Kubota Garden and Rainier Beach

A friend and I started today's 8 mile walk with a stroll through Kubota Garden. Even in the winter, we were rewarded with some lovely sights. Ponds, bridges,

trees, shrubs,







waterfalls,

and the memorial stone for Mr. Kubota. Friendly toddlers who were visiting the garden with their mothers greeted us and added to our enjoyment.

Leaving the garden, we walked along Renton Avenue S to 51st Avenue S which we took to Rainier Avenue. Here we noted a Safeway store,

a clinic

and a sign welcoming us to the Rainier Valley.

We walked east on Rainier, passing quite a few shops along the way, then saw more shops as we headed up 57th Ave S.

A number of friendly walkers greeted us as we passed tidy homes and ravines and caught peek-a-boo views of the lake.

This area is home to Saint Paul Missionary Baptist Church,

Rainier Beach Methodist Church

Sturtevant Ravine and Mapes Creek.

Along the way, we spotted a lot for sale, a beautifully crafted stone fence,

a mural on the side of a Mexican restaurant,

a large statue of the Virgin Mary in a front yard and then, a few doors away, what looked like an altar featuring a cobra head

and a Beware of the Dog sign with a friendly looking dog on top.

This was another enjoyable walk.