Escaping the Heat in Bellingham, WA

We’ve been in search of cool places during this scorching week in the Pacific Northwest. And we found some:
A short walk brought us to the beach and boulders at Larrabee State Park.
A nice little hike and a swim brought us some relief at Lake Padden.
And an early morning stroll along the Bellingham boardwalk brought us happy camaraderie with fellow PNW inhabitants in search of a cooling breeze.

Below: Boulders at Larrabee; Briar takes a leap into Lake Padden while her human, Chris, looks on; Alex (jumping) and Darius go for a swim in Bellingham Bay.
(Photos by Karen Molenaar Terrell.)

Sweet Peas and an Essential Worker

Photos from my walk in Bellingham today: Sweet peas on the knoll above the boardwalk; and Morgan from Woods Coffee – I find myself apologizing now for being named “Karen” – but Morgan made me feel better about that – “You seem like a nice Karen to me.”

Morgan from Woods Coffee

Sweet Peas Above the Boardwalk

Sweet Peas Above the Boardwalk

Kinship in a Grin and a Nod

A runner jogged up the boardwalk
from the other direction and got caught
behind three laughing young women
and a dog stretched to the end of his leash
across the width of the boardwalk, oblivious 
to the runner behind them, and oblivious
to me in front of them. The runner stopped
and waited and caught my eye and smiled
and I smiled back as I halted for the trio
and their dog to move past me. Then when
we were both finally able to move again,
the runner and I acknowledged our kinship
with a grin and a nod, and continued on
our respective journeys along the boardwalk
in the sunshine on a sunny autumn day.
– Karen Molenaar Terrell

Bellingham boardwalk. photo by Karen Molenaar Terrell.

First Saturday in September in Bellingham

Sunny, but with a little crispness to the air… the first Saturday in September.

Bellingham Farmers Market (photo by Karen Molenaar Terrell)

Alaskan Ferry in Bellingham Bay (photo by Karen Molenaar Terrell)

Rockies Train – photo by Karen Molenaar Terrell

Crosby – photo by Karen Molenaar Terrell

flowers at Farmers Market – photo by Karen Molenaar Terrell

photo by Karen Molenaar Terrell

Sweet Abigail

Walking in Gold

Gold is dripping from the trees, floating and drifting onto the paths around Bellingham, gilding the maples, glowing through evergreen portals…

I met some new friends – Jami Templeton was in the Village Green with her voice students (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vocal-Studio-of-Jami-Templeton/119113034289 ) ; Diesel the Puppy was clambering over driftlogs on the beach; a couple of friendly missionaries were handing out The Book of Mormon and enjoying the sunshine; Abril was celebrating her quencenera at Boulevard Park; and two of my  former students, Chaya and Laura, were taking a walk on the boardwalk and spotted me snapping photos – it was most excellent to see them again!

portal into autumn

Abril’s quencenera

Chaya and Laura

Diesel

Diesel

Diesel

Emily, Jami, and Katie from Jami Templeton’s Voice Studio

now you see him

Placid Pet Dogwalk

Mormon missionaries sharing their faith on the boardwalk

Pin-cushioned by a porcupine, but still smiling…

I ran into an old friend today! Hadn’t seen my friend, Maia, for months and months. Since I last saw her she’d been attacked by raccoons, pin-cushioned by a porcupine, and ingested a hambone that did a number on her innards.  But her good nature was still intact, and she nuzzled my hand as I petted her little pitbull head…

Sweet Maia

boardwalk

Buddy, Bob, and Becky

Buddy and his ball

Daisy

morning glory

 

 

The Christmas Tree of the Bellingham Boardwalk

I first came upon this jaunty little Christmas tree last December whilst on my Bellingham boardwalk.  Seeing this young evergreen all duded up in ornaments put a spontaneous grin on my face.  I don’t know who the first person was who thought to dangle a decoration from the fir’s branch, but the idea caught on, and soon the tree was clothed in the splendor of the season. I added a couple humble decorative offerings to the tree’s branches that first year, and plan to do so again this year. Hanging an ornament on that tree makes me feel like I’m part of some secret society, plotting joy and good will to all men and women who venture down the boardwalk.  I don’t know who my co-conspirators are – but they are my kind of people… 🙂