Distant mountains – Mt. Rainier

Yesterday I showed you Mt. Baker in the Cascade Range east of Sequim. Here’s another majestic peak from the same range, Mt. Rainier. It is further south in the Cascades and not in view from Sequim. I took this shot last week from Gig Harbor on the Kitsap Peninsula. Rainier can be seen on clear days from Seattle and often can be seen from Portland, OR.

According to Wikipedia, Mt. Rainier has a number of superlatives. It is the highest mountain in Washington State and the Cascade Range with a summit elevation of 14,411 feet. What’s chilling, however, is this Wikipedia statement, “Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, and it is on the Decade Volcano list.” The Decade Volcano list notes that such volcanos are “worthy of particular study in light of their history of large, destructive eruptions and proximity to populated areas.” It is classified in the company of other volcanoes you may have heard of: Vesuvius, Sanforini, Mauna Loa, and Etna.

Distant mountains – Mt. Baker

Sometimes hidden but always present, the Olympic Mountains are a touchstone when you live in Sequim. Sunny day? Good! There are the Olympics.

The Cascade Mountains east of here are another story. It takes an extra clear day to see Mt. Baker and even then it usually looks ghostly. The forested lower part of the peak recedes from view, leaving the snow capped crest appearing to float. Mt. Baker is the third highest mountain in Washington State at 10,781 feet.

This shot is sort of cheating because it was taken from Marrowstone Island, which is east of Sequim and closer to Mt. Baker. It still has that dreamy, ethereal look to it but you can see Baker a little better than you can from Sequim. Full disclosure: I boosted the contrast on this shot to strengthen the image. Even from Marrowstone Island Mt. Baker presents a faded view.

The pulp mill

It’s nestled off the main road into town, but you can see the Port Townsend Paper Corporation facility from Old Fort Townsend State Park. After Port Townsend’s economic boom and bust cycles of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the mill’s arrival saved the local economy and provided needed jobs. This facility produces kraft and containerboard papers. I know there are scrubbers and various controls to protect the environment, but sometimes you can really smell this place as you drive by, as we did just yesterday. If you’ve never smelled a pulp mill, count yourself lucky.

Back in action

Today marks the end of a six-week recuperation for our dog. He sustained a back injury in the pursuit of a tennis ball. In addition to being restricted to no walks, the vet put him on a diet. After bleary eyed days on pain killers and muscle relaxants he recovered enough to passionately lobby to hit the trail again. Dogs may not speak, but they can definitely convey demands. The vet relented and allowed him out on gentle one-mile walks. It was a relief for all of us. Until then my husband and I hid our boots, hats and jackets in the garage so we could guiltily sneak out without him. We can now resume our three mile route. And in the meantime we’re beginning to see his puppyish waist again.

(This is a Labrador action shot. His tail was caught in motion here and looks shorter than normal. And the white spot on his snout? Happy slobber.)

Happy face

Marigolds seem like workhorse flowers. Nothing exotic, but bold and reliably pretty shocks of color wherever they’re nestled in. I read somewhere that they discourage cutworms in a garden, so I’ve put them in among other plantings. I’m not convinced that they work for that, but they’re plenty cheerful. That’s good enough for me.