Winter Returns

 Winter weather came early to Huck Hollow this year.  It started with some light snow before the Thanksgiving holiday and then a storm rolled in with little notice the last week of Nov.  I had not quite a full day to make last minute preparations here and at a friends cabin.  I managed to pull it off even though it was snowing lightly all day before the big dump that night.

 

The first foot wasn't so bad at my place, but it was wet and heavy and mother nature had her way with trees and power lines along the highway.  The power was off for the next 25 hours. 
In times like these you're on your own and must keep your wits about you.  I stay busy with shoveling pathways for access around the house - and to the bird feeder!  A must.

I do not have a generator so I make due with ice chests and snow filled ziploc bags - this works great folks.  And this year I have more firewood near the house.  I can cook on the wood stove and I have a new butane cook stove that can prepare any meal on one burner. 
Water stays available during power outages because our development has generators for both wells, but keeping extra water on hand is always wise.

Buddha was rescued early on to avoid the plight of last years beheading, (a nasty encounter with a huge evergreen branch). 
I no longer have the giant Alder tree next to my house either - less headaches there, and the back hill has been trimmed up so the huckleberries are quite low.  There are still a few trees I might remove, but everything else is on the greenbelt.

I got out for a walk in the woods with the camera and enjoyed experimenting with my lenses.  I've changed my photography Instagram account to Light Chasing Photography and am now including color images.  You can still find my personal IG acct at jeniz_life.

The power came back on for a day and I managed to get out with the help of a neighbor with a tractor.  I got to work, got gas, checked the mail and the friends cabin.  The next morning the power suddenly went out at 7am.  I suspected a transformer since it didn't seem snow related.  8.5 hours later it came on again but I still had to rig the ice chests and heat water for dishes.  

So this probably sounds more like a journal entry and quite dull to anyone who endures snow more often than I do, but it's all a journey whatever level.

 It snowed a bit more since the storm and hopefully the worst is over - but I think I said that last year before the really big one hit - so - fingers crossed!

My Summer Vacation

October is my favorite month to get out and see my area, the Pacific Northwest.  While my day job doesn't allow me to get away for more than three days at a time, I still make the best of it.

This year I made three trips, but only one overnighter.  Well, not counting the trip out to the coast to meet up with family in August.

In early October I acquired some new camera gear and was eager to use it.  My first trip was to Port Townsend where I knew I could click away in some beautiful scenery on a clear day.

I visited the Fort Worden State Park and headed out to the Point Wilson lighthouse.  There were some lovely wispy clouds adding textures to my images.  I had a great time.

Point Wilson Lighthouse

Old bunkers at Fort Worden

 Next trip a couple weeks later was up beyond Port Angeles to Salt Creek Park and surroundings.  I had never been here before so this day trip took some planning, a picnic basket and a map.

I enjoyed seeing some new sights and driving a highway I'm pretty sure I've never traveled.

There are old bunkers here too and some impressive shoreline, unfortunately the tide was coming in so I missed walking along the beaches for better shots.  But I did get these.

Salt Creek campground

Salt Creek beach

My main trip was out to the coast for my annual trek up to Ruby Beach.  I usually stay in Moclips at a place that overlooks the ocean.  The next day I drive up around the Quinault Reservation, past the Lake Quinault Lodge and then back out to the coast.  Those first beaches are breathtaking!  Kalaloch, Beach 1, 2, 3 and 4, then Ruby.  I usually start there and work my way back.

The fog was just lifting after a very stormy night.  

Here are some shots of Ruby.

A nice long walk down the beach and back, then lunch out of the back of my car overlooking the beach.

Next stop Beach 4.  This has a long and winding trail down to the beach, lots of steps, not for the out of shape.  By this time of day the light was playing peek-a-boo through the trees and ferns, it was so magical!  I tried to get a few shots of that as well as the beach.
Here is Beach 4.

It was a great day.  The drive to and from the condo is about an hour and a half each way, so it was an all day trip.

Happy to get back before dark and enjoy a fire in the fireplace and almost a sunset (clouds rolled in).

Drove home the next day.

All of these images are available on my website at www.jenigrayphotography.com and some of them are available on my new boutique site at https://jenigrayphotography.shootproof.com .  

At home I have been working with the new camera and lenses.  We are getting used to each other.  I've done some still life work indoors which is pretty flat right now, but I know where I'm going with it.  Here are the beginnings.

So as you can see, my life has pretty much been all about the new gear!  But this month (November) I rolled up my sleeves and got caught up on all the Fall yard work.

Next week I'm having the energy audit done through the Community Action.  This will determine what my energy uses and needs are.  Then, at some point in the near future, I'll be getting some work done to insulate and fix leaks.  I'll be sure and write about that as it happens.

Hope this finds you all gearing up for the holidays.

***All Images Copyright 2019 - All Rights Reserved.  ***