Ukiyo-e Prints

浮世絵版画

Port Townsend, Washington

NORTH CASCADES

NATIONAL PARK

View of Diablo Lake

A friend of mine and I decided to take a quick one day outing to the North Cascades. He had never been there and I sold the idea to him. We both took our cameras. It is amazing how many magnificent sites are within a short drive from Port Townsend - both urban and natural. I picked him up at 6:10 AM and was at the ferry by 6:15, but that wasn't good enough. We missed getting on the first run by three cars and had to wait an hour and a half for the next departure. Several hours later and after a gawd awful lunch at a lovely setting we entered the park. We stopped at the information center and then drove through the park for a total view with an expectation of stopping and hiking on the way back.

However, the best laid plans... It was cloudy and somewhat rainy - both manageable and not much of a detraction - but by the time we got to the trailhead it was pouring, pouring, pouring. I was prepared to bite the bullet and hike anyway, but was relieved when my friend nixed the whole scheme. "Okay" I said with a sigh while inside I was dancing a little dance. Whew! Glad he didn't want to drown in it because that meant I didn't have to either. Nevertheless, we were able to get a number of good shots at several quick stops and before we left the park we did get a very, very short hike in. Even that one was a treat because we were able to get shots of moss covered boulders. They look like a soft carpet while they completely carpet a very jagged and rough landscape. But it wasn't just the boulders which were covered. It was everything. Everything - except the path. Some of the pictures I have posted will give you a good idea of what I mean.

Diablo Lake with the sun trying to break through. It didn't much.

The view taken five minutes later than the example shown above this one.

Shot from the Diablo Lake overlook it is clear the clouds have won.

A peak and ridges towering above the north side of Diablo Lake.

The sun came out as soon as we left the park on our drive home.

There was moss everywhere on our short walk near Gorge Creek Falls.

Gorge Creek Falls as shot from a bridge which scared the ess out of my friend.

PIPE DREAMS

Monotropa uniflora

The Indian Pipe or Monotropa uniflora is the July Plant of the Month at Old Fort Townsend State Park. I have been walking its trails for months and have been noticing these rather bizarre clusters of extremely slow growing plants which look like something out of another world. Then this month they really began to take off, shooting upward. Fortunately there are at least two places in the park where the local rangers have posted information about this strange plant. The laminated plaque states: "Indian pipe is a fleshy, waxy-white perennial lacking chlorophyll. It derives its name from the pipe-like shape of its single flowers. It is considered a parasite with its roots connected via fungi to the roots of nearby coniferous trees whereby it obtains its food."

The picture shown above was taken today, July 24, with a flash. The two image shown below, a little out of focus, were taken with the flash turned off. They give a better sense of the how it appears to the eye - the myopic eye.

THE VANCOUVER GROUNDCONE

AT OLD FORT TOWNSEND STATE PARK

Recently I had a visitor from southern Texas near the Mexican border. She and I and a local friend went to breakfast - see below - and then drove to Old Ft. Townsend State Park for a hike through the woods. Both friends took their cameras with them because they have the bug big time. About twenty minutes into the hike we ran across a very strange plant growing right next to the path on our left. It was unreal looking. An alien life force? No? Well, at the least it was something the likes of which we had never seen. They both took shots. A little later we passes a board with various posting and one showed the laminated sheet about "The plant of the month." Sure enough there it was: The Vancouver groundcone. Boschniakia hookeri!

A quick thank you note:

I went back to the park a couple of days ago to try to get a good photograph of this plant. However, they came out poorly. As I have said - I am no photographer. Anyway, I started searching for information on this plant and ran across a beautiful image taken by Chris Wagner in California. I wrote her and asked for permission to use her photograph rather than any of my pathetic ones. She answered immediately and gave her consent. So, although there is a bit of legerdemain going on here - this example was not shot in Old Ft. Townsend - it gives you a great idea of what this plant looks like. For that reason I owe Chris Wagner a debt of gratitude. You do too! Thanks Chris!

Anyone who has read my comments about this region know how much I love it here. What is so nice is that every time I make the effort I discover something completely new. I know that could be said of almost any other place, but at least here it is almost always gorgeous and often surprising.

Not only is the food great, but the atmosphere is not to be believed. Located at the airport just outside of town it offers a view that just won't quit. Mostly just locals eat there, but if you get a chance and your aren't a horribly fussy yuppie you should give it a try. You won't be sorry. Below is a picture from the interior.

SUMMER IS COMING

and I am back to riding my bike again. Personally I am too wussy to ride in the winter or when it is especially wet, but other than that I just can't wait to get out there again. Above is one of the pictures I took in September 2003, but I still ride that road and it is gorgeous. Almost everywhere is a delight to the eyes. A real feast. If one could gain weight by eating through the eyes I would weigh a ton. As is, I only weigh a considerable fraction of that.

FORT FLAGLER

A few months ago I started visiting Ft. Flagler more frequently. In fact, it is now on my regular tourist stops for all new visitors. Like Ft. Worden, one of my favorites places ever, Flagler is also a Washington state park. The drive to the the beach at the north end of the park is breathtaking and the view from there across the water to Port Townsend is equally dramatic. In fact, on a clear day the mountains to the west with their snow topped peaks is worthy of truly transcendental moment or two.

Flagler, like the other forts which dot the Sound, were built to protect us from a naval assault by a foreign power on this portion of our northwest coast. When I tell people this they are forever asking: "Which foreign powers?" My guess: The Russians; The Germans; The Japanese; The Swiss; and The Bolivians! Who else. No one argues with me. How could they? Actually I think they just think better of it and let it slide. Obviously I haven't a clue, but that doesn't stop me from expostulating on it.

I'VE NEVER SEEN IT. NEVER EVEN BEEN THERE.

BUT SOMEHOW ASIDE FROM THE WATER

 THIS REMINDS OF THE MAGINOT LINE.

WHEN I FIRST VISITED 

PORT TOWNSEND

I was particularly struck by the breathtaking views. Location, location, location seemed to be everything. The forests are beautiful, but if you can get a view of the forest, the water and the mountains it is like winning the trifecta. Of course, even when you have all three some views are better than others. Just ask Phoebe (on the right below) and her friend Sofie. They would tell you that it is a dog's life. A really, really good dog's life.

Phoebe and Sofie are neighbors of mine. We've never been formally introduced, but I  can't help but admire their pluck --- even if they do have a tendency to look down their noses at me. (This photo was taken on January 3, 2005.)

YARD ORNAMENTS

Some people have garden gnomes as yard ornaments, but they are always being stolen or wander off on their own. Other people have those cute little fake windmills. Lots of people have bad art made by bad sculptor friends. And still others have have lawn deer. But not us. Oh, we have yard gnomes and cute little windmills and bad sculpture too, but we also have a lot of live deer. Or, they have us. I haven't figured out which yet.

This deer showed up as I was unloading groceries from my car on October, 7, 2005.

You can see that she wishes she had her camera with her. It was the first time

she had ever spotted a Vegder (I'm a Vegder) and

without a camera who  would ever believe her?

Vegders are far more rare than deer. By miles!