Mt. Baker at Dusk

A recent evening photo taken on the west side of Oak Harbor, Whidbey Island.

Mt. Rainier from Oak Harbor

This recent view of the distant Mt. Rainier is from the park at the end of Dock Street in Oak Harbor.

A Flower's Lifespan

Oak Harbor Marina

The Oak Harbor Marina with the North Cascades in the distance.

Windjammer Park, Oak Harbor

Families enjoy Windjammer Park in Oak Harbor on a recent summer day. Mt. Rainier is visible in the distance. The windmill reflects the many Dutch who settled in the area in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Oak Harbor Marina

Sailboats return to the Oak Harbor Marina on the last day of the 2013 Whidbey Island Race Week. Mt. Baker is in the distance.

July Moonrise

The recent full moonrise was so far south, seen from Oak Harbor it would be over a rather boring landscape. At the suggestion of a neighbor, I wandered around until I found something interesting in the foreground.

Oak Harbor Marina and Mt. Baker

A late afternoon view of Oak Harbor Bay and Marina and Mt. Baker. This was during Whidbey Island Race Week so there were extra sailboats in the bay.

Farming on Whidbey

This photo was taken just before sunset. The Olympic Mountains are in the distance.

This photo was taken on another day, just a little past noon. What a difference the angle of the sun makes on the lighting and the feel of the photo.

This is why photographers seek the "golden hour" around sunrise or sunset.

Poppy

Olympic Mountains from the Ebey Historic Reserve

Barley waves in the breeze on the Smith Farm with the Olympic Mountains as the background. The Ebey Prairie is part of a reserve so it will remain farmland.

Whidbey Island Race Week 2013, final day

The sailboats return to the Oak Harbor Marina after their last day of racing in the 2013 Whidbey Island Race Week.

Mt. Baker and Maylor's Point

This photo was taken from a housing area on the west side of Oak Harbor Bay.

Mt. Erie View

Before you reach the parking lot at the top of Mt. Erie, there is a pull off area on the right with steps leading to an observation platform where you'll have views to the west. Across the road you'll find steps leading to a short stroll ending in another observation platform providing views more to the northwest and the San Juan Islands. This is the view from that latter observation area.

Mt. Baker from Mt. Constitution

Whidbey Island Race Week Views 2013

Mt. Baker from the San Juan Ferry

What a blessing to live in the Pacific Northwest - water, islands, mountains, sunny skies.

Rosario Resort and Spa, Orcas Island

Over a hundred years ago Seattle shipbuilder Robert Moran built Rosario. Now it is a resort and spa.

The Moran Mansion is open to the public and contains a museum. One can also have a very nice meal in the restaurant.













The grounds are beautiful and youare free to wander around. There was some construction going on when I was recently there.

There is an outdoor pool and this one in the basement.

You can find out more about the resort at

http://www.rosarioresort.com/

Mount Constitution View, Orcas Island

This photo was taken from the top of Mount Constitution on Orcas Island, Washington State. Mt. Baker is in the distance with the historic town of Fairhaven on the shore. A bit of Bellingham can be seen to the left. Lummi Island is in the foreground.

Mt. Baker from the ferry to Orcas Island

Our ferry trip to Orcas Island began with fog. Mt. Baker finally became visible while the fog lingered elsewhere.

Caterpillar Lunch

Hoypus Point Hike, Deception Pass State Park

There is a short and level hike from Cornet Bay to Hoypus Point in the Deception Pass State Park. It follows an old road that went to the loading area of a small ferry in use before the bridge was built.
Even on an overcast day there are sights along the trail that are worth the effort. Photographers hike out to this point twice a year when the sun sets under the Deception Pass Bridge.

Color Contrast

Sometimes one is fortunate enough to find contrastng colors in a natural setting (without having to push blooms here and there).

Bloom where your seed falls

...even if your seed falls into a crack in the middle of a sidewalk.

Hairy Woodpecker Pair, male feeding female

We recently had a pair of Hairy Woodpeckers in the old apple tree. I was amazed to see the male repeatedly pecking out the bugs and then feeding the female, who remained somewhat motionless.