Just playing around with an image of a dried rose.
Variations on a Rose
North Fork Skokomish Fire Before and After (4)
The Olympic National Park opened up the Staircase Rapids Loop Trail on July 8th for the first time since the fire in 2025 devastated the area. The valley of the North Fork Skokomish was one of my favorite locations and I went to take photos of the area on the 8th. Each set of photos shows the same location before and after. Some images aren’t exact matches … but I did as well as I could with the images I had. The Staircase Loop Trail leaves from the Staircase Ranger Station, runs 1 mile (1.6 KM), crosses the river (on a bridge that was protected from the fire) and returns back to the parking lot.
Geese Taking Off
I saw this small group of geese taking off at the Nisqually Natural Wildlife Refuge (AKA Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge) just east of Olympia, WA. There were thousands (?) on the ground there, but these five seemed to have a group of their own.
A reminder:
I have a book available on the Kindle site. It is a memoir titled 60 Years of Hiking in the Olympics. It has over 100 photographs and covers more than 100 different hikes and backpacks. I have it priced to share at $2.99 (US).
Here’s the link (Click the “Get Book” button):
Hollow Pilings
These pilings always intrigued me. Especially the daffodils (at least that’s what they look like here) that are growing in several of them. Did someone plant them? How did they do that? from a canoe, maybe? They are in Capitol Lake in Olympia, WA … and how are they growing? Did dirt get added to the cavities, or are they just growing in rotting wood?
Questions with no answers from your blogger.
One answer to an unasked question: the shadow is of a railroad tressle.
I have a book available on the Kindle site. It is a memoir titled 60 Years of Hiking in the Olympics. It has over 100 photographs and covers more than 100 different hikes and backpacks. I have it priced to share at $2.99 (US).
Here’s the link:
Winter Walk
I thought this was stunning. The family walking along the trail made this image special. I used a 300mm lens, which emphasized the mountains comparatively. It was taken at Nisqually Natural Wildlife Refuge prior to the name change and prior to the breaching of the dikes. So, unfortunately, the trail they are walking on is no longer accessible. Well, it is unfortunate for hikers/walkers, but much appreciated by the young salmon that use the newly recreated salt marsh habitat.
The Nisqually Natural Wildlife Refuge (now the Billy Frank, Jr. Nisqually Wildlife Center) is located 10 miles east of Olympia, Washington just off of I-5. The view is of the southern Olympic Mountains.
Still trying to get the kinks out of the WordPress software since I updated to a newer version. Ugh.
Reminder:
I have a book available on the Kindle site. It is a memoir titled 60 Years of Hiking in the Olympics. It has over 100 photographs and covers more than 100 different hikes and backpacks. I have it priced to share at $2.99 (US).
Note: this book is a memior of my hikes, not a guide book. It reflects my hiking style: wandering around and enjoying the trails and observing the natural world.
Here’s the link: