Here are all of the photos that have been used in the header of this blog. Below each photo is a description of what the photo is, along with where and when the photo was taken.
The photo above is of my first trailer. The photo was taken in April, 2017, at the storage yard where I kept the trailer. I had pulled the trailer out from under the storage roof and was about to take it to an RV maintenance/repair facility for some work. The trailer is a 2013 20-foot Rockwood MiniLite and was purchased by me in late 2016. I used the trailer for one camping season, 2017. This was my first travel trailer and I learned a great deal!
The photo above was taken in May, 2017, while I was out for an afternoon’s drive to explore Kanaskat-Palmer State Park, where I would be going on my first camping trip. The mountain is Mount Rainier. At 14,411 feet, it is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world because of its proximity to the populated areas of Seattle and Tacoma and because it is considered to be overdue for eruption.
The photo above was taken in May, 2017, during the same driving day as the photo above this photo. The mountain in the distance is Mount Rainier. The foreground is the lush White River valley.
The photo above was taken in June, 2018, at Sumas, Washington. The trailer is my brand new 2018 21-foot Escape Trailer Industries (ETI) travel trailer built in Canada by ETI. The trailer had been delivered to me here in this very parking lot by ETI the day before this photo was taken. I spent the night in this parking lot and I was about to head home … the first tow with my brand new trailer!
The photo above was taken in July, 2018, just outside the gate of the community where I lived at that time. I was bringing the trailer to my condo unit, to park the trailer there for a few days so I could easily work on the trailer and load it for camping. I parked outside the gate and walked in before driving in, just to make sure the route to my unit was clear.
The photo above was taken in August, 2018. I took this photo of Mount Rainier while on a camping trip in the area. It was a hot summer that year, 2018, so there wasn’t much snow or ice on the mountain for this photo.
The photo above was taken in September, 2018, while I was on my way home from a camping trip at Logan Lake, British Columbia, Canada. The drive south from Logan Lake to the Canada/USA border was about four hours, so I had pulled into this rest stop about mid-way on the drive for a break. I enjoyed parking my rig next to those really BIG rigs.
The photo above was taken in December, 2010, long before I owned an RV travel trailer. I was out for an afternoon drive with friends on the east side of Puget Sound when we came upon this view of the Olympic Mountains to the west clad in their winter mantel of snow and ice.
The photo above is of the 40-foot 1910 classic motor boat, Vagabond, that belongs to friends of mine. The boat was built in Morris Heights, New York State, by Consolidated Boat Works. The current owners and the boat now live in Florida. The photo above was taken by a friend of theirs during one of their cruises in Florida.
The photo above was taken in January, 2018. This little Dark-Eyed Junco managed to find a perch on a horizontal 2×4 fence board that was part of my back fence. This bird preened and postured and sat there so long I wondered if it had taken up residence, and then it looked at me as if to say “what are you doing here?”
The photo above was taken in November, 2018. It’s a close-up of part of a bonsai tree at the Pacific Bonsai Museum, near my home. I found this tree exceptionally fascinating because of the shape of the limbs and the many faces that appeared. This one limb had two faces and I like to think these two folks are friends.
The photo above was taken in early September, 2019. It’s a close-up of an acorn on a huge, healthy oak tree in the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge on the Columbia River in the State of Washington. I was camping nearby and spent many hours driving through and hiking around the wildlife refuge.
The photo above was taken in late September, 2019. It’s one of several real wood burning fireplaces inside Paradise Inn located up on the side of Mount Rainier in Washington State. Friends and I were visiting Mount Rainier and availed ourselves of the warmth and welcome inside Paradise Inn.
The photo above was taken in June, 2020, on my first camping trip that year. I was walking around Lake Quigg at Friends Landing where I was camped for the week, near Montesano, Washington State. The photo above is of a narrow part of the lake, where several small streams feed into this portion of the lake.
The photo above was taken in June, 2020, on my camping trip to Friends Landing, near Montesano, WA. As I walked back into the campground after a trek around Lake Quigg, this jolly little Tree Swallow greeted me.
The photo above was taken in June, 2020, on my camping trip to Friends Landing, near Montesano, WA. As I drove around the countryside, these handsome horses seemed to congregate expressly for the purpose of a nice little photo.
The photo above was taken in July, 2020, during my camping trip to Scenic Beach and to Port Gamble, WA. I was standing next to a building under a small roof when a mother Swallow started flying around and around my head, almost touching me. I finally looked UP to find these babies in a nest tucked up under the roof. They were calling to their momma … they wanted their supper! I moved off to one side, far enough away to appease momma, but still close enough that I could watch her feed the babies.
The photo above was taken in late July, 2020, on the very last day of my camping trip to Scenic Beach. As I was driving away from the campground with the trailer in tow, heading for home, I came around a corner in the road to find two Bald Eagles up in the trees above me. Thankfully, there was room on the side of the road for me to pull over with the truck and the trailer. I walked towards the two Eagles. The Eagle above stared at me for a full minute, oh my nerves. What a thrill that was for me.
The photo above was taken in August, 2020, during my camping trip to Washington Park Campground, owned and operated by the City of Anacortes, on Fidalgo Island, WA. I had driven to the south end of Fidalgo Island to explore Bowman Bay and Rosario Beach, then was heading back north up the island when I spotted these two friendly folks. So I stopped and walked across the road to visit for a bit.
The photo above was taken in August, 2020, during my camping trip to Washington Park Campground, owned and operated by the City of Anacortes, on Fidalgo Island, WA. I was exploring the extraordinarily wonderful Marine Supply & Hardware store in downtown Anacortes, that sells hardware and all manner of other amazing things. At one point, I turned around and there was Little Towhee, peeking out at me … perched inside an RV travel trailer just her size. There were some other green birds hanging around, but she was not interested in them, she was interested only in a travel trailer evidently built for her. After considering a purchase, she eventually decided against it, saying she’d rather be together with me in our big Towhee the Trailer. I liked that. 🙂
The photo above was taken in September, 2020, while I was camping at Dungeness Recreation Area near Sequim, Washington. I was very simply, light-heartedly, slowly driving down a number of warm sunshiny country roads in the area. I had stopped to photograph the barn (on the left in the photo above), and for some reason I sat there in my truck for many moments more … finally, the fellow in the photo above moved and finally I saw him. What a handsome lad. Had I snapped the barn photo and quickly driven on, I would have missed this gentleman.
The photo above was taken in September, 2020, while I was camping at Dungeness Recreation Area near Sequim, Washington. I had walked out onto Dungeness Spit, partway out to the lighthouse, and decided to stop and sit on a driftwood log and enjoy the warm sun and the sky and the waves on the beach. In the photo above, I’m looking north to Canada. The waterway is the Strait of Juan de Fuca which comes in from the ocean on the left (miles away) and eventually connects with the north end of Puget Sound (miles to the right) in the State of Washington. I loved that very large piece of grey weathered tree trunk that the Pacific Ocean had deposited on this beach.
The photo above is of an extraordinary piece of wood that friends gave me. It had been cut diagonally from a tree trunk found in a lake up in the woods in the Cascade Mountains. This one piece is about an inch and a half thick and approximately 5 feet 7 inches long and 14 inches in height. It’s a good sized chunk of wood. I refinished the wood, repairing some damage that had happened over the years. And now it hangs on the wall above the head of my bed at home. Some see a bird, some see a whale. I feel protected all night long.
The photo above is of a sweet little pink Rain Lily in my front yard, June, 2021. Sometimes the joys in life are small … yet also so large, enough to fill your heart.
The photo above was taken in September, 2020, during my camping trip to Dungeness Recreation Area near Sequim, WA. I was walking on the beach along the Strait of Juan de Fuca. I expected this quite dignified seagull to fly off as I approached but she didn’t. She kept an eye on me, for sure! But she sat right there and continued surveying her saltwater domain as I walked past.
The photo above was taken in April, 2020. When I purchased my home in October, 2019, one of the planting areas had a healthy Western Sword Fern. I cut it back in the fall/winter when the fronds were turning brown. In the spring of 2020, it had so many more fronds than it had in 2019. Here’s just one of the magical, curling fronds. The fern today (2022) is twice the size that it was in 2019.
The photo above was taken in December, 2003, just before Christmas that year. It’s the fireplace in the home I owned back then, with Christmas candles inside the fireplace and a pot of bright red Poinsettias on the left.
The photo above was taken in September, 2020, during my camping trip to Dungeness Recreation Area on the northern edge of the Olympic Peninsula, near Sequim, WA. I’d been driving past this one particular farm and seeing these handsome horses in the distance, in a far field. But this day, they were right near the road. I pulled over, making sure not to plant my truck in the ditch! and jumped out to get this photo of these two big handsome gals.
The photo above is of the keyboard of my piano. It’s not a high end piano, but it’s my piano. It’s a Lester spinet, made in Philadelphia, PA (Pennsylvania). My parents purchased this piano for me when I was nine years old, in the Philippines. It was shipped from the USA to the Philippines on a slow boat. It lived in the humid heat of the Philippines for several years (it still has the plug-in electric heater in the back to help dry the wood). When we moved back to “the states”, years later, my parents paid to have this piano shipped back to the USA on another slow boat. I’ve paid to have it moved to every home I’ve lived in since. It needs a little work … the high A strings can’t stay in tune because the wood around the tuning pegs has worn such that the pegs don’t stay put. I avoid playing that note. Every moving company that has ever moved this piano says “this is the heaviest piano we have ever moved!!!” I don’t know if that’s good or not, but I love my piano.
The photo above was taken in September, 2022, in my back yard. This handsome deer was walking past my patio, with a youngster in tow. She often came by back then, was not at all concerned with my presence if I was outside. She still comes by in 2023, but her youngster from last year has grown and gone. Maybe she’ll bring another young’un by soon.
The photo above was taken in September, 2022, in my yard. It’s a barberry plant that was turning its fall colors. With just that tiny bit of late afternoon sunshine on it, at just the perfect angle, I couldn’t resist a photo. I’m told that the variety is Berberis thunbergii (pink queen). It surely is pretty.
The photo above was taken in July, 2021. This particular bunny was resting nicely outdoors, just a few feet away from the north wall of my home. Especially on the north side of my home, probably because I don’t walk there often, I have found a number of gently-crafted divots in the dirt and I used to be puzzled about them. Now I know. Bunnies snuggle up there. I like that.
The photo above was taken in January, 2019. My friends Mark & Robin had driven down from Canada for a visit. We visited a quilting shop (Robin is an extraordinary quilter!) and I found the fabric above … fish! (Mark is an extraordinary fly fisherman!) I love the colors and the feeling of flow.
The photo above was taken in April, 2023. I was house/cat sitting for friends of mine. Shadow, the cat, doesn’t much like anyone except his two people/owners. But he warmed up to me just fine. Here he is flirting with me! There are two of these grey chairs right next to each other in the house. He always wanted me to sit in the other chair next to him. I almost always did. Shadow and I are friends.
The photo above was taken in late July, 2021. This small but very healthy Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria) was right next to my back patio when I bought my home in 2018. It keeps growing larger every year! The flowers are often cut by many gardeners so the foliage receives more of the nutrients, but I like the flowers too so I leave a few of them for my enjoyment, and for the enjoyment of the butterflies and the bees.
The photo above was taken in May, 2023. Friends and I were camping near Leavenworth, WA, and were out exploring by vehicle one day. We stopped at the Peshastin Pinnacles State Park Recreation Area. No camping there, but great rock climbing and geologic exploration. Off to one side of where we parked was a huge rock wall with this head and “face” looking down on us from the top of the wall. We could see just that one gorgeous eye with its long, dark eyelashes. But what is that … two mouths? Or one mouth and one huge nostril? We did not judge. Aliens are as beautiful as humans are. I did like the topknot on top of its head.
The photo above was taken in May, 2023, on a hike with friends when we were camped in our Escape trailers in Eightmile Campground on national forest land outside of Leavenworth, WA. We were on a hike along Icicle Creek. Douglas Squirrels are native to the Pacific Northwest. They move FAST so they are difficult to photograph. They never stay still for more than a nano-second. But as I stood there in the woods, next to this tree, this one posed for just a moment longer than usual so I could snap a photo.
This photo above was taken during our evening campfire on June 1, 2023, at Eightmile Campground near Leavenworth, WA. Friends were camping there in their trailer along with me in my trailer. They built this perfect campfire at their campsite. You might notice there is a very serious face in the dark grey wood off to the right … and there also is a cute (or devilish) face in the fire, with a curly little topknot on its head.
The photo above was taken in late June, 2023, during my camping trip to Bay View State Park on the edge of Padilla Bay, Puget Sound, near Mount Vernon, WA. There is lots of farm land in the area, for both crops and animals. These cattle seemed so peaceful. Every one of them faced either left or right, but not towards the camera (me) nor away from the camera. There was no wind. Hmmm. I wonder how we animals decide these sorts of things.
The photo above of Icicle Creek was taken during my early June, 2023, camping trip to Eightmile Campground near Leavenworth, WA, just on the east side of the Cascade mountains. This “creek” was a full blown river this spring, and that water was cold! Walking out in the sunshine was very comfortable, even warm at times. Walking on trails in the shade of the forest was cool, even chilly at times. But when we approached that river, even out in sunshine, the air was cold. Put your toe or your finger in that water and you’ll know why it is named Icicle Creek. Icicle Creek runs down from the snow peaks and glaciers that are on the east side of the Cascade Mountains.
The photo above was taken in September, 2013, and shows the boat I owned for 18 years, from 2001 to 2018. She is a 40-foot 1939 Matthews Boat Company standard sedan, built in Port Clinton, Ohio, and is one of only two left in the world from more than 450 of them built back then. Her name is Pied Piper. She was christened with that name when she was built back in 1939 and she retains that name today. As well, she still has her twin Chrysler Royal huge straight 8 cylinder gasoline engines in her, and her wood hull is still original. She’s pictured here moored to a buoy in Jarrell’s Cove at the north end of Hartstene Island (incorrectly spelled Harstine by the State of Washington) in south Puget Sound in Washington State. The long pier in the background is part of Jarrell’s Cove State Park. Sometimes I would come here on Pied Piper along with friends who were on their boats. We then tied our boats to the dock/pier so we had lots of room on the wide dock for easy socializing. But a few times I came here by myself and simply “grabbed a buoy” and enjoyed the beauty. I took the photo above from my dinghy as I was rowing around the bay.