Halls of Green...

I am leaving for the Northern border tomorrow morning at about 5:00 a.m.
Because of that fact, I decided to post this today, so you get a double dose. I will be away from civilization for just under a week, so my next post will probably appear a week from this next Monday.

I couldn't wait that long to post these beautiful, and most recent pictures.

I have come to the conclusion that Kingston, Washington suits me capitally.
I went running today to loosen up for our trip, and I was smart enough this time to bring a camera with me.
Once again, many of the pictures are washed out because of the sunlight, so the luscious green of the foliage and trees is not captured.  Use your imagination.

 

 This Driveway seems to go on and on deep into the forest. No house is viewable from the road.

 You can purchase uncut flowers at this farm house.

 They also have an enormous sunflower Garden.

 This is the barn on the Yellow House Farm

My Grandparents home and backyard. I have just come up from the beach .

 

 

 Another Driveway without a house...

 These next few pictures are just of the road as I run.

 This Fox Glove was two feet taller than me!

Another Driveway. 

   

I will give you an Update on the Canadian Adventure in about a week.

Shades of light and color...

Oh the wonders of the human eye!  And a camera's inability to imitate it!
When one comes upon a beautiful scene, they take in much more than varying shades of light and color.  They do not focus on a single entity of the whole. The scene around them in it's entirety defines the meaning and value of the single object. What is a simple leaf when one does not experience the rising sun, the misty forest, the cool air, and the glistening foliage?  But sadly, photography is the resort often settled upon for capturing the beauty and feeling  of the moment.

Photographers often spend much of their time, energy, and resources striving toward that perfection. The portrayal with perspective.
 The Photograph that portrays objects or scenes in the light they were taken in .

There are men who taught us a better way.

I speak of Emerson, of Wordsworth, even Thoreau.
They showed us how to portray with perspective. Many a beautiful scene and moment of passionate solitude passes through the mind of their readers.
If I could have one wish solidify in this existence, I would wish for a fraction of the talent these great men possessed.

Sadly, I have no talent when it comes to description.
So I will follow suit and use that handicap of photography.

Be warned. I was dismayed by how much was lost in the conversion from perspective to pixels.

These are some pictures I took of my walk on yesterday mourning.

Explanations follow below each photo.
Some of these (especially the larger photos) look better if you click on them and lock at them in the gallery.

You could not believe how thick the foliage is on every side. There are a surprising number of houses, but it feels completely open because you can only see a few of them.

The neighbors.

The Fern is one of the most prominent plants in the surrounding forest.

This is a someone's driveway. Most driveways here are at least this beautiful.

Fox glove flowers growing along the roadside

I am out on a pier for this picture using the panoramic mode on the camera.

Even with the gray clouds overhead, the sun managed to get a few rays through.

Another driveway. Notice the lawn.  It was huge, but I couldn't get it on camera.

White fox gloves.

This is the edge of the road. The foliage is this thick everywhere here.

A garden gate.

These healthy black-berry plants are considered a nuisance. They are this area's worst weed.

But it sure is wonderful coming here when they are in season. There are more giant, sweet blackberries that anyone could eat.

Some of the beach has cliffs.

Here are the other pictures of the sound.

Seagulls are everywhere here.

More Panoramic shots from the pier.

This is one of the many beautiful homes along  the beach front.

This is how some people get down to the beach.

Some more flowers along the beach front.

I tried to capture the intense forest surrounding the highway, but these didn't do very well.

I was going to post some more that Rebecca and Truman took yesterday, but I have to pack for the West Coast Trail.
Maybe I will get them in tonight...

The Gospel Message.

On this wonderful Sabbath day, I don't want to spend time blogging, but I really want you all to hear this beautiful piece.


 O Magnum Mysterium

Translated from Latin, That means "O Great Mystery"

 As I said to a friend after sharing,

Isn't it wonderful, that through the blessing of the restored truth, He is no longer a mystery to us?
He has explained Himself through His holy prophets, both ancient and modern.
 We know He is our Father in Heaven.
 He Loves us dearly.
 And through the Atonement of His son, Jesus Christ, we can live with Him again for all Eternity.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life"
 John 3:16

What a beautiful message to proclaim to the world!!

Independance Day Report.

The fourth of July celebration here is one never to forget.  In the dry state of Utah, I believe many of us do not fully realize just how much we are missing. I know I didn't realize until I came here a few years ago. I speak of Fireworks. Utah's strict law allows only for certain licensed professionals to handle anything bigger than a bottle-rocket.
Not so in the state of Washington.  Here, people buy fireworks as large as those you might see at a city celebration or a rodeo!
 We were here last year or the year before during the fourth, and we had the chance to see one of the displays put on by my aunt's neighbor, who lives on an Indian reservation, which means even fewer restrictions.  The display was spectacular, and it grew in size and intensity until we were convinced it had reached it's climax. But the climax grew still! We watched this unending grand finale for quite a while, and ended up leaving while it was still in progress!
This year we celebrated with fireworks at our cousin's home.  They have a thing here they call "Adult Snappers" which is much like the small snappers you throw to make noise, only these are just as loud as firecrackers. And they look like very small sticks of dynamite.

 The family had a great time with this unheard of entertainment, and the displays all around were beautiful.

Here is a video of our neighbor warming up.

 

Across the Sound the whole horizon was  aglow with a constant barrage of fireworks. I took this video, and although the quality is poor, it gives you an idea of just how many fireworks were going off at the same time. This was the same intensity of display all along the coast in both directions.

 

 

 Lydia's favorite by far were the sparklers. She had the time of her life.

 

I love our national anthem. Its words and message are so poetic! I would like to end this post with the final verse of that Hymn. I think they should sing this verse at all events where it is traditionally sung.
 What a Glorious message!

"O thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation.
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the Heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!"

 

 

In the Balance.

On Tuesday last,  I woke up early and did some training on the beach for our hike. I was a numskull for not bringing the camera with me. A morning on the beach is beautiful. I repented and went walking this morning and took some pictures. Those will come later. After breakfast, I helped my  grandparents string their guitar, and played that and some frizbee golf. That afternoon,  Truman and I ran down to the beach, and, being inspired by a man whose name I can't remember,  we set a lofty goal of  becoming great rock balancers. Although we did not have as much success as we had wished for, we were able to perform some incredible feats of balance.

 

 

Most of them were destroyed by the rising tide, but it was an enjoyable afternoon none the less.

 

 

"Life is always in the balance, and when the wind and water knock it over, one simply builds it back up again."