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 Bluff after lunch on the beach below. The warm, salty sea breeze and sparkling blue water were enough to make the day memorable but what you can’t see is the pod of Orca Whales that swam and played just off shore. I’ve had the good fortune to spot whales before but this was my quietest encounter and the first time I could enjoy the view completely free from boat traffic and small airplanes buzzing by to follow their every move.
Posted today as part of Sally D’s Mobile Photography Challenge: Nature
Northwest Frame of Mind 
Oh, it makes me want to start planning a vacation!
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Me too! It’s that time of year when I’m ready to make plans for sunshine. 🙂
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Yes
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That Camus quote is new to me and I like it a lot.
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Thanks, Amy. This post really came together once I found the quote.
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Great quote, and honestly that’s exactly what we must treasure: those memories made real by visible and invisible recollections. Wonderful sweeping landscape. Happy Photo Challenge.
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Thanks so much, Sally. I still wish I had taken a few panoramic shots that afternoon, it was the perfect location, but now a great reason to return soon.
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[…] https://nwframeofmind.com/2016/01/10/sally-ds-mobile-photography-challenge-nature-invincible-summer/ […]
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I’d love to see the whales, too.
janet
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Sighting the whales was a terrific cap to a pretty day, Janet.
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Looks so beautiful there, Lisa. I love the ‘invincible summer’ concept. 🙂
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Thanks, Sylvia. 🙂 We can see the southern tip of this island from our local beach but believe it or not this was my first trip there. We’ll be going back to explore more soon.
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Ah, bless those days.
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Indeed, Jim.
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How very cool on the whale sighting in such a quiet environment!
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It was a special opportunity to see them in such a peaceful setting, Nancy. Usually they are surrounded by boats, airplanes and lots of people with cameras. This time it was quiet. 🙂
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I could use a little invincible summer at this time of year. Thanks for the quote. I recognized the shot immediately!
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I thought you’d know where we were, D’Arcy. 🙂
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[…] This week Ben asks us to share a photo of something marked by its weight – or it’s weightlessness. Ryan carried his new kite through a full day of hiking and beach combing on Whidbey Island waiting for the perfect amount of wind and if you look closely at the bluff in the background you can just make out the winding trail that led us to the viewpoint in my last post about an invincible summer. […]
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How amazing that must have been, Lisa! To watch Orca’s at play 🙂 You can maybe forgive the cold, dark days for a reward like that.
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Yes, it’s all part of the trade off. In order to have these lovely long summer days we have to put up with the short dark ones in the winter. I’ll forgive for a gift like Orcas and beautiful beaches. 🙂
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