Every Day in September 2016 - Habitats and Environments in WASHINGTON STATE!!

This is "Every Day in September" for 2016. I found it a GREAT opportunity to explore and re-discover my birth-state, since moving back here to live from Michigan six years ago. Washington, interestingly enough, has the unique distinction of having examples of all of the world's natural Biomes except one - Tropical.

Here are the instructions and guidelines for EDiS2016 from our moderator:

Below you’ll find this years prompt list. The theme is habitat/environment and the flora and fauna thereof. This will include anything that lives (but not humans ), that are indigenous to the habitat/environment in question. From the smallest microbe to the biggest whale....and anything inbetween, plus plant, trees etc. This is a chance to discover a little more about the world we live in. So power up Google and let your creative juices flow.....

Every Day in September 2016, #30 - Environments and Habitats - WASHINGTON STATE

Well, here it is - my last post in 2016's Every Day in September. 

The very last painting of the very last day of September. And I did it! Thirty 7”x10” paintings, one for each day. This last one is just a map of the places I have visited. I have learned, remembered and rediscovered so much in the process of doing them. I am going to post-bind them and put them between nice hardboard covers with their little narratives – a lovely chapbook love letter to my birth state, to which I have come home. And where, it appears, I am blooming where I am planted.

Every Day in September 2016, #30 - Environments/Habitats - WINTER Where you live

EDiS #30 - The last of my old Whidbey Island Mandalas. This is Winter where I live. Here winter can be kind of grey, but when it is not, it is spectacular. The mountains stand in crisp, white relief against the deep, blue sky; the tall evergreen trees sometimes (but not often, here on our temperate, little island!) wear capelets of snow; the cold, night skies let us (finally!) see the stars, holly berries provide us with color, the rivers freeze, the glaciers thicken, and we might get a yearly return visit from ghostly snow owls. 

Every Day in September 2016, #29 - Environments and Habitats - ALPINE

EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #29 - “Alpine”
Here, on alert, is one of my favorite Washingtonian critters, the Olympic Marmot, in one of my favorite Washington locations, Hurricane Ridge on the Olympic Peninsula. This is where the Marmot, the official state mammal, lives burrowed in colonies all over the rolling mountain meadows, whistling. There is not a lot to do up on Hurricane Ridge, unless you LIKE climbing up grassy, wildflower covered slopes to stand on top of a peak among peaks, breathing in sweet, clear mountain air and waiting to hear an eagle's cry or a marmots whistle. Or maybe listening to the soughing wind through forest or watching Olympic mountain mists gathering at the tree line below you. Not much to do up there, but, I'll tell you, I'd drive all day up the hairpin, winding two-lane just to get to the top and have a picnic lunch, take it all in, and drive back down. And I have. Many times.

Every Day in September 2016, #28 - Environments and Habitats - TIDE POOL

EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #28 - “Rock/Tide Pool”
In 1972 I was wrestling with a choice. After getting out of the military, I could go back to Washington state, enroll in the community of Dale Chihuly's Pilchuck School in the foothills of the Cascades and become an artist in the burgeoning Seattle glassblowing community. Or I could continue with my plans to marry the man I'd met in the Marine Corps. In retrospect, the life with the gypsys and crazies blowing glass in the woods at Pilchuck may have been the wiser choice. But then, I wouldn't have Genna (and Gracie and Charlie), nor would I have the remaining family, and dear friends, my time living in Michigan, and teaching art in Rockford, gave me. But, had I joined the merry band of glassblowers, I would have learned to make art which creates the beauty of nature using only brilliant hot glass, a confident touch and the breath of the body, such as this representation of the colorful creatures floating in a Puget Sound tidepool.

Every Day in September 2016, #27 - Environments and Habitats - SWAMP

EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #27 - “Swamp”
I was raised by a compulsive fly fisherman. No family activity, vacation, or travel was undertaken unless it somehow culminated in, or involved, fly fishing. I have some pretty bad childhood memories resulting from my father's obsession. But, I also have a few good ones – like a rustic log cabin on the shore of a high mountain lake in British Columbia –outhouse, wood stove, bears, coyotes, loons, and moose swimming the lake at sunset. Pan fried fresh steelhead. The milky way and northern lights so close you could hear them singing.
That was a big one. A little one was tiny Lake Hannan, in the woods above Duvall, and me, maybe 12 or 13, laying tummy down on warm summer planks, dropping no-see-ems and skeeters into flytraps to get them to slam their jaws in satisfaction, surrounded by the funky aroma of skunk cabbage and swamp moss, and the songs of tiny green peeper's. Sometimes I was joined in the lazy warm by a silent green and yellow garter snake, or by noisy blue and red dragonflies.
These are all good memories. The fishing wasn't.
And do it, I still will not.

Every Day in September 2016, #26 - Environments and Habitats - SUBTROPICAL

EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #26 - (for) “Subtropical"
Today's is the last of the prompts for subject matter in tropical biomes - Subtropical. I have chosen to relate all of September's prompts to where I live now, my birth state of Washington. In my mind, things tropical relate heavily to exotic and beautiful fruits and flowers, like mangoes, papayas and orchids. This, then, is a painting of the "beautiful and exotic" fruits and flowers of Washington state - luscious red apples, jewel-tone cherries, juicysweet wine grapes, nectarines, plums, pears, berries. And, nurtured by our temperate weather, "exotic" flowers everywhere -rhododendrons, azaleas, tulips, daffodils, lilies, camellias, and yes, out in the bogs and marshes, even orchids.
And, yep. This was not one of my two hour sketches. I got caught up in this one and it became a full scale painting. A rarity for me.

 

Every Day in September 2016, #25 - Environments and Habitats -

EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #25 - (for) “Tropical Grasslands"
In the tropics they are called veldts, savannas and pampas. In non-tropical climes, such as here, rolling grasslands are called prairies. At the bottom of Washington state, in a prairie in a bend of the Columbia River Gorge, across from the Dalles, Oregon, there is a ranch where, on their 12,000+ acres, the owners raise buffalo and cattle. And yaks. And emus and ostriches and wallaroos and elk and mules. And a zebra. And a giraffe. Buffalo weren't necessarily native to the state, back in the day. But they are now. Yippee kai yay and wallaroo, too.

Every Day in September 2016, #24 - Environments and Habitats -

EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #24 - (for) “Tropical Dry Forest"
Peek a boo in the forest, PNW style.

Every Day in September 2016, #23 - Environments/Habitats - TROPICAL CONIFEROUS FOREST

EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #23 - “Tropical Coniferous Forest”
Again, no Tropical Biome here. But we do have plentiful coniferous forest – cedars, hemlocks, fir and pine, resulting in miles of driftwood log beaches. Also, from Neah bay in the north down to the Oregon border, we have sea stacks - pillars of rock orphaned from the parent shore by the action of wind, rain and erosion. Because our left side faces west, we also have magnificent tropical-type sunsets out over the ocean. Pacific sunsets – almost tropical . . .

Every Day in September 2016, #22 - Environments and Habitats - TROPICAL

Every Day in September – Environments/Habitats - #22 - “Tropical”
It is a clear, chilly, bright, blue and yellow gold day here on Whidbey Island, proof positive that the one natural biome Washington does not have is “Tropical”. The next five prompts in Every Day in September, then, I am going to have to go WAY off book and just punt to find my state related examples. For “Tropical” I am, instead, showing a wonderful weather anomaly we have over on the Olympic Peninsula - the Lavender Sun Belt. Tucked into the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, the little town of Sequim is the driest spot in the Western half of the state, getting only 18” of rain a year. And lots of sun. It has, in fact, the exact same clime and growing conditions as Provence and Avignon in France, which means farmers can grow the same glorious Lavender. Sequim is the largest producer of Lavender outside France! Check it out - http://www.sequimlavender.org/

Every Day in September 2016, #21 - Environments/Habitats - FALL Where I Live

EDiS #21 - EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #21 - "Autumn/Fall Where I Live" - Fall on Whidbey Island in Washington stateHere is #3 from my old Seasons Mandala series. Of course, nicely timed to coincide with tomorrow's autumnal equinox, when we start living with shorter days and colder weather (except for all of you dear Aussies, who are just heading into spring and summer!) Here the mountains stand out in crisp relief against the still bright turquoise sky, things are turning red and gold, the harvests are in, and there seem to be more crows than usual - EVERYWHERE!! 

Every Day in September 2016, #20 - Environments and Habitats -

EDiS #20 - Wetland - "Ebey's Landing"
Just up Hiway 525 from where I live is Coupeville, and the Ebey's Landing Preserve. It is an amazing place, with miles of trails, a beautiful wetland preserve filled with herons, deer, foxes, coyotes, and marsh birds of all kinds. It is near historic Fort Casey State Park. Right on the beach, it is a beachcomber and birdwatchers delight. Here is what their website says about it:
"...Almost a Paradise of Nature.
This stunning landscape at the gateway to Puget Sound, with its rich farmland and promising seaport, lured the earliest American pioneers north of the Columbia River to Ebey’s Landing. Today Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve preserves the historical, agricultural and cultural traditions of both native and Euro-American – while offering spectacular opportunities for recreation.”

Every Day in September 2016, #19 - Environments and Habitats - URBAN

EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #19 - "Urban"
This is as "Urban" as I ever care to get (except for Keith Urban, but that's another story). Anyway, "Urban" around here is Seattle, and I would rather have my fingers eaten by raccoons than drive down there. So urban, for me, is no stoplight, two cross streets, a general store, a tiny movie theatre, a post office, a couple of good coffee houses, a restaurant or two, no gas station or shopping, but a view of the mountains and some whales. Langley by the Sea, Whidbey Island, Puget Sound in the Salish Sea, Washington state, US of A.

Every Day in September 2016, #18 - Environments and Habitats - TUNDRA

EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #18 - “Tundra/Tiaga”
The high slopes of the Cascades Mountains, though cold and snowy, are not Tundra. They are, rather, closer to Tiaga. They are home to some of Washington state's sixteen Grey Wolf packs. As of this week, the eleven members of the Profanity Peak pack, including four pups, are being trapped and killed out of existence. It seems some cattle, which are stupid and follow their stomachs, (and which, incidentally, can be fenced and contained) wandered onto government forest land, home to the Profanity Peak wolves. Wolves, which are opportunistic feeders and cannot be contained, ate some of them. The Colville ranchers who own the cattle have something the wolves do not – money. The deaths of the 3 cows and one calf (which would have been consumed eventually by humans, anyway) are enough for pressure to be brought to bear on the feds, who are now to eliminating an entire pack of re-emergent Grey wolves, in retaliation, and to placate the ranchers.
I have so much anger and shame over this. When will stuff like this ever end? Will we ever learn?

Every Day in September 2016, #17 - Environments and Habitats - STEPPES

    EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #17 - "Steppes"

Like so many other wild spaces, Washington's steppe-scrubland is disappearing. Most of it has been lost to agricultural, mostly apple and fruit orchards in the southeast corner of the state. Some remains, mostly around the Grand Coulee area. The high steppes scrub, purple sage and bunchgrass scene here is around Horse Heaven Hills, near Prosser. Besides the ever popular Pygmy Rabbit, some inhabitants are the Western Meadowlark, with its bright yellow vest and trilling song, the bright blue Lazuli Bunting, and the strutting Greater Sage Grouse. And lizards and coyotes. And rattlesnakes.

Every Day in September 2016, #15 - Environments and Habitats - REEF

EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #15 - “Reef”
Yes, there ARE reefs in the cold ocean waters of Washington State. They're down around Grey's Harbor on the southeast coast. They are not, however, colorful and photogenic. They are quite dull, in fact, by artistic standards. They are built by pedestrian little animals called Glass Sponges who have no interest at all in being picturesque. It is very nice to know they are there, but I am not going to draw them.
Instead my research led me to the San Juan Islands up in the Straits of Juan de Fuca. Here I found Reef Island, and (lucky for me!) it is for sale! According to Private Islands Online (http://www.privateislandsonline.com/islands/reef-island2) for a mere $5 million dollars I can get a “one-of-a-kind private island comprised of over 17 acres with an original hand carved Haida cabin built by renowned artist, Dudley Carter.” I am starting to save my spare change right now!!

Every Day in September 2016, #14 - Environments and Habitats - SUMMER Where I Live

EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #14 - "Summer Where I Live"
Here is Summer from my old Mandala series. Clear skies, sunny days, the mountains in high relief all around us. Fields of blooming lavender (and, sadly, sneeze, sneeze, bright yellow Scotch Broom). Herons on the shore, eagles in the air, orcas in the passage, and seashells, seashells everywhere. Summer on Whidbey Island - short but very, very sweet.

Every Day in September 2016, #13 - Environments and Habitats - MARSH

EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #13 - “Marsh”
Most of the land around the edges of Puget Sound are zero, or nearly sea level, marshes, sloughs and tidal flats. The sloughs look like rivers and creeks, but they are really tidal flows, ebbing and surging with the sea tides. The little town of Bow, in a bend of the Edison Slough in Skagit County on the east side of the Sound, is a perennial favorite day-drive destination for people from Seattle to Canada, often with a side trip to Whidbey Island or Anacortes. Funky little shops, hot loaves of fragrant, fresh bread from the Breadfarm Bakery, a bottle of wine and selection of cheeses from Slough Foods, while watching the sunset from the deck by water's edge, all make a for a memorable day.

Every Day in September 2016, #12- Environments and Habitats - RIVER

EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #12 "River"
The state of Washington is crisscrossed with rivers, from tiny, to the huge Columbia. One of the most beloved and exciting is the Snoqualmie River, which flows down from the snowpack in the Cascades. Just below the west side of the mountain pass the river drops 269 feet down a cliff and gorge in a spectacular waterfall. Snoqualmie falls is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the state. The Salish Inn Lodge at the top of the falls is not only a beautiful getaway spot, it is also the location for the old TV show "Twin Peaks".

Every Day in September 2016, #11 - Environments and Habitats - FOREST

EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #11 - "Forest"
The big, tall cedars and fir trees on this island are, sadly, just a cash crop for the landowners who hold them. In times like these, when building is on the upswing, lumber is a valuable commodity. The owners of the forest of towering trees behind and adjoining my house caved to the temptation (though they told me repeatedly they never would) and brought in a logging company to clearcut the property. For days the air was filled with the sickening crash/thud of the giants going down. In the end, there was nothing left but a swath of stump field, leftover brush, and open sky.
I used to lie in bed at night and listen to the conversations in the branches between the owls, right outside my window. Now the Great Horned and Barred Owls have moved on to somewhere else. But every night I imagine I hear them asking "Who would do this to us? Who? Who?"

Every Day in September 2016, #10 - Environments and Habitats - GRASSLANDS

EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #10 - "Grasslands"
In southeast Washington state one can find the last remaining vestiges of the prairie that used to extend from the mountains to eastern Oregon and Montana. The Palouse Hills were once covered with prairie grasses and flowers. Now, except for small nature preserves around Hell's Canyon and Coulee Dam, the grasslands have been replaced by agriculture. But, if you close your eyes and imagine the fields of wheat, barley and chickpeas are bunchgrass and rye, you can almost see back into the prairie's past. If you drive the winding road to the crest of Steptoe Butte, you gain the perfect vantage point for viewing the stunning beauty of the patchwork of color of the rolling hills of the Palouse.
I have a 150 ct. box of Prismacolors that I always forget to use, but I didn't this time, by crackies.

 

Every Day in September 2016, #9 - Environments and Habitats - MOUNTAINS

EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #9 "Mountains"
Take Washington hiway 2 over Stevens Pass and down the East Cascades slope towards Wenatchee and Spokane and you pass by the quaint tourist town of Leavenworth. Surrounded by mountain peaks, it feels like you have been dropped into old Bavaria.

Every Day in September 2016, #8 - Environments and Habitats - DEEP OCEAN

EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #8 - “Deep Sea”
In March, April and May of each year the Gray Whales migrate back through the deep blue waters of the east side of the Pacific Ocean with their new young to the Salish Sea around Whidbey and Vancouver Islands. They spend late spring and early summer feeding in the murky green, plankton rich waters of Puget Sound before their trip back north to Canada and Alaska. Here in Langley, their return is marked with a parade and festival, and by the ringing of the Whale Bell each time one is seen in Saratoga Passage. They are easy to spot – we can hear them down there in the water, whooshing and spouting, splashing and slapping. Traffic note: ferry captains stop their boats, and we travelling passengers wait, allowing the whales to swim by.

 

Every Day in September 2016, #7 - Environments/Habitats - Spring Where I Live

 EDiS – Environments/Habitats - #7 - “Spring Where I Live”
Never throw anything away. You might be able to recycle/reuse it sometime. Like if you know you are going to be sketching wooden boats over the weekend and won't have much time for your Every Days. So, in that vein, I'm bringing back one of my favorite sketch projects from two years ago - “Whidbey Island Spring”. The Red Rufous hummingbirds have returned from their travels south to join our resident Anna's at the feeders and red flowers. The Gray whales are also back “home” in the waters of the Salish Sea, announcing their return with tail slaps, spy-hops and belly-rolls for our enjoyment and delight. Skunk cabbages are sending up pungent yellow spikes in the wetlands. Across the Sound, daffodils and tulips bloom in a striped quilt of brilliant color on the green Skagit Valley floor, and plum trees are heavy with delicate pink blossoms. The Mountain is still “out” wearing its winter cloak of snowy white. Pacific Northwest Spring.

Every Day in September 2016, #6 - Environments and Habitats -

EDiS, Habitats and Environments. #6 – “Open Ocean”
The Brig “Lady Washington, the state's official ship, accompanied by the ketch “Hawaiian Chieftain”, leaving their home port of Gray's Harbor, en-route to Port Townsend. They are passing between the Destruction Island Lighthouse, off the coast of the Olympic Peninsula, and the open Pacific Ocean. The lighthouse is now longer in use, so I have taken the creative liberty of moving the original Fresnel lens back into its tower.
I will be spending two days this weekend sketching the Lady Washington, and as many of the other ships at the Wooden Boat Festival as I can, as well as going on two short sails on this magnificent tall ship! Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!

Every Day in September 2016, #5 - Environments and Habitats - SHALLOW SEAS

EDiS #5 - “Shallow Sea”
The relatively shallow waters all along the western shores of Washington are home to vast beds of kelp of several varieties. These beds support a very important and delicate ecosystem of marine life. The kelp forests nurture and protect hundreds of species of fish who live among the plants. Sea urchins feed on the bulbs and roots of the plants. Sea otters feed on the sea urchins. If the otters don't eat the urchins, the urchins kill the kelp and the fish die. Maintaining this system is crucial to balance of nature.

Every Day in September 2016, #4 - Environments and Habitats - POLAR

EDiS #4 - “Polar”
Washington has no polar region. There is, however, a year round 30 foot thick ice cap 14,000' up on the peak of Mt. Rainier which almost qualifies. The fourth tallest peak in North America, Rainier, like polar regions, has glaciers, ice fields, ice caves, ice lakes, and wicked polar weather. It is an active “decade” volcano, part of the Pacific Rim of Fire, along with Mt. Saint Helens (and we all know how well THAT turned out). In Hawai'i, natives placate Pele, the volcanic goddess, with offerings of fruit, flowers and beautiful dances. We who live in the shadow of our potential eruptor, enjoy its beauty, take great hikes, climb its peaks, and offer up coffee and maple bars to the Yeti.
No polar bears here. Our “polar white” animals are Snowshoe Hares, Broad-tail Ptarmigans, Mountain Goats and Ermines.

 

Every Day in September 2016, #3 - Environments and Habitats - RAINFOREST

EDiS #3 - "Rainforest"
One thing an artist learns when they move to the Pacific Northwest is that they do not have enough greens - not in their diet, but in their art kit. Especially if you want to paint the rainforest. The Hoh Rainforest on the Olympic peninsula is one of the wettest, and greenest, spots on earth. And one of the most beautiful. Creatures who live there - Roosevelt elk, black bears, black-tailed deer, bobcats, cougars, raccoons, tree frogs, banana slugs, vampires (in the tree-tops), and Bigfoot.

Roadside flower stand at Anderson Farms on Anderson Road outside Langley, in the Highlands, above the Fairgrounds. Dahlias and other flowers, apples, fresh eggs, and other farm goodies, in season. 

Every Day in September 2016, #2 - Environments and Habitats - SEMI-ARID

EDiS - #2 - Semi Arid - Umatilla Rock and Purple Sage
The area around Grand Coulee, Sun Lakes and Dry Falls State Parks is classified as semi-arid steppe, or dry plains. The foothills of the Cascade mountains to the west drop away and scrub pines give way to purple sagebrush and bunchgrass. It is home to coyotes, jackrabbits, ground squirrels and (watch out, hikers!) it is diamondback rattlesnake country!

Every Day in September 2016, #1 - Environments and Habitats - ARID

EDiS #1 - Arid
Washington State is unique because of the many ecological environments found within its borders. I am going to try to work as many of them into this month's challenge as I can.
This is for Day #1 - “Arid”. Hanford Reach Monument in the Columbia River Basin qualifies as a true arid desert environment. It is home to the Townsend's Big Eared Bat, and the recently rebounding Pygmy Rabbit.