Views of Sequim, the Olympic Peninsula. . .and beyond
Flowers for the Taking, John Wayne Marina
On June 20, 2020, when it seemed the whole country was up in arms over Covid-19 restrictions and politics, this bucket of flowers is what we found waiting for us on a picnic bench at JWM.
And that pretty much said it all…spread kindness. Need I say more?
Farm on East Anderson Road
Like many other locals, I drive by this farm quite often and this time of year, I asked the same question I did last year….just what are those beautiful yellow wildflowers we’re all seeing; could they be mustard, buttercups, canola, or…what?
Aside from my attempts to resolve the mystery, I love indulging in the color against those slate blue mountains and the powder blue sky. I only wish there was roadside parking…just think, we could sit, indulge our senses in the beauty of farm, sip on a cup of coffee, and thoroughly absorb the splendor of the day and good fortune in living where we live.
California Poppies on a Misty Morning
While scratching my head as to what to post for today, it occurred to me that several of you asked about California poppies and since we see them very frequently here, they deserve some attention as well.
Maybe, to you, the golden tones of their petals are a reminder of the golden state and fond memories of the home you left behind, or maybe a childhood memory of fields of them lighting up a hillside?
Whatever the reason or emotion, they’re beautiful and this particular grouping certainly captured my interest. Although I photographed it years ago, it’s a lovely reminder of my walk with a friend (from California!) on the levee trail here in Sequim.
I hope they bring back fond memories for you as well.
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….
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!
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!
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!