A Quiet Day - Camino del Norte day 4

We had ourselves a quiet walk through the country side. Not really much to say about it other than it was a good day. We are now exhausted, fed, clean and ready for bed at ten o’clock at night.

Here’s the days catch of photos.

Morning warm up on the creek.

River fall..

Motif on side of a church… Giant flying chicken hauling off skulls?

Church.

Mossy bridge.

Very lush valley path.

Big horses.

Mid morning snack.

Salad. The cucumbers here are delicious.

How we look after hiking 8 hours.

Canas are Life!

Pacific Northwest Baker's Dozen

These are the last photos from Alaska and British Columbia for the year.

  1. Flying Over Southeast Alaska. I had my nose to the window on this flight. Just gorgeous.

2. Misty Fjord Nat’l Monument. It lived up to its billing.

3. Sunset.

4. Cloud Hidden Mountain Waterfall

5. Morning color, Near Alert Bay, BC

6. The Forest on top the hill. Alert Bay, BC

7. Russula Mushroom in the forest.

8. Plant Rythyms.

9. Lilac Russula

10. Dock Mural. Alert Bay. BC

11. Misted Layers

12. Unstable Air.

13. Magic Water. Seattle.

Michigan

Here are some local views of my root system…

Dawn.

Back 90.

Rhubarb.

Herb Garden

Backlit Bracken

My mugs.

Leaf Border Fog

Giant Chaga

Ambitious Beaver

Nightshade Blooms

Walking The Log

Birch Doing The Splits Over Waterfall

Daisy

Baby Bolete

Clouds O’er Lake

Russell’s Bolete

Seventeen Of Alaska

Like all good nature there really isn’t much to say about it. It needs no explanation.

It was nice to be there. My life is momentary. Here’s the scene! Do you click? Or just watch? Or both?

These days, I know when to click. I dont think, I just do.

These images are the product of that.

Dawes Glacier Offerings

Big Sky Near Petersburg

Slug Eyes

Aurora Green.

Landscape Layers

Sumdum Glacier

Boat Face! So Derppppy.

Whale Breath

Shaw Island

Mystified

Emerald

Mountain Cloud Trees

The Sea.

Rainy Night In Port.

Camoflage.

“Cloud Hidden, Whereabouts Unknown”

The Mundane

It’s one a.m. I’m just brushing my teeth, and about to go to bed. I look at the sink, and I’m struck by the low lighting on the stainless. I like the shapes, and darkness of it. I like the contrast between the layers of dark, light, dark, light. You can't appreciate one without the other.

This is a picture of the sink in my cabin. It’s dirty. It’s well used. It's my roommates turn to clean this week. He hasn’t done it yet. But that adds to it. A perfect sink wouldn’t be as interesting.

Few sinks get recognition of any kind, except perhaps, if they are stopped up and need declogging.

In the end, it’s just a sink. But, I’m intrigued when the mundane becomes compelling.

A Kid's Perspective

I had friends stay over for a couple days over the holiday. Their boy picked up my camera and was curious how it worked. I gave him a quick lesson on how to turn it on and how to take a photo. I made sure the electronic ports were locked down and waterproof and let him loose.

The following are selected images from his stay.

I saw him snapping away fairly often, happily bouncing from one subject to another as our day evolved. I didn't really pay much attention, but I was curious how it would turn out.

I think these photos are pretty great.

I chose these photos to share and they aren't edited at all.

I’ve never seen an album or collection of kid photography that was taken sincerely. I think they have a unique perspective, and offer images worth contemplating.

Three Part Green

It started raining soon after I awoke. The steady rhumba of the drumming rain held me in my cocoon an extra half hour. I wonder if butterflies do the same when emerging from their crysalis.

Morning movements: Open the shades. Roll out the mat - pretend I still do yoga. I grind the beans, simmer the water and combine. The rain beat goes on.

I think of the forest and the mushrooms that might be waiting for me. If I find some oysters, I can make khinkali. And that convinces me to go.

Rain boots on. Rain jacket on. Camera in pocket. Ready to roll.

Cool out. I regret not grabbing a coffee for the trail. I'd probably spill most of it anyway, but spilled coffee is tax paid to the gods. No regrets.

The first thing I see is the crab spider in the milkweed. I opt for macro setting and get close. The spider cares not.

Look at that droplet on the abdomen- so tiny! I'm continually amazed with this camera. I'm hand holding in macro setting a moving spider on a swaying milkweed leaf. Unbelievable.

Into the forest, and onto the path. I don't know who made this path, but it's been here as long as I've been here.

It's a good forest path. It winds, and curves around the small hills and berms. It offers a fetching leading line drawing you on.

I go to the back creek that trickles when it's dry, but flows good with all this rain. I see this scene.

All I've ever wanted was to be be able to draw or paint this. This mood. But here it is in the raw, and it's beautiful.

The walk goes on, and I don't find any mushrooms for the khinkali. Not today. But, that's a small matter, it can wait.

I do find a nice chunk of chaga. Once dried chopped and powdered, it will make a fine earthy tree tea. I roasted it once, and got the birch flavor to come out, making it taste a bit like vanilla. But mostly it tastes like tree bark.

It was a good walk. It's nice to know a piece of land to connect with it. When I walk it, I know where I am.