Changing Skies - Skywatch Friday

We have been blessed with a couple of days of beautiful blue skies and record high temps, here in the Great Northwest.

Taken from the Chambers Bay walkway in Tacoma, WA

Heralding the return of grey skies. Taken from Alki Beach, Seattle, WA

Inclement weather makes for beautiful sunsets. Westport rock jetty, WA

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Ocean Skies - Sky Watch Friday

“Darwin may have been quite correct in his theory that man descended from the apes of the forest, but surely woman rose from the frothy sea, as resplendent as Aphrodite on her scalloped chariot.” ― Margot Datz, A Survival Guide for Landlocked Mermaids

Most of my life, before moving to the US, has been spent within touching distance of the sea. It's the place where I have always gone to recenter and recharge myself. It's been where I got inspiration, where I sat and wrote, where I found peace, even when it was wearing it's stormy apparel. The rhythm of the sea is almost womb like .. primal ... and it touches something within me. A couple of days ago, we made an afternoon trip over to Ocean Shores, about 90 minutes from where we live in Washington State. I felt like I'd come home. It wasn't the best day for taking pictures, but who would not feel at peace in a place like this. I think I need to move :-)

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All Fogged In - Skywatch Friday

On my evening walk, a few days ago, this was my last glimpse of blue sky, with storm clouds already heralding their approach...

This is how our skies have looked the last few days ... fog and more fog. I have faith that the blue sky is somewhere up there. Maybe we will get a glimpse today :-)

The beavers have been busy though, chewing down saplings for their new homes along the river bank..

I also learnt something new on my walk. This is called 'Snake Grass' and apparently if you come in contact with stinging nettles or other irritant plants, rubbing some of this grass on, helps the sting.

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Water and Sky - Sky Watch Friday

The sky over my part of the great Northwest has been rather grey and foggy, for the last few days. We had heavy rain, which led to flooding, landslides and raging rivers. Below is a view of the Deschutes River at Tumwater Falls Historical Park in downtown Olympia

That certainly contrasts with the way the sky was just a few days beforehand. Olympia is the capitol city of Washington State and is built at the tip of Pugent Sound on the Budd Inlet. In the distance you can see the Olympia mountain range..

And as a bonus ... I also got my first shot of a Heron :-)

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Mt Rainier and Clouds - Sky Watch Friday

I know, Mt Rainier was my subject last week :-) However, it's been so much fun playing with the camera and I haven't had much opportunity to go further that walking distance from home and Mt Rainier has been visible!! :-) I live about 46 miles from Mt Rainier National Park, but the mountain is big enough to dominate a large part of our skyline...

When I first looked at this photo, on my computer, when I got home, I thought that perhaps I'd had a bit of dust on my lens as there was a spot above the right flank of the mountain. Then when I enlarged it, I realized it was a small plane .. you can just see the wheels, etc. Interesting what you can catch that you don't see when you are taking the photo. :-)

Clouds swirling around, heralding an incoming storm .. Happy New Year, All :-) Go to SKYWATCH for views of the sky from all over the world !

The Moon and The Mountain ..

This evening's partial moon. Taken with my Canon SX50 ... I was really surprised how well it turned out as it was a hand held shot at full zoom..

“The moon is a loyal companion. It never leaves. It’s always there, watching, steadfast, knowing us in our light and dark moments, changing forever just as we do. Every day it’s a different version of itself. Sometimes weak and wan, sometimes strong and full of light. The moon understands what it means to be human. Uncertain. Alone. Cratered by imperfections.” ― Tahereh Mafi, Shatter Me

Mt Rainier, peeking over the trees at the end of my road, bathed in the rays of the setting sun. Mt Rainier is an active stratovolcano and is probably overdue for a major eruption. Standing at 14,410 ft, it is the 3rd tallest mountain in the US (from memory). It is a dangerous mountain to climb, but people see it as a challenge. 2014 has seen at least 8 deaths, if not more. The highest death toll was in 1946, when a plane carrying 32 US Marines, crashed into one of the glaciers. Mt Rainier became the last resting place for these men, as it was considered to dangerous to try and retrieve the bodies. A beautiful mountain, but deadly in many ways.

Shared with Skywatch Friday and Our World Tuesday
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Centralia Canal - Sky Watch Friday

Taken at the Centralia Canal in Yelm on a beautiful winter day. Storm clouds are rolling in though! Finally got my new camera ...a Canon Powershot SX50. Not a DSLR as yet, but certainly a step up from my camera phone. Am having fun learning it.
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Sky Watch Friday - Beautiful Autumn Day

I live in a rural area, however I am about a 40 minute walk (at my present pace) from town. I love the walk, especially when you can stop and take in scenes like this :-) They are all taken with my less than satisfactory cell phone camera. Am looking forward to getting my new Canon SX50 in a few weeks. It's getting harder and harder, locally, to find film for my old SLR camera and the cost of developing is getting expensive in a number of ways. I am thinking that the Canon is going to be a good substitute until I can afford a DSLR :-)

Looking across a field with cattle ... Mt Ranier in the distance.

Zooming in on Mt Rainier ...unfortunately it makes the photo a bit grainy. I caught the flick of the tail as the cow swatted away an annoying insect :-)

Peacefully grazing on an idyllic Autumn day...

Mt Rainier peeking through the trees and shrubs along the bike and walking trail..

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Sky watch Friday - Big Foot and Mist

This weeks photos are from the same area that I snapped last weeks - right outside my front door. However there is a story with them :-) Morning mist to set the scene..

The first night I arrived in WA, I had this vivid dream that Big Foot was trying to break into the house. Not sure why ...perhaps it was the large billboard above a local bar, offering a reward for the capture of Big Foot. Or maybe it was the series of Big Foot films that were showing on the Sci Fi channel. Or it could be rooted in the tall fir trees that dominate our landscape. Whatever the reason, Big Foot seems to be a dream obsession of mine. Across the street from me, is a ramshackle house, that has a lawn littered with vehicles and junk, backed by a bank of tall trees. A scene that seems almost perfect for a horror movie...

Can't you just see the glowing eyes of a dozen Big Foots , from the 2006 B-grade Big Foot movie 'Abdominable' peering at you through those trees ?

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Skywatch Friday - Sunset

Had some really beautiful sunsets lately and I am really loving the sight of them framed by all the tall trees. Unfortunately they are taken with my cellphone camera, which tends to be a little frustrating as it is rather limited. I so need a decent camera!! :-)

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Skywatch - Life in WA

Moved up to Washington State just over a year ago. Feels very much like I moved home to New Zealand. I love the green, the trees and YES, even the rain !! It's lovely to have four distinct seasons again. Sure we do have more than our share of rainy and cloudy days, however it gives you an appreciation of the sun, when it decides to appear. Despite what many will tell you, the sun does makes it's appearance quite frequently :-) I love this time of the year, early Autumn, when you wake up to a foggy landscape, however by midmorning it has burnt off to reveal blue skies and soft sunshine. I need to get my SLR sorted out, because there are pictures just aching to be taken!!!

A little church in the small town of Roy, just a couple of miles from where I live. Love the green and the blue skies..

The local bar and dancehall in Roy ... it's only open a certain times of the year, such as the Roy Rodeo..

Mt Rainier on a clear day with blue sky and a couple of tiny clouds :-) Rainier is a active stratovolcano and is overdue for an eruption. It is also considered one of the world's most dangerous volcanoes, being one of the 17 volcanoes that are on the Decades Volcano list. I live fairly close to the mountain, however, from looking at the maps of where the lahars will go when the mountain erupts again, it looks as though I should be safe. One has to think positively, correct? :-)

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Skywatch Friday ... Monterey Sunset

Last week, I had the opportunity to go to Monterey, for three days, on a 6th Grade school trip.

After 14 years of living in the High Sierra Desert, it was an absolute joy to be back by the ocean again ... I so miss it !!

These two photos, were taken on our first night there, just as the sun was beginning to set. It was glorious !!

It doesn't matter how huge you think your problems are ...sitting down on the beach and watching the waves crash in and seeing the immensity of the ocean in front of you ... makes those problems seem seem small in comparison. The smell of salt in the air and the rhythm of the sea is so soothing ...





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The Promise Of What's To Come ...

Ah! Sunflower

Ah! Sunflower, weary of time,
Who countest the steps of the sun;
Seeking after that sweet golden clime
Where the traveller's journey is done;

Where the Youth pined away with desire,
And the pale virgin shrouded in snow,
Arise from their graves, and aspire
Where my Sunflower wishes to go!

William Blake





Blue skies and cheerful sunflowers, from the end of last summer..

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Sunsets..

The smoke plume from a wildfire on the outskirts of Reno..taken in the early evening.

Two days later ..all the smoke particles in the air certainly made for some brilliant sunsets..




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