Monthly Archives: December 2013

Penrose Beach

~On Being

December 29, 2013UncategorizedAmalfi coast, Emerson, nature, positano, ralph waldo emerson, Roman FriedmanFroggie

“These roses under my window make no reference to former roses or to better ones; they are for what they are; they exist with God to-day. There is no time to them. There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

*photo by Roman Friedman

Mount Rainier Hike

December 28, 2013UncategorizedEunice Lake, Froggie's Bucket List, Hiking spots, mountain flowers, mountain meadows, mountains, Mt. Rainier Hike, nature, photography, Tolmie PeakFroggie

I crossed off another thing on my bucket list!

My roommate Joanna and I hiked to Tolmie Peak via Eunice Lake on the Wonderland Trail. It was a cool, mostly misty, foggy day and the clouds hugged the lakes and peaks with cool intimacy.

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The trail was 5.9 miles to the peak and Eunice lake was just below it. The trail itself is well developed, albeit not flat enough for my liking (lots of steep inclines and declines which isn’t too great on the knees). But it was perfect hiking weather and I was in love with the misty feel on the green terrain.

Just around Eunice Lake, the area opened a bit into meadow-like surroundings. Mountain flowers I’ve never seen before were in full bloom. Ones that looked like little dancing ballerinas, little floating hearts………..thousands and thousands of perky glacier lilies carpeted the ground.

Tolmie Peak

All photos of Tolmie peak taken by my roommate Joanna Benson

Chocolate Flower Farm

December 28, 2013nature, Photoschocolate, chocolate candles, chocolate farm, chocolate flower, chocolate flower farm, http://chocolateflowerfarm.com/, raspberry and chocolate jamFroggie

And so it was that I followed my nose to a chocolate flower farm. The owner and originator of this fabulous product/idea, Marie, is simply a genius and when I grow up I want to be just like her. Almost. 😀

http://chocolateflowerfarm.com/

She has a shop in downtown Langley, and her farm is not far from there. We wandered around both. Here’s a few photos.

The Shop: Chocolate Flower Farm, 5040 Saratoga Road, Langley, WA 98260 360.221.2464

And the beautiful gardens! The aroma of chocolate filled the air, and the pungent smell of chocolate wafted from the candle shop.

Lavender Wind Farm

December 28, 2013Uncategorizedfarm, Froggie Whidbey Island, herbs, lavender, lavender in bloom, lavender plants, nature, photos, scents, WA, Washington, Whidbey IslandFroggie

Lavender Wind Farm lives on Whidbey Island up in Washington state. Both farms allow you to go in and wander about to your hearts content, no charge. I highly recommend both, just for the scents alone.

http://www.lavenderwind.com/

There are rolling fields of lavender. There is a giant garden which boasts flowers of many types, and also some very shy sunflowers! The garden has a lot of other herbs like dill and chives, so just a simple stroll through the grounds is a very aromatically pleasing experience.

Someone was very artistic in their landscaping. There is a pond full of lilies, whimsical little bridges with metal fish ornaments, and even a purple water bath. A closed gazebo/shed where you can see all of the lavender bunches drying. But my most favorite thing was the lavender labyrinth.

I visited in the evening, with overcast skies and white lace clouds hovering over the mountains in the distance across from Ebey’s Landng. I felt like I had fallen into an Ann of Green Gables book.

Also. Chickens!

Provo River Walkway in the Fog

Drapes

Shades of Fall. Bountiful, Utah.

Family

Family of ducks, Tibble Fork Reservoir, Utah.

Fort Casey State Park

Located on Whidbey Island in Washington state. Admiralty Inlet was considered so strategic to the defense of Puget Sound in the 1890s that three forts, Fort Casey on Whidbey Island, Fort Flagler on Marrowstone Island, and Fort Worden at Port Townsend, were built at the entrance with huge guns creating a “Triangle of Fire.” This military strategy was built on the theory that the three fortresses would thwart any invasion attempt by sea. Fort Casey is now a 467 acres (1.89 km2) marine camping park. The Admiralty Head Lighthouse is located in the state park.