Hello, my friends! I’ve returned from more travel, not Paris or roses this time, but an entirely new location that I do hope you enjoy.
Last week D and I journeyed to The Palouse region of Eastern Washington, a staggeringly beautiful agricultural area of undulating hills covered in shimmering green wheat, rustic barns, quaint farms and magnificent horses.
Dawn comes early at this time of year, so to capture the best light over the farmland, we awoke at 3:00 am and made our way to the top of Steptoe Butte, the highest viewpoint, in time to photograph the sun as it rose over the mountain tops and bathed the verdant landscape in an ethereal wash of golds, pinks and purples.
The Palouse is phenomenally fertile, due to the soil, which retains water and requires no irrigation. Most of the picturesque farms are over 100 years old, nestled in the hollows of the dune-like hills.
Where a field is not planted for the season, the reddish-brown, bare earth appears as shades of purple and violet in the slanting light.
The wheat turns golden as it matures, adding further rich tones to the velvety patchwork of color.
I’d love to hear what you think of this kind of scenery. I do realize it’s quite different from what I normally share but I felt you’d like to see this unique, and possibly unfamiliar, corner of the world.
It is a fragile landscape that makes you catch your breath, and hold it, both for its tranquil beauty and for the thought that it might not survive in its present state for another 100 years.
If you are interested in learning more about The Palouse, there is abundant information online. I will be back in a few days to share more images of the farms, barns, amazing skies and marvelous horses of the area.
Thank you for visiting and, as always, much love from me.
G
Ummm…. what do I think? It’s spectacular!!
=)
Speechless, my friend.
I have never seen so many beautiful layers of color.
Surely looking forward to seeing more. xo.
Dear Georgianna,
Wonderful scenery and makes it so worth rising up early for.
The colours and countryside are so beautiful and love all the farms houses and barns.
Look forward to seeing more.
happy week
hugs
Carolyn
I think it is breathtaking!!! I have never seen landscape quite like it before and I look forward to seeing the farms etc.
Carolyn
It’s hard to believe that those photos come from the same state as where we live, right?
This area has been on my list of places to go, and I just never have yet. Must see now! But getting up at 3am, ouch!
Que maravillosos paisaje! Parece una mezcla de la Toscana y los páramos de Yorside, pero a la vez es único… me informaré para saber más de este hermoso lugar, pero seguro que a través de tu mirada y tu cámara se ve aún mas bello. Gracias por compartir tanta belleza. Un abrazo!
Fantastic! I’m already looking forward to see more photos from here.
<3 Linnea
Amazing! Some of the colours are so varied that they make the pictures nearly look like movie-set backgrounds! Love how far the eye can see too and I really don’t mind that there aren’t any flowers this time :-) Beautiful photos xo
I had no idea! How lovely…
These photos amaze me so, and were definitely worth the early rising to capture them. I am in awe… The earth we live on is such a place of beauty. Pictures like these remind me that God is such an artist!
Amazing work capturing the beautiful colors. I too had no idea but then…it’s shown through your artistry!
xox
Janet
I have never seen anything like this, G. I cannot thank you enough for sharing your travels and this unique environment with your readers. I love it!
You have absolutely captured the Palouse country’s beauty! My mother’s family have been wheat farmers there since the 1876. My mom was born and raised in Colfax as I also was born there. Many visits to my grandma farm included trips to the top of the hills to see the views. Even as a little kid, I knew I was looking at a beautiful area. My grandma’s farm is no longer in our family but cousins still live and farm there. It was such a pleasure to take a walk down memory lane. I thank you for the beautiful photos and memories!!!
I love this kind of scenery! Spectacular! So picturesque! :)
At first glance I thought it was Tuscany, in Italy (esp.photo # 2 and # 4). Thank you for sharing, Georgianna. xo
These are beautiful images Georgianna. The luminous rolling hills look like watercolor paintings. Exquisite!
Oh my goodness, I think my mouth was open catching flies as I scrolled through the beautiful images! What a stunning part of the country that I’ve never heard of. Yes, please, can we have some more?! x
Stunning G. The hilly terrain looks like sand dunes in a couple of the misty photos.
Judith
Georgianna…these gorgeous landscapes remind me of Tuscany…they’re so, so beautiful.
These are gorgeous and first I though you have been in Tuscany (there is something similar). It is nice to see something different for now and then.
Amazing work! How did you manage to capture the beauty, the light and the breathtaking space?! You are a magician! I want to see much more than you’ve shared! ;) It’s wonderful!
Hugs and best wishes from the hot Russia!
o~
i don’t know much French but the word that came to mind when looking for a descriptive word was ‘parfait!’, its so beautiful, so worth the climb!
lovely French thoughts :)
The hills are gorgeous in the early morning light with all of the various colors and shadows. I like the look of the undulating roll of the hills. Quite beautiful. Valerie
OH MY! These are so so fabulous!!!
These are so incredibly beautiful…before you said where they were from, I was thinking Tuscany. It’s hard to believe these gorgeous, rolling hills are in the U.S. – I’ve never seen this type of landscape on any of my U.S. travels. Thank you so much for sharing, Georgianna – I must now add Palouse to my bucket list of destinations!
Dear Georgianna, Your photographs are breathtakingly beautiful. Seriously thinking about including the Palouse region in our trip this Fall. Thank you for making us aware of this little known gem. Looking forward to seeing more.
As always, your photographs are superb. ox, Gina
Completely breathtaking! Details of a place are fantastic but sometimes it is lovely to see the grand view of it all. Thanks for sharing.
Wonderful!
The colours and layers and seemingly endless fields are so divine.
Beautiful landscapes… Makes me think of the impressionist painters and even Fauvism with the variety of colour and undulating landscape.
Gorgeous images. Beautiful work :)
A 3 am start was definitely worth it!
Its amazing that I lived fairly close to an area such as this, travelling around Washington numerous times and never knew this existed! Beauty at your back door!
The soft pastel colors of early morning light are gorgeous. Its a view of a land waking up to another day we don’t normally get to see or we take for granted at times.
I travel in these gorgeous places vicariously through your beautiful images!!!
just one word: stunning
no let’s make that two: absolutely stunning
I must say I held my breath with pure amazement at this beauty. The amazing wave like landscape like gentle layers of fabric somehow have been laid across it. I would not have even wanted to blink to not miss a second of that scene! Oh and then farms and horses to come… Oh my! I would love these as Prints, the portrait image with that lone tree at the base is breathtaking, like a painting! Can’t wait for more, Catherine x
Wow 3am is so dedicated!! But definitely worthwhile as your photos are just incredible! Love the second photo with the bright pop of red from the farmhouse. Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend G xx
Oh G – these pics are breathtaking! I feel like I am standing right there with you and D!!! Absolutely stunning my friend!! Thank you for sharing your adventure with us!!! love you guys!
Wow! I had no idea we had places like this in our country. I hope it will be preserved forever. Such panorama!!! Thank you for your beautiful way of photographing it.
Holy Moley!!
How exquisitely peaceful and awe-inspiringly beautiful. This is the sort of setting that one sees – even just in photographs – and tucks away as a “happy place” for those moments when life is wearing you down to your last nerve.
Tremendously lovely photographs, dear Georgiaana – knowing now that such a place exists so nearby in Washington state, I truly hope we can get a chance to visit there one day, too.
Wishing you a sublimely wonderful July, my sweet friend!
♥ Jessica
My goodness, your photography is breathtaking. Of course, nature being breathtaking helps, but you’ve captured it beautifully!
-Jamie
ChatterBlossom
It’s incredibly beautiful! I had never heard of that area, being familiar only with travelling the coast of Washington. Such beauty! and you captured it so well!
::Jill
It is beautiful and your photography does show it so very well.
Such beautiful landscape Georgianna! And you captured it magically again. Thanks for sharing and teaching us about this area. I had never heard of it.
Marian
Oh my goodness, these are spectacular! Look at the colors…they have the look of paintings.
Hi G,
I am familiar with this area as my husband got his Masters degree at U of ID. You have definitely captured the beauty of this unique landscape! The color that you’ve rendered the rolling hills in reminds me of paintings by the French Impressionists. Gorgeous.
xo A
Somehow I missed this and am so glad I went backwards on your blog. This countryside is just beautiful!!!
It must be so peaceful and quiet there.
FlowerLady
Love to see this area! Pics are beautiful. Question about the horses coming toward you…how close did they come to you? Really great shots! Thanks for sharing
It is such a unique landscape! From the last photos you shared, I thought for sure they were from a trip to Europe. The name Palouse sounds French, and I didn’t realize North America had such landscapes.
Hello Georgianna :)
This is AMAZING ! I had no idea of such a place in the US. I’m surprised I’ve never seen this on TV. These patches of gold and greens and pink and purple is of such great beauty. This landscape is so unique, it’s breathtaking ! How so very sad it might not be the same in a 100 years… I wonder why ?
These photos are extremely beautiful and I’m interested in knowing more about this place. Thanks for sharing this with us ! Have a lovely week-end !
Hi Georgianna! It’s been a while since I visited your site. What an amzing work you’ve done! This place is like a sea of hills! Beautiful. And the pictures so different than the usual you publish, yet magical!
Oh, such incredible scenery, breathtaking! It reminds me also Tuscany, doesn’t it? The very first picture looks like painting! :) And I always love the way you write.You should wirte a book one day! ;)
Can I just say this once more? OMG! xo