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Icelandic icon 1

One of the first places I wanted to explore in Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital, was Harpa Concert Hall, a venue opened in 2011.

The building is visually stunning, with a colored glass facade that changes with reflected light.

It is fascinating inside and out. This is an interior view.

It was grey and cloudy the first day I saw it. On another, sunnier day its character had changed as I photographed it over construction fencing.

The building was designed by Henning Larsen Architects and artist Olafur Eliasson.

This is not Sequim

A few months ago, in the depths of winter, a friend told me about a website that offers travel deals. I should have put my fingers in my ears and said “La, la, la, la. I’m not listening.”

The siren call of the travel website was irresistible. And the first time I checked it out, well, did it have a deal for me! Iceland, a destination that had been inching up my “Go There” list, suddenly shot to the top. And as fast as you could say “We’d better renew our passports” we had confirmed reservations.

We just spent about a week there. And, 800 photos later, just like that, we’re home again.

So Sequim Daily Photo is going on an adventure in the coming days. I’ll share my home city again in a while. But until then you’re welcome to tag along on my trip. The shots above are of Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. I’ll be showing you more of the city as well as some of the countryside in Iceland. And you don’t even need a passport!

Trees as metaphor

There are several trees with this fascinating peeling bark outside my dentist’s office. They’re a great diversion when the hygienist removes her toolbox from my mouth.

This tree seems to me to be a metaphor about life. There are so many layers of old ways peeling off and shedding. They flap around, unexpectedly flexible. And somewhere underneath it all is a younger, fresher creation inside, ready to take on the next challenges.

It seems better than just looking at oneself and seeing old and crinkly, don’t you think?

Yeah: addicted to eagles, too

Yesterday I admitted that I was addicted to taking pictures of hummingbirds. Well, the same goes for eagles. Nine years in Sequim and I haven’t tired of them.

This is a pair that has been hanging out together lately. They were quietly perched, checking out the neighborhood, when both of them opened their beaks and started calling. “It’s a good day to be an eagle!” Or some other eagle-ish wisdom.

Then they went back to looking around.

My name’s Kay and I’m addicted to hummingbirds

This Anna’s hummingbird blends well with the new leaves on the rose and red flowering current bushes. I take so many pictures of so many hummingbirds, none of which are really close enough to warrant taking them. But those little birds are right up there with chocolate for me: irresistible. Since you get to look at them here does that make you a codependent?

Bouquet mania

Walk into most all purpose craft stores and you’ll be met with overwhelming masses of rainbow flowers. They’re a temptation for anyone with a brown thumb, scent allergies, or the desire for instant gratification. And they won’t die off in a few days.

I don’t know. It’s just that after a while maybe they just get, you know, too perfect. And a little dusty. Maybe I’m too fickle for fake.