EDiF2018 - PNW “F” #11 - FASHION

PNW Fashion - Flannel, Fleece and Ear Flaps

EDiF2018 - PNW “F” #10 - FARMING

Wheat harvest in the Palouse country of Eastern Washington.

EDiF2018 - PNW “F” #9 - FELIS CONCOLOR

The Pacific Northwest has a complicated relationship with wolves, coyotes and cougars. On the one hand, the wild “dogs” (coyotes and wolves) and “cats” (cougars), help to keep the deer, elk, and rabbit population under control. On the other hand, they tend to eat calves, sheep and pet cats and dogs. Tough call, no matter which side of the ecological fence you come down on.
Felis Concolor: common name, Cougar, Puma, Catamount
Fells catus Domesticus: common names - You Little Beezum; Sadie, Sadie Bearded Lady; and Maeow Thai See Nom Thon.

EDiF2018 - PNW "F" #8 - FRIENDS Canadienne

When I was about 10, my family went to the Seattle Arena to attend a Royal Canadian Military Tattoo. It was the most monumental experience of my young life. Handsome Mounties in scarlet coats on gleaming black horses performing intricate drills, the flash of brilliant colored kilts, the skirl of bagpipes and the pounding of drums. It was electric. I never recovered.
That moment was the beginning of my love for all things Anglo and Canuck. I love the mountains, the trains, the prairies, Toronto and Vancouver. My first great lust was for a handsome BC horse wrangler at a fish camp north of Kamloops (though I survived that experience intact, damn polite Canadians).
So here are just two of the things I love about Canada - the RCMP, and the British Columbia Pipers (who I see a lot in Vancouver). But there’s also Red Rose tea, Mackintosh Caramels, Caramilk Chocolate and Nanaimo Bars to consider. Luckily, all of these have found their way south.
In fact, all my life, in Washington and Michigan, I have enjoyed living next door to Canada. Today it is just 100 miles and 2 hours up the road from me at Blaine, where the gleaming white Peace Arch straddles the border. As the motto on the arch says, we are “children of a common mother”.

EDiF2018 - PNW "F" #7 - FERRY

Every Day In February - “F” #7 - FERRY
Can’t salute the PNW with Effs without a nod to the Washington State Ferries. And you can’t type “ferry” into your phone without autocorrect changing it to “fairy”. 
So here is the ferry Tokitae, the one I frequently ride back and forth between Mukilteo on the mainland and Clinton on Whidbey Island. 
Also, here are some Pacific Northwest wildflowers known as “Farewell-to-Spring”, or ‎Clarkia amoena, or Godetia. 
And, oh look, autocorrect inserted some fairies.

EDiF2018 - PNW "F" #6 - The FREMONT TROLL

Seattleites are, and always have been, a little weird. No place in the city are they weirder, perhaps, than in the Fremont District. Every year people come here from far and wide to celebrate the Summer Solstice with an amazing parade of revelers in elaborate costumes (think Mardi Gras or Carnevale). 
They enjoy crazy performers, elaborate art cars, and taking off their clothes. They then paint their bodies in gaudy colors and ride their bicycles naked down the parade route.
Visitors come for the fun there, and also to see the most famous and beloved resident of the District, The FREMONT TROLL, the giant who lives under the end of the Aurora Bridge at Troll Avenue and 36th St. The interactive sculpture, made of rebar and concrete in 1990 by Steve Badanes, Will Martin, Donna Walter and Ross Whitehead, is 18 feet tall, weighs 13,000 pounds and clutches in his hand a hapless VW Beetle from California, who perhaps did not pay his troll toll. Visitors are encouraged to climb him, and take a poke at his one good eye (a hubcap).

EDiF2018 - PNW "F" #05 - FLIPPERS, FINS AND FLUKES

Every Day in February 2018 - "All Effs" - (for me, Washington and the Pacific Northwest, brought to you by the Letter F)  "FLIPPERS, FINS AND FLUKES", Pinnipeds and Cetaceans

Here are some of the Pacific Northwest's marine mammals, Pinnipeds (seals and sea lions) and Cetaceans (porpoises, orcas and whales) found from Alaska, all the way down the coast.
The Grey Whales migrate from Mexico each year, stopping on their way to Alaska to fuel up on Ghost shrimp and other goodies in the waters of the Salish sea, practically outside my front door (well, just down the road in Langley). The fast black and white beauties are the Dall's Porpoises and, of course, the magnificent transient Orcas. This Orca would probably love to get its teeth into the Steller Sea Lions, or, gasp, oh no, the baby Harbor Seal pup on the beach. (BTW, DON'T DISTURB THE PUP. It's mama is nearby and it is just fine.)

EDiF2018 - PNW "F" # 4 - FOOTBALL

Here, apropos of nothing, really, other than today is Super Bowl Sunday and I feel compelled to at least acknowledge that in SOME way, are three Washington Football teams - the Seahawks, U of W Huskies and WSU Cougars - and one Futbol Club (the Sounders).

EDiF2018 - PNW "F" #3 - FLIGHT

Every Day in February - "F" #3 - FLIGHT
Seattle, Washington, is the home of the Boeing Aircraft Company. Right across Puget Sound from me is Everett, and Paine Field, where Boeing makes very large aircraft in the largest building in the world (almost 100 acres). This huge plant is where 747, 767, 777, and 787 airplanes are assembled. Fuselages for the planes are made in Wichita, Kansas, and brought back to Everett for assembly and finishing. The aircraft bodies are flown inside the 747 Dreamlifter, one of the largest aircraft in the world. Each wing is a football field long.
I have, on a couple of occasions, looked out my south facing window just in time to see one of these behemoths lumber across the sky in front of me on its way to land at Paine field. I don’t understand how something so huge can fly. Yes I understand thrust, propulsion and lift. But FLIGHT, for something of this size, just doesn’t seem possible.

EDiF2018 - PNW "F" # 02 - FAIRS

The newest Every Day Challenge - "ALL Effs - Washington and the Pacific Northwest, brought to you by the Letter F
Our home state is First Place in our hearts for FAIRS. On Whidbey Island it is our own Island County Fair, at the Fairgrounds just outside Langley. A 4 (Four) - H Fair, it draws young contestants from all over the county to show off their prize winning animals, their horsemanship, their agricultural skills and their beautiful crafts. It may be small, but it is the biggest thing in our hearts during the summer.
On a grander scale is the Washington State Fair in Puyallup, in the spring. It is the real deal, with three permanent roller coasters. One of them, the huge “Classic”, is the last remaining on-site fairgrounds wooden coaster. A trip to “The Fair” is not complete without curly French Fries, a warm Fisher’s Scone with strawberry jam, Fresh squeezed lemonade, and a Pickle on a Stick (ok, that’s not an F, coz if it were it would be a Fickle on a Stickle).
Drawn from my old, bad photos and some nice new ones I found on the internet.

EDiF2018 - PNW"F" # 01 - FRUIT

Well, I am (once again) starting off one of these everyday challenges LATE, but eager, nonetheless. My personal take on this months list of prompts is going to be "WASHINGTON AND THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST; BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LETTER "EFF". Since I am starting late I am going to cheat STRAIGHT OFF, by using a sketch from a year or so ago. Because there are no sketcher police. And because I like the sketch, and because I can.

Here is "F #1 - FRUITS from the Pacific Northwest