Down By The Bay Again.

    I hope everyone had a very wonderful Christmas!   Today I share some pictures from exploring a week or so before Christmas.  I heard that the Boulevard Park area was flooding, because of extremely high tides mixed with lots of rain.  I unfortunately did my exploring after the waters had receded back to normal.  For some amazing photos and video of the bay attacking back, and flooding much of the park, please go to The Bellingham Herald web sight.   

You can see from the debris that the water line was way up, just the day before.

I find myself down by the bay all the time.  

Please check out many of my old posts for some other great pictures.  

The all have bay or water related titles.  

I hope you enjoy these new pictures.

                                                  This is shot right before the coffee shop.

As the sun slowly disappears it gives some great glow to the water.

    On this evening Max and our oldest were along with me.   We soon headed towards the amazing boardwalk. 

Down below the boardwalk.  

Looking up this amazing rain and wind weathered rock. 

You can just catch a glimpse of the sea and sun set in the back ground.

I personally really enjoy the above picture.

Down the trail between the sets of boardwalk.

We than packed up and headed down by the Fairhaven Terminal to get a few more shots.

I have so many pictures of this tree.

Roam through all my posts to see more of it and more great water shots.

Thank you for reading!  

Next we explore around Lake Padden.

And as always

HAPPY TRAILS!!

Chuckanut Ridge

          Hello All!!   Thank you once again for being a reader of this page!   I have many ideas and new concepts for this page.  And really am working on making it a fun and informative sight for all who live in Whatcom or wish to visit the area.  Between work and three kids, my free time is almost non existent, so new posts have been forming in my head much faster than actually making it online.   Also my family and I have been having a very tough time with a little thing that usually vanishes closer to Christmas time, called customer service.  So I have been writing letters to companies and such.  More on that fun very soon, but all the bad service makes me want to bring back my concept of show casing a local business or a few of them.  I have mentioned many such business in past blog posts, and I thank each of them for going beyond what seems to be the new norm of crappy service. 
    Anyways, boring story-short, I am skipping over my post about our soggy Halloween night and exploring Chuckanut Ridge today.  Because I really want to share some of these pictures, and because I can not locate some of my Halloween pictures at the moment. ;)

      Just off of State Street.  I love this sculpture--and the views of the bay, and trails are amazing!

    I have posted about this area in past blogs.   And I always enjoy the views and hikes.  On this day I had some free time, before it got dark.  And was very surprised at how early darkness fell on me.  I am usually at work when the sun sets.  Soon I hope to re-visit the entire Chuckanut road --and have lots of pictures.  But at the moment that is on a very long to do list.  If you have any great exploring pictures you would like to share.  Or would like to view all of my pictures, thoughts, coffee love, rambling, and gain access to both of my blogs---please visit my new Facebook sight at                             Wyoming Jack/Bobble Head's Blogs Exploring Bellingham & Whatcom county

   As you zig zag up this great road, just past the flashing yellow lights for a wide curve, is a one way road that turns into a parking area.  I first stopped here to explore a little.
  You soon can hit some trails leading to Teddy Bear Cove--- a place I have before posted about.  I walked down the roadway towards Woodstock Park.  Please note: The roadway is very narrow here with limited sight distance for drivers, so keep an eye out if you choose to walk on the roadway.   Many people choose to bike this same road, so most drivers are already watching ahead. 

      Above the tree line:

As you wander--see how many islands you can spot.

I have always thought having a family picnic/camp out on one of the islands would be a great day.  And way to get away from it all for awhile.

Also see how many ships you can spot.

I think I spotted eight ships in the distance during the short time I was out.

One of the many very neat tress along the way.  

And a great place to sit and think.

Or just enjoy the view.

Just to the left---is a panoramic view of the bay.

With every step --that day--- a new picture opportunity arose.

Tracks leading into Bellingham.

Just to the left is Teddy Bear Cove

To the right--some huge houses with amazing views, and deep, sticky, smelly, black mud.

This whole area offers some great exploring and wildlife viewing.

*Again see my past posts for more information*

One more shot as I head back to the car.

I than venture up to the boat launch -just before Larabee State Park.

The park service has life vests here that you can borrow, just in case you picked up an extra boater.

Again -I was very pleased to see a full rack of life vests.   

Meaning --all borrowed, were returned for the next user!

View to the left--- towards the park. 

View to the right.

Not only was darkness rolling into the area, but also a storm was brewing.

I love how the sun rays are coming down in this picture.....

And one last shot for the day

WWU Campus Artwork---III

          I fully enjoy exploring and wandering around the Western Campus for many reasons.  Including the many beautiful sights, coffee stands, good food, and it is a more than great spot to wear out the kiddos!   In fact I have posted twice about roaming around the large campus.   Last week, the boys and I set off to find all of the wonderful artwork strung across campus.  First off, just the setting of the school, offers some great pictures.   Add in the old buildings and views of the bay, and you can easily walk away with a ton of new pictures.  

     This post is all about the statues.  I believe there are 27 of them, and we saw them all.  Although I did not picture them all in this post.    Fair warning, some of the artwork is inside class rooms-- or in the library.  I also did not include the names of any artwork I pictured.   You can look this up, if you wish.  I was surprised to learn that many of the statues were donated in the 60's and 70's.  If you decide to duplicate our roaming, take comfy walking shoes.  To see them all you have to trek across all of the large campus.  
     We started our journey just off of McDonnell Road at the information building.  This stop offers free parking and most importantly a guide to all of the wonderful statues. 

 They have produced a full colorized book with all of the statues, brief history about each one, and a map so you can spot them all.   We each grabbed a book and set out.  On this day I was using a beyond great camera, I have been borrowing.  And the kids were each armed with disposable cameras.  All of us  ready to shoot some great finds!  

Holding there disposable cameras.

Our youngest was actually more excited that he found a motel room key---

He is holding it up in the above shot. 

     Plus they soon get to enjoy taking the cameras/film into a store and waiting to see what pictures they actually took for the first time.  With the availability and ease of the digital age, they have never enjoyed finally filling a roll of film, driving to the store, waiting for the film to develop.  And than seeing pictures from eight months ago and exactly twelve pictures of what looks like part of your hand, but could possibly be Bigfoot.   We will pass on this joy with the kids, as soon as we can locate the pictures again, the cameras went into the boys rooms.   And now on to some exploring!!

     This was one of our first stops.   This huge work of art is beyond kool.  And you can walk through the entire rock structure.  

Very near this spot---watch for the tunnel that takes you under the road and beyond.  

I do not have it pictured, because I could not get a shot with no students in the tunnel.

     We visited on a more than sunny day.  This has been an amazing October weather wise so far. And looking outside I am saddened to see that the grey gloom has returned, probably to stay for awhile.  On a foggy day the above appears to steam.  Offering very neat visuals.  I have found similar rock stacking all around Bellingham.  Especially near the bay.  

      Nestled between many of the buildings and near the track  is this structure.

This one is really neat.  Not only can you climb or study on it, at night the bottom is lit up, offering some beyond neat effects!

     Follow the wandering yellow brick road past some hard working and hard playing figures.

Catch!

Look there is one of them now!

More interactive artwork.

This piece is tucked away but worth the effort to locate.

This view lets you enjoy the full piece.

Water trickles through the whole flat statue.

In Red Square

Our youngest found a "window!"

Of course the trees this time of year offer even more beauty than normal.

I could easily offer one of many adult jokes about this piece---but will refrain.

Please feel free to send me any off color thoughts though!

The story behind this art is very neat though.

    By the cafeteria, book store, and music hall, and possibly most importantly, coffee shops- is this huge structure.  The artist worked the crane himself to create just the right look.   Beyond this  is some of the best views of the bay around. 

Find this one behind the above buildings.  

Our youngest spotted this Woolly Mammoth sinking into the tall weeds.

I have never seen this artwork before.  

     We ventured into the wooded trails for awhile to explore and wear the kids out even more. 

As the evening progressed the clouds put on a glorious show.

The Big Chair

One last stop on the way back to the car.