Southernmost

This post is delayed...pictures are from April of this year, and I just found them.

In my three years with Outward Bound, I have spent tons of time in Key Largo, but had never really ventured south to Key West. In April I went down for the weekend after course end and had my own version of the Rum Diaries. Like a PG version.

The Southernmost house.

A fish-eye view of the stormy seas.

You know we're instructors when we're all chaco'd and teva'd.

Macro lens shot of an Orchid.

Lee at the Southernmost House

Painting inside Hemingway's home

Plant outside

This is Hemingway's writing studio.

Six-fingered cat in the Hemingway home

Stormy Skies

I was dead set on making sure I scooted around Key West. This was the last picture taken on my trusty camera before I dropped and broke it.

Moments from this weekend just make me smile because they were so perfect. Scooting around Key West, catching up with old friends, laughing, eating Key Lime pie, and just feeling that warm southern hospitality that I love so much. 

Return to NOLA

Going back in time here for a second, I want to post pictures from a recent (ish) trip to New Orleans to see my sister. This was about a month ago...but it was a fantastic couple of days to my favorite city.

Progress in the Lower Ninth Ward

Sam, Micaela, and Hannah planting in a community garden in the lower ninth ward.

New growth within spitting distance to the levee.

St. Charles and the French Quarter

St. Charles Ave

Coming Home

It makes me so happy that this post involves the northwest. Florida offers some beautiful opportunities for some great photography, but for the last few months, all I've been hearing about is how beautiful Washington is. I know. I get it. I grew up there.

This week I got to fly home for a wedding, and I would just like to thank the bride and groom for picking the most gorgeous week I've seen in a long time in Olympia. This post will probably be pretty photo-heavy because it really was beautiful, and as it is my hometown, I think everything around here is gorgeous. All the time. Bear with me.

New statue by Bayview. There were actually a lot of new art and sculptures in town.

Birds hanging out under 4th Ave Bridge, with the Olympics in the background.

Bayview at sundown.

One of the most beautiful sunsets I've seen in a while.

Obligatory moss shot - Burfoot Park

Driftwood at Burfoot Park

Fishing in the morning fog. The capitol building is in the background.

Lunch at Boston Harbor.

Flowers in Mrs. Reynolds's yard.

The ceiling of my favorite restaurant.

Downtown Olympia.

The Kissing Statue, downtown Olympia

I feel unbelievably spoiled when I say that I'm getting tired of taking pictures of dolphins. However, I will say that I was thrilled to take pictures of other marine life. This is the time of year that the salmon are migrating back to their birth place to spawn, so there are often a ton of salmon swimming in and they are ginormous. And where there are salmon, there will be otters and seals.

And of course, Mt. Rainier. The first picture is in my old neighborhood. The second is the view of downtown from the rental house at sunset. It took a few days for the mountain to come out because of all the smoke from the wildfires in Washington, but it sure was nice when it did.

I felt very fortunate to come home and spend some time with my people. The village that raised me was out in full force, and it seemed I couldn't go to Target or the coffee shop without a really wonderful reunion with someone I haven't seen in a good while. It was only a week, but it was sorely needed and greatly appreciated.