What keeps or draws us to Western Washington? It's certainly not the politics.

Unless of course the idea of altering the dominant paradigm excites you. (It does me).

Family, work and the grace of nature all contribute. Especially that last part.

For interested viewers, I'd like to share an Independence Day photo essay.

It was shot yesterday on a circle tour of Hood Canal. One shot up top, the rest below
the fold.

Here's the badly-misnamed Hood Canal - far more beautiful than its prosaic
name suggests, viewed through dissipating clouds from the south viewpoint of
Mount Walker, on Route 101 near Quilcene.

More of Western Washington's summer splendor below.

From Mount Walker's north viewpoint, looking northeast across a sea of clouds lies
Mount Baker in the North Cascades. At bottom is farmland east of Quilcene's center.

Looking west from atop Mount Walker, at the Olympic Mountains.

Driving south along Hood Canal on 101.

On the way up to Lower Lena Lake, a family-friendly hike of just more than
three miles one way, elevation gain only 1,300 feet.

The ideal rock-skipping spot at Lower Lena Lake is just past the single-rail bridge.

The Olympics again, from near Union.

Make sure to stop at Hunter Farms on Route 106 at Purdy Cutoff Road, for the
locally-made caramels, and maybe some cooked, chilled Dungeness crab.