Framed by a Fork

Sun shines through the trees on the Interurban trail

Conference Table

This piece of art, called "Conference Table," is by Tom McLelland. It's on the waterfront off State Street. Personally, I like the way this picture has some extra Pacific Northwest flavor: the raindrop on the lens and the seagull poop on the sculpture. Ah, home.

I'm leaving this rain-soaked picture as the latest post for an indefinite period of time. We're throwing the kids and the dog in our little vintage trailer and hitting the road for a couple weeks. Our ultimate destination is Zion, Bryce, and the Grand Canyon. I'm saving some Bellingham pictures that we'll try to post on the go, but since service might be spotty, I'm not making any promises!

Hope everyone has a great couple of weeks!

Watching the sky in her eyes

I took this picture of my eldest at the top of the ferris wheel at the Ski to Sea carnival. It was a perfect moment-- hovering in the sky, looking at the sky, reflecting the sky... sounds like a Skywatch Friday picture!

Floating Over Lake Padden

Some fisherman left a decoration hanging from a branch over Lake Padden, making an ideal foreground for the fishermen in the boat.

Ski to Sea Carnival

Every year in Bellingham, the last week of May is all about Ski to Sea. I took this picture at the Ski to Sea carnival. There is also the Junior Ski to Sea Parade, the Junior Ski to Sea Race, the Ski to Sea Grand Parade, and many other festivals and events. The main event-- the reason for all this skiing and seaing nonsense-- is Bellingham's biggest sports event of the year, the Ski to Sea Race. Alas, I will be missing it this year since we'll be starting our vacation this weekend, so I won't be able to post any pictures. I'll outline it for you anyway, and whet your appetite for next year's Ski to Sea Race, which I'm determined to attend and post pictures of! There are seven legs of the race, beginning high on Mount Baker with a cross-country skier. He or she hands off to a downhill skier or snowboarder, who hands off to a runner, and then the road bike, canoe, mountain bike, and lastly the kayak leg of the race which goes across Bellingham Bay to Fairhaven, where there's a big party called "It All Ends in Fairhaven". Sigh. I'll be there next year, beer garden!

Pink Mountain

Mount Baker hovers over the Bellingham marina, its face tinged rose by the setting sun.

Charlie Hunter Trio at the Green Frog

This is the Charlie Hunter Trio, groovily jamming right before I made the major photographer faux pas of using my flash. Charlie Hunter half-joked "What are you trying to do, blind me?" And I muttered "Sorry" and fled home, where my frequent debacles are a little more private. If you find this post in a random Google search of your name, Charlie Hunter, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!

Anyway, other than that moment, it was an awesome night at the Green Frog Cafe. The cozy bar was jam-packed with people in awe of Charlie Hunter, and in shock that he would deign to visit our little 'Hamlet. He has a new album out, which I haven't heard yet but you can hear him talk about it on NPR here. My favorite of his albums (so far) is "Songs from the Analog Playground".

Why I Live Where I Do

A fifteen minute drive...

A fifteen minute hike...

And I'm rewarded with a view like this.

It's pretty hard to beat.

Red Rider

A young daredevil hitches a ride during Bellingham's Junior Ski to Sea Parade.

Skywatch Friday: Craters of the Moon

Moon!

(a funny looking word when you think about it)

Skywatch Friday images click HERE.