Clatskanie, OR

It's challenging to compose with a very wide field of view.  This is at 16mm on a full-frame, and very close.

Clatskanie, Oregon, just off US30.

Portland Japanese Garden

The primary image associated with the Portland Japanese Garden is a spectacular maple.  Our visit was in winter, and without any deciduous foliage around, there were better views to be found elsewhere.

Angel's Rest, Columbia Gorge

This 1800ft gain led to a lovely view over a bend in the Columbia River.  Lighting was especially dramatic, as the top of the hike was right at the boundary of a foggy cloud layer.  We spent lunch drifting in and out of sunshine.

Baby Hats

There seems to be no shortage of friends and neighbors having babies, and our household likes to present a baby hat to the new arrivals.  This one has a Cat In The Hat aesthetic, and turned out beautifully.

Up on Stilts

This house has undergone a lengthy remodel, starting with being jacked up on stilts and having a new foundation poured.  Since this photo, the siding has been removed and almost every visible surface replaced.  I wonder how much original material remains?

Sarracenia - Pitcher Plant

This trumpeter pitcher is native to North America, and traps and digests insects for food.  They're usually located in bogs where there are few other nutrients and there's little competition from other plants.

Good Night Moon

The St. Louis Children's Museum has a fantastic model of the room in Good Night Moon. One can change the time of day and position of different elements to match the pages of the book!

Good night noises everywhere.

Isa Genzken, Dallas Museum of Art

One of many pieces in Isa Genzken's installation at the Dallas Museum of Art.

Not really my thing.

Fraser Canyon

The Fraser Canyon offers low-elevation access to the British Columbia interior, and was the favored route successively for the Cariboo Wagon Road (1860s), the Canadian Pacific (1880s), the Canadian National (1900s), and eventually the Trans Canada Highway (1960s).

Automobile traffic typically prefers the more direct route offered by Highway 5, except as on this trip, when winter driving conditions on Coquihalla Pass (1244m) were hazardous.

South and North Thompson River Confluence

Kamloops BC was founded as a trading post in the valley where two branches of the Thompson river join.  The confluence is just beyond these willows, seen above Lorne St and on the "wrong side" of the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks that lie between here and the city centre.

The Canadian National Railway runs on the north side of the valley, and continues that way to Edmonton; the CPR takes a completely different route from here westward across the Rockies and on to Calgary.

Christmas Tree

The purpose of the trip up the Mountain Loop Highway was to harvest a Christmas tree from the National Forest.  This one came from not far from the Mount Pilchuck trailhead, around 3200ft.  I was instructed not to bring home a tree "bigger than myself."  Being respectful of that conveniently let me fit it inside the Jeep rather than having to lash it to the roof.

Gas Valve Solenoid Replacement

Our clothes dryer is heated by gas.  There are very few parts to the mechanism, and when the dryer stopped heating, I did a bit of research to learn how to diagnose the failure.

With all other easily-tested parts proven as working, the solenoids controlling these two gas valves became the suspected cause.  The Sears parts depot had replacements at reasonable cost, and what a joy it was to hear it fire up once all the bits were put back together!

For those who might wonder how it works: when the dryer is commanded to heat, and the ambient temperature in the drum isn't too high, and the ignitor is sufficiently hot, then a pair of coils (solenoids) is energized, magnetically forcing this pair of valves to open, letting gas flow.

Overcast Snow

The clouds arrived soon after Granite Falls.  It was still a pleasure to get into the snow this early in the season, but the magic of the sunshine had to stay behind, closer to the coast.

Sunny and Snowy

On the way to Granite Falls, I stopped in Lake Stevens to enjoy the fresh snowfall on this brisk and cold morning.  The Mountain Loop Highway would be overcast, so I wanted to capture a few shots of this glorious sunshine before heading east.

Plenty 'o Squash

Part of the cornucopia seen last month is now in the freezer!  The big squash was cubed and frozen, and now makes its way into soups from time to time.