Blueberry Time

Mid-Summer Report

Blueberry Stand in Seattle

For years I've been buying blueberries at the Spooner Berry Farms stand in Seattle. The Spooner farm is located near Olympia, Washington, about 65 miles south of Seattle. During blueberry season they pick the berries very early in the morning and deliver them to the stand you see above by about 9AM. They sell out daily, usually before noon. These are the sweetest, freshest blueberries I've found in the Seattle area. August is the prime month for blueberries.

Late July and early August snaps ...

Starting point for waterfront walks.
Locals refer to this spot as "the steps".
A quick pic here records the sky conditions
for the day's walk.
[Click on images to enjoy the larger view.]

All flower pics are snaps taken while on my walks.
This is a White Dahlia.
The pink edges were just beautiful.

Chicory.
Info on the internet tells me Chicory is
the root of wellness. I need to do more
research on that.

Purple Coneflower

Roses in the Rose Garden
Elliott Bay in the background.
Bainbridge Island in the far distance.

A wild Rose just starting to open up.

Cirsium / Thistle
Don't miss the Lady Bug

Found this on Facts.net ...

"When it comes to fascinating plants, Cirsium is definitely a top contender. This diverse genus of thistle plants is known for its unique characteristics and stunning beauty. From its intricate blooms to its prickly leaves, Cirsium has captured the attention of botanists, gardeners, and nature enthusiasts around the world." Elsewhere, when trying to get more info on this pretty plant, I found it called Canadian Thistle and also California Thistle. Not sure if those are actually different plants OR just named differently based on where they are found.

The Lupin story ...

The setting wasn't particularly attractive but the 
blooms were, when I snapped this picture of
Lupin in June. Nature has an amazing way of
turning the blooms into seeds. See next photo.

A Lupin creates a lot of seeds.
Upper right ... close up of an unopened seed pod
Lower right ... A pod with one seed left

Worth Sharing ...

I'm adding a new segment of things worth sharing to my blog posts. Today I'm sharing tips for keeping cut flowers fresh. 

Background story:  Each and every single day I get a bunch of marketing emails. I'll bet you do too. Marketing emails are sent, usually, by some business or person you've purchased from online, or even from some website you've visited and allowed them to collect cookies which identify you and reveal your interests. Unless you're really careful with your online connection, you're leaving cookies all over the internet. There are ways to block cookies, but that's another story for another time.

Getting back to marketing emails ... they usually start with a catch. It's sort of like fishing ... you put bait on the hook and the fish go for the bait. So, daily, I must go through my emails and check them, not going for the bait, before deleting them. A few days ago, one email started with Tips for Keeping Cut Flowers Fresh. There is no doubt in my mind that the email came from some place that knows I enjoy flowers. So, I read through the email and thought, this is really good and worth sharing. The bait got me, however I didn't fall for the sale. The question becomes, can I share the tips without the links to purchase the product? The way I look at this, they put the tips right there for me, so there shouldn't be any reason for me not to share with others.  Enjoy.

"Tips for Keeping Cut Flowers Fresh

Summer is bursting with fragrant, colorful flowers. But unfortunately, those beautiful blooms you clipped from your home garden or snagged from a local farmer’s market won’t last forever. Here are seven tips you should try to keep your cut flowers fresh for as long as possible.

1. Cut flowers in the morning (except during hot weather).

2. Use a clean vase.

3. Avoid submerging any foliage in the water.

4. Change the water every day.

5. Keep your flowers away from direct sunlight.

6. Don’t put your flowers near any fruit.

7. Add aspirin to the water."

Now, in reflection, I was aware (more or less) of most of these tips, except for add aspirin to the water.  A little research on the web revealed this:  "Some claim that putting aspirin—and it must be aspirin, and not another pain reliever—in the water can help your cut flowers stay fresh. The drug is a form of acetylsalicylic acid, which lowers the water’s pH and may help the plants absorb water better. Simply crush a couple of aspirin pills and put them in a vase filled with water before adding your blooms." Let me know if you appreciate stuff like this.

Skies ...

Sunset August 8, 2024
FINALLY, the sun is setting early enough for me to 
snap a picture before I go to bed. 😊
Sunsets during summer's Daylight Saving Time are
crazy late (in my humble opinion) here in
Seattle. At our latitude, there is so much daylight in
the summer, the last thing we need is DST!

June 25, 2024  5:42AM
The phase of the moon was Waning Gibbous
An unusually clear sky allowed this shot.

An unusual scene for me: A rainbow over
Puget Sound.  June 16, 2024  6:25AM

It's always hard for me to resist snapping a pic of Mt Rainier.
Take a look at the larger view ... do you see the face at the top?
This particular view is looking across Elliott Bay from the
waterfront trail. 

Critters ...

Great Blue Heron

A member of the family of seabirds known as Laridae.

Gulls are members of a large, widespread family of seabirds known as Laridae. Often known as seagulls, though no species is actually called a seagull, and many are found far from the sea.  Gulls are intelligent, adaptable and often beautiful birds.

I believe this is a White Crowned Sparrow
spotted in the Rose Garden.

The little Sparrow moved out of the grass for a better view.

Apologies for the quality of this photo. This is a hummer
who frequents my feeder on my deck. The photo is taken
through a window. This is a female Anna's Hummingbird
I had watched for a while. She would rest at this spot keeping
an eye on the feeder. When a competitor arrived, she would
chase the other hummer away and then return to this
spot to continue guarding her territory. This is
common behavior for hummingbirds. And, yes, she looks
a little rough ... a fighter? 😉

Google Lens tells me this is an Eastern Cottontail.
And she/he does look like the examples shown on Wikipedia.
So I ask, what's an Eastern Cottontail doing on the
Western Edge of the Continent?
Shall we just go with RABBIT?
In any event, this bunny was busy dining on the green plant
and was not disturbed by my presence.  

Linking up with Saturday's Critters

Ships Spotted ...

I enjoy watching ships come and go here at the
Port of Seattle.  Most passenger ships arrive early
morning ... just about dawn. 

Cruise companies spare little expense to
create a unique appearance. 

This is a Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ro-Ro departing, probably
heading to Asia. Ro-Ro is short for Roll On - Roll Off.
These ships carry vehicles.

I no longer try to photo all the private yachts that appear
near the Elliott Bay Marina. Yes, there are a lot of them!
The economy is doing really well for some folks.
I like this one because it carries along a helicopter.
Need some fresh eggs for breakfast?  Send your 
pilot to pick some up.

Coastal Standard
Identified online as a Refrigeration Vessel
Zoomed in on Captain's image -- top right.

The "fast" passenger-only service between Seattle and
Victoria, BC, Canada.  Known as the Victoria Clipper.

Using parts of the Grain Terminal to frame up a
cruise ship as it appears while I'm walking the
waterfront trail.

Every 4th of July I might as well sit out on my deck
and watch all the fireworks. (I say "might as well" because
there sure isn't going to be any peaceful sleeping!)
The big Seattle fireworks show is on Lake Union, which
I cannot see. However there are plenty of displays
around Elliott Bay and nearby towns, like Bremerton.
This particular shot is a burst in a nearby neighborhood.
Looking closely, you can see the shadow of the 
Olympic Mountains in the distance.

Closing thought ...

Thanks to Jean Wagner for this bit of wisdom.

Thanks for stopping by!