Darkness swallows the city. I drive for hours looking for the moon until I find it beside the courthouse at the top of the hill. It’s lit for the Fourth of July, a beacon of patriotic light.
“I’m going to live there someday,” I used to say. An entire childhood spent dreaming of a place that wasn’t at all what I thought it was.
I park near an antique shop and stare at the oddities inside. Cars streak by below. The moon blends into the city lights as a warm breeze dances around a patch of thorns.
“Does time ever feel like it’s not moving normally? Like it’s all out of whack?”—Maddy, I Saw the TV Glow
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9
The sixth full moon of the year arrived the day after the summer solstice. I set out fairly late and felt uninspired by the view until I drove to Auburn and found my favorite building. These aren’t very “strawberry moon,” but I like them anyway. Let me know if you have a favorite.
These photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.
The sea spoke of you. Its voice, usually thundering and loud, lowered to a rhythmic whisper. I listened as the fog hugged the sand and the birds scurried in search of scuttling breakfast. I listened as my heart hurt for the world and my beautiful baby girl turned 17. I listened as your pain became mine and my pain became yours. I listened and listened as my body felt it all, as my heart broke and repaired itself again and again and again. I listened. The sea spoke of you.
“To the ocean I offered a seed and its body dissolved it like time, composing a life.” —Howard Altmann
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10#11#12#13#14#15
We are at Dillion Beach (yes, again) celebrating my daughter’s 17th birthday. I’m amazed I can still find things to delight my camera and I hope you are too. Please let me know if you have a favorite. As usual, these were taken with my Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.
The bright morning moon gave way to an evening of wildflowers. I hear my wise poet friend whisper from across the fields, “feelings always seem the biggest from the inside of them.” The sun warms my skin and summer calls. It sounds like forgiveness.
“a flower knows, when its butterfly will return, and if the moon walks out, the sky will understand; but now it hurts, to watch you leave so soon, when I don’t know, if you will ever come back.” —Sanober Khan
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10#11: A bonus photo of the fella eating all the petals in my yard.
The fifth full moon of the year arrived with a bright golden morning moon. I stood on the street and marveled at how impossibly big it looked. I couldn’t quite capture the beauty, and because May brings the flower moon, I went out at sunset yesterday to gather wildflower photos to share with you. Let me know if you have a favorite.
These photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.
“As full of spirit as the month of May, and as gorgeous as the sun in Midsummer.” —William Shakespeare
Today we celebrated May Day by watching a group of 8th grade students dance around in the pouring rain. It was a lovely morning and a wonderful reminder of beauty and connection. I hope you enjoy these photos and let me know if you have a favorite.
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10#11#12
These photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.
“It is at the edge of the petal that love waits.” —William Carlos Williams
I’ve been having a lot of big feelings lately and so today I present to you a distraction in the form of flowers, cute animals, and one shot from the prom photos I took last Friday. Let me know if you have a favorite and I hope you have a great day.
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10
These photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.
Here are some of my favorite photos from my birthday trip to Dillon Beach. This trip was about connection and reflection. Cloud cover allowed for only one sunset and it was an odd one. The sun flattened to a bowl shape and was swallowed by the sea. I found it inspiring and somehow fitting for the place I am right now. Bring on weird!
Let me know if you have a favorite photo.
“I cannot make you understand. I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself.”—Franz Kafka
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10#11#12#13#14#15
These photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.
The power of the pink moon wakes me. Stumbling out of bed, I wander barefoot through half-lit rooms looking through distorted glass while my eyes attempt to adjust. What if I let them stay blurry? What if I simply see what’s there? Maybe beauty does exist in the imperfections. The flowers tell me so. I follow the sounds to the beach and surrender.
“Oh moon, I have begun to envy you your terrifying powers” —Henry Virgin
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10
The fourth full moon of the year arrived on my birthday while on vacation at Dillion Beach. The moon proved elusive and all my photos turned out distorted. I had no choice but to embrace the imperfections and play with them.
Let me know if you have a favorite. These photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.
This is my final Washington photography post and it’s of the iconic Pike Place Market. If you’ve never been, it’s a daily market known for its produce and fish-throwing vendors. In my opinion, these are the best photos I’ve ever taken. I usually focus on macro shots, but I’m learning to step back and let the scene tell a story. I’m excited to see this growth in myself and look forward to continuing to learn new skills.
To those who have visited all six posts, thank you. This trip felt transformative to me in a way I’m not sure I understand yet. Next week is my birthday and I always get introspective this time of year. I’m not writing my novel, I’ve not published anything yet, but I’m still creating. Maybe that’s enough.
“…and then, I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?” —Vincent van Gogh
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10#11#12#13#14#15
Can you believe I didn’t get a single photo of the Space Needle? Neither can I. Next time…
All photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.
“I have been one acquainted with the night. I have walked out in rain—and back in rain. I have outwalked the furthest city light.” —Robert Frost
On the last morning of my stay in Seattle, I strolled the city alone with my camera. I took photos of things that caught my eye and allowed myself to be an explorer in a big land. It was the most creative and alive I’ve felt in a long time.
I hope you enjoy these photos and please let me know if you have a favorite.
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10#11#12#13#14#15
All photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.
One of the major reasons we visited Seattle was my daughter’s obsession with the video game The Last of Us. The second game takes place largely in Seattle during the year 2039, a city abandoned and overrun with infected (think mushroom zombies). It’s a story of found family, hope, love, and revenge.
Using a list of locations by the blogger Sam, we traveled around the city replaying the game. A lot of places we looked at but didn’t photograph, those include Columbia Center, Seattle Municipal Tower, Pioneer Station, the Convention Center, and Lumen Field. I also took plenty of pictures of the Great Wheel, but I’ve already shared them in previous posts.
Let me know if you are a fan of the game or the HBO series. Be sure to make it down to the hotel photos where I share a bit about our stay in another famously haunted hotel.
Also, in case you’re wondering, I’m a huge fan of the game now too!
This gorgeous hotel was our home while in Seattle.
We didn’t know this until after booking the room, but The Hotel Sorrento is supposed to be one of the most haunted places in the city. Supposedly the ghost of writer Alice B. Toklas haunts room 408 and many people stay there hoping to get a glimpse of her.
The elevator was broken at the time of our visit so nobody was allowed to stay past the third floor. We stayed in room 308, a spacious two-room suite with a gorgeous marble bathroom down a short private hallway. There was a nice little window nook I sat in each morning to drink my coffee.
On the second night of our stay, I woke up at 1 a.m. to someone walking very loudly in the room above ours. It seemed they were having a party. The walking and dancing went on for over an hour, waking up my mom and daughter as well. I finally said loudly, “I really need some sleep” and the sound stopped. I chalked it up to coincidence and went back to sleep.
The next morning when we were checking out I mentioned that our upstairs neighbors were quite rowdy and the lady gave me a startled look. “Nobody was in the room,” she said. It turned out we were staying directly below the famed haunted room of 408. Did Alice B. Toklas have a party? I’d like to think so.
My daughter was so excited because the details of the hotel matched the game perfectly, including this entryway rug.
“What is the downside to eating a clock? It’s time-consuming.”—Joel
This was our favorite location to visit because so many pivotal scenes in the game take place here. My daughter even bought a stuffed shark exactly like the one Abby gave Lev.
My momma ❤️
Thank you so much for taking this adventure with us! And here’s a bonus for those who love Grey’s Anatomy, the building Seattle Grace Hospital was modeled after. Not the best shot, but it was fun to see!
All photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.
Bridgette Tales 