Day 61- Arrival In Bellingham, WA , August 15, 2011

We had a beautiful drive through the Fraser River valley and stopped at Hope, BC for lunch and to make several phone calls. I wrote a couple of post cards and we were off. I was amazed to find signs on lots of the creeks and streams tell users they were in salmon habitat. We were a couple hundred miles from the ocean. Boy, those fish sure have their work cut out for them. I missed a turn somewhere near Lyndon and we drove unfamiliar roads for a while until I found a landmark I knew, Rte I-5. Then, I knew where I was and we arrived at my dad’s with no further delay. It’s actually going to be a little weird sleeping in a real bed. Laundry and showers are all taken care of and we got down to some serious catch up on gossip and family matters. We were up a little later than usual but geared up for another great day tomorrow. It’s off to the Northwest Washington County Fair in Lyndon. BTW, Hope's claim to fame is the first of the "First Blood" movies with Stallone was filmed here. There are Rambo cutouts all over town with a face missing. Come and be John Rambo for the moment.

Lupines And Other Beauty

In spite of the unseasonable, cold, gray, rainy and just plain miserable weather we've been having, mother nature has put herself back on schedule. By that, I mean the flowers that should be blooming at this time of the year, lupines and lady slippers, are in fact blooming as we speak. This is good news because, first and foremost, this is my favorite time of year to get out and shoot. The weather is warm and the grass smells ever so sweet when I decide that kneeling or even sitting doesn't give me just that perfect approach to my subject. Secondly, and far less noble, it's time for the Lupine Festival in Sugar Hill, NH which begins on June 8th and runs through the 24th. For all three weekends of the Festival, I will be set up in a "Crafter's Village" at Harman's Cheese. It's a well known country store in the area famous for it's incredible assortment of cheeses and other delights. By village, I mean there will be more than 20 artisans set up representing a wide variety of work. Just down the road on the first weekend, at the Meeting House, will be the 6th Annual Fields Of Lupines Art Show with an additional 20 artisans exhibiting their skills. The lupines bloom for an extended period of time but past experience has taught me that they never last the entire three weeks so if you're going out for that perfect shot, go early. Mother Nature can take her bounty away as quickly as she brings it.