ramblings of a Seattle travel, food and photography hound
Orcas Island has been one of our favorite local spots to vacation. Our family used to camp regularly in the summers at Moran State Park, memories that our daughters still hold today. Lately, with the kids now grown and having their own families, my wife and I have been going to Orcas during off-seasons to avoid crowds.... Continue Reading →
On my photography outings, I've never used a variable wide angle as my only lens. The holiday season was a good excuse to visit Pike Place Market yesterday, which my wife and I would've done last week if it weren't for the freezing temperatures. The closed-in, tight spaces of the market are ideal for wide-angle shots. The summer bounty of... Continue Reading →
For a native Northwest coast mollusk, the banana slug is only spotted in the wild, it seems to me, vastly outnumbered in urban Seattle settings by the black and red slugs. The only times I've seen the bananas recently have been on forest trails where they are clearly visible as they cross your path. Yellowish in color, often... Continue Reading →
There seem to be more butterflies this year, a result of our mild winter and warm spring perhaps. I was recently taking a photograph of a common foxglove plant (Digitalis purpurea) in the Cougar Mountain Regional Park when a tiger swallowtail suddenly appeared.
California is a really long state. In the north-south direction, drivers traditionally traverse the state on either U.S. 101 or Interstate 5. Highway 101 is more picturesque, going through seaside towns and redwood forests and boasting gorgeous coastal scenery and mild weather. It's also slower. Travelers wanting to make haste take I-5, but south past Redding the penalty... Continue Reading →
We were en route to Los Temos Taqueria in Salem, Oregon, when we saw them. Blooming in the fields were millions of irises laid out in swaths of almost every color imaginable. If it weren't for the season, we would never have noticed, as we hadn't in all our previous drive-bys. But, there they were in all... Continue Reading →
It's been twenty years or so since its official opening. During that time, I didn't know that there was a Chinese garden in Seattle. I am not alone, I suspect. It seems it hasn't been well publicized for all the years it's been in existence. Locals are more likely to have gone to the Japanese Garden near... Continue Reading →
The following images taken at Pike Place Market here in Seattle are more evidence that spring has arrived. The flower stalls especially are bursting with tulips. Local asparagus, artichokes, morels and fiddleheads are a joyful reminder that bountiful crops are beginning and will continue to appear through the fall.
It's not so easy to find old-growth forest within Seattle city limits anymore, yet Seward Park has the Magnificent Forest featuring evergreen trees aged 200 years or more. The park was designed by the famous Olmstead brothers and remains a wonderful legacy of a time when city officials saw fit to set aside forested areas for public enjoyment. It occupies all... Continue Reading →
When the 'Unique' variety of rhododendron (R. campylocarpum hybrid) starts blossoming, it's the signal in the Pacific Northwest that the rhody season will be in full swing. It's extremely popular locally, not only for the flowers but more importantly its handsome ovate leaves and compact shape that make it a valuable landscaping specimen throughout the year. I... Continue Reading →
zoomeboshi 