August 2013September 2013 October 2013

09/25 - Hurricane Hill - After the Equinox

Obstruction Point Road has already closed and the weather has been changeable. Instead of the usual September sun, our skies seem to be visitors from October. We hiked the Hurricane Hill Trail on a quiet day and watched Mount Olympus fuss with its wreath of clouds before vanishing. The marmots were out, but turning darker and browner for winter. Only their hindquarters were golden. We saw only a handful of flowers, dried yarrow, a few harebells, and the like. Instead we saw fall foliage with the grasses turning golden and leaves turning red and brown.

Golden fields and misty mountains

One of five marmots we saw

Another marmot in closeup - not very golden

A view

A misty view and changing colors

Mount Angeles

To the north, a touch of blue

The first bit of snow, near the summit

A band of gold

A mushroom

Last of the flowers

Keywords: flowers, hurricane hill, marmots, obstruction point, weather, winter

09/21 - To Seattle By Sea

Whenever we give directions to people coming to visit the Olympic Peninsula, which is pretty often, we always tell them about the land route via Tacoma and the water route via the Bainbridge Island Ferry. While the land route may be faster, particularly when starting from the airport, the water route gets one into the spirit of the Northwest more quickly. It's what they used to call a "sea change", a change of attitude, focus and mind induced by the crossing of water.

We recently took the journey in reverse and had some wonderful views of the city from the bow. Despite the softness of vision, we could see far, up into the Cascades and north to Mount Baker. We were reminded that Seattle's harbor is a working harbor when the scenery snapped into bright industrial focus as we moored at the ferry terminal. It was quite a transition, and we were suddenly, like the air, sharpened for urban adventure.

A quintessential view of Seattle

The city from the water

The snow capped Cascades

Mount Baker

A working harbor

Keywords: seattle

09/13 - Obstruction Point

Autumn is coming to Obstruction Point. It is always dry at the end of Obstruction Point Road, and the high country is always wild and open here. Already, the foliage has started to turn red, so part of our hike feels like crossing the Plains of Mars.

Another view of the mountains - We will miss them when the hiking season ends.

The Plains of Mars

Striking red foliage

Red fields and mountains

More of the plains

High country, dry country

Still some melting snow

Resin on the pine cones

Mountains and another lake

Harebells

We call these mock dandelions, but we're sure no on else does.

Keywords: autumn, high country, obstruction point

09/12 - Klahane Ridge - Late in the Season

We were up on Klahane Ridge a few days ago. Summer is over. The lupines are long gone. In fact, there were only a handful of flowers left here and there. The hanging gardens are shutting down for the winter. It seems so soon.

View of Port Angeles

The Olympic Mountains

Along the ridge

More mountains

Towards Mount Angeles - Look closely, and you can see some lingering snow.

Keywords: flowers, klahane ridge

09/09 - The Truth About Kale

Our friends all know that we're crazy about kale, but we recently ran into some terrifying news. Not only is our favorite vegetable, and partial namesake, full of chemicals, but it could destroy the planet. Check out the article Just Kale Me.

It's hilarious. (No, the kale cultivars we eat have extremely low levels of the chemicals noted, though there are heirloom varietals with higher ones. No, no one is expecting kale to feed the world. Most people will go on eating the usual staples, but maybe with a nice dish of kale on the side.)

The terrible truth about our favorite vegetable

Keywords: food, science, humor, kale

09/07 - Traveling a Bit

We have been doing a bit of traveling. We were in Seattle and got to see the disappearing Space Needle illusion and the new ferris wheel down by the waterfront. Then we headed east to the land of peaches, apples, and wineries which is slowly being invaded by hops. Eastern Washington State not only produces a lot of grapes for wine, but also a lot of hops for beer. It also produces a lot of electricity which is carried to the I-5 area and points west along power lines supported by strangely anthropomorphic towers.

The vanishing Space Needle Illusion

The new ferris wheel

Two guys walking around near the highway

Some beautiful country

Hops - They're grown in a protective frame.

Keywords: seattle, washington state

09/04 - Luau 2013

This year we waited until Labor Day weekend to hold our Hawaiian Luau. Once again, the trade winds blew, and the lau lau steamed. Our cupcake heiau dominated the dining room table hard by a big bowl of boiled icing and smaller bowls of coconut chips and roasted chocolate nibs. Our tiki idol took on a new look with its glowing red eyes, controlled by an Arduino. We even tried out a new drink, a slushy called "water off a duck's back".

An ominous tiki idol with glowing red eyes

Hells in the Pacific, mai tais and waters off a duck's back

Sushi and our infamous cupcake heiau

Keywords: hawaii, food

August 2013September 2013 October 2013