in search of the elusive orca whale

AJ and I took our friends on a day-long boat ride to see killer whales yesterday.  We left downtown Seattle at 8am, steamed up Puget Sound to the San Juan Islands, watched for whales and other marine life, walked around Friday Harbor and had lunch, then steamed home for a 7pm docking back where we started.  This is the height of orca season, AND the J-Pod just had a baby last week - which other friends of ours reported seeing.  We saw nary a killer whale nor baby, but did see a lollygagging Minke whale, numerous Stellar sea lions, and even more numerous harbor seals.  All good stuff - especially when spending the day out of the office - but we'll have to wait to see the elusive black-and-whites some other time.

Deception Pass, Northern Whidbey Island

Classic San Juans

Mt Baker over Lopez Island

Giant bull Stellar Sealion

Stellars

South San Juan, one of my favorite places in the world

Minke whale

Minke whale deep dive

Ferry coming in to Friday Harbor

Good ol Friday Harbor

AJ and Danielle

summertime on mt. rainier

I braved the summer crowds this weekend and saw a spectacle I've always wanted to - the wildflowers on Mt. Rainier.  It was all its cracked up to be - color galore in green green meadows that sweep up into the glaciers high on the mountain.  Even with the crowds, it was totally worth it - and its only 2 hours from our house!

a visit to the 50th state

 

Just got back from a few days with the 'rents in Hawaii.  It was wonderful to spend time with Mar and Jer, get in the saltwater, see the fishes, wear flip-flops and sunglasses everyday, sip fruity drinks under the hot sun, and even play a round of golf where I lost to my pops by only one stroke.  Ahhh, the tropics - my ghostly-white and nearly-transparent Seattle skin could barely take it...I wore SPF 55 the whole time!  Loved it.

 

Mar and Jer at one of our favorite digs, the Kona Inn

 

sacred Hawaiian site

 

beach shrubbery

 

my new house

 

northern coast

 

Pololua Valley coast

 

Pololua Valley

 

northern coast

 

M, J and J

 

Pops at Mauna Lani GC

 

Signature hole at Mauna Lani

 

not a bad lie

 

Par!

 

making bets

 

best breakfast joint ever

 

palm shadow

 

sunset from the condo

everyone loves sunflowers!

 

AJ is growing some monster-sized and colorful sunflowers this year in the garden - and since everyone loves sunflowers, I thought I'd share.

 

 

 

 

 

 

sun stalker

Our poor cat craves the sun around here perhaps more than we do.  She patiently waits through 10 months of grey to relish the warmth that comes from two months of blinding light.  She hunts out little patches of sun as it streams through the windows, sprawling out to catch the rays on her black fur (which by the way is actually VERY brown...but no one can tell unless she is in the sun!).  My favorite is when she tracks the sun as it comes through our skylights in our bedroom - it hits the floor in the morning, then traverses the room like a spotlight.  Below are some pics of her stalking the sun, even if all she can get is her face in it.