When I was a young girl, my family lived in the center of Washington State, USA. Every summer my parents made sure we kids had a get-away vacation. Sometimes we visited National Parks, and often we camped at quiet places where the fishing, or seafood gathering was good. Dungeness Bay, WA will live forever in my memory as the place where I got hives from eating too much seafood! One time my family and grandparents drove to Anacortes, and took the ferry to San Juan Island, WA. It was a magical adventure for me. Years later, my husband and I vacationed every summer for two weeks on Orcas Island. Over thirty years we bicycled all the San Juan Islands, explored parks, watched the sea and sky change from dawn to dark, and soaked in their beauty. The first six photos in this gallery are vistas from Orcas Island.
Upon retiring, we decided to find a place to call our own. We wanted to be at the ocean or by a stream or lake, and have it be close enough to home that we could enjoy it often. We visited Long Beach, WA on our honeymoon (almost 50 years ago!) and had taken many trips out to bicycle and enjoy the scenery. Just over a two hour drive from Vancouver, we now have our “forever condo” – a favorite destination from mid September to mid June. During the busy summer season, we leave it to be enjoyed by others and managed by The Breakers. The last eight photos in the gallery above, are sights from the Long Beach Peninsula.
Is it September yet?
Thanks to Amy for another subject I dearly love!
My favorite dreamy images are those taken at daybreak, when mist is rising in the meadow at Crescent Creek…
…and the sun is reflecting through mist on Crescent Lake, as my sister, brother-in-law, Jello and I head out for a morning of Kokanee trout fishing. 
In the afternoon, Jello enjoys romping by the creek and rolling in cool shady grass. This time, she drifted off into beagle dreamland! 
Dusk also creates dreamy light, as in this photo taken from the back porch of my cabin at Crescent Creek. Such a lovely spot, with etherial light. 
Native to southern and eastern Asia, and North and South America, hydrangea flowers are carried in bunches at the ends of woody, then green stems. Careful pruning is essential to maintain an abundant future crop of mopheads!
Most cultivated hydrangea west of the Mississippi River (USA) are sterile, thus not helpful to pollinators. However, they are beautiful in the gardens, and I compensate with many other flowers to attract and satisfy bees and butterflies. 
Here are some close-ups of the tiny anthers and pistol of a fertile hydrangea flower, surrounded in the lush color of the whole blossom.
Lindy Low LeCoq 