This old barn is on MacLeay Road, not far from the Sequim Prairie Grange. By the look of the signs on its side I suspect it was a feed store.
Monster beets
I knew I was staying busy and I knew I was neglecting the garden. But it really hit home when I looked at the long neglected beets. Oops. This one was about the size of a large grapefruit. They’re usually harvested when they’re the size of a fist.
I remembered to weigh this one before we cut it up (“Honey, would you get out the chainsaw?”) It was slightly over 7 pounds without the greens and roughly the size of a large cantaloupe.
If you have the opportunity to find beets fresh enough to have attached leaves, the greens are very tasty and loaded with nutrients.
Despite their heft these weren’t woody and were very tasty. If I had more time I’d have pickled and canned them. But then if I had more time I’d have harvested them a month ago.
Uphill
Lit right even the more ordinary spots on a trail can lift a heart.
Perspective
The bridge over the Dungeness River on Woodcock Road has a wooden walkway on either side for walkers and river watchers. And judging from what it feels like when a truck rolls over it I suspect the bridge structure is wooden too. (The headlights at the end of this walkway are from a truck parked at a pullout.)
Underwater duck
As we watched salmon swim upstream in the Dungeness River the other day suddenly this duck swam by in the other direction. I’ve seen ducks dive underwater but never had the opportunity to see one swim under the surface. It was a surprise and a treat. This shot was enhanced with Photoshop.
Bridge work
Early this year floodwaters of the Dungeness River caused pileups of water and logs that undermined part of the railroad bridge across the Dungeness River at Railroad Bridge Park. The historic trestle was not damaged but the west side of the bridge partly collapsed.
Rebuilding began earlier this month. The old section which had been supported with creosote beams has been removed and will be replaced with fewer supports. The new design will have fewer impediments to water flow and salmon migration. A coalition of many groups, led by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, which owns the bridge and Railroad Bridge Park, will pay for the design, demolition, and reconstruction.
Timing of the work has been tricky as crews try to complete work without impeding salmon runs. Click here for more information about the project.
Somethin’ fishy
Salmon are running again in the local rivers and Tuesday we headed to the Dungeness River to take a look. Because water levels are low there’s been concern that the runs may be affected but a couple of small storms lately have helped some.
I caught this critter mid-leap. The focus isn’t ideal but I love the reflection.
I also liked the splash it left behind.
Salmon are anadromous fish. They begin their lives in fresh water rivers, migrate into the ocean, and then return to their birth waters to spawn and die. Here you see migrating salmon swimming past the carcass of one which has finished its journey. Click here for more information about salmon life cycles.