It’s Why I Love Western Washington

Beautiful Horse, originally uploaded by Gail Coulter.
This horse lives down the street from me. I don’t dare go out my front (or back) door without my camera. Otherwise, I end up scurrying back home and slamming through the kitchen door and hollering at my husband, “forgot my camera. See you later.” Then out I’d run [...]

DNA

DNA, originally uploaded by Gail Coulter.
I guy’s got to do what a guy’s got to do. I was reminded about the tension between nature and nuture this week (In both cases with dogs). My wonderful Gina with all the Feathers has that name for a reason.  My husband took her for a run the other [...]

New Meaning to Catching Fish

Fish Catching, originally uploaded by Gail Coulter.
Have you gone fishing lately? At this fish market in Seattle, vendors holler, and tourists heads twist toward the sound as fish fly through the air to be caught on the other side of fish stacked tables. Funny way to go fishing. A lot of fun.

Celebrating Christmas – A Christmas Parade

aAnnapolischristmasboat parade 022, originally uploaded by Gail Coulter.
Love a parade. Bands playing, horses high stepping, flags flying. When I was back east, I saw a different kind of parade. It was a boat parade. All kinds of boats with Christmas lights sailed about the harbor. The decorated boat for this particular boat parade was in [...]

A Strange Country

Mail Boat Tangier Island 2, originally uploaded by Gail Coulter.
The only way to get to Tangier Island is by boat. Tangier lies off of the coast of Maryland in the Cheasapeake Bay.  Inhabitants have lived here for generations. They are a fiercely independent breed.

Who have made their livelihood from the sea.

The island is so small, probably less [...]

Picking Blueberries

Back Deck 6,
originally uploaded by Gail Coulter.

The sign said “BLUEBERRIES” and it was capitalized and tacked to a tree just off the main road about 15 miles in the country. “Nope, we don’t have a pound, but you can pick if you want”…I don’t know much about picking blueberries, I’ve never done it. “We only [...]

I’ll Miss Rafting on the Snake at the Foot of the Tetons

Rafting on the Snake, originally uploaded by Gail Coulter.
Rafting on the Snake as the Tetons roll by is wonderful. This is just a float trip, nothing bigger than a riffle. But it’s fun. The boats put in about ten miles above Moose Camp. There’re several companies. I’ve used the same one now for three years. Each [...]

I’ll Miss Rafting Down the Alpine

Rafting Down the Alpine, originally uploaded by Gail Coulter.
On the way to Jackson Hole there’s a section of the Snake, The Alpine, that rafters use for short trips, around three hours. My friends who are expert rafters (They run the Colorado through the Grand Canyon. I so admire them. I wouldn’t do it.) have taken [...]

Living in the Present (Well, Maybe Even Yesterday)

Winter along the Portneuf, originally uploaded by Gail Coulter.
Here’s another of my favorite places just outside of city limits. It’s a view from a bridge just before I wait at the train tracks (incessantly wait) for trains to “come lumbering through.” The Portneuf is a river that runs through town and is just below our [...]

New Adventures

Since I soon will be leaving, like next Friday, the security of my nest in order to step out and challenge myself by taking a new position, it is the time also to step out, to challenge myself personally,  to try something else new. Somewhere in all of the academics, child rearing, jobs, and day to day living, I lost a portion [...]