Wind Shaped Tree

The trees on the west side of Whidbey Island are buffeted by wind, almost daily.  The hardy survive by allowing themselves to be shaped into a wind swept form.  Whenever I see one of these trees I think of how we are buffeted by life's circumstances.  We may be bent by life but we survive, the stronger because of it.

Fog Shrouded Willow

A foggy morning at the Windjammer Park, Oak Harbor, WA.

Olympics, By Air and By Sea

Air and sea travel along the Olympic Peninsula.  This photo was taken from the west side of Whidbey Island just after dawn.

Windjammer Park Sunset

Sunset at Windjammer Park, Oak Harbor, WA.

Bicycle Rack

Cloud bound horizon

Pulsing shutter finger

OHHS bicycle rack

On a cloudy day, one just has to go out and find what one can.  Do high school kids really ride bicycles to school anymore?

Mt. Baker

No, I never tire of photographing Mt. Baker.  Having been born and raised on Whidbey Island, Mt. Baker has shaped how I view nature.  Is the scene really spectacular if there is not a mountain in it? 
I took this shot at the entrance to the Rocky Point recreation area at NAS Whidbey.  My father was co-owner of a sawmill in the late 1930s that was located a few hundred yards from here.  Can you imagine a view like this from your place of work?

Study in Snow Draped Trees

This is just south of Bellingham, WA. 
(This is a drastically reduced file size.  I apologize for odd lines in the photo from file reduction.)

Deception Pass Snow

Taken just before sunset on January 9, 2011, a light dusting of snow from the morning remains.

Snow on Bow Hill

Driving to Bellingham today on I-5 was like being in a winter wonderland.  This is at Bow Hill, just south of Bellingham, WA.

British Columbia Mountains

These photos were taken from the west side of Whidbey Island, just after sunrise.

The Skyline Marina area on Fidalgo Island is seen under the British Columbia mountains.

This photo was taken just south of what is known as Sunset Beach on the west side of Whidbey Island.

Salish Sea Mirage

The recent clear and cool weather caused an interesting early morning mirage.  This shot was taken from Libbey Beach on the west side of Whidbey Island.  To the north one could see what I think is part of the Coast Range of British Columbia, perhaps the Whistler or Pemberton area mountains.  They are around 160 miles away and are visible only on particularly clear days.

For this photo I looked a little more to the west.  With the mirage so prominent it is hard for me to identify exactly which of the San Juan Islands (or Vancouver Island) are in the scene.
I notice a mirage like this several times a year.  This is the first time I have been able to catch the mirage with the mountains so clear, however.

Mt. Rainier at Dawn from Ft. Ebey State Park

This photo will soon be available as a greeting card at His Place (Oak Harbor) and Caffeine Effect (Coupeville).

Mt. Rainier Dawn from Whidbey Island

First Sunset of 2011

There were taken from Crescent Harbor Road on Whidbey Island.  In the distance are the Olympic Mountains.

First Photographs of 2011

This morning looked promising so I drove to Barrington, to capture Mt. Rainier and the Cascades.

Even the moon was putting on a show.

I headed over to San de Fuca.

I ended up at my new favorite picture taking site, Ft. Ebey State Park.

 My photographic adventures on Whidbey Island are off to a good start for 2011.