WINTER CAME WITHOUT WARNING

 

The sky turned blue, but a different color blue.

 

Sea Lions came (first time I've ever seen any out
in Bellingham Bay) because the salmon are returning
Home to spawn and die.
If they make it past the sea lions.
Which highly vexed one seal (not pictured)
who kept circling "his log" finally leaping
over and over it between the sea lions, giving
a few spectators quite a show.
The Sea Lions merely yawned curiously waiting 
for their meals to arrive from Alaska...back to the 
exact rivers and creeks where they were born...
to spawn before dying, their last and final gift
to the Place from whence they came.

 

Yes, it was Blue & the sea lions
on the seal's favorite log nearly 
vanished into the landscape...

 

A young girl defied gravity,
balancing delicately atop the
railings of the Taylor Dock Shelter.


 

Colors went darker...deep sea-green
emerging from the restless, churning tide.

 

Unless you had that one chance to
take a shot (with a new camera smaller than
my phone) to see the Canadian Rockies 
one last time before the snow caps them
like vanilla ice cream cones...just out of reach.


Yes, Winter arrived without warning,
yet she arrived bearing gifts: 
One merely has to become
more receptive; opening
up all senses and soul
 to discover them here in the 
Great Pacific Northwest.