Tag: Washington State
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A Hello to Old Friends and the Start of Something New
How I’m working to bridge the gap between older writings and new beginnings while welcoming the threads that hold them together. First, I want to start with a big, hearty hello to all of my friends here, remember me? I’ve said this before and apparently, I’m saying it one final…
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2019 The Year of Small Surprises and Second Chances: Weeks 14 & 15
The year of small surprises and second chances… To be honest I think this might be how I approach the rest of 2019. Embracing those sneaky, small surprises and allowing for second chances. The first set of images is a throwback to my 2016 photo project when I took one…
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2019 The Year of Pollen and Pretty Flowers: Week 13
If you’ve ever tried to complete a year-long photo project you know each week brings a new challenge and today’s post is my answer to the seasonally specific question “what do I share when the focus of my blog is an outdoor PNW lifestyle but the arrival of spring means…
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2019 The Year of Seeing Green: Week 12
The year of seeing green? Living green? Sharing green? We try for all three here but I still had a hard time settling on one for this post so after a day spent typing and deleting variations I finally acknowledged my best days happen when I can see something green…
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2019 The Year of Black and White: Week 11
While the easy title for this week’s post was “Black and White” I could have also added something about it being the last full week of winter, or how my earliest memories of enjoying photographs were with books full of black and white images. All of these would have been…
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2019 The Year of This and That: Week 10
Have you ever had a week that felt busy in the moment but didn’t result in a list of accomplishments? My best case scenario for a week like this is that everyone made it through without any major problems and each busy day lead to something good later so by this…
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2019 The Year of Mountain Tops and Flowers: Week 9
It’s sunday afternoon and the sun is shining but the air is still too cold for comfort and I am really ready for winter to be over. I know the calendar says we’re a few days into March and warmer days are coming soon so I’m pinning new PNW hikes…
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2019 The Year of Looking for Light: Week 8
I know February is coming to a close when I can hear birds again in the morning but daylight hours are short and it’s too cold for spring flowers to fill the gardens. We’re turning the corner but we aren’t there yet! Because my mornings and evenings are still fairly…
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2019 The Year of Crisp White Snow and Icy Blue Skies: Week 6
What a change from last week’s soft pinks and rosy afternoons! This week passed by in a frozen shade of blue all due to a sudden return of winter. We’ve had snow days, ice coated roadways and a first for this blog, icicles. Brrrr All the images above are from…
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2019 The Year of Comfort: Week 5
If you’ve read a few of these 2019 posts you’ve probably noticed each title begins with the same “2019 The Year of” then changes to a short descriptive phrase from the past week. In the past I’ve tried to keep yearly project titles more consistent but my objective with this…
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2019 The Year of Changing Views: Week 4
This week has been a bit of change for me since I spent all of it at home resting so my photo choices are a mixed gallery of memories, sights from a typical work week, followed by a slow Saturday walk along the waterfront. Changing views indeed. We started the…
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2019 The Year of Sunshine, Soft Colors and Decatur Island: Week 3
Sometimes a look back at soft, summer pastels is a nice way to pass through the dark days of January. Our warm winter continues but by this time of year the short days start to wear on me and I dream of long evenings outside until 10:00 pm enjoying the…
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2019 The Year of Lakeside Dreaming in January: Week 2
As I type this on Saturday afternoon the sun is shining, birds are chirping and if I close my eyes I can almost pretend I’m sitting in the lovely sun room at the Lake Crescent Lodge in the Olympic National Park. I’ve already written a few posts about our strange,…
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2019 The Year of a New Daily Photo Project: Week 1
Will 2019 be my year of living dangerously? No that’s not it… a year of self-control, or reckoning, discovery, relaxation? Sigh, I’m terrible with resolutions. Honestly whenever I try to think of a theme or title for the new year all I come up with are overused movie quotes and…
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The Reds and Greens of Autumn
“The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let the dead things go.”– Unknown “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers”– L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables “Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a…
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The Last Few Days of Summer
There is a time in the last few days of summer when the ripeness of autumn fills the air. Rudolfo Anaya Even though the calendar says we’ve passed from summer to autumn the few weeks between September 21st and the middle of October always feel like an extended summer in…
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We Will Welcome Summer’s Ghost
We know that in September, we will wander through the warm winds of summer’s wreckage. We will welcome summer’s ghost. Henry Rollins Sigh, “summer’s wreckage” is a pretty fair description of my yard and garden today. The peak heat of August has passed leaving a tangled mess of overgrown branches,…
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The Scent of a Lake in the Mountains
Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer beside a lake in the mountains. Diane Ackerman My favorite childhood summer scents all conjure up memories of water. Fresh, salty and earthy they all say summer to me.…
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Summer is the Annual Permission Slip…
Summer is the annual permission slip to be lazy. To do nothing and have it count for something. To lie in the grass and count the stars. To sit on a branch and study the clouds. Regina Brett For the second summer in a row our traditionally beautiful August has…
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Olympic National Park: Colorful Mountains and Meadows Filled with Wildflowers
It’s August in the PNW and that means every day we have available is spent outside enjoying the natural beauty that surrounds us. This year our summery blue skies have been filled with a toxic mix of wildfire smoke from around the world ( Siberia, Canada, Washington, Idaho and California)…
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Summer Blues
There’s more than one kind of blue day… My favorites are the ones filled with blue skies, fluffy clouds and sparkling water.
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Tour Guide – Olympia, WA in Black and White
Labeling this post a “tour guide” might bit of a stretch as I’ve left out all the touristy bits about landmarks, photo-ops and directions but it fits the theme of the weekly photo challenge and it’s been years since I spent time in our State’s Capital so when we took…
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2018 – A New Year and a New Look
While I say I like to reach out and try new things, deep down I’m really a creature of habit. Many habits. If I find a breakfast or lunch I like I’ll eat it every day for a year or longer, I play the same albums over and over and…
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Ascend to a Higher Development
One can ascend to a higher development only by bringing rhythm and repetition into one’s life. Rhythm holds sway in all nature. Rudolf Steiner We can find Nature outside us only if we have first learned to know her within us. What is akin to her within us must be…
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A Serene and Settled Majesty
There is a serene and settled majesty to woodland scenery that enters into the soul and delights and elevates it, and fills it with noble inclinations. Washington Irving When the stresses and sounds of daily life are just too much my go-to escapes for some peace and quiet are the…
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Shades of Blue: Part 5 – Dusty Corners
Walk, run, cycle – When you live inside your head for such long periods of time, you have to open the windows, air it out a bit, let sunlight stream into all the dark and dusty corners of your mind. Twinkle Khanna I like to think of summer as a…
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Shades of Blue: Part 4
I’ve got a photo filled post for you this week as we continue my June walks through town and along the beach. You get to see my mother’s day flowers blooming by our backdoor, views from the marina, an accidental shot of beach sand when I was trying to put…
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The Road Taken
The parks do not belong to one state or to one section…. The Yosemite, the Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon are national properties in which every citizen has a vested interest; they belong as much to the man of Massachusetts, of Michigan, of Florida, as they do to the people of…
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Shadow
Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. Abraham Lincoln Shadows come and go but like strong character, trees are what really leave their mark on the world. Posted as part of the Weekly Photo…
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My Year In Pictures: September Weeks 3 & 4
If you’re a follower of my Instagram feed you already know I’ve moved on from summer photos to fall and we’ve all been enjoying pretty leaves, gardening and seasonal changes so I’m pushing the fast forward button here and posting the last two weeks of September together in one fell swoop. I…
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My Year In Pictures: September Week 1
As soon as our first hike to Second Beach ended two years ago a return trip has been at the top of my vacation wish list. Our first visit was such a lovely surprise with a quiet beach, warm temperatures, and wide open vistas we couldn’t help but remember the area…
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My Year In Pictures August Week 5
Keeping with the style from my last post this final August catch-up will also be a simple combination of location notes and lots of pretty pictures. If anyone wonders why we love living in the Pacific Northwest this series of Olympic National Park photos really illustrates the best of what we…
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My Year In Pictures: August Weeks 3 & 4
It’s Labor Day Weekend here marking the end of summer and the window above my desk is filled with fog, rain and maple leaves that are starting to turn. Here on the blog however we’re still in the middle of sunshine and summer days as I haven’t posted an update since August…
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My Year In Pictures: July Week 4
Hard to believe July is already in the past but at least we had a good time while it lasted. 🙂 This week’s set of photos is a mixed bag combining some favorite vacation shots with scenes from my walks through the city and a new order ready for shipping from…
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My Year In Pictures: July Week 3
After seven months of staying close to home and really stretching to make my daily images appear interesting I finally got out to take some pretty island photos. One of the creative challenges about keeping up this daily/weekly series is what to do when busy days mean no time for photo scouting…
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My Year In Pictures: July Week 2
While there are two different ways to view the lack of regular entries on my posting calendar the end result is the same… I’ve fallen woefully behind in my recap schedule. The good news is I’m keeping up with my daily Instagram/Facebook/Twitter pictures so there are plenty of new images to write about…
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My Year In Photos: June Week 2
I see a lot of blues, grays along with some warm patches of gold in my latest set of photos which is just about right when it comes to June in the Pacific Northwest. Blue skies and flowers mixed with heavy gray clouds and warmed by the sun during our longest…
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My Year In Photos – May Week 5 & June Week 1
After nearly 1.5 years of taking and posting daily photos along with a 2 year tradition of regular weekly wrap-up posts here on the blog I’m finally throwing my hands up and admitting this time around I’ve totally blown my self-induced deadlines. I hope you like this super-sized post covering two weeks…
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My Year In Pictures: May Week 3
This week I don’t see a common thought tying these seven images together but there is a sneaky unifying thread about this group that surprised me. Brick red is definitely not one of my favorite colors but shades of loud orange-red are present in each shot. It’s all but hidden in two photos when…
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My Year In Pictures: May Week 1
I feel like we’ve finally turned the corner toward a long, warm summer and now instead of rushing outside at the first hint of blue sky I’m secretly looking forward to some rainy days so I can catch up on inside chores. Spring 2016 has been picture perfect here in…
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My Year In Pictures: March Week 3
Random is the first word that came to mind tonight as I clicked through this set of seven images. Appropriate really since I feel like we’re just flying through each day trying to be present at every appointment and commitment while making time for a quick breath and moment to appreciate the world…
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Sally D’s Mobile Photography Challenge: Nature (Invincible Summer)
In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer. Albert Camus When our winter days are cold and dark I hold tight to moments like this knowing summer will come again. I took this Whidbey Island photo on a picture perfect August day as we hiked along Ebey’s…
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A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up December With Hipstamatic (week 5)
It’s fitting that on the day I decided to check off the last remaining items from three old “to-do” lists I’m ending it by writing a post that bridges the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016. It’s a day to clean house, both literally and figuratively and according to WordPress my three-year blogging anniversary.…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Trio
A happy family is but an earlier heaven. George Bernard Shaw A trail-side “selfie” of John, Ryan and I illustrating everything that makes me happy and grateful as we celebrate Thanksgiving here in our sunny pacific northwest corner of the United States. Posted as part of the Weekly Photo Challenge: Trio.
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Careful (Father and Son)
Be careful to leave your sons well instructed rather than rich, for the hopes of the instructed are better than the wealth of the ignorant. Epictetus One of the best things about my usual “third in line” hiking position is capturing moments like this. John and Ryan like to walk…
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Sally D’s Mobile Photography Challenge: Black & White (Into the Forest)
A few weeks ago I shared the slightly embarrassing fact that sometimes I take a picture of where I’ve parked my car so I won’t lose it in a crowded garage but I didn’t mention that I also take photos of trail signs whenever we are out for a hike. I’m…
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Sally D’s Mobile Photography Challenge: Nature (Baby Birds and Gun Batteries)
I’m slowly working my way through hundreds of photos from our 2015 Staycation and in typical fashion 90% of them are of trees, beaches and the natural vistas that make the Pacific Northwest such a beautiful place to live. I’ve got so many potential images for this weeks “nature” challenge it’s difficult to choose just one…
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Sally D’s Mobile Photography Challenge: Black & White (Fall in the Park)
Fall in the Pacific Northwest is a season of extremes. We bounce back and forth between stunning blue skies, mild temperatures and bright fall foliage contrasted by extended periods of damp, cool fog. This misty afternoon happened back in October 2013 but the photo is one of my favorites and I’ve been…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Monochromatic (Summer Greens in the Pacific Northwest)
A powerful monochromatic image is composed of a gradient of a single color, and has an emphasis on texture and composition. Jen H. The Daily Post After a steep but scenic hike up the Snoqualmie Region’s Ira Spring Trail winding through an evergreen forest, wildflower meadows and granite avalanche zones we enjoyed our…
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A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up September With Hipstamatic (week 2)
I’ve erased dozens of opening sentences tonight trying to sum up my experiences from this past week and finally decided to just start with a few thoughts about the process. It’s hard to find your balance when every day is extreme in its peaks and valleys but in the end,…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Connected (The Web of Life)
“All things are connected like the blood that unites us. We do not weave the web of life, we are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.” – Chief Seattle Posted as part of the Weekly Photo Challenge: Connected
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A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up August With Hipstamatic (week 1)
Well, it’s Monday morning and our staycation week is over but sorting through my new photos to find one image from each day has been a fun trip back through our latest adventures. Our goal was to visit at least one mountain, island, river, beach and city while trying new things…
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A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up July With Hipstamatic (week 5)
Another beautiful week has come and gone here in the Pacific Northwest and I’m happy to say we spent every minute possible enjoying outdoor living and a bit of travel. Sunday afternoon Ryan and I hiked to the lovely waterfall from yesterday’s post along with my aunt, sister and her…
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A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up July With Hipstamatic (week 3)
Another pretty week in the Pacific Northwest has come and gone but thanks to my random photo a day project I have some nice souvenirs to remember the season. Sunday afternoon was the perfect time to sit outside for lunch and believe it or not I didn’t plan to match my food…
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Nature in the Stimpson Family Nature Reserve
The summer of 2015 continues to be a season of extremes and while several parts of the country are experiencing floods and record rainfall the west coast is in the middle of a drought. The entire Pacific Northwest is now under extreme fire watch and Seattle had the hottest 4th of July…
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A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up June With Hipstamatic (week 2)
Sometimes these weekly recaps highlight random, un-linked moments from my days and sometimes an unexpected theme emerges. Flowers, flowers and more flowers filled the second week of June. We filled our empty deck planters Sunday afternoon and before they were finished I snapped a photo of a few of the bright colors…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: On The Way To Klahhane Ridge
“In-between moments can be just as memorable as grand finales. This week, share a photo you took on the way to something else.” – Michelle W. The Daily Post Last August John, Ryan and I spent four days exploring The Olympic National Park and even though I was recovering from a summer…
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A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up May With Hipstamatic (week 5)
It’s hard to believe June starts tomorrow but the photos above are proof that our unseasonably warm spring is leading right into an early summer. Next week will bring some rain back into the Seattle area but until then we’re enjoying these sunny last days of May. Hipstamatic’s random processing of Sunday’s…
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A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up May With Hipstamatic (week 4)
One of my favorite parts of this daily project/weekly recap series is an “aha” moment when I realize there was a trend to my week that I hadn’t noticed in the middle of the rush to finish each day. A little distance is a great tool for gaining perspective and I’m really starting to…
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A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up May With Hipstamatic (week 2)
Today’s recap is a quick one while I wait for Ryan to finish his math so we can start our Mother’s Day walk to the beach. It was another beautiful spring week here in the Pacific Northwest filled with plenty sun and very little rain. We are all a little concerned about a dry…
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iPhoneography Tuesday: Nature’s Cycle in the Tulip Fields
The showy blooms have faded and it’s back to work for these hardy rows of tulips. The Roozengaarde family has farmed tulips in Holland and the US since the early 1700’s and their 1,000 acre farm in the Skagit Valley is filled with tulip, daffodil and iris fields earning them the title of…
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A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up May With Hipstamatic (week 1)
Sometimes I wonder if seemingly random choices are really influenced by real-time events in our lives. These seven randomly processed images from the past week surprised me today with their faded colors and soft focus and also by the fact that they are a visual interpretation of how I’ve felt here at home. I…
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A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up April With Hipstamatic (week 4)
This past week was a good example of how nice it is to have a few things to look forward too spread out over the course of seven days. We had just enough time to keep our regular life running smoothly while enjoying a birthday celebration, crazy spring weather and meeting…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Motion (Sounds of the Hoh River)
“A stream is music and motion: smooth glides, fast, turbulent riffles and deep pools, each posing a special challenge.” Nelson Bryant We could hear music from the Hoh River long before we reached this rocky beach in the Olympic National Park. The water literally sang as it rushed over the flat stones and…
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iPhoneography Challenge: Macro (Spring Trillium)
When we lost the large trees in our front yard I thought my favorite patch of shade loving trillium was finished but we carefully transplanted a few hardy specimens to the back side of our house and this little seedling is growing strong tucked away under a leafy rhododendron. Posted as…
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A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up April With Hipstamatic (week 2)
Even though I was away from blogging last week I continued my attempt to take one random photo every day and am here for a quick Sunday night post recapping the past seven days. Ryan enjoyed a relaxing spring break while I had a great time exploring new ways to structure my time and really…
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iPhoneography Challenge: Black & White (Afternoon Light on the Washington Coast)
This was a hard view to leave behind after a wonderful summer day on the Washington Coast so if you have the opportunity to visit the Olympic Peninsula be sure to plan a hike out to First, Second or Third beaches. Bring your cameras and make the most of wide open vistas,…
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A Surprise Everyday: Shaking Up March with Hipstamatic (week 2)
At least once a day I shake my head and wonder where the time went. I know rushing through weeks, feeling let down because I couldn’t finish an unrealistic “to do” list is a bad habit but one of the benefits of this weekly series is visual proof that I did find time…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Wall (Deception Pass Bridge)
The walls between art and engineering exist only in our minds. Theo Jansen Whidbey Island’s Deception Pass Bridge is a wonderful example of Dutch artist Theo Jansen’s premise that the walls between art and engineering exist only in our minds. Dedicated in 1935 this beautiful cantilever truss bridge joined the…
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iPhoneography Thursday: Nature (Spring Blooms in February)
As you can see from the title I’ve missed my usual iPhone Monday posting schedule by a few days and I also have to admit I never posted the last Black and White Challenge photo from my promised series of 5 images in a row back in February. Hopefully today’s image makes…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Reward (Gifts From the Sea)
The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach – waiting for a gift from the sea. Anne Morrow Lindbergh Our first view of the Washington Coast from Rialto Beach and posted as part of…
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A Surprise Every Day: Shaking Up February With Hipstamatic (week 3)
While most of the country is trapped in a sub-zero weather pattern our strangely warm Pacific Northwest winter brought bright blue skies and temperatures in the 50’s. No one knows quite what to do here but we’re trying to spend as much time outside as possible knowing the rain and chilly air will be…
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iPhoneography Monday: Macro (Velella Velella on the Washington Coast)
I’d never heard of this little creature before we found a beach full of them during our summer visit to Washington’s Olympic Peninsula but I’ve since learned we stumbled upon a rare summer beaching of thousands of Velella Velella. Millions of tiny blue sea creatures are washing up on beaches…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Express Yourself
Don’t keep all your feelings sheltered – express them. Don’t ever let life shut you up. Dr. Steve Maraboli Walking through Seattle’s Pike Place Market on Christmas Eve I deliberately looked away from the brightly colored food and flower stalls to spend some time watching people and their surroundings. The traditional market attractions are…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Serenity
I’m a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar. Serenity – Hoban “Wash” Washburne For this week’s photo challenge Cheri asks us to share our interpretations of serenity. I’m sure the prompt was meant as an encouragement to explore calm, peaceful feelings and I’m happy to do that with a photo but…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Shadow
We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves. Buddha A place to clear my mind and fill shadows with joy…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Gone, But Not Forgotten
The remote beaches and rugged coastlines of the San Juan Islands are frequently mentioned as one of the top vacation destinations in the world but travel magazines rarely mention their history as a haven for turn of the century smugglers and rum runners. Famous privateers made and lost fortunes smuggling drugs, immigrants and…
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Phoneography and Non-SLR Digital Photo Challenge: Nature (Fall in my Backyard)
It’s hard to believe December is already here but it’s the first Monday of another month and time for Sally’s creative Phoneography challenge: Nature. I’m happy to be back from a busy few days filled with Thanksgiving visits, half-finished home projects and the general stuff that piles up when I try to do too…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Refraction
Finding an image to suit this challenge has taken me all week and I’m still not sure I’ve really captured refraction but at least it’s given me the chance to share one more photo from Lake Crescent, WA. This crystal clear water is due to a lack of nitrogen which inhibits…
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iPhoneography Monday: 10-20-14
I always smile when I see small stacks of stones placed carefully along a trail so this old beach log on the Washington coast stopped me in my tracks. I don’t know if we are looking at the finished work of one artistic beachcomber or if several walkers left their markers…
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1 Day 1 World Project: 24 Hour Review
When I wrote my first post in the 1 Day 1 World Project series I hoped I wasn’t promising something I wouldn’t be able to deliver. Could I really write 24 posts documenting 24 real-life hours and still publish content that was interesting or worse, would it be like hosting the dreaded…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Dreamy
I close my eyes, then I drift away, into the magic night I softly say. A silent prayer, like dreamers do, then I fall asleep to dream my dreams of you. Roy Orbison – In Dreams Posted as part of the Weekly Photo Challenge: Dreamy.
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iPhoneography Monday: 10-6-14
This relaxed seagull walked over to visit while a some adventuresome kite surfers flew across the waves. Posted as part of Lens and Pen by Sally’s Phoneography and Non SLR Digital Photo Challenge: Nature.
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Signs
The test of an adventure is that when you’re in the middle of it, you say to yourself, “Oh, now I’ve got myself into an awful mess; I wish I were sitting quietly at home.” And the sign that something’s wrong with you is when you sit quietly at home…
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iPhoneography Monday: 9-29-14
Two Lucky Duck cousins ready to play for prizes at the county fair. Photo taken with iPhone 5 and edited in Oggl using the Lowy Lens and DC Film combination. Posted as part of Lens and Pen by Sally’s Phoneography and Non-SLR Digital Photo Challenge: Editing and Processing.
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Nighttime
“How did it get so late so soon?” Dr. Seuss Long summer days are one of my favorite things about living in the Pacific Northwest but nighttime still comes far too fast. Posted as part of the Weekly Photo Challenge: Nighttime.
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1 Day 1 World Project: 8:00 am – 9:00 am
Last month I wrote a popular post about how we’ve made an effort to simplify our food choices and buy most of our fresh food from local farmers and suppliers. One of my favorite changes is our weekly visit from Smith Brothers Farms and our milkman, Josh. Four generations of Smith Brothers…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Endurance
“Few people know how to take a walk. The qualifications are endurance, plain clothes, old shoes, an eye for nature, good humor, vast curiosity, good speech, good silence and nothing too much.” Ralph Waldo Emerson We made it to the turn around point of our Klahhane Ridge adventure with nothing…
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iPhoneography Monday: 9-15-14
Regular readers know one of my favorite things to do is explore a new beach and Second Beach on the Washington coast has moved to the top of my list. I’ve posted a few photos from this visit and there will be more to come but today I have this…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Adventure
The mountains are calling and I must go. John Muir “Mom, this is the best day ever!” Ryan’s first steps on the Klahhane Ridge Trail in the Olympic National Park. Posted as part of the Weekly Photo Challenge: Adventure.
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iPhoneography Monday: 9-8-14
We finished our hike out to Second Beach in Olympic National Park just in time for low tide and easy access to some beautiful tide pools. Posted as part of Lens and Pen by Sally’s Phoneography and Non-SLR Digital Photo Challenge: Macro.
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iPhoneography Monday: 9-1-14
Beautiful, green moss covers most flat surfaces in Washington State’s Hoh Rainforest even this old phone booth outside the Visitors Center at the entrance to the park. Posted as part of Lens and Pen by Sally’s Phoneography and Non-SLR Digital Photo Challenge: Nature.
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iPhoneography Monday: 8-25-14
I snapped this cute little bunny enjoying an afternoon snack outside the Lopez Islander Marina during our visit last month. Rabbits are everywhere in the San Juan Islands today even though they are a favorite attraction for the tourists the critters aren’t native to the area and are seen…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Fray
This lone surfer quietly watched the water from Washington State’s Rialto Beach for 30 minutes before he decided the time was right to grab his board and enter the fray.
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iPhoneography Monday: 8-18-14
A few days ago I posted a view from our way up the Klahhane Ridge Switchback Trail and today I’ll share our turning around point. It’s a beautiful hike but this was far enough for me! Posted as part of Lens and Pen by Sally’s Phoneography and Non-SLR Digital Photography Challenge:…
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iPhoneography Monday: 8-11-14
We’re slowly unpacking after a fantastic vacation in the Olympic National Park and I can’t wait to start sharing photos from our hikes through the mountains, beaches, lakes and rainforests of the Washington State Peninsula. This week is devoted to macro mobile photography at Lens and Pen by Sally so I’ll start small with…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Zigzag
This week, share a photo that foregoes the straightforward in favor of the twisting and winding. Ben Huberman – The Daily Post I’m using a loose interpretation of Zigzag today and sharing a photo of this small blue sailboat that has chosen to forego straightforward, nautical themed decor and try…
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Weekly Travel Theme: Simplify
This week Alisa’s weekly travel theme asks everyone to share what comes to mind when they think of the word “simplify“. After a day of thinking about how we’ve tried to simplify one aspect of our busy days I settled on our food choices and a photo of this pretty yellow truck at…
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A Word A Week: Transport
It’s hard to pay a visit to the Puget Sound area and not see at least one green and white Washington State Ferry cruise by carrying commuters, tourists and travelers across the water. These large vessels serve the areas surrounding Puget Sound as well as provide vital and reliable transportation to…
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Weekly Travel Theme: Purple
My sweet niece, Sophia checking out the amazing flowers on this Butterfly Bush. July 4th, 2014. Posted as part of Alisa’s Weekly Travel Theme: Purple.
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Containers
From “Don’t judge a book by its cover” to “Don’t look at the jug, but at what it contains” (an old Rabbinic saying), we’re constantly taught that the contents of things are more important than the vessels, wrappers, and boxes that hold them in place. This week, let’s give outer shells their due…
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1 Day 1 World Project: 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Everyone in the Pacific Northwest jokes that summer doesn’t really start here until July 5th. We usually have one or two warm days in June surrounded by partly sunny days mixed with some rain and clouds but the real heat and sunshine doesn’t come out until mid July. This year our…
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1 Day 1 World Project 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm
If you saw my iPhone Monday and Wordless Wednesday posts last week you’ll know I spent last Sunday evening with my parents watching Emmylou Harris perform at Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in Woodinville, WA. The winery grounds are beautiful and behind the main tasting building is a natural amphitheater with a…
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Travel Theme: Shine
A sparkly evening water view for Alisa’s weekly Travel Theme: Shine. Happy Friday!
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iPhoneography Monday: 6-16-14
A warm September afternoon and one last chance to feel the sun before fall… Posted as part of Lens and Pen by Sally’s Phoneography and Non-SLR Digital Devices Challenge: Black and White.
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The Virtual Blog Tour and NW Frame of Mind
Last week I received a lovely message from Sally at Lens and Pen by Sally extending an invitation to participate in this Virtual Blog Tour. The purpose of the tour is to introduce bloggers to a wider audience by answering a series of four simple questions related to their…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Extra, Extra
It’s been a busy week here filled with family activities, end of school projects, a band concert and a Wednesday birthday. Mine! I was lucky enough to have the day off but couldn’t fit everything I wanted to accomplish into the happy day and still try to relax at the same time.…
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Travel Theme: Cities
Alisa’s newest Travel Theme: Cities is a great excuse to post another photo from our recent visit to the top of the Space Needle. This view is looking south towards the Downtown area over Elliott Bay and one shot manages to show you a gray spring day, the Port of Seattle,…
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Travel Theme: Blossom
For Alisa’s new Travel Theme: Blossom I have one more photo from our spring trips to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. This colorful display was filled with so many varieties it looked like an enormous bouquet!
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iPhoneography Monday: 5-5-14
Sally’s back from a wonderful vacation and her popular Phoneography and Non-SLR Digital Photo Challenge begins the month of May with Nature as its subject. I’ve posted this view of Marina Beach Park before when the trees were at their height of fall color and I thought it would be fun…
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A Word A Week: Water
I’ve been in a beachy kind of mood this week with lots of water themed posts so here is one more image from the same spring day as Bud’s Bait Shop and the “I wish I was on a cruise” Life Ring. Posted as part of Sue’s A Word A Week Challenge:…
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Black & White Tuesday: 4-29-14
I haven’t posted a new Black and White Tuesday photo for a few weeks but after our Sunday afternoon hike around Deception Pass State Park I’ve got plenty of new photos ready to share. In the spring of 1792, Joseph Whidbey, master of HMS Discovery and Captain Vancouver‘s chief navigator proved that it was not…
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iPhoneography Monday: 4-28-14
Sally is enjoying her last week of vacation but since I enjoy posting an iPhone photo every Monday I thought I would keep up with her schedule and choose Architecture for my week 4 Challenger’s Choice selection. Every time I walk by Bud’s Bait House on the Edmonds waterfront I think…
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Happy Earth Day 2014
Our April showers paused just long enough for me to take a walk this afternoon and snap some photos of our spring blooming trees in honor of Earth Day. My fingers are crossed hoping these wet days really will bring more May flowers…
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iPhoneography Monday in the Skagit Valley Tulip Fields
I know I said Thursday would be my last tulip photos for a while but since Sally’s mobile photography challenge is on vacation until May 5th I thought I’d share one more post from the Skagit Valley. The annual Tulip Festival is a favorite with photographers as well as fun day trip for the family…
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Travel Theme: Round
We found this old wagon wheel just down the beach from the driftwood pirate ship I posted yesterday. The owners of the property have a knack for collecting and re-purposing old items and interesting pieces of wood but I think this wheel is at the end of its road… Posted as…
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Skagit Valley Tulips – 3
I took hundreds of tulip photos last weekend but don’t worry, I won’t post all of them at once! After today we’ll take a break from the Skagit Valley pictures and tomorrow will bring something new to see and talk about.
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Skagit Valley Tulips – 1
I usually post a new black and white photo every Tuesday but after spending the weekend surrounded by millions of tulips my head is full of bright, vibrant colors and I thought it would be fun to spend the week sharing a few of my favorite views from the 2014 Skagit…
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iPhoneography Monday: 4-7-14
The Skagit Valley tulip fields haven’t quite reached their peak but early April is a perfect time to see the Daffodils. We drove through the valley yesterday afternoon and John was patient enough to stop the car twice while I tip toed through the mud in order to get a few pictures of…
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Travel Theme: Misty
I love living by the waterfront with easy access to the beach but our proximity to Puget Sound also brings plenty of misty days . In the fall we can spend weeks at a time wrapped in thick fog and even though I know the trees are turning brilliant shades of red and yellow and that the sky…
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iPhone Monday: 3-17-14
I’ve posted a few photos of this beach log but I haven’t shown it from this angle before. Is it just me or does anyone else think the old roots look like fingers reaching into the ocean? Posted as part of Lens and Pen by Sally’s Phoneography Monday: Black and…
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Travel Theme: Garden
This isn’t a traditional garden picture but March in the Pacific Northwest is a challenging time everyone who loves the outdoors. It’s cold and damp 90% of the time with a few brief stretches of sunny weather that give us all spring fever but send pollen counts into the double…
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A Word A Week: Frame
Sue’s latest challenge in her popular word a week series is “Frame“. I’m pretty sure I could find a new scenic image framed in an interesting way to share but instead decided to post a photo of this old wooden rowboat living its last days as part of a children’s play area on the Edmonds waterfront. The boat frame is tipped on its…
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Black & White Tuesday: 2-25-14
The only reason I stopped to take this photo was because of how much I liked the leafless branches against a vibrant blue winter sky yet here I am on a black & white Tuesday removing all color. The original brown and blue palette was striking but after viewing it in monochrome I can really appreciate the organic structure of this great…
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iPhone Monday: 2-24-14
The 4th week of each month at Lens and Pen by Sally’s phoneography challenge is devoted to Challenger’s Choice. There are several categories participants can use for inspiration including Abstraction, Animals, Architecture, Food Photography, Night Photography, Objects, Portraiture, Still Life, Street Photography, and Travel. This week I’ve selected Street Photography so could post this image of a happy couple strolling through…
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Travel Theme: Work
Fresh flowers are scarce during Pacific Northwest winters but the hardworking families at Seattle’s Pike Place Market use creative combinations of fresh and dried flowers to keep their stalls full year round. Christmas Eve in front of the Original Starbucks. Inside, customers enjoy hot beverages in bright red cups while the street musician wears a…
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iPhoneography Monday: 2-17-14
Without fail, by the time February arrives with its mixed bag of wind, rain and snow I can’t help dreaming of warm afternoons spent at the beach. There aren’t any tropical vacation plans in my near future but I do have plenty of photos from some fun summer days by the water to share and…
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A Word A Week: Violet
One of the things I love about Heather is its determined nature, blooming right on schedule no matter the conditions. This little plant flowers in my front yard every winter providing bright spots of color in a season filled with green, brown and white. Posted as part of Sue’s A Word A Week: …
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Black and White Tuesday: 2-11-14
This close view of a totem pole is from one of two popular 50 foot cedar poles at Victor Steinbrueck Park near the Pike Place Market in Seattle, WA. Seattle Architect Victor Steinbrueck is credited with spearheading the preservation movement to protect both the Market and Pioneer Square districts in the 1960’s and twenty years…
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Travel Theme: Yellow
Alisa’s Yellow travel theme has me dreaming of spring days and a visit to the Skagit Valley Tulip Fields. I can’t wait for April!
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iPhoneography Monday: 2-3-14
Saturday afternoon John, Ryan and I laced up our hiking shoes and set out to explore Southwest County Olympic View Park. This 120 acre parcel was owned and logged in the early 1900’s by Pope and Talbot before they transferred ownership to the University of Washington who eventually granted the property to the City of Edmonds in…
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A Word A Week: Waiting
I think these two gulls were waiting for dinner to drop from the hands of the kids standing behind me… Posted as part of Sue’s A Word A Week Challenge: Waiting
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Weekly Travel Theme: Silver
Alisa’s weekly travel theme is posted every Friday and the newest prompt is the word “Silver.” I thought I would keep my entry simple today and show you these beautiful King Salmon from Seattle’s Pike Place Market. They are as fresh as you can get without stepping on a boat and…
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Weekly Travel Theme: Illuminated
I always look forward to Alisa’s weekly travel themes and this latest challenge has inspired some beautiful images of light from around the world. For my Illuminated post I hope you like this view of a fiery evening sky as seen from the top deck of a Washington State Ferry.
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iPhoneography Monday: 1-13-14
Yesterday I sat down in our wet backyard grass and decided I wouldn’t go back inside until I found something interesting to photograph for today’s macro challenge. I’m happy I took a few minutes to look at things from a different angle because I had completely missed how pretty this little mushroom was…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Window
The Glacier Public Service Center on the Mt. Baker Scenic Byway welcomes visitors to the north side of the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest and North Cascades National Park in Washington State. The stone and wood Cascadian style Center was built in 1938 by the Civilian Conservation Corps and is listed in the…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning
Beginning. Hello, 2014. And hello and happy new year to our readers, old and new. This week’s theme might be obvious, but I couldn’t help it — it’s a simple and common word, yet can evoke very powerful, emotional images. Cheri Lucas Rowlands – The Daily Post As many of…
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A Word A Week: Reflect
Sue’s final word of the week for 2013 is “reflect“. I thought this might be a good chance for a reflective post looking back through my blogging year but as the weekend is almost over and I like this little photo of multiple reflections here we are. This is from a morning walk…
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Travel Theme: Birds
Every time I try to take a picture of a cute little bird something goes wrong. If the shot isn’t terribly out of focus, then the bird will move at the last second or the finished image is just too boring to post but my lack of photographic timing doesn’t stop birds from flying into my pictures each time…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Joy
Whether or not you celebrate a winter holiday, the years’ end is a perfect time to look back at the year-that-was and happily forward to the year-that-will-be. A time of renewal, celebration, and joy. This week, let’s set ourselves up for a happy new year: share a photo that shows…
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A Word A Week: Wind
January 1st 2010 was the stormiest day I’ve ever spent on a beach with wind gusts reaching up to 70 miles per hour. I snapped this photo during a brief moment of relative calm but when the tide came up a few more feet the wind speed surged and hundreds of driftwood beach logs began rolling through the surf like…
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Travel Theme: Winter
When I read Alisa’s latest post announcing “Winter” as her weekly travel theme I knew I wanted to wait until December 21st and take a photo of the first day of winter. December 20th brought our first snowfall of the year but we were still officially in Fall so I waited……
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iPhoneography Monday: 12-16-13
The above ground twists and turns of old tree roots always catch my attention but this one stopped us on the trail. We thought it looked like an ancient dinosaur leg resting on the forest floor… Posted as part of Lens and Pen by Sally’s weekly Phoneography Challenge.
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Black and White Tuesday: 12-10-13
There is something about fences that always draws me over to take a picture…
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iPhoneography Monday: Nature 12-2-13
The first Monday of every month focuses on images of nature at Lens and Pen by Sally’s Phoneography Challenge. I love the vibrant shades of the ever-present bright green moss growing all around this part of the Pacific Northwest. Chilly temperatures will soon take a toll on the vivid display so I’m happy I captured…
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A Word A Week: High
Sue’s latest word of the week is High and while her fun post is full of beautiful bridges, cliffs and waterfalls my photos tend to be from points closer to the ground. I don’t like heights… I do however love to see trees reaching for the sky and fall gives us the opportunity…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Let There Be Light
Take a look around you. Choose one of the light sources you see, and make it the focus of your challenge entry. Ben – The Daily Post This week Ben asks us to focus on a point of light and feature it in a post for the Weekly Photo Challenge. …
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Black and White Tuesday: 11-19-13
The days are getting shorter and shorter here in the Pacific Northwest and as I look out my window to nearly dark sky at 4:20 pm I thought this black and white image was a fitting choice for today’s post. The birds are still flying but the light is almost…
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iPhoneography Monday: 11-18-13
While I have been lucky enough to see several pods of Orca Whales swimming along this waterway I have yet to get a good photo of a whale. Maybe that is why I take so many of pictures of this beachfront sculpture… Posted as part of Lens and Pen by Sally’s Phoneography Challenge: Black…
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A Word A Week: Two
I have one more forest walk photo for you because it could be a long wait for a better chance to post an image of a two headed tree… Inspired by Sue’s A Word A Week Challenge: Two
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iPhoneography Monday: 11-4-13
The first week of the month is nature’s time to shine at Lens and Pen by Sally’s Phoneography Challenge and today I have another photo from our Sunday afternoon walk through the woods. We left the house planning to spend a few hours on the beach but now I’m glad the access roads were closed because…
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Travel Theme: Delicate
This is the first, and hopefully only, time I post a photo of a slug but this little guy just insisted on being the center of attention today. Yesterday brought a huge windstorm to the Seattle area and today John, Ryan and I ventured out hoping to visit a “new to us” beach. The…
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Black & White Tuesday: 10-29-13
After spending a few dark days in a surprise stretch of October fog I stopped complaining about missing the fall color and blue skies and headed out to make the best of our gloomy weather. It was very quiet along the beach this afternoon and even though a Washington State Ferry was loading cars next to us the…
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Travel Theme: Stone
During a recent hike in the Mt. Baker – Snoqualmie National Forest we ran into a layer of high mountain fog which hid the fantastic views of Mt. Baker and Mt. Shuksan and directed our gaze lower, to the rocky foundations of these mountains. I had a chance to see what I’d…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Infinite
Infinity can produce contrasting effects on (and in) us: it might make us feel dwarfed or amplified, afraid or empowered. The Daily Post – Ben How do you feel under a summer sky filled with the constantly changing combinations of fluffy, white clouds? Do you feel small in comparison to the infinite expanse…
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Travel Theme: Height
It’s not quite as dramatic as Devils Tower in Wyoming but looking up at Table Mountain in the Mount Baker – Snoqualmie National Forest always reminds me of the great 1977 movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind… If you find yourself in the NW corner of Washington State searching for fantastic…
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A Word A Week: Arch
The natural arches in this large driftwood stump are a great place to play, climb and build forts on the Edmonds Waterfront. Posted as part of Sue’s A Word A Week Challenge: Arch
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Black and White Tuesday: 9-10-13
Hiking in the Mt. Baker National Forest on a foggy summer day limited our views of the sky scraping mountain peaks but emphasized the beautiful rocks and landscape under our feet.
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Travel Theme: Wild
As part of Alisa’s weekly Travel Theme: Wild I have some photos of wild flowers, wild life and wild water on Mt. Rainier in Washington State.
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreshadow
After catching four-year-old Ryan with his third stolen cookie of the afternoon I really needed to take a quiet walk away from our family picnic on the beach… He was ready for me to leave too and I can still hear him say “I’ve got this beach figured out mom, take a…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: The Golden Hour
The Golden Hour. In photography, the “golden hour” is the first and last hour of sunlight of the day. Cheri Lucas Rowlands on July 12, 2013 The Golden Hour is my favorite time of day here in the Pacific Northwest. I love how everything (and everyone) around me glows with…
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Phoneography Monday: Nature
For today’s Phoneography Monday: Nature post I have two cool images from our Pacific Northwest Spring to share. My afternoon forecast is for the mid 90’s and the season of pretty spring flowers is over…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: The World Through Your Eyes
My first few photos from our recent summer trip to Santa Fe are actually of snow-covered Mt. Saint Helens. This is the view out the airplane window as we broke through the clouds on our way from Seattle, WA to the high desert of northern New Mexico. For more unique views of the world please see the latest Daily Post: The World…
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Journey
Photographers, show us JOURNEY – The Daily Post Spring Break 2012: Four beach front Island cabins filled with 9 adults, 7 kids and 4 dogs. Boat access only, no grocery stores , plenty of warm clothes, hiking, exploring and great memories.
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Travel Theme: Pathways
This week Alisa asked us to share photos of pathways we have travelled. These are a few of my favorites from our adventures through Washington State from the water to the mountains. To see more paths from around the world take a look at Where’s My Backpack and the Travel Theme:…
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A Word A Week: Mountain
This week the dictionary at A Word in Your Ear has opened to the word Mountain. We have spent some wonderful days hiking in the mountains around the Pacific Northwest and today I want to share a gallery of images from a trip to Mount Baker, WA. For more amazing…
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Wordless Wednesday: 5-15-13
I’m sorting though Mountain pictures for my next Word a Week post and came across an old favorite. Lunch and a rest on Mt. Rainier. For more fun Wordless Wednesday photos see what’s new at The Jenny Evolution.
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Travel Theme: Beaches
This week Alisa over at Where’s My Backpack says “let’s have a beach party!” If you have visited my blog more than once you know I love spending time by the water so this theme should be a breeze. Well, looking through all of my Northwest beach pictures is a…
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Skagit Valley Tulip Festival 2013
Each April hundreds of thousands of visitors attend the month-long Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in the NW corner of Washington State. While words on a page can’t fully describe the feeling of being surrounded by millions of blooming flower bulbs I hope my pictures below share some of the unforgettable views found…
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Color
I love bright, beautiful colors and many of my pictures are filled with images of vivid flowers and sunny waterfront days. For me the hardest part of this Weekly Photo Challenge: Color was sorting through these pictures to choose just a few photos and finally I decided to share some of the Rhododendrons that grow freely in Washington and fill…
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My Favorite Places in Washington (State) Part Two – The Coast and Olympic Peninsula
Washington State’s Coastal region is home to some amazing views of the Pacific Ocean, Olympic National Park and The Hoh Rainforest. If you love to drive, a trip north along the Pacific Coast Highway is a great way to spend a few days. This 2,500 mile long stretch of highway begins at…
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Travel Theme: Green
To celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day and the arrival of spring Alisa’s weekly Travel Theme is all about the color green. I love green and living in the Pacific Northwest gives me plenty of opportunities to photograph this beautiful color. Today I chose three pictures that I think highlight the themes I like to talk about…
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Phoneography Challenge: Neighborhood
Today the Weekly Photo Challenge is all about capturing your neighborhood through phone pictures. We love our small town and I’m always taking pictures on my iPhone so after school my son and I had a little fun on Main Street. All pictures were taken with my iPhone 5 and…
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Travel theme: Roads
I have a lot of fun following Alisa’s travels around the world through her blog Where’s my backpack. This weeks theme is Roads and I want to share a few of my pictures from a beautiful day on San Juan Island in Washington State. The original road is almost overgrown now but this is…
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My Favorite places in Washington (State) Part One – The Puget Sound
If your view of Washington State begins with Sleepless in Seattle and ends with Grey’s Anatomy you’ve seen some beautiful scenery but happily my home state has a lot more to offer. As the population center, Seattle receives most of the publicity but did you know there are six distinct geographic regions within the state…
Northwest Frame of Mind 