Rock or Fish? Haiku

Photo by Angie Quantrell

 

 

See the face?

Swimming amidst the wet sand.

Rocky bed for fish.

- Haiku and Photo by Angie Quantrell

Going to the Beach in Washington

Hayden, 7, at Owens Beach, Pt. Defiance, WA. The gray? Rain. Sheets of.

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

When in Washington (the state), going to the beach may look different than going to the beach in other locations.

For instance, one may need to wear a winter hat at our beaches.

Hayden, Audrey, and Khloe sporting layers, hats (including winter), and beach tools.

Sweatshirts may be required.

You will get wet. With rain more than salt water.

Barnacles and tiny crabs abound.

Picnics are held under shelter. Or you eat wet food.


Picnics under shelter keep the food dry.

Seagulls will peck open unattended packages and ruin the cookies.

Sand will be discovered in odd and stayed-in-the-van-how-did-sand-get-there places.

You will bring too many things in order to plan for any type of weather.

Gage, 1. The same beach and same age when Hayden first went to the beach.

You will take home more than you bargained for. Some of those things will smell after a day or so.

Laundry and deep cleaning will be necessary once you get home.

He who wanted to throw himself into the water. Or eat sand. It was hands-on-Gage for one adult at all times.

Wet, cold, damp, briny kids smell just like that in the close confines of a van. Wet. Damp. Cold. Briny.

Umbrellas are often in use.

Can you see the little feathery barnacles? The openings are ones that are feeding.

One might wear a camera around the neck, but it will be covered with a plastic grocery bag that is tied tightly to keep out the rain. And sand. And stuff.

Water sandals are the perfect shoe. Waterproof and protective against stones.

Seals will wonder what you are doing. Bald eagles will soar, seagulls will annoy, ferries will pass, squirrels will steal, raccoons will beg, deer will graze.

Looking at wildlife.

Those dead looking rocks with barnacle crusts are not dead. Just put them in a bowl of ocean water and see what happens.

Strangers are kind. They may even bring a new crab specimen and seaweed clump for investigation.

Our barnacle and crab observation project.

On rainy days, you will mostly have the beach to yourself.

You can still get sunburned if it's raining and cold.

If you want to go to the beach, go. Sunny or rainy, windy or stormy, the beach is a wonderful destination. Just know that our beaches will not resemble southern beaches (most of the time). The water will not be warm. Body extremities will turn blue. Noses will run.

But it will be the beach.

The group - minus the photographer who quickly unwrapped the camera for a quick shot.

Layer up, my dears. Or at least plan for a variety of beach weather. This is the life of Washington beaches.

The Lily ~ Haiku and Photo

Lily from my garden


fireworks of flora



speckled bursts of joy

fireworks cool to my touch

enchanting lily


by Angie Quantrell

National Haiku Poetry Day

Monet in the garden

by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

National Haiku Poetry Day was on Sunday. I love wrangling words to create a 17 syllable story poem.

 

Cat in the garden

Ladybug is mine, Mine. MINE.

I can't have it? Fine. I'm gone.

Fine. You won't let me have it, I'm outta here.

 

Cat, photos, and Haiku are mine. Happy Haiku Holiday.

National Garden Week - The 2nd Week in April

You have no idea how happy I am to see this many blooms on the blueberry bush! The weight of winter snow broke off at least half of the plant.

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

 

Next week is National Garden Week -

the 2nd week of April.

Fading beauty. I'm so sad to see my tulip season conclude.

I am so onboard for this celebration. It's time to plant my garden!

The strawberries are looking future-tasty.

Actually, I cheated. I've already started to plant seeds, since we are expecting highs in the mid to upper 80's today, it may be past time for new sprouts. But I think that is a freak of too-hot-too-early weather and it should drop back to the 60-70's.

Half planted beds. Waiting for seeds.

Here are some National Garden Week photos from my yard.

Garlic, parsley, and sage - all repeat visitors from last year. Plus a cat tail of one who wanted to be featured.

Oh, each new bud, flower, and sprout is so exciting.

We even planted a tree trunk for the cats to scratch and climb. It won't grow...but it is part of our garden.

I'm already dreaming about tasty blueberries, sweet-tart strawberries, exquisite raspberries, and savory herbs and vegetables.

 

Dabbling to pretty-up a very hot corner of the yard.

 

Join me. Let's celebrate our gardens.

The dogwood is just beginning to burst into bloom.

 

I would love to see photos of your garden.  

 

Home

Home. What a big word.

Home is . . .

where I reside
the body I wear
the spouse I adore
my family of love
the animals I adopt
the nature that surrounds me
the future I hope for
my faith that centers me
friends who nuture me
fellow writers who encourage me
the city of my residence
the state and country of my belonging
the planet I inhabit

Home is a big word.

What does home mean to you?

STRIPES - Hugh's Weekly Photo Challenge: Week 9 - Stripes

 

Stripes of a vertical kind.

Stripes horizontally composing a building.



Stripes fading away into the distance.

Nearly invisible stripes melting into skies of gray.

 

Stripes. Or vents, as 2-year-old Donavyn says.

Which, vents, are also stripes of hot or cool, depending on the season.

 

Stripes.

The Mystery of Silhouettes

 

Shadows and silhouettes intrigue and fascinate.

 

The essence of an object or person is but hinted at when viewed through darkened surroundings.

 

But the mystery is such that one squints and moves about to clarify and identify what illusive reality exists in such hidden forms.

 

With just a whisper of Light, success is found. The veiled is disrobed and made plain to see. 

 

Oh, that we would spend that much time in the waking hours, seeking to solve the mysteries that waltz beside us in peripheral life.

 

 

. . . that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

(Colossians 2, part of verses 1-3; ESV)

Things You Gotta Have

 Sometimes there are just things you must have. They may not be mandatory for survival, but let's say some things are great for mental health and stress relief and a happy life.

 

In other words, you gotta have it.

Sometimes you just gotta have a tent. And snacks. And a cousin.

 

Other times you just gotta have cottage cheese. Two servings.

 

  

We all know there are definitely times we must have some shut eye.

 

On special days, girls just gotta have a party dress and pretty hair,

 

while boys make do with comfy jeans and a Mohawk.

Sometimes you just gotta have chill time in the rockin' chair.





Lots of chill time.

 



And don't forget, sometimes we need a gaggle (ducky blanket) and static hair to make our days complete.





On certain days, we just gotta have scrap wood, a million nails, a hammer,

and some grand ideas.



 

Sometimes a rocking buddy is the best plan.

 

 

You always need a little help. Gotta have it.

 

You gotta take advantage of Papa sitting on the floor.

 

 

And don't forget. You just always gotta have a Nana hug.

 

 

What do you just gotta have?

Wacky Wednesday ~ The Old Woman's Shoe

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.

She had so many children, she didn't know what to do.

Forget the broth and whippings and putting to bed. The old woman decided to redecorate.

Now that the old woman lives in a fancy high-heeled pump, there is no room for children. They've all moved out.

Plenty of Rustic in This Beauty

I love to find beauty in regular every day things. This is especially true when I'm out and about and find aged, rusted every day things. That is a guarantee for appreciation. And multiple photos.

These pictures were taken during a stretch break during a 3-day motorcycle ride marathon we enjoyed for our anniversary. This homestead is located east of Moxee on Highway 24. Beauty was found in the hot, dry, windy, beat-up setting. Tranquility, nostalgia, unseen wildlife, and the wafting scent of something dead filled our senses. Yes. Never a dull moment.

Perhaps I so love the old and rusty because, dare I say it, I'm getting a little bit of both myself?

The man beside the motorcycle is not included in my 'old and rusty' statement. No way. He is a fine and wonderful husband with just the slightest touch of gray and a wrinkle or two.

Who Loved Our Spring Rain?

Pink rhododendrons adored the misty climate.

White rhododendrons drank deeply of the saturating moisture.

Coral bells tipped heavily after two days of spring precipitation.

A weed! Taller than the tulips, it relished the empowering water.

The used-to-be-a-stick dogwood tree, which blooms later than the other sort, happily weathered the storm. Now it is seeking sunlight.

Pink clouds of fluff benefited and beautify the garden.

Overwintering kale, flowering now, is ever strong and prolific. I may be sorry for letting it go to seed.

Though wind tore down all previous attempts at blooming, the rain did not hinder, but encouraged success.

Potatoes-in-bags sprang up to new heights. Time to rebury the stems.

Beans shot up overnight when their thirst was quenched.

Ever bearing kale, a new variety this year, has burst into production. Kale, anyone?

Strawberries refreshed themselves with water from heaven.

Not pictured? The slugs. Squashed does not make good photos.

Who wasn't too excited? The gray kitties. Mabel here, showing why we sometimes have flat strawberries in our garden.

What a wonderful blessing, this gift of rain!