Evergreens from the Evergreen State

In Everett there is a small arboretum on the cliff near the shore. It is a bit of an afterthought since it is bordered on one side by backyards and on the other by a golf course. None of that silly wandering-in-a-serene-place,-isolated-from-the-rest-of-the-world-while-you-enjoy-nature stuff here. Just be sure that you aren't in the line of sight of the golfer and try not to stare too much at the neighbors back yard.

Another Try at the Everett Waterfront

You likely recall my poor attempt to get an image by the waterfront in Everett. This spot is hardly a park since it is only a parking lot next to Port Gardner Bay. But it is easy to get to and seemed to have a bit of potential. Rather than suffer in the rain for almost nothing, I've returned when there is a bit of sunshine and no rain to see what I can do.

The Everett Waterfront

 We've had and are still having lots of rain here. In fact, it is raining as I sit now and type this. In an attempt to at least find some new places to photograph in hopes that someday it stops raining, E and I drove through parts of Everett.

Out by the sound, there is a small park...well a parking lot next to a sidewalk at least. Here, in the rain, I attempted a photo. It sucks but it is all I got.to show for standing in the rain for 5 minutes. The plan was to get a nice smooth milky water in a long exposure, maybe a few of the clouds streaking across the sky, and showing off the distant break in the clouds. MY exposure was too short for any of that. But I did not want to stand in the rain for a 2 minute exposure so I took a 25 second one. Not enough.

And this post is not enough either. Sorry for my poor showing. Today. Some days the bear gets you.

On to the Rooftop

We got to go onto the roof since it was a pleasant sunny day (ie. by PNW standards...no ice -- read pleasant, and no rain -- read sunny). Up here we find dinosaurs and places to "dig" for their bones.

Trains, Water, and a Bus

The wooden train layout is always a big hit. Especially so since there places to crawl under the table and get on the "inside" where the adults don't go to move the trains and switch the switches.

Off to the Imagine Children's Museum

Not that such things are possible again, we lit out for the children's museum in Everett. Of course, all were masked to be careful, but it was still a good time for everyone. Above, Seamus is loading cargo on an airplane.

Evergreen Cemetery and Mortuary - II

 

 I found this tree filled with birds to be an interesting motif for a gravestone. Perhaps these all represent the children and grandchildren.

Evergreen Cemetery and Mortuary

I took a trip to Everett to visit the Evergreen Cemetery and Mortuary. I'm guessing that Evergreen is a chain of cemeteries around here since we see that name is so many places.

Now, on the shank end of summer here, we see brown grass and blooming weeds everywhere.

Union Slough Park

On a recent sunny day, I ventured over to the area between Everett and Marysville where the Snohomish River empties into the Puget Sound. The marshland that has it roots as far inland as the edge of Monroe and extends past Snohomish right on to the coast is, by the time it passes Snohomish, quilted with canals and side streams carrying part of the water. These sloughs, as they are called, feed a large, tidal saltwater marsh area.

Just before it enters the sound, between Hwy 529 and I-5, is the small Union Slough Park. While this is a place that should be ideal for birds, the day I went, it was vacant.

Back Home

So, we're home now (actually, we have been for several weeks). I purchased some new lens equipment  and made a foray out to test them out along the Snohomish River near Everett.

Lowell Riverfront Park

This is a house across the Snohomish River that I've photographed before but never from this angle. There's rumors of a little rain coming our way and today we see further hints of same in the gowing array of clouds. We've had very little rain for our region this month and the snowpack is below half what it should be for this time of year. Some water would be nice.

Everett Farmer's Market

We drove to Everett to check out the farmer's Market there and here are a few images of what we saw there. Lots of flower vendors to bee seen along with the food concessions and the crafty folks.

Welcome to our Charlotte!

Just a little shy of 3:00 AM today, we welcomed a new addition to our family: Charlotte Elizabeth McDonagh!

Lowell Riverfront Park

Since we now, finally, have some proper spring weather with real sunshine and everything, E and I went out to Lowell Riverfront Park to relax a bit in the sun. There's a place to stand where you can look north down the river and see Mt. Baker in the distance.

Christmas in April!

After an excessively long wait, I have had my first Christmas in April! I have finally bit the bullet and purchased a medium format camera; the Fuji GFX-50R. Since it has been raining here (?!?), today was the first chance I had to go out for a few test shot. And this still required that I work between the misty showers.

The photo above is not the greatest composition, but the rain was coming and going and I couldn't be too selective.

Everett Waterfront

Everett has a large naval base located (oddly enough) on the waterfront. Just north of this is an area that seems to be slowly building up. This part of the waterfront has a few restaurants and lots of places to launch a boat. This time of year, there aren't any people trying to launch a boat.

Rotary Park in B&W

After I thought about the images from yesterday and bit, I realized that some of the images would work very well in B&W. So, here's my go at some monochrome versions of a few of them.

Rotary Park

We are just on the edge of having some bad weather. As a result, we are starting to get some clouds but the weather hasn't set in yet so there is plenty of blue sky. This seemed like a good time to visit the Snohomish river at Rotary Park, just inside the near edge of Everett.

Along the Snohomish River

Between Everett and Marysville, along I-5, you cross over the Snohomish river delta. This area is filled with industries and surrounded by noisy road. Yet, out in the middle of this is the Langus Riverfront Park. A spot of calmness in the middle of the bustling roads.