Dungeness National Refuge

D is for the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge and the Dungeness Spit located on the North Olympic Peninsula in the state of Washington.

A trail wanders through the trees and eventually drops down to the Dungeness Spit.

The Dungeness Spit has the Strait of Juan de Fuca on it’s outer shore and the Dungeness Bay on it’s inner shore. Canada is directly across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the North of Washington State.

It’s a 6 mile trek to walk out to the Dungeness Light Station, first lighted in 1857. We didn’t have enough time on the day we visited to do the round trip to the light house and back.

It wasn’t an easy walk because of all the rocks washed up on the spit.

The trail begins at the top of those trees in the distance. We walked out for about an hour and then headed back to the trail head.

There were lots of nice camping spots above the Spit and Wildlife refuge.

These last two photos that show the Dungeness Light house were taken in 2011 during the same time of year. On that trip to Sequim for the lavender festival we saw these eagles nesting, too.

Dungeness Crab Source

The Dungeness Crab gets its common name from the town of Dungeness, Washington, now called Old Town Dungeness, where the first commercial harvesting of the crab was done. The Dungeness Crab is the only commercially important crab in the state of Washington’s territorial waters and was the first shellfish harvested commercially on the North Pacific Coast.

Linking up to ABC Wednesday started by Mrs. Nesbitt and carried on with the expertise of Roger and team!

Cape Flattery

C is for Cape Flattery and just in time for ABC Wednesday. Thank you to Mrs. Nesbitt and to the ABC Team!

This is a photo heavy post but you don’t get out to the North Western most point in the contiguous United States every day!

You need to buy a $10.00 parking pass at any of several spots on the Makah Indian Reservation before you drive out to the Cape Flattery trail head.

Strollers and wheelchairs will not be able to manage this trail. It is an easy trail otherwise except for managing a lot of exposed tree roots.

There were a few nice viewing stations. The final one had a rope ladder 3-4 step climb to get to.

We enjoyed the walk/hike to these beach views.

We had a few days of some rainfall which our lawn and plants enjoyed. We are back in a sunnier pattern again.

B & B

Since we are on the letter B for ABC Wednesday I’ll share the photos from our latest B & B experience (last Wednesday night) in Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula in the state of Washington. B is for Bed and Breakfast!

The Five SeaSuns Bed and Breakfast…

The gardens on the property were lush and pretty.

Breakfast was delicious with some good conversations with the other guests.

Do you prefer to stay in a hotel or a bed and breakfast establishment when you travel?

We cooled down somewhat today and for that I am thankful. I’m a heat wimp!

An Apple a Day…

It’s time for another round of ABC Wednesday! Thank you to Mrs. Nesbitt for starting it up and for a wonderful team of people keeping it going!

A is for my apple tree and the apples that I have no inspiration to do anything with at present.

So time will tell if an apple crisp or an apple tart or an apple pie or applesauce is in our future! What would you make with my apples?

Wondering…

The name I chose for my blog waaaayyyy back in 2007 is The Happy Wonderer.

Wonder:

noun 1. a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable.

verb 1. desire or be curious to know something. 2. feel admiration and amazement; marvel.

Wonder is something I experience a lot in both the noun form and verb form. I’m happy to be a Wonderer.

Right now I’m wondering how everything will fit together for the upcoming wedding in just 11 day! We are waiting for the good times we’ll have with friends and family around this wonderful event.

Waiting for good meals and time together out on our deck after the wedding when company from hither and yon will linger on.

Soon this view is going to change as we are into another project at this old house to give us a little more privacy when we are on the deck. It won’t be until after the wedding that I’ll be able to share the photos of the latest do it yourself project!

Linking up with ABC Wednesday which was started by Mrs. Nesbitt and carried on by Roger and the ABC team! Thank you.

W is for wonder, wonderer, wondering, wonderful, waiting, and the wedding. Oh I should have showed you the Western boots that will play a huge part in the wedding, too.

V is for Vistas…

The Columbia River in Washington State from the Vantage Bridge pictured below.

When driving to our son’s home in Eastern Washington we have to cross this bridge. It’s always an amazing view to look up and down the mighty Columbia river from this vantage point. We’ll be crossing this bridge twice more at the end of June for our son’s wedding.

The Columbia River north of Kettle Falls and close to the Canadian Border.

Linking to ABC Wednesday begun by Mrs. Nesbitt and carried on by Roger and the ABC team!

We are plugging away at this old house. Our siding project is nearly completed and I will show some before and after photos sometime. Not promising anything before the wedding we are preparing for this month! It has been hot for us here in the Pacific Northwest. Lots of watering has to be done instead of our usual rain watering. Windows open all through the night. How goes it in your corner of the world?

U is for Undulate…

…to move with a sinuous or wavelike motion; display a smooth rising-and-falling or side-to-side alternation of movement:

The flag undulates in the breeze.

This is our flagpole in our yard with our favorite flags undulating.

And here’s the U.S. Flag, Old Glory, undulating on top of the Space Needle in Seattle.

And from our favorite country to visit here’s the Union Jack undulating in the breeze!

I’m linking to ABC Wednesday started by Mrs. Nesbitt and carried on by Roger and a great team!

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

T is for Turtles

When I was on my walk last week at Juanita Bay Park there were turtles enjoying the sunshine.

I’m keeping up with the alphabet but won’t join the link-up as I can’t visit other participants this week.

We are spending some time with our son in Eastern Washington getting some things wrapped up before the wedding at the end of June. In the morning we are delighted by the beautiful bird songs and all the natural wonder in this part of our state. We have really enjoyed the Calliope hummingbirds. There are horses that graze in the fields next door to our son that we spend quiet times in the morning and evening watching. We are also greeted in the morning and evening with deer that trek through the land.

I’ll devote a whole post to the hummingbirds we enjoyed soon.

I hope to catch up with all of you after we leave the country life and head back to the city.

S is for Snail’s Pace or Full Speed Ahead!

Before I move on to ABC Wednesday, The American Sniper DVD Giveaway winner is announced here.

I’m adding some sunshiny photos from my walk yesterday east of Seattle at Juanita Bay Park that have nothing to do with snails or speed!

Life at this old house is speeding ahead and moving slow at the same time…

Our son’s wedding is just 40 days away. Things are speeding ahead with all the plans and things that need to get done before that day. We are headed to Eastern Washington soon to wrap up some things we need to do for the wedding.

Dear’s last day at his current job is on May 29th. That seems to be moving at a snail’s pace along with the prospects of his next job. The company that bought Dear’s company decided to let his department go. Dear has been at his last conference for this employer in New Orleans and the time he is away has moved at a snail’s pace. There is a possible job out there that needs results from some trials that seem to be moving slowly for us, too. Time will tell if we need to speed up the job hunt process.

The road ahead for us is in the hands of our creator. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” Psalm 23:6 (NKJV)

My soft food diet is moving ahead at a snail’s pace as far as I’m concerned. I really enjoy biting into things that need some good chewing. But…I am very thankful for the ease of this procedure I had before our insurance runs out.

I’m past the speedy part of dropping pounds in my de-fluffing program. Now the pounds will continue to drop off but at a snail’s pace. So…I still need to count out the chips to have with salsa that I allow myself to enjoy at our weekly date at the local Mexican dive. Sad but true, chips will have to wait for a little while longer until my mouth completely heals but I can eat the salsa!

I’m ready to sink my teeth into something like this next dish.

In the meantime this could be included in my soft diet…Sangria!

Lots of the letter S in this recipe!

Sooner than I know and a few days before the wedding I will leave my fasting time behind and embrace the feasting time that a wedding celebration brings. After the wedding we will have family staying on for some vacation time at our home and my sister’s home in the Seattle area. That will be a time of feasting and celebrating, too.

I’m linking up to ABC Wednesday originated with Mrs. Nesbitt and carried on by Roger and the ABC team. Thanks!

If you came here looking to see who won The American Sniper giveaway on my blog click on American Sniper or scroll down one post!

R is for Rhododendrons!

Rhododendrons are the Washington State flower. We have five bushes in our yard. I’m linking up with ABC Wednesday started by Denise Nesbitt and maintained by the ABC Team! Thank you!

Four of the five rhododendron bushes we have came with our home and are well established.

This year because of our warm April weather everything is blooming early.

The bees are really enjoying the blooms!

My rhodies are mostly in the pink hues but rhodies come in many more colors, too. These last two photos are from the Meerkerk Rhododendron Garden on Whidbey Island.

Purple and white and yellow and red, oh my. I do have a new little yellow rhody bush but it chose not to bloom this year. These last photos are from the Meerkerk Rhododendron garden on Whidbey Island.

Thanks so much for all the sympathy and advice on my tooth extraction and implant. My extraction did not happen on Monday but will be happening for sure on Wednesday morning. My sweet daughter is going with me to hold my hand. I’m suppose to take it easy after my extraction so I’ll have time to visit your blogs and who knows how weird my comments might be if I’m on pain medication!

How goes it in your corner of the world?

The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b.

To honor and encourage

Category Archives: ABC Wednesday