In the Pink

Common Mullein

Because I’d forgotten the name of this beautiful plant, I Googled it, and for some reason, not everyone is as fond of it as me…some westerners actually refer to it as “cowboy toilet paper”!

Personally, I can only envision using it for that purpose when in desperate circumstances, with absolutely no alternative, but since the Sears catalog is no longer in print, I suppose that could happen…but where? Certainly not here in prim and proper Sequim!

But, I did find this lovely specimen in a local resident’s garden; mind you, it was far from anything that resembled a Sani-can though and the gardener never mentioned “the unmentionable”.

So with that said, I hope you find it as lovely as I did, and that you’ll appreciate its unique beauty and its “tissue-like” petals. Hmmmm….

Salt Creek Recreation Area

Low Tide at Crescent Beach, Port Angeles

Although Sequim beaches have their own unique beauty, I find that Salt Creek Recreation in PA offers a landscape I’m most drawn to as a photographer, and Tongue Point Marine Life Sanctuary and the tide pools to be a delight at low tide as well.

At less than 35 miles from Sequim, a day trip is entirely do-able and preferred, unless of course, you’re a camper and choose to take your rig or tent into the adjacent Clallam County Park, located on a former WWII military installation with campsites and spectacular trails with views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

But I prefer the beach, at low tide and low angle, to gain a perspective that many may never see. And on a warm day, to make the visit more memorable, I recommend removing one’s shoes and sinking one’s toes in the sand; then you’ll not only see it, but feel it – and you’ll never forget it!

Jamestown Beach

Jamestown Beach Driftwood Sculpture Echoes Mt. Baker

With Mt. Baker as a backdrop, many find it difficult to not love our beaches, and notably, the views on Jamestown Beach are one of the main reasons why.

While at times, the “aroma” can be a bit intense, this beach is a Mecca for not only scenery, but local residents, visitors, and their dogs of every breed, size and shape. And if you’re not accompanied by a dog, then you may be searching for agates, sea shells, driftwood, shorebirds, raptors, ducks, Dungeness crab, or maybe even clams.

Whatever your beach passion, you’re sure to indulge it here and take those memories home with you in a bucket, your back pocket, or maybe on camera’s SD card, or your phone. Regardless, it makes living on the peninsula so spectacular and life here so enviable.

Memorial Day

In Tribute to the Fallen

As veterans, Memorial Day is a tough day for many of us; for those of us who served in the military, and/or for those that had family members who served, or for anyone who has been touched by war.

As a child, I recall attending parades and watching as troops marched in solemn unison through the streets of my tiny military town while we all bowed our heads in respect and some wept. It was a sacred day, and for those who said, “Happy Memorial Day,” I often wondered why ‘happy’ since it was anything but.

Sequim didn’t disappoint in recognizing the fallen though and held a memorial tribute at the Guy Cole Center at Carrie Blake Park Friday afternoon, that I hope you were able to attend. If not, a visit to a local gravesite to express condolences may be in your plan.

But regardless, when and if you see red poppies blowing in the fields today, you’ll now know why (thanks to a quote from Google) they serve as a symbol of Veteran’s and Memorial Day and why they are so meaningful:

“After WW1 when the battlefields began to recover from their horrors, the red poppy was the first flower to grow and bloom. Its beauty of filling fields where death had taken place meant it came to represent rebirth and recovery and this is its symbolism.”

How to Tackle the Wind

Poppies in the Wind

To wrap up my “Painterly Picture Week”, I hate to be redundant, but I love poppies, and apparently I have a lot of company since I see them all over Sequim.

Easy to grow, hearty and full of color, they don’t disappoint, even in the wind. And since we’ve had more than our share of wind lately, that’s the time grab your phone and/or your camera and get outside to record the show. A slow shutter speed helps with the painterly effect by blending all those colors as if you’d taken a brush to canvas, but without the time involved and without dealing with wet paint.

I hope that at least one of my posts this week has inspired you to get a little creative yourself and to indulge your senses in the opportunity to capture the beauty that surrounds us, even in the wind!

Now in Bloom

Wild Rose with Bud

For years, I’ve believed this flower to be a wild rose…however, since I question my perceived knowledge of plants and flowers, I decide to consult the experts at the Woodcock Demonstration Garden plant clinic instead.

On their site, they offer a form that allowed me to upload a photo (above) and to ask my question. While I await an answer, I took the opportunity to spend more time on the site and find what else they offer.

To my surprise, they have an extensive offering on everything from growing and caring for plants, to finding farmers’ markets, as well as specific foods in our area. Their link to the Eat Local First website caught my eye first and from there I could enter a specific food, along with my zip code, and find where it’s farmed and/or sold locally.

For example, I entered “halibut” and the 98382 area code and although I envisioned seeing locations in Sekiu, or Pt. Townsend, I was surprised to find that High Tide Seafoods in Pt. Angeles sells it, and it’s a mere 18 miles away (a relief considering the price of gas). Their phone number (360) 452-8488) was listed, and a website as well.

So although the jury is still out on the actual name of these flowers, I have no excuse but to access the Demonstration Gardens’ site the next time I’m in a quandary on the name or origin of a particular plant or flower. And while some may recommend I simply Google it, I did, and found similar flowers, but no…not this one! 

Dancing Poppies

Skagit Valley Tulips Dance in the Wind

Since I often travel, I don’t plant many flowers that require watering and/or special care while I’m gone, since I know that when I return my money and time will have been wasted on parched flowers. And not planting them also gives me another reason to travel back to Skagit Valley, with more money to do it with.

While in the fields, I often find myself dodging other visitors, as well as photographers, and I do my best to capture the essence of the flowers that “speak” to me, but often I find I want to do more with my keepers after I get home, and this is where creativity is key in a successful end result.

With this piece, I chose to combine three of my images. The colorful abstract background you see is actually light reflected on gasoline floating in a puddle of water (I’ll spare you the details…); the tulips, originally with someone’s foot behind them, are the second layer; and the leaves the third.

Using Adobe Photoshop, I sandwiched the images together and used their software to sharpen and bring out the details to achieve the look you see here. Successful? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!