Today is the last day of Summer 2017 for the Northern Hemisphere. I hope you took some great looks at the grown green, especially if you’re in the Pacific Northwest, for it’s all coming down soon. Along with it, the warm weather and brighter days.
Yet, I think there will be as much to appreciate in the coming Fall. Wait and see…
For this day in the Pacific Northwest, was trapped between the wet, gloomy morning and the sunny, windy evening.
In between, there was work and errands. Some phone calls were made, and I engaged in the usual mundane small talk, to somewhat expedite the usual hump day dragging on. For my second break, I did take a little time out of the daily routine to dip a tea bag (Earl Grey) and walked outside.
And, I noticed a small area of stones halfway planted into the ground, around a corner. Still wet the stones were, cleaned from the torrenting morning showers.Yet, peaceful and somewhat cozy in the grassy growth holding them tight. Such was the rocky site to ponder and bind with. I sipped my tea to the last drop and stared down, thinking of almost nothing until taking a quick snap from the phonecam.
And then, that break ended as I returned back to the daily routine.
– Orion T
I’m a little late waking up, and so is the summer. Yet, here we are now with blue skies and shady trees.
I hear the weather down in much of the southwest US has hit triple digit Fahrenheit. Coming from there the Southern California regions, I do not miss that sticky heat. Here in the Pacific Northwest, the summer works better on me. I now feel upper 70s, early 80s F weather, with occasional surprise showers. Such would be prefect, if I didn’t spend so much of it cooped indoors, doing grown-up things like working and figuring out finances. Still, the summer is early, and I think more of these good warm days will be waiting. I shall strive to not miss them..
– Orion T
My favorite little tree has plenty silkish white blossoms under the gray sky today. It was quite wet from the torrenting showers throughout the day.
You’ll find this tree in the Jim Ellis Freeway Park in Downtown Seattle, next to a underpass walkway under a small road bridge that cuts through the small area. I am uncertain of it’s kind. It is wonderful enough to behold enough without further clarification, especially more between the rain.
Also, Spring is coming. I have a feeling it’s going to be a wet one. Keep your umbrellas near..
– Orion T
A weekend adventure outside the concrete jungle life..
This time at Carkeek Park, a small 220 acre woodland to the north of the Ballard district of Seattle. The area has much greatness hidden through its joggable trails; wetlands, orchards, grass picnic areas, and a beach with so much more. But for me it had a lot of peace and quiet, which I needed for much of this weekend.
I also took pictures (below)
I stayed on mostly two trails, The Piper Trail to my destination, and the South Ridge on my return trip. Most of these trails are easy and friendly for the casual hiker or jogger. The signs aren’t always at all the fork splits, so it might be good to have a printed map. This is not so much for getting lost, but to make sure you reach the right destination point, or to leave where you walked in (I took the bus here).
Soon on the Piper Trail, the Piper Orchard. A series of fruit and nut trees planted over 100 years ago by the Piper Family. There are bags tied around the fruits, with signs kindly asking people not to take.
Lots of moss here in the late summer. I love seeing moss on trees.
A creek where salmon are known to travel, in the past at least. The running water keeps me calm.
My favorite thing about woodland hikes, the odd tree formations and collapses. One could just let their imaginations run wild with this.
I also love to see some crazy root action when on the upper trails. This was on the South Ridge trail after an upward crawl.
Half a tree..
I wanted to capture some pics of birds here. I can hear them all about up high. But here I think, the birds are shy and keep their distance from the constant humans passing through. I can hear many, see nothing. But, I enjoyed what I had anyway..
A variety of life, and some death.
Still no birds, and not much in sects either. But I had plenty for the imagination..
Not a medium park trail unless someone leaves a visible message somewhere..
The end, or beginning of things. This was my destination and rest area, the beach area of Carkeek Park. I am immediately reminded from the sky of the wildfires throughout the Pacific Northwest, causing this hazy sky. More on that, as I will post pics and notes of that in Part 2, coming soon.
– Orion T
Happy Earth Day!
And so goes all the good messages about planting trees, recycling, putting some extra through on how we converse resources. This is not much to ask for the many of us busy with work, or preoccupied with some studies and big crazy projects.
Yet, here we are again. And sometimes, it’s the little things we don’t appreciate. Like these trees that I felt fortunate to walk among in this big downtown city. Now, the Spring is full-grown, and the leaves are plenty enough to block out much of the continued development that sprouts from the grounds of this Emerald City. I smile a little more on this Earth Day, to see the efforts of this co-existence of nature and industrialization in the high-paced working world. There are ecological benefits to our longer-term survival with this continued push for nature through our cities. I would like to think having more trees helps reduce the effects of city pollution and smog. The shade also helps to bring down mental stress, I think.
So, today I spread the light on our public parks, and emphasize the importance of increasing planted trees in our modernized civilizations. We continue to push forward, plant more trees and bushes; all great action in the right directions. This continual rebirth of local nature is helpful to our environment and futures, in more ways than we can see. But, sometimes to take in the sights of a well-developed park..is enough to appreciate.
The pictures below are of the Pioneer Square area of Downtown Seattle; taken days ago with a cheaper point and shoot camera. However, today has small outbursts of sun and shine throughout the Pioneer Square. The leaves are just as nice to look at and through, on this lovely Earth Day. If you are nearby some earthly sights, take time out and appreciate..
– Orion T
TRAVELING ORION 