The first day of summer is just over a week away. Before we bask in the warmth of the lush season and spring fades to a dream, I want to share a few more images from May, specifically, the last two weeks of May (images from early May are here).
As our state slowly, carefully emerges from the COVID restrictions, the county where I live is now beginning to open restaurants and retail businesses. It’s good to see people sitting at tables in coffee shops again and not just getting their drinks to go. It will be nice to see stores opening too, but I really long to travel, at least for an overnight road trip. I’m not sure when that will be feasible. We’re watching to see how other counties fare as they open more businesses and people move around more. In the meantime, we did take a few day trips last month, at places that are an hour or two away. I still spend lots of time in local parks and there’s plenty to see right here at home, too:
1. The old bamboo birdcage takes on new life surrounded my late May’s super-saturated greens.
2. Afternoon sunlight in the forest at Pass Lake, Deception Pass State Park. These are Red Huckleberry bushes (Vaccinium parvifolium), a common understory plant in our woods.
3. Another detail, the same day. These two photographs were made with a vintage Takumar 50mm f1.4 lens, using spot metering in the camera.
4. And now for something completely different…a fallen tree in the bay at Larrabee State Park. The San Juan Islands are seen on the horizon; behind them is Vancouver Island, Canada.
5. Rock close-ups from Larrabee. The rock looks smooth to the touch but it feels granular and rough. A chemical weathering process in the sandstone is continuously changing the shape of these rocks (which I have featured in previous posts).
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6. A peaceful view from Larrabee, looking out over Salish Sea waters toward the San Juans.
7. One day we explored Northern State Hospital, a decommissioned state mental health facility that operated between 1912 and 1976. Mental health treatment has never been as compassionate as one would like, especially at the state level. However, there were positive aspects to treatment here: the facility was in a beautiful, rural setting and patients could get involved in farm work. There was a library, a greenhouse, and opportunities for recreation. Still, most or all of the patients were there involuntarily. Many of them didn’t have any mental illnesses but were people who didn’t fit in with prevailing norms and lacked the means to get by on their own.
8. The romantically decrepit wooden buildings at Northern State attract their share of photographers and people who are just there to hang out. Signs stating that buildings are not safe to enter are ignored. Having worked closely with seriously mentally ill adults in the past and remembering their suffering, I quickly became tired of wandering around a place that feels haunted by painful memories.
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9. Rabbits everywhere!
10. A Douglas fir (left) snuggles up to a Madrone tree at Washington Park. A perfect example of different bark textures.
11. Interesting textures on driftwood at Deception Pass. The brown circles are probably a rim lichen, or Lecanora. Orange and blue-green patches are lichens, too.
12. A Great Blue heron fishes under a massive rock covered with lichens, moss and plants. Bowman Bay, Deception Pass State Park. Scenes like this one make my day.
13. Sixty miles southeast of home at the edge of the Boulder River Wilderness, the Neiderprum trail climbs into the North Cascades. One weekday we followed part of the trail, beginning alongside Moose Creek, where I found this fading Western buttercup (Ranunculus occidentalis) hanging over the rushing waters.
14. The light changed a few steps away where delicate Piggy-back plants (Tolmiea menziesii) also dangled over the creek. This native wildflower in the Saxifrage family is called Piggyback plant (or Youth-on-age) because buds develop into new plants at the base of leaves. These plants can drop off and root in the soil.
15. A quick shot out the window as we left the mountains.
16. So far, it’s been a good year for moss. These photos were made in different places – the sight of old leaves decomposing on a thick bed of moss is a common one here.
17. A snail leaves a slime trail on the moss and heads across a dog lichen, or Peltigera. This is probably a Pacific sideband snail, a hermaphroditic land snail that employs “love darts” in courtship. The small, arrow-shaped dart is fired on contact. If it pierces the receiving snail, mucous is released that aids sperm movement, which benefits reproduction. From Wikipedia: The mucus carries an allohormone that is transferred into the recipient snail’s hemolymph when the dart is stabbed. This allohormone reconfigures the female component of the reproductive system in the receiving individual: the bursa copulax (sperm digestion organ) becomes closed off, and the copulatory canal (leading to the sperm storage) is opened. This reconfiguration allows more sperm to access the sperm storage area and fertilize eggs, rather than being digested. Ultimately this increases the shooter’s paternity. Do you have more respect for snails now??
18. A tangle of lichen that fell out of a tree, probably Old Man’s Beard, or Usnea longissima. When pieces are blown off of tree branches some of them are sure to land in hospitable places. That simple process disperses the lichen – like seeds blown by the wind disperse flowering plants. Old Man’s Beard: a lovely, rootless vagabond. (The orange objects are the male, pollen-bearing cones of Douglas firs, and right now they’re everywhere!).
19. A surprisingly tropical-looking scene at the edge of the woods at Cornet Bay, Deception Pass State Park. The orange flowers are Orange honeysuckle (Lonicera ciliosa). The pink ones are the native Nootka rose (Rosa nutkana). The ferns are Western bracken; the aggressive bracken fern is found all over the world.
20. A Deer fern (Blechnum spicant) performing the annual spring dance of frond unfolding. Foraged by deer, the plant was also used medicinally by some indigenous people. It is appreciated in shade gardens here and abroad and is known as Hard fern in England.
21. Sword fern, our most common fern, continued to unfurl new fronds in May. At home I watched in great annoyance as a deer nibbled just the tips of 6 or 7 new fronds one day, ruining the graceful vase shape of the plant. But since then, no more leaves have been sampled so I’ll allow it. The deer’s mantra seems to be, “A little of this, a little of that.” 🙂
22. Get outside if you can!
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“A desk is a dangerous place from which to watch the world.” – John Le Carre
I always enjoy coming to your blog and admire the artistic photos of nature that you take so well. This blog in particular has some fantastic gems. Thank you for sharing them with us.
It’s true, the variety is amazing for such a small place. We weren’t at all sure we’d be able to find something affordable here but we did, and it’s great. But I do miss NY scenery, flora and fauna from time to time. Maybe we’ll get back to the city within the next year – if we do it would be fun to see you.
Thanks so much, Marcus. Many of these were made with the 60mm macro, which for me, works in a variety of situations. We can’t cross the border (with Canada) yet but, well, one thing at a time, right? Enjoy your vacation!
🙂 Good! They were running around in the tall grasses and I liked the half-hidden look. Later I emphasized the detail and reduced the saturation to give it that look. Thank you! Enjoy your weekend, OK?
How about that green diagonal in #2?
The first rock forms in #5 are especially pleasing. They seem to qualify as tafoni.
The rabbit in #9 is so well camouflaged.
In #11, the dark brown lichen on the lighter-colored wood makes an impressive contrast.
I like the lichens and mosses on the boulder in #12.
The flowers in #14 looked to me like little insects, maybe crickets.
So you joined the snail picture parade in #17. The accompany text offers quite a different take on Cupid’s dart.
In contrast to your old man’s beard in #18, that term gets used in central Texas for a clematis. The sizes are quite different.
How nice to have such a bright native honeysuckle to complement your forest greenery.
What an unusual fern the one in #20 is. The green “vertebrae” in the background do a good job of echoing the linear little leaves along the fern stalk.
Good curling in #21.
What a fun comment, Steve, thank you. You’re right about tafoni…I was afraid there was getting to be too much text so I didn’t mention it. At very low tides you can walk under the rocks in #12 and investigate things – that’s a favorite spot (for me and the heron). Those flowers in #12 are tiny, as you’d guess, so you don’t really see that detail until you get it on the screen.
I remember Curly-headed Thomas as another moniker for certain wild clematis species in the south. Have you heard that one?
Re #20, again I decided not to go into it, but this frond must be a spore-bearing one, and in Deer fern, spore-bearing fronds look very different from the “regular” ones, which tend to lie flatter and look more like typical fern foliage. The fertile fronds stick straight up and have a wiry look. It’s a very cool plant. 🙂 I’m happy when I can get another plant shadowing the in-focus one in these wide aperture shots, thanks for noting that.
I’m remiss in getting to your blog…I’ll be there soon!!
My parents retired to western NC and I think that’s where my mother heard Curly-headed Thomas. It’s interesting the way these names have regional variations…and the way our own looks have seasonal variations… 😉
More great stuff here, Lynn. I have some comments, too:
4 – I’d have cropped about 8% from the left side, just to the left of where the darker line of distant hills merges with its horizontal counterpart. For me, the structures to the left of that point are a distraction.
5 – the left image is fantastic!
11 – I’d crop the right 25%, which I find distracting from the more interesting (and centered) rich brown lichens on the white wood.
12 – nearly perfect, though I’d darken the water below the heron.
21 – amazing and inspiring!
Right, I can see that about #4. Agreed! 🙂 With #11, I kept the part you mention because of the curve – I like the sweep across the frame and that curve finishes it, for me. Darkening the water below the heron sounds like a good idea. #21 is really a very common sight here because it’s our most common fern, in fact in many places it’s the most common understory plant. I love the way ferns unfurl and I’m pleased that you liked this one. Thanks for your comments and ideas, Gary…have a great weekend.
You’re so lucky to be in a lower covid area than here, my friend! Good pictures, my favourites are 2, 4, 9, 14 and 19 >>> and love the Le Carre quote >>> I’m very much a George Smiley fan! 🙂
The population density must be a lot lower here than in your area and that sure helps. Your “favs” are interesting, once again – I would have predicted #2 but not #19. It’s always interesting to see what grabs people, right? Enjoy the weekend, Adrian, keep walking, keep shooting, and stay safe.
What a treat! #19 is especially great for a Friday, a bit of festive Mardi Gras parade to kick off the weekend.
I love the shots you did with dark backgrounds, 2, 3, and especially 21 – a still life but with all the springy energy of the fronds’ uncurling.
And as always, so many of the subjects in your photos, including the plant life and stones, look sentient. The deer fern in #20, like a skinny alien caterpillar, having a look round, and maybe because I grew up with people who talk with their hands, the piggyback plant in #14, I see Steve S. saw little insects, absolutely, and it also looks like the flowers are all gesturing, waving their skinny arms around, yelling to the bees maybe.
#18 for some reason, it struck me that the Old Man’s Beard decided to do a sketch of Jerry Garcia.
The snail info is interesting, I wondered if this dart can pierce their shell, or is only aimed at the squishy bits, really fascinating science. I always like the spiral shapes, and often the colors, but have to say, that slime- and mucous-spreader in #17 and the icky-looking brown fungus deserve each other.
Wow the colors, patterns, and textures in #5 & #11 are just kind of spellbinding, aren’t they. It’s a wonderful ramble, I’ll look again this weekend, thank you.
The festive Mardi Gras look is so, well, almost antithetical to the Pacific Northwest. I was delighted when I saw that natural garden. 🙂 The dark backgrounds came easy when you use spot metering in camera – it can be addictive. I have to tell myself to turn it off sometimes.
A certain significant other who thinks in cartoons might have rubbed off on me, causing me to notice things like the sprightly Deer fern unfurling.
What a treat to read that you find sentience in the photos, though. That’s good to know. I like the idea that the flower in #14 is trying to get the bees’ attention, each tiny flower vying for it. And I love the Garcia connection – it was a frumpy-looking mess, in a way. The love darts aren’t hard enough to pierce the shell if I understand correctly. I guess that would be a waste. I think somewhere in Wikipedia I saw a long line of drawings of different snail species’ darts, each shaped slightly differently. Crazy!!! The people who study that process must have interesting dinner conversations. I won’t tell the lichen what you said – actually those Peltigeras can be beautiful. 🙂
Thanks for your enthusiasm, your special take on things, and for sharing your time. Keep your eyes out!
So many beautiful images. The rocks are a particular favorite for me in this series, and in life I suppose. Thanks for the reminder to step away from my desk. I’ve been doing so much editing that – other than driving – I’ve hardly been outside for the last couple weeks. It’s time for a nice walk, as soon as it stops raining. I’m so glad you’ve been out in the spring. I have several of your posts saved up to enjoy eventually. Sorry I’ve been somewhat absent. I’ve been focused on several writing projects. ‘See’ you again soon!
Rocks…there’s so much to like around here that it might be easy to overlook them, but really, you can’t – they’re often so spectacular. You have a particularly nice one in your “backyard.” 😉 I find it really difficult to step away from the computer as often as I should. You get sucked in, especially to editing, I think – whether it’s words or pictures. But I do get out almost daily, for good walks, sometimes not long but often a few miles or so. It helps that there’s so much variety here and it’s still rather new to me. Often it’s possible to scoot out between showers on rainy days – we’re on the edge of the rain shadow so it’s not as rainy here. Please don’t worry about being “absent.” If you’re engrossed in writing projects, that’s a good thing, for sure. Whenever! Have a good weekend, whatever you do with it. 😉
Yes, having a new area to explore definitely helps on the motivation to get outside. It took a long time for the novelty to wear off here for me, but it finally did, I suppose. Every time I go out I see different things, however, so it’s really just a matter of deciding to go. It always feels great once I’m out there. Decided to take a drive out to Middle Fork today since a little to rainy to walk. Marvelous to have it open again. There were two sections of road that were down to gravel from spring washouts and slides, but we can drive all the way out to the end again. I like to go there when rain threatens since it’s not overrun with tourists. 🙂 Enjoy your walks!
Love the shot of the deer fern. Also, despite the rough memories for you, the #8 pair of shots are my favourite of this collection. The lighting and framing in both really draw you in.
Alison
Thank you, Alison. It was fun to photograph there for a while. There were lots of opportunities like that, with the buildings being dark and the sun outside. It surprised me that people are allowed to freely walk around there – that’s a good thing, but coming from the east coast, I’m used to people being more worried about being sued! 🙂 Enjoy the weekend – it’s been wet lately but we’re going to get a little sun this afternoon, I think…maybe the same for you, or similar.
It’s always a pleasure to walk with you, Lynn. This series shows again that you are realy aware of the world around you. Great care for the details of the things you meet; you capture the beauty of what and how they ‘are’. Thanks. ✋
Just this, as the zen saying goes, and if you get even a little of that feeling from these photos, then I’m happy. Thank you very much! I hope you’re having a nice weekend. 🙂
I always feel peaceful after immersing myself in your images and narrative, Lynn. The fallen tree is so interesting, the close-ups are fascinating- especially the unfurling deer fern (wow!), the piggy back blooms looked like insects at first glance 😀, and your snail is excellent. Wonderful, as always.
Thanks very much, Jane. What a good thing to read, that the posts bring a little peace your way. At first, that fallen tree presented a kind of ugly scene but I kept looking and then I saw the possibilities. There are times when a second look is needed. The snail was fun – the other day I saw one of our famous banana slugs – it was all-over dull yellow, and almost as long as my hand! Pretty crazy. 😉 The old buildings did have some nice viewpoints, with all the windows and doors. No pressure, but it will be fun to see what architectural gems will catch your eye in the coming months. 🙂
Love all your pictures, especially the rock close-ups! So much texture in those. Glad things are opening up over there, I don’t think Yakima is ever going to open up. <>
Those rock close-ups are so enjoyable to work on. I’ve photographed the rocks there a number of times and always find more. I’m really sorry to hear how things have been going in the Yakima area. Are most people wearing masks at stores now? It must be very discouraging for you. Hang in there! And hopefully, at least going for drives and finding uncrowded places to walk isn’t too difficult. Take care!
I do not go out much, but my partner (and others on Facebook) say people are finally starting to wear masks. It is very discouraging, but I’ve been retired for 3 1/2 years, and being somewhat of an introvert, it does not bother me much. Others are going nuts, though. We do walk around our nearby area often, and rarely encounter people. Thanks for your concern!
Being retired sure helps one get through this. And being an introvert or having a compelling passion that doesn’t require other people (e.g. not singing in a chorale) – that helps, too. I think I’m seeing the going nuts syndrome in action when people drive badly. 😉 We’ll get through!
Another beautiful post full of details and knowledge, justifying very well the last sentence by John Le Carre!
I really appreciate the texture and colors of the sandstones… the lichens … the “spring dance” of the ferns … the tender partnership between the Douglas fir and the Madrone tree … the rabbit (I love rabbits!) … and the epic history of snail’s reproductive process! Are all the snails hermaphrodites or just some species?
Thanks for sharing and have a nice Sunday!
An “epic history” sums it up well, Dulce. I read that “most” snails are hermaphroditic. The world never ceases to amaze us, right? Thank you for cheering me on. 🙂 We have sun now, and cool, comfortable temperatures, so even though lots of people will be out this afternoon, I’m going to try taking a walk at a park. Usually, I’m out more on weekdays. I hope you had a good day, too.
🙂 I’m glad you included #9, Louis…it was fun to do, that one. #19 was lucky in a way because one doesn’t often see wildflowers in wooded settings here that are a) so colorful and b) arranged so pleasingly. Really small flowers growing on bluffs with rocks often arrange themselves beautifully, but not bigger flowers in the woods. I guess the point is to keep going out because there’s always something different to see. Thanks!
A wonderful set of images, Lynn, especially the rock shots (#5). The thing I miss the most is my time at the Museum. There is no opening date set for it and my guess is it will remain closed for quite a while, at least for volunteers. And I haven’t been out to a movie in years so I haven’t missed it much. I don’t like to eat out, so that hasn’t been much much of a problem either but I have missed the concerts. It’s interesting to me how easy it is for some folks to get used to a different lifestyle.
Thank you, Ken. Those rocks are really beautiful, and a pleasure to explore. There are more formations higher up in a wooded area but it’s super-steep so I want to be feeling strong before I tackle that walk. I’m sorry about the museum – they are such wonderful places, I miss having that option too, though there aren’t many near here. It’s interesting that institutions can’t handle volunteers now – there’s a land trust here that I did some work for a few times and I know they too have halted volunteer work – and that’s outdoors, where the risk is lower. But I guess it’s all about staffing. You need staff to keep an eye on volunteers, if only for liability protection for the institution. As for movies, we don’t go either, but I do like eating out once in a while. That’s finally becoming possible here but we’ll continue getting “to go” for a while. Overall, we too have noticed that this huge change in the life of people on our planet has not actually modified our own routines much at all. It sure helps to be retired. 🙂
A very nice May post Lynn! So many different topics, but alltogether a beautiful series. I love the first two pictures with this special light. I try to capture such moments, but often it doesn’t work. With your vintage lens you made it visible as it really is 🙂 Great! Then the structures are fantastic. I always like these. The fallen tree is strange somehow. It looks a bit like mangroves, like a small wood in the water. – The photos of the hospital, for though it is a depressing place of some kind, are fantastic too. I like the geometry and the view in #8! A view into a better future maybe and the pattern and atmosphere of the old. Very well captured! – Of course I like the filigree flowers and ferns. I like them in front of this greyish-blue background, a great contrast! I love #20 – what a fern! Moss and snails (yes, I have even more respect now 😉 and lichen (interesting patterns, I would have thought the brown ones to be a fungus, but apparently there is more lichen than I know. Do you know how many lichens grow in your area? There must be a lot?) are wonderful too. I love honeysuckle, it can smell so well 🙂 Thank you for taking us around with you! It was a nice walk I enjoyed very much 🙂
Thank you! Look for a spot metering option on your camera – what would that be called in German? It’s where the camera selects one small place to read the light. In the case of the photos with dark backgrounds, You point the camera at a bright place and press the shutter halfway so the camera can expose the shot, then you can move the camera to another place if you need to, before completely pressing the shutter. For me, it was revolutionary. I leave my camera on spot metering most of the time now and rarely go back to the option where the camera chooses an average light reading for the exposure. I hope that makes sense. The vintage lens actually doesn’t have anything to do with it – it works the same no matter what lens I use. But the vintage lens does have a subtle quality that is hard to define, but I like it. 🙂 That tree that fell does look odd, with the branches sticking up like that. Maybe a storm will turn it someday and it won’t look like that anymore.
I’m glad you liked the “architecture” shots. I do love to photograph buildings but there aren’t many interesting ones in my area. The fern in #20 is special – you probably have seen ferns that have separate stalks, or fronds, for spores. This fern does that – it has fertile, spore-bearing leaves and separate non-fertile leaves. The one in the photo is probably a new spore-bearing frond. They are very stiff and stand up straight, so the spores will blow off. The other fronds lie close to the ground. It’s a really pretty fern, and sometimes it is sold for gardens.
The brown, round-ish lichen is, like all lichens, part fungus, right? So you would be correct, you just left out the algae partner. 😉 Lichens take SO many different forms. And yes, this area is especially rich in lichens. We’re very primitive here. 😉
That honeysuckle doesn’t smell really fragrant like the cream-colored one, but it’s so beautiful that we will forgive it. 😉
Glad you enjoyed the post!!!
Thank you for the info. I will try it with the spot metering option. I think I understand what you mean. I will tell you next time I tried if it worked or not 🙂 The effect is fantastic! – I have never seen such fern before. It would be fun to watch it in slow motion, distributing its pollen all around the place. – Oh, how could I forget about algae 😉 Lots to learn. I don’t think you are that primitive. At least the lichen grows already on trees 😉
🙂 I hope you can play around with different ways of metering. Imagine, people used to walk around with a separate little light meter and point it at things, then adjust their camera settings. There are so many options now. 🙂
Hey Lynn, I too always enjoy my visits to your blog! Such a wonderful collection of images. What an eye you have! So much beauty .. thanks for making me smile.
🙂 Don’t plant any lettuce! We enjoy seeing them in our yard, and I often see them in parks when I go walking. Right now there are lots of them!
Thanks for stopping by, I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
Thank you, Dave. We haven’t been too far but we did drive east for an hour or two a few times, and up to Bellingham a few times. Can you at least head over to the falls on the river on a quiet weekday? Or does that not count? 😉 I forgot, cases are increasing in Oregon, but is that occurring in more rural areas? Whatever the case, I know we all are ready for this to be over!
Falling forever behind it seems…
4- the drooping trees and the ripples in the water
5- they do look smooth and sensuous, but I can also imagine the course feel of them. the middle one especially draws me in with the subtle coloring. the last one… the odd shape and fluorescent color surely must be man made?
6- the trickle leads me out, but then the leaves ground me once again. Lovely.
10- what a delight to see the two textures snuggled up close like that
11- we rarely see lichen on our driftwood. the piles of it along the shore are generally sun bleached. I like your polka dots.
12- made my day, too
18- I see a delicate bridal veil
22- beckoning me right down that charming path
I really need to try to get to your posts sooner to keep from scrolling back and forth through all the prior enthusiastic comments! 😉
Funny how you’re itching to go a-traveling while I’m utterly content to settle in for the duration, resenting the folks who take a mask to be a political statement.
Don’t worry about being behind – I’m always behind, too. In the rock clove-ups from Larrabee Park, the man-made looking stuff in the right-hand photo is a ball of seaweed, maybe eelgrass, and it caught the sun. I did enhance the color a little, but it was shining and colorful on its own. Thankfully, there’s very little man-made stuff ion the shorelines here. The shot of a Redcedar snuggling with a Doug fir is a scene I find very, very often here. It’s as if they want to be close. So often, I see those two species growing very closely together. I’m glad you liked that huge rock with the heron (#!@). It’s a favorite spot I visit over and over again. Gunta, I love the idea of a lichen bridal veil! 🙂
Yes, masks are not political statements…our governor required them yesterday unless you’re outside exercising with plenty of space, or in your car or at home, basically. At least it’s not hot and humid like NYC gets – that would be much harder. Take care, Gunta, and thanks!
Simply beautiful, dear Lynn. So it is not April, but May the favourite month? Or always the one which is actually on?
However, as always, I love all your pictures, but highly impressive I find the fallen tree lying in the water. Its branches look like several trees on their own, and the whole situation contains a remarkable clearness, which I find a bit disturbing. Not in the sense of ‘you should remove it’ but with a feeling of a very special intensity in the picture.
May used to be the favorite month but now it would be April – if I had to pick. I can’t quite bring myself to say the current month is always the favorite because I find myself longing for early spring at other times of the year…and I was reminded of the beauty of the light here on winter days when I scrolled through Lightroom the other day…let’s just say life outdoors is the favorite month. 😉 Ahh, I’m very pleased that the fallen tree resonated with you. Funny thing – it’s not a typical “pretty” sight, as you noted. And there’s a tendency to look for “pretty” when you’re outdoors with that little black box in your hands. At first, I discarded the idea of photographing that tree, thinking I couldn’t make it look right, but I quickly changed my mind and was glad I did when I got home. You were caught by the intensity, as I was. It’s an odd sight. Thank you for taking the time to express your reaction, Ule, I appreciate it so much.
Another very enjoyable wander with you, Lynn. So many lovely scenes and I am envious of your location…but we’ve traded that envy before. 🙂 I like the way you’ve captured the light in #2 making a common plant look extraordinarily lovely. My favorite of all is number 11. I am always fascinated by intimate textures and those of that particular piece of driftwood are a pleasure to see. Thanks for sharing another collection of wonder.
I’m glad to hear you liked those lichens, Steve. 😉 They fascinate me but photographing these textures close-up is a daunting task. I’m just not that technically oriented, and not patient enough to use a reflector, a tripod, etc., so I do what I can and hope it works out. And sometimes it’s OK. 🙂 And wonder, yes, let’s hope that sense never leaves us.
It’s true I come to re and read your posts and learn more about nature and ferns too 💚looks like the rabbits well hidden…and yes we need to see off our desks…be outside it’s the best…I showed my daughter your posts so she can learn more along the way…big hugs Lynn ☀️🙋♀️☺️
Hi – I’m not sure but I think it could be. We were out near Darrington that day and I see on the map that Whitehorse Mtn. is near there. You must know your PNW mountains!
I thought I recognized that summit section from a long ago climb. That photo drew me to your blog which is fortunate for me – very pleasant to look through..
Wonderful images, Lynn…the two surrounded by the darkness…the textures of wood and rock…and the trail in the last one…so inviting. And yes, perfect words at the end, as well…to get out from behind one’s desk to see the world. It’s necessary to view it from there sometimes, like visiting with friends from across the planet, going down their depicted trails, etc….beautiful.
Thanks, Scott. I’ve grown to really like that chiaroscuro effect with a lot of darkness – using spot metering on the camera makes it easy in the woods here. As much as we both value getting out, of course, we also see the value of the internet, and now I see how funny it is that I chose that quote at the end – I was suggesting people should get out but obviously, I was trying to keep them glued a little longer, too! 😉
bluebrightly 
I always enjoy coming to your blog and admire the artistic photos of nature that you take so well. This blog in particular has some fantastic gems. Thank you for sharing them with us.
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Thank you so much, Hien, that’s good to hear. Spring has been great here this year. 🙂
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so nice for you to have such variety available, and nice for us to share your fascination with nature
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It’s true, the variety is amazing for such a small place. We weren’t at all sure we’d be able to find something affordable here but we did, and it’s great. But I do miss NY scenery, flora and fauna from time to time. Maybe we’ll get back to the city within the next year – if we do it would be fun to see you.
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Great to hear that things improve on your side! Stay safe boneless, Lynn. I’m in love with the first two images, although all are beautiful! Marcus
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Thanks so much, Marcus. Many of these were made with the 60mm macro, which for me, works in a variety of situations. We can’t cross the border (with Canada) yet but, well, one thing at a time, right? Enjoy your vacation!
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Ah, such beauty, as always, Miss Blue. Just can’t get over the rabbit photo. What an unusual catch.
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🙂 Good! They were running around in the tall grasses and I liked the half-hidden look. Later I emphasized the detail and reduced the saturation to give it that look. Thank you! Enjoy your weekend, OK?
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How about that green diagonal in #2?
The first rock forms in #5 are especially pleasing. They seem to qualify as tafoni.
The rabbit in #9 is so well camouflaged.
In #11, the dark brown lichen on the lighter-colored wood makes an impressive contrast.
I like the lichens and mosses on the boulder in #12.
The flowers in #14 looked to me like little insects, maybe crickets.
So you joined the snail picture parade in #17. The accompany text offers quite a different take on Cupid’s dart.
In contrast to your old man’s beard in #18, that term gets used in central Texas for a clematis. The sizes are quite different.
How nice to have such a bright native honeysuckle to complement your forest greenery.
What an unusual fern the one in #20 is. The green “vertebrae” in the background do a good job of echoing the linear little leaves along the fern stalk.
Good curling in #21.
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What a fun comment, Steve, thank you. You’re right about tafoni…I was afraid there was getting to be too much text so I didn’t mention it. At very low tides you can walk under the rocks in #12 and investigate things – that’s a favorite spot (for me and the heron). Those flowers in #12 are tiny, as you’d guess, so you don’t really see that detail until you get it on the screen.
I remember Curly-headed Thomas as another moniker for certain wild clematis species in the south. Have you heard that one?
Re #20, again I decided not to go into it, but this frond must be a spore-bearing one, and in Deer fern, spore-bearing fronds look very different from the “regular” ones, which tend to lie flatter and look more like typical fern foliage. The fertile fronds stick straight up and have a wiry look. It’s a very cool plant. 🙂 I’m happy when I can get another plant shadowing the in-focus one in these wide aperture shots, thanks for noting that.
I’m remiss in getting to your blog…I’ll be there soon!!
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I’ve heard of doubting Thomas but never curly-headed Thomas. I used to be curly-headed Steve before old man’s beard became a fitting moniker.
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My parents retired to western NC and I think that’s where my mother heard Curly-headed Thomas. It’s interesting the way these names have regional variations…and the way our own looks have seasonal variations… 😉
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beautiful fotos…
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Thank you so much for letting me know you took a look at the post, and I’m glad you enjoyed the photos.
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More great stuff here, Lynn. I have some comments, too:
4 – I’d have cropped about 8% from the left side, just to the left of where the darker line of distant hills merges with its horizontal counterpart. For me, the structures to the left of that point are a distraction.
5 – the left image is fantastic!
11 – I’d crop the right 25%, which I find distracting from the more interesting (and centered) rich brown lichens on the white wood.
12 – nearly perfect, though I’d darken the water below the heron.
21 – amazing and inspiring!
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Right, I can see that about #4. Agreed! 🙂 With #11, I kept the part you mention because of the curve – I like the sweep across the frame and that curve finishes it, for me. Darkening the water below the heron sounds like a good idea. #21 is really a very common sight here because it’s our most common fern, in fact in many places it’s the most common understory plant. I love the way ferns unfurl and I’m pleased that you liked this one. Thanks for your comments and ideas, Gary…have a great weekend.
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You’re so lucky to be in a lower covid area than here, my friend! Good pictures, my favourites are 2, 4, 9, 14 and 19 >>> and love the Le Carre quote >>> I’m very much a George Smiley fan! 🙂
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The population density must be a lot lower here than in your area and that sure helps. Your “favs” are interesting, once again – I would have predicted #2 but not #19. It’s always interesting to see what grabs people, right? Enjoy the weekend, Adrian, keep walking, keep shooting, and stay safe.
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Merci pour ces magnifiques voyages en image..sourire…c’est un vrai bonheur…!
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“Voyages en image” est parfait. Merci Irene!
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What a great set of images. Thanks for sharing. Best wishes, Mr C 🙂
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It’s good to hear from you – thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed these, Mr. C. 🙂
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What a treat! #19 is especially great for a Friday, a bit of festive Mardi Gras parade to kick off the weekend.
I love the shots you did with dark backgrounds, 2, 3, and especially 21 – a still life but with all the springy energy of the fronds’ uncurling.
And as always, so many of the subjects in your photos, including the plant life and stones, look sentient. The deer fern in #20, like a skinny alien caterpillar, having a look round, and maybe because I grew up with people who talk with their hands, the piggyback plant in #14, I see Steve S. saw little insects, absolutely, and it also looks like the flowers are all gesturing, waving their skinny arms around, yelling to the bees maybe.
#18 for some reason, it struck me that the Old Man’s Beard decided to do a sketch of Jerry Garcia.
The snail info is interesting, I wondered if this dart can pierce their shell, or is only aimed at the squishy bits, really fascinating science. I always like the spiral shapes, and often the colors, but have to say, that slime- and mucous-spreader in #17 and the icky-looking brown fungus deserve each other.
Wow the colors, patterns, and textures in #5 & #11 are just kind of spellbinding, aren’t they. It’s a wonderful ramble, I’ll look again this weekend, thank you.
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The festive Mardi Gras look is so, well, almost antithetical to the Pacific Northwest. I was delighted when I saw that natural garden. 🙂 The dark backgrounds came easy when you use spot metering in camera – it can be addictive. I have to tell myself to turn it off sometimes.
A certain significant other who thinks in cartoons might have rubbed off on me, causing me to notice things like the sprightly Deer fern unfurling.
What a treat to read that you find sentience in the photos, though. That’s good to know. I like the idea that the flower in #14 is trying to get the bees’ attention, each tiny flower vying for it. And I love the Garcia connection – it was a frumpy-looking mess, in a way. The love darts aren’t hard enough to pierce the shell if I understand correctly. I guess that would be a waste. I think somewhere in Wikipedia I saw a long line of drawings of different snail species’ darts, each shaped slightly differently. Crazy!!! The people who study that process must have interesting dinner conversations. I won’t tell the lichen what you said – actually those Peltigeras can be beautiful. 🙂
Thanks for your enthusiasm, your special take on things, and for sharing your time. Keep your eyes out!
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So many beautiful images. The rocks are a particular favorite for me in this series, and in life I suppose. Thanks for the reminder to step away from my desk. I’ve been doing so much editing that – other than driving – I’ve hardly been outside for the last couple weeks. It’s time for a nice walk, as soon as it stops raining. I’m so glad you’ve been out in the spring. I have several of your posts saved up to enjoy eventually. Sorry I’ve been somewhat absent. I’ve been focused on several writing projects. ‘See’ you again soon!
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Rocks…there’s so much to like around here that it might be easy to overlook them, but really, you can’t – they’re often so spectacular. You have a particularly nice one in your “backyard.” 😉 I find it really difficult to step away from the computer as often as I should. You get sucked in, especially to editing, I think – whether it’s words or pictures. But I do get out almost daily, for good walks, sometimes not long but often a few miles or so. It helps that there’s so much variety here and it’s still rather new to me. Often it’s possible to scoot out between showers on rainy days – we’re on the edge of the rain shadow so it’s not as rainy here. Please don’t worry about being “absent.” If you’re engrossed in writing projects, that’s a good thing, for sure. Whenever! Have a good weekend, whatever you do with it. 😉
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Yes, having a new area to explore definitely helps on the motivation to get outside. It took a long time for the novelty to wear off here for me, but it finally did, I suppose. Every time I go out I see different things, however, so it’s really just a matter of deciding to go. It always feels great once I’m out there. Decided to take a drive out to Middle Fork today since a little to rainy to walk. Marvelous to have it open again. There were two sections of road that were down to gravel from spring washouts and slides, but we can drive all the way out to the end again. I like to go there when rain threatens since it’s not overrun with tourists. 🙂 Enjoy your walks!
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Wonderful pictures Lynn! For today I am too tired, but I will come back again soon 🙂
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No problem! Rest!
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Love the shot of the deer fern. Also, despite the rough memories for you, the #8 pair of shots are my favourite of this collection. The lighting and framing in both really draw you in.
Alison
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Thank you, Alison. It was fun to photograph there for a while. There were lots of opportunities like that, with the buildings being dark and the sun outside. It surprised me that people are allowed to freely walk around there – that’s a good thing, but coming from the east coast, I’m used to people being more worried about being sued! 🙂 Enjoy the weekend – it’s been wet lately but we’re going to get a little sun this afternoon, I think…maybe the same for you, or similar.
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Similar. Lots of rain lately. I don’t mind the rain. At the same time I’m beginning to wonder when we’re going to get summer 😦
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It’s always a pleasure to walk with you, Lynn. This series shows again that you are realy aware of the world around you. Great care for the details of the things you meet; you capture the beauty of what and how they ‘are’. Thanks. ✋
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Just this, as the zen saying goes, and if you get even a little of that feeling from these photos, then I’m happy. Thank you very much! I hope you’re having a nice weekend. 🙂
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🤍 20 & 20. And, of course, 5 fascinates me – lovely studies in texture and form.
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That fern has personality, right? 🙂 And the rocks – I love going up there, it’s a great place to get lost in. Glad you liked those – thanks, Graham. 🙂
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👍😊🙏
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I always feel peaceful after immersing myself in your images and narrative, Lynn. The fallen tree is so interesting, the close-ups are fascinating- especially the unfurling deer fern (wow!), the piggy back blooms looked like insects at first glance 😀, and your snail is excellent. Wonderful, as always.
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PS Forgot to mention the architectural captures…love these old buildings. Your frame within a frame of the three windows is very well seen. 🙂
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Thanks very much, Jane. What a good thing to read, that the posts bring a little peace your way. At first, that fallen tree presented a kind of ugly scene but I kept looking and then I saw the possibilities. There are times when a second look is needed. The snail was fun – the other day I saw one of our famous banana slugs – it was all-over dull yellow, and almost as long as my hand! Pretty crazy. 😉 The old buildings did have some nice viewpoints, with all the windows and doors. No pressure, but it will be fun to see what architectural gems will catch your eye in the coming months. 🙂
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Love all your pictures, especially the rock close-ups! So much texture in those. Glad things are opening up over there, I don’t think Yakima is ever going to open up. <>
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Those rock close-ups are so enjoyable to work on. I’ve photographed the rocks there a number of times and always find more. I’m really sorry to hear how things have been going in the Yakima area. Are most people wearing masks at stores now? It must be very discouraging for you. Hang in there! And hopefully, at least going for drives and finding uncrowded places to walk isn’t too difficult. Take care!
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I do not go out much, but my partner (and others on Facebook) say people are finally starting to wear masks. It is very discouraging, but I’ve been retired for 3 1/2 years, and being somewhat of an introvert, it does not bother me much. Others are going nuts, though. We do walk around our nearby area often, and rarely encounter people. Thanks for your concern!
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Being retired sure helps one get through this. And being an introvert or having a compelling passion that doesn’t require other people (e.g. not singing in a chorale) – that helps, too. I think I’m seeing the going nuts syndrome in action when people drive badly. 😉 We’ll get through!
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Another beautiful post full of details and knowledge, justifying very well the last sentence by John Le Carre!
I really appreciate the texture and colors of the sandstones… the lichens … the “spring dance” of the ferns … the tender partnership between the Douglas fir and the Madrone tree … the rabbit (I love rabbits!) … and the epic history of snail’s reproductive process! Are all the snails hermaphrodites or just some species?
Thanks for sharing and have a nice Sunday!
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An “epic history” sums it up well, Dulce. I read that “most” snails are hermaphroditic. The world never ceases to amaze us, right? Thank you for cheering me on. 🙂 We have sun now, and cool, comfortable temperatures, so even though lots of people will be out this afternoon, I’m going to try taking a walk at a park. Usually, I’m out more on weekdays. I hope you had a good day, too.
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An interestingly diverse selection. as usual. I think my favourites on this occasion are 22 and 19. Of course, I also enjoyed 9!
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🙂 I’m glad you included #9, Louis…it was fun to do, that one. #19 was lucky in a way because one doesn’t often see wildflowers in wooded settings here that are a) so colorful and b) arranged so pleasingly. Really small flowers growing on bluffs with rocks often arrange themselves beautifully, but not bigger flowers in the woods. I guess the point is to keep going out because there’s always something different to see. Thanks!
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A wonderful set of images, Lynn, especially the rock shots (#5). The thing I miss the most is my time at the Museum. There is no opening date set for it and my guess is it will remain closed for quite a while, at least for volunteers. And I haven’t been out to a movie in years so I haven’t missed it much. I don’t like to eat out, so that hasn’t been much much of a problem either but I have missed the concerts. It’s interesting to me how easy it is for some folks to get used to a different lifestyle.
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Thank you, Ken. Those rocks are really beautiful, and a pleasure to explore. There are more formations higher up in a wooded area but it’s super-steep so I want to be feeling strong before I tackle that walk. I’m sorry about the museum – they are such wonderful places, I miss having that option too, though there aren’t many near here. It’s interesting that institutions can’t handle volunteers now – there’s a land trust here that I did some work for a few times and I know they too have halted volunteer work – and that’s outdoors, where the risk is lower. But I guess it’s all about staffing. You need staff to keep an eye on volunteers, if only for liability protection for the institution. As for movies, we don’t go either, but I do like eating out once in a while. That’s finally becoming possible here but we’ll continue getting “to go” for a while. Overall, we too have noticed that this huge change in the life of people on our planet has not actually modified our own routines much at all. It sure helps to be retired. 🙂
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A very nice May post Lynn! So many different topics, but alltogether a beautiful series. I love the first two pictures with this special light. I try to capture such moments, but often it doesn’t work. With your vintage lens you made it visible as it really is 🙂 Great! Then the structures are fantastic. I always like these. The fallen tree is strange somehow. It looks a bit like mangroves, like a small wood in the water. – The photos of the hospital, for though it is a depressing place of some kind, are fantastic too. I like the geometry and the view in #8! A view into a better future maybe and the pattern and atmosphere of the old. Very well captured! – Of course I like the filigree flowers and ferns. I like them in front of this greyish-blue background, a great contrast! I love #20 – what a fern! Moss and snails (yes, I have even more respect now 😉 and lichen (interesting patterns, I would have thought the brown ones to be a fungus, but apparently there is more lichen than I know. Do you know how many lichens grow in your area? There must be a lot?) are wonderful too. I love honeysuckle, it can smell so well 🙂 Thank you for taking us around with you! It was a nice walk I enjoyed very much 🙂
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Thank you! Look for a spot metering option on your camera – what would that be called in German? It’s where the camera selects one small place to read the light. In the case of the photos with dark backgrounds, You point the camera at a bright place and press the shutter halfway so the camera can expose the shot, then you can move the camera to another place if you need to, before completely pressing the shutter. For me, it was revolutionary. I leave my camera on spot metering most of the time now and rarely go back to the option where the camera chooses an average light reading for the exposure. I hope that makes sense. The vintage lens actually doesn’t have anything to do with it – it works the same no matter what lens I use. But the vintage lens does have a subtle quality that is hard to define, but I like it. 🙂 That tree that fell does look odd, with the branches sticking up like that. Maybe a storm will turn it someday and it won’t look like that anymore.
I’m glad you liked the “architecture” shots. I do love to photograph buildings but there aren’t many interesting ones in my area. The fern in #20 is special – you probably have seen ferns that have separate stalks, or fronds, for spores. This fern does that – it has fertile, spore-bearing leaves and separate non-fertile leaves. The one in the photo is probably a new spore-bearing frond. They are very stiff and stand up straight, so the spores will blow off. The other fronds lie close to the ground. It’s a really pretty fern, and sometimes it is sold for gardens.
The brown, round-ish lichen is, like all lichens, part fungus, right? So you would be correct, you just left out the algae partner. 😉 Lichens take SO many different forms. And yes, this area is especially rich in lichens. We’re very primitive here. 😉
That honeysuckle doesn’t smell really fragrant like the cream-colored one, but it’s so beautiful that we will forgive it. 😉
Glad you enjoyed the post!!!
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Thank you for the info. I will try it with the spot metering option. I think I understand what you mean. I will tell you next time I tried if it worked or not 🙂 The effect is fantastic! – I have never seen such fern before. It would be fun to watch it in slow motion, distributing its pollen all around the place. – Oh, how could I forget about algae 😉 Lots to learn. I don’t think you are that primitive. At least the lichen grows already on trees 😉
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🙂 I hope you can play around with different ways of metering. Imagine, people used to walk around with a separate little light meter and point it at things, then adjust their camera settings. There are so many options now. 🙂
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Yes, unbelievable somehow. Just pressing a button today. The old things had their charme 🙂
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Hey Lynn, I too always enjoy my visits to your blog! Such a wonderful collection of images. What an eye you have! So much beauty .. thanks for making me smile.
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I’m pleased to hear that, Julie…the subject matter hasn’t dried up yet, so stay tuned! 😉
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Rabbits! I was shocked to see how many rabbits in my new neighborhood. I couldn’t believe it. Thanks for the beautiful photos.
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🙂 Don’t plant any lettuce! We enjoy seeing them in our yard, and I often see them in parks when I go walking. Right now there are lots of them!
Thanks for stopping by, I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
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These are all lovely. (But I need a “real” fix, I haven’t been out of town since February. 🙄 )
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Thank you, Dave. We haven’t been too far but we did drive east for an hour or two a few times, and up to Bellingham a few times. Can you at least head over to the falls on the river on a quiet weekday? Or does that not count? 😉 I forgot, cases are increasing in Oregon, but is that occurring in more rural areas? Whatever the case, I know we all are ready for this to be over!
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Falling forever behind it seems…
4- the drooping trees and the ripples in the water
5- they do look smooth and sensuous, but I can also imagine the course feel of them. the middle one especially draws me in with the subtle coloring. the last one… the odd shape and fluorescent color surely must be man made?
6- the trickle leads me out, but then the leaves ground me once again. Lovely.
10- what a delight to see the two textures snuggled up close like that
11- we rarely see lichen on our driftwood. the piles of it along the shore are generally sun bleached. I like your polka dots.
12- made my day, too
18- I see a delicate bridal veil
22- beckoning me right down that charming path
I really need to try to get to your posts sooner to keep from scrolling back and forth through all the prior enthusiastic comments! 😉
Funny how you’re itching to go a-traveling while I’m utterly content to settle in for the duration, resenting the folks who take a mask to be a political statement.
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Don’t worry about being behind – I’m always behind, too. In the rock clove-ups from Larrabee Park, the man-made looking stuff in the right-hand photo is a ball of seaweed, maybe eelgrass, and it caught the sun. I did enhance the color a little, but it was shining and colorful on its own. Thankfully, there’s very little man-made stuff ion the shorelines here. The shot of a Redcedar snuggling with a Doug fir is a scene I find very, very often here. It’s as if they want to be close. So often, I see those two species growing very closely together. I’m glad you liked that huge rock with the heron (#!@). It’s a favorite spot I visit over and over again. Gunta, I love the idea of a lichen bridal veil! 🙂
Yes, masks are not political statements…our governor required them yesterday unless you’re outside exercising with plenty of space, or in your car or at home, basically. At least it’s not hot and humid like NYC gets – that would be much harder. Take care, Gunta, and thanks!
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Simply beautiful, dear Lynn. So it is not April, but May the favourite month? Or always the one which is actually on?
However, as always, I love all your pictures, but highly impressive I find the fallen tree lying in the water. Its branches look like several trees on their own, and the whole situation contains a remarkable clearness, which I find a bit disturbing. Not in the sense of ‘you should remove it’ but with a feeling of a very special intensity in the picture.
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May used to be the favorite month but now it would be April – if I had to pick. I can’t quite bring myself to say the current month is always the favorite because I find myself longing for early spring at other times of the year…and I was reminded of the beauty of the light here on winter days when I scrolled through Lightroom the other day…let’s just say life outdoors is the favorite month. 😉 Ahh, I’m very pleased that the fallen tree resonated with you. Funny thing – it’s not a typical “pretty” sight, as you noted. And there’s a tendency to look for “pretty” when you’re outdoors with that little black box in your hands. At first, I discarded the idea of photographing that tree, thinking I couldn’t make it look right, but I quickly changed my mind and was glad I did when I got home. You were caught by the intensity, as I was. It’s an odd sight. Thank you for taking the time to express your reaction, Ule, I appreciate it so much.
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Thank you for letting me know your thoughts on taking that tree photo, I always love learning how other photographers make their decisions.
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It’s interesting to find out about the thought process behind people’s work, I agree. Thanks, Ule. 🙂
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Another very enjoyable wander with you, Lynn. So many lovely scenes and I am envious of your location…but we’ve traded that envy before. 🙂 I like the way you’ve captured the light in #2 making a common plant look extraordinarily lovely. My favorite of all is number 11. I am always fascinated by intimate textures and those of that particular piece of driftwood are a pleasure to see. Thanks for sharing another collection of wonder.
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I’m glad to hear you liked those lichens, Steve. 😉 They fascinate me but photographing these textures close-up is a daunting task. I’m just not that technically oriented, and not patient enough to use a reflector, a tripod, etc., so I do what I can and hope it works out. And sometimes it’s OK. 🙂 And wonder, yes, let’s hope that sense never leaves us.
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It’s true I come to re and read your posts and learn more about nature and ferns too 💚looks like the rabbits well hidden…and yes we need to see off our desks…be outside it’s the best…I showed my daughter your posts so she can learn more along the way…big hugs Lynn ☀️🙋♀️☺️
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Thanks, Hedy, keep the faith! 😉 hugs and fresh air…. 🙂
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Hi, is that mountain Whitehorse?
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Hi – I’m not sure but I think it could be. We were out near Darrington that day and I see on the map that Whitehorse Mtn. is near there. You must know your PNW mountains!
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I thought I recognized that summit section from a long ago climb. That photo drew me to your blog which is fortunate for me – very pleasant to look through..
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Wonderful images, Lynn…the two surrounded by the darkness…the textures of wood and rock…and the trail in the last one…so inviting. And yes, perfect words at the end, as well…to get out from behind one’s desk to see the world. It’s necessary to view it from there sometimes, like visiting with friends from across the planet, going down their depicted trails, etc….beautiful.
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Thanks, Scott. I’ve grown to really like that chiaroscuro effect with a lot of darkness – using spot metering on the camera makes it easy in the woods here. As much as we both value getting out, of course, we also see the value of the internet, and now I see how funny it is that I chose that quote at the end – I was suggesting people should get out but obviously, I was trying to keep them glued a little longer, too! 😉
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