This recent sunset was in the Burien Fred Meyer’s parking lot. I like the way the single streetlight almost looks like a star on a Christmas tree.

For more skies of every kind and color, visit Skywatch Friday. And post your own; it’s tons of fun.

This was our backyard sky last week, late in the day. Looks like cotton candy, no?

For more skies around the world, visit Skywatch Friday.

Our last camping trip gave us some great shadow opportunities as well as the blessings of a warm, sunny day, softly shielded from the sun’s bright rays by the forest canopy. You can imagine how fresh the air smelled. For more shadows of all kinds, please visit Shadow Shot Sunday. People are so creative with shadows!

We were at a business function last night at the Columbia Tower Club, on the 75th floor, just at dusk. This is about the highest point in Seattle. What a photo opportunity! Here is Mt. Ranier, perhaps 50 miles away, clearly showing its conical volcano shape. Let’s hope an eruption is far in the future, although they say we are overdue. In the sky are the beginnings of those saucer-shaped lenticular clouds, it looks to me, but I am no expert.

For more skies around the planet, visit Skywatch Friday, and look up!

Gifford Pinchot National Forest near Mt. Rainier in western Washington includes at least one fairly primitive campground and a wide creek. I love the sound of plashing water I heard there, rushing round the creek rocks. Morning light and captured promise of a warm day makes the image below one of my very top faves.

Visit Watery Wednesday for other images of water of all kinds.

This is one impressive mountain. We were happy that the weather was just so perfect for a traipse around Mt. Rainier National Park. Here’s a view of our local but world-class mountain with some clouds coming up behind. Click on Scenic Sunday for more scenigasms around the planet.

We’re back from camping near Mt. Ranier. The weather gods smiled upon us; so perfect for shadow shots. Here’s one from a sweet nap we got to take. Ah, camping! Visit Shadow Shot Sunday for more fascinating shadows around the world.

We are going camping next week again, this time near Mt. Ranier. In thinking about our trip, of course I had to look at some of the photos from last time, and thought I’d post this late day shot of a nearby campsite. The combination of clear light, tall trees and the late hour makes for some mighty fine shadows. Thank you to Tracy of the Hey Harriet blog, who created of Shadow Shot Sunday, for opening my eyes to the sweet penumbra.

Don’t you just want to sit down at that table?

Next week we are going camping again, and my favorite part is the campfires. Not for cooking, because that makes such a mess on the pots and pans, and washing dishes is so hard when camping, but just to gaze at and enjoy. The sight, the smell, and the soft sound of the flames in the quiet woods, is one of my top fave experiences. A photo is a small slice of that, but it reminds us.

In the I Ching, ancient Chinese system for understanding things, the symbol for Pleasure is Lake. Interestingly, the symbol for Danger is Water. But that’s another story.

In any case, this view of crystal-clear waters of a corner of Lake Cushman truly gives me pleasure. You can just see the fishing line of a person out of the frame trying his luck. I am content to just view the water, or perhaps get my feet wet. On second thought, let’s jump in!

For more watery wonders, visit Watery Wednesday.