- photo by Martin Lynn
This is the end of Waterspot1.
It's the end of a long chapter for us. I have raked up my last pinecone. We were lucky to have had this unique experience, and will treasure our happy memories.
Wild burros at Lake Pleasant.​
We were rained in all day and had a soggy view from our deck. This is me and my single glass of wine for the evening, somehow being another year older.
And desert sand dunes.
Columbia River, Washington/Oregon 2016
We saw grand mountains.
We have wondered where all the deer are this year, when we saw three bucks walking down the driveway by our condo!
Outside of Beatty, Nevada 2024.
We had an unplanned adventure when we returned the rental car. We tried both Uber and Lyft for a ride back home. Both have a limited presence here and were busy so we tried the two cab companies but neither could come. It has been years since I took the local bus but the stop was just half a block away and only cost us 50 cents each. We are actually lucky to have a bus system here. The route took us around half the town and over an hour to get home. But the price was right!
Strawberry Moon at Deception Pass, June 11. - photo by Gary Skiff
This was supposed to be a shot of a little free library in town, but I mostly got a picture of myself.
Colorado River, Arizona 2023
There was all kinds of weather.
Snoqualamie Pass, Washington 2021.
Indian Springs to Beatty, 2024
Oregon Trail in Blue Mountains, Oregon 2017.
These are our summer walking outfits!
Roslyn, Washington 2021.
This happened here on June 14, the NO Kings event. A huge crowd came for a very spitrited but peaceful protest, one of many around the country which drew millions of people. This one was at our busiest intersection and stretched for many blocks with people standing two and three deep, all of them holding signs. It inspired many drivers to honk which added to the festive mood. I was downtown grocery shopping and snapped these from the car as I drove by.
The Pony Express route, which we crossed in two different places, Nevada 2021.
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Skyline Marina, where many boat owners have a private dock right outside their houses.
Another day on our walk to the park in the cold we happened on this entreprenuer on the sidewalk in his PJs selling cold drinks. His timing was bad and he wasn't attracting a lot of business since no one really wanted a cold drink on a cold day.
Snow, near Winnemucca Nevada, 2021
Washington Park is little changed since we left it in the fall, and it is good to see the big green trees and so much blue water again.
Beatty, Nevada 2020
Moonwater Arts is in a new and bigger space. They are the outlet for many local artists to sell their work, but also a glass making studio run by the owner Joanie Schwartz.
The BLM Wild Horse Corrals, Burns, Oregon
Rogue River in Oregon, 2016.
The International Forest of Cars, Goldfield, Nevada 2019.
Pelican Bay Books is still doing a lively business.
Sand dunes, Winnemucca, Nevada 2020
They also use this very noisy thing a lot. This is what we see out of the back of the condo. We don't know what's wrong with the roof but just hope they aren't going to work on all five buildings. If so they will be here making racket forever.
Las Vegas, Nevada 2021.
And then this sweetie was in the park! she actually approached us, and we realized she was looking for a handout. People should not feed them but they do. At least she was in the park instead of in town!
We loved being on the open road.
I always loved our 1500 mile car trip to get here from Phoenix. We had favorite stopping places we returned to every year and explored some unusual sights. I looked forward to the drive which we made for 10 years. So here are a few of our many good memories.
The Three Sisters in Oregon, 2018.
The Nomad is a shipping vessel and the Liberator is a fishing vessel, both registered in the USA.
Windmills in the Columbia Gorge, 2024.
- Art by Sonia Vakiero (Spanish). From FB group Naive Art Extraordinaire.
Alamo, Nevada 2021.
This is the end of Waterspot4. Go to Waterspot5 to continue.
Above Burrows Island on the right, Washington Park and Fidalgo Island in the middle!
It is evidently in the "who knows what will happen" category now. I am hopeful it will be saved.
Snake River, Idaho 2014.
And now for a flashback....
Moro, Oregon, 2022.
Baker City, Oregon 2017.
Two "paramotor" flyers took off with their sails from Tugboat Park here in Skyline by Burrows Bay, and flew over several islands. They posted these photos of Fidalgo Island and Skyline from way up high. These brave people clearly have no fear of heights, I could not do this! We live over on the left side of this photo.
Photos by Nima Soleimany.
They have some items from Marine Supply and Hardware, which is now closed.
And the Anacortes Post Office.
At the boatyard which is also downtown, the Coastal Nomad and the US Liberator were both ashore for work. Both are very big ships.
There were lots of great small towns.
Two little collies were out for a walk.
This was an abbreviated tour today, since Bruce has much less interest than I in snooping around and looking at stores. Another day....
Our first ferry sighting of the season!
And a couple big cities.
Me in one of my favorite pastimes on this long wonderful car trip, taking pictures that tell a story. 2015.
Big Smokey Valley in Nevada, 2020.
Waterspot4
We were glad to find Alley Cat Antiques, a favorite place, in a new location. They have been displaced twice since we've been here so this is a third location for them. This space is smaller so they mostly carry smaller items now.
Mt. Adams, Washington 2020
This beast belongs to the company that owns the apartments behind us. They have been working daily on roof repairs, starting at 7 AM when they rev this thing up and awaken everyone. It is parked in front of our building otherwise.
The Extraterrestrial Highway and Area 51 in Nevada, 2015.
Yakima River, Washington 2014.
And there are the usual other walkers down there.
I was able to get a quick shot of the empty interior. We talked to the men nailing up plywood who told us they have determined it is the same cost to tear it down as it would be to restore it, and since the whole town wants this historic building to be saved, the Port is reconsidering its fate. They said they are just closing it up to keep it protected.
Rhyolite Ghost Town and Tom Kelly's Bottle House, Nevada, 2023.
June 15: This happened in Phoenix. They keep track of stuff like this. Then three days later it hit 117.
Our most interesting stop was at the old Marine Supply and Hardware store. Owned by the Port Authority, their crew was there boarding up the windows. Several Bill Mitchell murals are still on this building, which was slated to be torn down when we left last year.
Around Anacortes: June
"Prince Albert" pattern china and a pair of goats.
Tonopah, Nevada 2018.
On a less inspirational note, a homeless bum living in his car has parked in front of our condo unit. I called the police who did come out but said he has "a right to be there" and they can't do anything. He told them he would move on, a lie, since he has been here for days. Really a nice thing for our neighborhood. Evidently the bums have more "rights" than we do.
Mt. Batchelor in Oregon, 2018.
Outside Tonopah, Nevada. 2022
We crossed and followed many rivers!
Carvers, Nevada 2024.
Seattle, Washington 2015
Anacortes mugs.
A new piece of public Art was on display on Commercial Avenue. The artist is Peregrine O'Gormley, who lives in LaConner. If you can guess he was raised by hippies from his name, you would be correct.
We followed the route of the Oregon Trail through Idaho and Oregon. Many historic sites remain there.
Mural of the Skagit Valley in Carl's Jr. in nearby Burlington. The two round things are hanging light fixtures. We go here for burgers we shouldn't eat when we are shopping there - Burlington hasn't much of note except a lot of stores so there isn't really anything to take a picture of except the inside of Walmart and this! But we apprecite it nonetheless since there are no stores in Anacortes.
And many, many trucks!
Ghost Rider at Gladwell Open Air Museum, Beatty Nevada 2023.
Rain, Beatty to Tonopah Nevada, 2019
We don't get tired of the scenery in Washington Park.
ETC GALLERY
Beautiful clouds, near Winnemucca Nevada 2023
June 13 - June 24, 2025
Dice at Alley Cat: 75 Cents each.
Oregon Trail site in Idaho, 2015.
Madras, Oregon 2023.
Our first stop was at Commercial and 8th where were went for brunch at Tasha Lee's Table. I think this place opened last year but we never tried it until today. A nice menu and good food.
Deer in Washington Park.
June 23 we made a quick tour of downtown to see what has changed and what is new. A new mural has gone up outside the Thrifty Kitty shop on 8th street, by Amelia Kaiser.
I also hit the local thrift shops in town looking for a few houseware items. There are no real stores here. No luck with those but the Red Door had these fancy high heel shoes, all new! Of course I would find these when I gave up shoes like this long ago.
And found green oasis lunch stops!
The same day we made our first squirrel contact! Also making a plea for a peanut.
June 18, my birthday, looked like this. It's the view of Cap Sante Marina from our window table at Anthony's where we went for dinner. This dock is for the fishing boats and other work vessels.
We began settling into our summer routine after getting here and surviving the car shipping crisis. This includes walking almost every day and sleeping much better. We also watch for deer crossing city streets, an Anacortes thing.
Railroad Yard in Goldfield, Nevada, 2023.
Beautiful clouds, near Jackpot Nevada 2021
Anacortes caps.
The old tree made it another year. This is the boat ramp where we sometimes sit and supervise. There seems to be an overabundance of boat owners who don't know about tides, since so many show up when there is not enough water to float a boat. We are amused by their antics trying to launch anyway.
Not only did this pup pose for me but immediately came over to some petting, very sweet and outgoing doggie!
Sand dunes, Big Dune, Nevada 2018.
Indian Springs, Nevada, 2024.
Books by Percy Keese Fitzhugh, author of books for boys from the 1920's, and vintage cigarette packs for $149 each!
Ward Charcoal Ovens, Ely, Nevada 2018.
Cle Elum Washington, 2020.
The same kitty is still there, and is something of a special greeter who comes out to see who has come to the store.