Some readers are probably ecstatic that Seattle is having a mini-heatwave this week, with projected temperatures reaching the mid-to-high 80s. This kid? Not so much. Although I was born and raised in Southern California, one of the main reasons I’ve enjoyed living in the Seattle area for the past 30 years is the inclement weather. If we go more than three or four days without any wet stuff, I start getting cranky; if I owned a dog, I would probably start kicking it. The worst month of the year in Seattle weather-wise? That would easily be August, which in 2017 had only one day of measurable precipitation. Just one @!#$% day! Okay, I’ll concede that maybe I’ve got a dark side that hasn’t yet been properly diagnosed. All I know is if, given the choice, I’ll make a forecast of “cool and rainy with a touch of doom and gloom” over “hazy sunshine” any day of the week.
So to protest our hopefully brief hot spell (and bring this short rant to an end), this week I’m featuring an image from the Olympic Rain Forest, which is one of my favorite places on Earth. If you’ve never been to the Hoh Rain Forest, which is about a two-hour drive from Port Angeles, you should add it to your list of “must” weekend outings. The Hoh, which averages between 140 and 170 inches of rain each year – that’s about 12 to 14 feet! – is one of the finest remaining examples of temperate rainforest in the United States. If you go there, be sure to explore the Hall of Mosses trail, which has been likened to walking through a “living green cathedral.” The lushness of the hanging moss and ferns is astounding, and if you’re really lucky, you might see a 10-inch-long banana slug!
So does this mean you’ll never see any images from me depicting Hawaii, Mexico, or some other warm-weather destination? Not at all – it just means I need to plan more trips! In the meantime, a wide assortment of evocative images awaits your review at both my online store and my gallery on Bainbridge Island. For gallery hours, please visit my Contact page.
Ciao for now!
Andrew (“Andy”) Bergh