Lady's Mantle Leaves

It seems only appropriate that the leaves on our Lady's Mantle plants are bedecked with dew to make them glisten as if with diamonds strewn about.

A Few B&W in the Rain

Sometimes, I find a small vignette for which color does not add to the scene. Here are a few such images.

A Walk After A Rain

I find that perfectly normal things take on a new dimension when there are raindrops on them. Something about the added texture and sparkle that does it for me.

Walking Back from Town

After leaving the antique store, my first stop was along the Snohomish River. here, I found a pair of ducks taking a nap by the water's edge and enjoying the warm sun.

A Short Visit to an Antique Store

In May, when I took this walk, there were flowers blooming all about.

A Verdant Hiilside

This hillside is covered with mosses and populated with lots of tall, straight trees. After the roar of the river, it is quite and peaceful. It feels as if a hobbit or two might walk out at any moment.

The Roaring Falls

I'm quite sure that I were a rock in the path of that rushing water, I'd have long ago given way to make the smoother flow. It is very powerful.

Nooksack Falls

Just below the falls, another branch of the river joins in to continue the journey on to the Pacific.

In and Near the Nooksack

The image above is among my favorite from this trip. I really love how the frothy ribbons of water weave themselves into the small falls created by the rocks in the stream.

North Fork of the Nooksack River

The adventure with Bill took us along the road toward Mt. Baker as far at the falls of the north fork of the Nooksack river. This is located not far from the general store known as Glacier, WA. There really is no town here.

A Bit More of Whatcom Falls

As you can tell from the blur of the leaves, the motion of the water over the falls creates a constant breeze along the creek. 

The Falls at Whatcom Park

In April, I visited Bellingham with my good friend Bill Lewis. We made a trip to Whatcom Park to see the falls. The last time I was here, it was summer and the place was packed beyond capacity. This time, it was pleasant with very few people around.

Meanwhile...Back in Snohomish

By the time we returned from sunny California, it was beginning to be spring time in the PNW. So, I went for a short walk to see if I could find a few flowers to photograph.

Last Day in Monterey

While it was still pretty chilly, at least for me, we spent a few minutes on the beach before we headed to the airport and back home.

17-Mile Drive - III

There are many wondrous things to see along the shore of California. Here we found an isolated beach with California Seals out for a sunbathe.

Along the 17-Mile Drive

We took Seamus on a ride along the famous 17-mile Drive just south of Monterey. It was a beautiful sunny day with enough wind to make the sea a little interesting.

17-Mile Drive - II

Once in a while we find ourselves driven by forces out of our control. Sometimes we twist in the prevailing wind and feel lost. Other times, we do what this tree has done...bend with the wind and choose new directions for growth.

Monterey Bay Aquarium - II

Aquaria these days always have at least one tank (sometimes many) of jellyfish. These are lit in such a way to provide a strong contrast between the animals and the background.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

In April this year, we took Seamus to the Monterey Bay Aquarium during his spring break. There are still some old buildings preserved along cannery row.

Westport Beach

Since we are not big swimmers in any season, this visit to the beach in winter is great for us. A walk along an empty beach is always more fun than a stroll on crowded one.

From Symmetry to Shoreline

Our morning at the state park was park of our drive to Westport beach. But it was hard to leave this serene and symmetric place.

Ocean City State Park

Today, we have a fun exploration of reflections. While visiting Ocean Shores, WA, we stopped by the nearby Ocean City State Park and found a small inshore lake on a dead calm day.

A Bit of Spring Sunshine

In early April and late March we were having lots of rain in the Seattle area. Typical spring stuff for the PNW. When the sun came out I grabbed the camera and headed outdoors for a few snaps and little exercise.

Waterfall and Forest

We made our goodbyes to the waterfall with one last photo and drive on around to the other side of the lake.

Merriman Falls

Clearly, we are in a rainforest. Not only is there plenty of water from the stream, but the trees are of the sort that demand lots of water as well. Moss and lichens cover everything.

Lake Quinault

Since Ocean Shore is small and the beach is, well, a beach, we decided to spend one day driving to edge of the rainforest at Quinault. It, too, was a very small town consisting of a store (closed for the season) and a hotel and few houses. There is a road that goes around Quinault lake so we drove part of it to see what we could see.

As you can see, it is still winter and the trees are bare.

Ocean Shores Bach - II

The waves seem to be churning seaweed up from the bottom and carrying it along partway to shore. While the air was not terribly cold, the water certainly seemed to be.

Ocean Shores Beach

We found that the best breakfast for us was to be had a local McDonalds. Not wanting to sit there to eat, we got it to go and headed out to the beach.

Grays Harbor Wildlife Refuge

While at the pacific coast of Washington, we stopped by Grays Harbor Wildlife Refuge to have a look about. We saw about two birds. One was far away and the other was this sparrow.

Jetty Beach

The beaches in the northwest, whether rocky or sandy, all have driftwood on them. This specimen is weathered a silver grey and makes a nice foreground for the sea.

Jetty Beach, Ocean Shores, WA

In February, we decided to take a weekend trip to the coast for a little R&R. We drove southwest from Snohomish to Ocean Shores on the pacific coast and found a nice small ocean side town. Just south of town lies Jetty Beach. This was out first stop.

Pioneer Cemetery Continued

This grave makes it clear that Civil War officers were among the many that came west to find their fortunes.

Pioneer Cemetery, Mukilteo

While I was coming home from Mukilteo, I found this small cemetery on the cliff above the beach. Cemeteries are always interesting.

More Mukilteo Beach

Those if you who have followed this blog for a while know that I enjoy photographs that belie their era or location by hiding the clues or simply being sufficiently abstract. This image above is one of these. This could be a swirl in the mud, a aerial photograph of riparian habitat, or, as in this case, the crosscut view of the twisted growth of a tree.

Mukilteo Beach

Over by the dock where the ferry leave for Whidbey island is the Mukilteo Beach. It is a small, mostly rocky beach with lots of driftwood that has washed up along the shore. This makes it a great place to explore patterns and shapes that combine the organic with the mineral.

Rockport State Park

The state of Washington is littered with small (and large) state parks. For about $30 a year pass to all of them can be had. So I renewed our pass and headed up the road about an hour to the small town of Rockport. Located here is a modest sized stand of old growth forest.

Georgetown Steam Plant - VI

Many of the photos of this place are high dynamic range composites because it was dark in many of the corners and very bright in other places. This one is also a focus stack to get everything in focus. A total of 6 shots to make one.

Georgetown Steam Plant - V

Some parts of the plant looked as if they were just in operation that morning.

Georgetown Steam Plant - IV

The Georgetown Steam Plant is full of small details that can make for interesting photographs. For example, capturing a close-up of a valve, gauge or tool can make for a unique and compelling image.

Georgetown Steam Plant - III

I really like the way the dust that has settled on the piping has given it a bit of a 3-D modeled effect.

Georgetown Steam Plant - II

In addition to the turbine generator, visitors can see a variety of other historic equipment, including generators, pumps, boilers, and control panels. The plant also has a small exhibit that showcases the tools and equipment used by the plant's workers.

Georgetown Steam Plant

Today we start a dive into a local point of interest here in Seattle: the Georgetown Steam Plant. Located on the southside of town, it is a large steam power electricity generation facility built to power the city trams.

Atlanta Aquarium - III

Sometimes I get the exposure right and the water is just about invisible with little hint of the bluish tint and the fish just seem to levitate in front of us.

Atlanta Aquarium - II

There are plenty of large tanks of water here hold large schools of fish...

Atlanta Aquarium

Our last stop on the way back to the cool and wet Northwest is the Atlanta Aquarium. As in most of these places, the jelly fish are among the first things you encounter and they are almost always under colored lights to make them look really cool.

University of South Carolina

Columbia is a place with lots of memories for our family. Most of you gentle readers know that I was once on the faculty here at USC. Elizabeth earned here Masters degree in Library Science here. And, just across the Congaree river in Lexington, Anna was born. We had to stop and just have a look about.

A Playground in Columbia, SC

Our trip through the South involved many days of sitting in the car. This little ones don't deal well with that sort of sitting still, so we took them to a nearby playground to blow a bit of steam.

Polkville, NC

Just a short entry today to show you a couple highlights from the (very) small town where by father grew up. This is Polkville. In 2010, the population was 545 people. The building shown above is what remains of what once was the bustling center of town. This was the cotton gin.

Mast General Store, Valle Crucis

I really enjoy finding a place to get a photo that steps out of time. This view of the store barely belies the modern age.

Valle Crucis, NC

After Leaving Staunton in early January, we headed south to North Carolina and spent the night in Boone. I wanted to show Anna and Set where I went to college. But, alas! Appalachian State has grown so much in 50 years that it is hardly recognizable. Who would have guessed?

Not far from Boone is the very small wide spot in the road called Valle Crucis. the main features here are few B&B's and a tavern and this general store. It was the first here and remains a central attraction.