Spring Snow

Last weekend, I visited the Tolt River-John MacDonald Park in Carnation. The trip before that, as you might recall, was to Sharpe Park in Anacortes under warm sunshine. What a contrast! This time, I was met with cold temperatures and a dusting of snow. The juxtaposition of spring growth and snow made for some interesting scenery, and I came away with some fun compositions along those lines despite tricky and quickly-changing lighting conditions.

My favorite image from the day is this one, of red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum) just starting to bloom, with a bit of snow and ice still on it. I was worried about the picture while I was taking it, because the best-looking subjects were all at an awkward height for the tripod. I had to keep the tripod's legs together, to give it a bit more height, and brace the camera with my hand. Thankfully, the area was bright enough that I was able to use a shutter speed of 1/60 of a second, compensating for the loss of stability. F/6.3.

Next, willow catkins with the Tolt River in the background. F/11.

Finally, some restored wetlands with a dusting of snow. In the foreground (lower left) is Oregon grape with spring buds visible. I would have liked those to be more prominent in the frame, but I still like the composition. F/16.

Stay warm, everyone!

Spring begins!

On Saturday, inspired by the gorgeous weather, I went to Sharpe Park up by Anacortes and Deception Pass. Sharpe Park is smaller and more rugged than the better-known Deception Pass State Park - the trails down to the water in particular are a bit tricky - so it tends to have fewer visitors. But the views from the park are great, even the trails down to the water at Porpoise Point are well worthwhile if you're up for a challenge. By the calendar, it was still winter, but since the weather was warm and I found a few wildflowers, I'm considering it the first trip of the spring season!

First, Indian plum, or osoberry (Oemleria cerasiformis). F/5.

Next, looking north-ish from Sares Head. I like the lighting in this one, particularly the illumination of the tufts of grass. I think it adds to the sense of depth. F/16.

Below, a closeup of some cool moss and lichen growing together. I'm not very good at identifying mosses and lichens, so I'm not going to try right now, but they were still very fun to see! F.6.3.

Next, a view from Sares Head out to the Olympics. F/16.

Finally, looking down from Sares Head toward Rosario Head, Northwest Island, and Deception Island (from left to right), with Whidbey Island in the farthest distance. F/16.

I'm glad that I chose a destination like Sharpe Park on Saturday - the good visibility under clear skies was very rewarding. We were also able to see some wildlife, including distant seals and chattering eagles. I'm guessing my next hike will be of a more nearby, forested variety, involving some different wildflowers or signs of spring. See you soon!

Licorice Fern Trail

Spring seems to be getting off to a slow start here in western Washington. This is anecdotal, of course, but it seems like I've been seeing fewer early-blooming flowers, like salmonberry and Indian plum, than usual by this time of year. Last weekend, I hiked some trails at Cougar Mountain, and didn't find any wildflowers at all. I wasn't too disappointed, fortunately, because I found some other colorful scenes, and generally had a peaceful day in the woods. I started by hiking the Licorice Fern trail, which was one of the few corners of the park that I hadn't yet seen. I enjoyed it - the steepness of the ravine, and the lushness of the forest, helped conceal the trail's proximity to surrounding civilization. From there, I hiked farther into the park, turning around at Doughty Falls.

First, some unexpected color from the red leaves of an Oregon-grape plant. The color was quite eye-catching against the muted greens, grays, and browns of late winter. At this point, the clouds were thinning a bit, and the sunlight was coming toward my lens, so I had to get creative using my hands to eliminate glare. I'm glad I persisted, though, because this one is probably my favorite from the day. F/18.

Next, one of the few obvious signs of spring I noticed on the hike - Indian plum just starting to open. F/7.1.

Below, the ravine of the Licorice Fern Trail. The sense of depth doesn't come through as well as I'd like, but I do enjoy all the mossy green. F/18.

Finally, Doughty Falls. It isn't as eye-catching as Coal Creek Falls or Far Country Falls. The upshot of that fact, though, is a greater degree of solitude. F/18, 3 seconds.

That's all for now. Stay tuned; wildflower season will be kicking off soon!