aka Steve -

I recently encountered this dragonfly in The Boyfriend’s back yard. Based on my extensive research (two Wikipedia articles and a Google image search), I think it might be a male Azure Hawker. I say “might” because I’m not clear if Azure Hawkers are found only in Scotland, or if Scotland is the only place in [...]

I took these photos during the fabulous Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza in Steilacoom, using the “Fireworks” setting on my camera. All photos were taken from The Boyfriend’s deck, which I estimate to be 2 to 3 miles away from where the fireworks barge sat in Puget Sound.
Unaltered (click on a photo to enlarge it):

Altered [...]

Fortunately, unlike Simon & Garfunkel’s song “My Little Town,” not all of the colors are black. Nor do they lack imagination.

(Photo taken looking south and west from 9th Ave. and Stewart St. And yes, I know the photo quality is grainy … I’m still figuring out the new camera.)

Kolstrand Building, 4743 Ballard Ave. NW:

4760 Ballard Ave. NW:

Scandinavian-American Bank, built in 1902 (now the Starlight Hotel); Ballard Ave. NW & NW Vernon Pl.:

Kutzner Block, built in 1904; Ballard Ave. NW & NW Vernon Pl.:

This charred door is about all that’s left of the Ernst Brothers Hardware building, which used to sit between the Scandinavian-American [...]