Madrone

A few bits of bark still cling to this Madrone tree. 

Most of these trees grow within a mile of the coastline here in Washington and B.C, and only in certain soils, so they are quite a treat to see.  Their reddish bark peels off, leaving the smooth trunk exposed.

Harlequin Duck

The water whispers past his wings,
sighing of his beauty.

To learn about Harlequin Ducks, click here.

Happy Summer Solstice...

...Especially to those of you who actually get to see the sun today. Here in the Pacific Northwest, it may be the longest day of the year (sunrise at 5:06 AM, sunset at 9:17 PM) but the hours of daylight will still be short if we're measuring by wattage. It looks like the sun is getting plenty of adoration from other parts of the world today, so we'll let her hide behind her blanket of grey clouds in our corner of the globe, and give her a little break from all the chantings and ululations.