July 2010August 2010 September 2010

08/28 - Hurricane Ridge

We were up at Hurricane Ridge and couldn't help but notice that autumn is coming.

Autumn is coming

Keywords: autumn, hurricane ridge

08/26 - Salmon a la Costco

We learned how to make this dish from the fish guy at Costco. This time, we used a sockeye salmon from WIld West. The dish is simplicity itself. Just filet the fish, then stuff it with nectarines (or peaches), purple onion and coriander. Bake it in the oven at 350F for 20=30 minutes, and there it is, or in our case, there it was.

Our fish

The stuffing

The stuffed fish

Keywords: food, salmon

08/25 - News from the Dungeness Mile Marker

There is a one mile marker on the Dungeness Spit, but we used to use the beat up half of a dinghy that was right next to the official marker as our mile real marker. This time we spotted the official mile marker, but where was our dinghy? Our "rib cage", an old driftwood tree with spiking branches, was still there, but the dinghy had vanished. We took a closer look and found a few bits, but our dinghy's days as a landmark are over.

The official one mile mark

That's Ribsy, our other one mile marker. It's showing its age.

It's less than half a dinghy now. Maybe it's a quarter deck?

Keywords: dungeness spit

08/22 - Late Summer - Already - at Hurricane Hill

It's late summer in the high country. The corn lilies are out on Hurricane Hill, and the fields are colored by the myriad harebells. The snow has all melted on the north slope leaving that seasonal lake behind. That's news enough.

The seasonal lake

The fields are colored with harebells and yarrows.

Corn lilies

More corn lilies in bloom

There are still some lupines.

It's like an impressionist painting.

You can see the colors of the flowers in the fields.

Keywords: flowers, high country, hurricane hill, summer

08/20 - Luau 2010

We held the annual Kaleberg Luau a while back, but we didn't post any pictures. We've been holding the luau since 2002, so it really has become a tradition.

That's the spread. It's not a luau without a pineapple.

Our motto: served in a skull. Those are South Sea Bubbles served in the champagne flutes. That's pineapple champagne, pineapple gum syrup and bits of pineapple.

Godzilla - in the spirit

Hawaiian spice chicken, made with Indonesian spices

Watermelon salad with tomato, coriander, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and mozzarella, adapted from Spago Wailea

Lau lau - in action

Those are mai tais made with blue curacao - don't ask - in the punch bowl in front of this year's cupcake heiau.

Keywords: hawaii, food, luau

08/18 - More Pictures From The Air

We flew into Seattle briefly on Kenmore Air. As usual, the scenery was spectacular. The Olympic Mountains are spectacular, but the park is the largest roadless area in the lower 48. That means that you don't see a lot of the mountains when driving, but a short scenic flight offers awesome views.

That's coastal fog. It's often sunnier inland.

More coastal fog

The mountains

More mountains

Even more mountains

Amazing mountain profiles

Do we really need a caption here?

Snow capped mountains

One of the many green valleys

Keywords: kenmore, seattle

08/15 - Obstruction Point

We were back at Obstruction Point. The snow is melting rapidly, forming fantastic shapes as it does in the summer mountains. Wild lakes appear in the wakes of melting snow fields, and all around the flowers are in bloom.

Melting snow

The vista

The trail

An emerging lake

Snow saved by shadow

Phlox

More fields

Keywords: flowers, obstruction point, summer, high country

08/12 - The Summer Port Angeles Farmers' Market

We haven't been writing very much about the Port Angeles Farmers' Market lately. This has not been because we haven't been shopping there, but because we've been lazy. The slow start to the season didn't help, but now the summer vegetables are coming in thick and fast. The Korean Garlic Lady is selling her wonderful, almost overpowering garlic, along with her excellent scallions. Lazy J and Johnston Farms have their great potatoes. Everybody seems to be selling cauliflower, and it's about time.

We should also note that Mount Townsend Creamery is selling Trailhead again. They aren't getting their milk from Dungeness Valley Creamery anymore, but the cheese is almost as good as ever.

Trailhead cheese is back.

Great garlic

Potatoes! We're saved!

Cauliflower in living color.

Those are Nash's watermelons.

Lazy J always puts on a great display.

More vegetables

Keywords: farmers' market, farms, johnston farm, port angeles, shopping, summer, mount townsend creamery

08/10 - Hurricane Hill in the Clouds

Hurricane Hill is a spectacular hike on a sunny day. The trail follows the ridge and offers stunning views of the Olympic Mountains as well as the strait. On cloudy days, the clouds play with the mountains. They course through the valleys and play hide and seek. On sunny days, the mountains look unreal. It is impossible to understand how far away they are and how big they are. Clouds, hanging in the valleys, give some perspective, a sense of scale.

Two trouble makers - We're sure.

Clouds

Lupines


More clouds

Keywords: hurricane hill, animals

08/08 - Hawaiian Salmon Wraps

We were browsing our new Hawaiian cookbook - thank you, Diane - and decided to try one of the recipes, a new way of cooking our local salmon. These Vietnamese tapioca wrappers are stuffed with salmon, macadamia nuts, coriander, and garlic. They taste even better than they look, and they look pretty good.

Steaming

Keywords: hawaii, salmon

08/05 - Salmon Truck

The Rite Aid parking lot on Lincoln Street has a free market air. You'll often find someone with a pickup truck selling firewood, flowers or freshly caught salmon parked towards the main street. This salmon vendor was typical. It's one of the great things about living in Port Angeles.

A seasonal sight

Keywords: port angeles, food, salmon

08/03 - Lake Angeles - 2010

We made it back up to Lake Angeles for the first time this year. The lake is as beautiful as ever, and the sun as brilliant. Most of our pictures looked like the new Star Trek movie, full of lens flare. The water looked inviting, but cold. We stayed dry this time. Maybe next climb we'll give it a try.

Still some snow on the hillside

Bright logs and bright water

Shooting stars

Keywords: lake angeles

July 2010August 2010 September 2010