The Milky Way at Stonehenge, Maryville WA--2 I love being in dry, desert like climates.  There is something about the crisp crunch of grass under foot, the smell of the air, the chirping of crickets and the complete darkness that appeals to me.  Last weekend I got to spend a perfect Saturday evening with my photography friends--first at the Observatory in Goldendale, Washington, then at the Maryhill Stonehenge memorial 15 miles away.  These tall, concrete giants are quite the sight to behold, and with great views of the Columbia River and the Gorge, it's a peaceful place to spend an evening.  We even had a coyote that kept howling and coming closer, then disappeared into the night. 

There is very little light pollution out here.  To have such an unimpeded view of the starts is a treat.  Who wouldn't be awe inspired?  Looking up at them, I cannot fathom how big the universe really is.  I feel I am but a teeny, tiny speck, in the grand scheme of things... 

A little history on the memorial:  The Maryhill Stonehenge was the first monument in the United States to honor the dead of World War I (specifically, soldiers from Klickitat County, Washington who had died in the still on-going war). The altar stone is placed to be aligned with sunrise on the Summer Solstice. Hill, a Quaker, informed that the original Stonehenge had been used as a sacrificial site, and thus constructed the replica as a reminder that humanity is still being sacrificed to the god of war. The monument was originally located in the center of Maryhill, which later burned down leaving only the Stonehenge replica. A second formal dedication of the monument took place upon its completion on May 30, 1929. Sam Hill, who died in 1931, lived long enough to see his Stonehenge completed.