the original design specified the reinforcing, it certainly was not used!). The uprights (posts) were merely flat-based pieces, sitting on fill dirt, placed within rectangular slots in the edge of the sidewalk. Grumpy opined that the designer must have been an Electrical Engineer who did NOT study engineering at SDSM&T. There everybody had to take Civil Engineering 101, and this prepared one for properly designing important structures such as printed circuit boards and power lines. This railing would fall into the category of a "power line" I think -- it distributes the power of the tourist in such a way as to (supposedly) keep said tourist from tumbling over the embankment.
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