Ruins

In a previous post I talked about exploring abandoned places. This week we've come across another fascinating example, sitting at the edge of Grays Harbor in Aberdeen, Washington. Reached, as is often the case, through what looked at the start like a deer trail, it opens to a wide clearing in the trees. 

Spread out inside it are bricks, hundreds of bricks, maybe more. Some still bearing the name of their maker. I wonder how long ago it was standing. When was it built? Men once lay each of these bricks down on its bed of mortar. Someone made even the bricks. In our age of centenarians, have men lived to build, then witness the final deterioration of their work? 

 Because of the objects we found in the ruins, I believe this to be a house, but I can't be sure. We found a purse, and this hammer, which was slightly amusing in all this destruction.

 Sadly we also found syringes and caps scattered around, and other evidence of squatting. This is infuriating, as children would love this place. What kid doesn't love finding places like this for forts? The unfairness of a child contracting illness from being poked is extreme, not to mention the dangers if someone is there.

There are individuals locally who go to sites like these with the correct equipment to remove all the dangerous materials. This is a very noble and a worthwhile endeavor to my mind. Even with the disturbing aspects, this is one of my favorite abandoned places.

On our way in we spotted this hair brained contraption, a piece of wheel barrow that had been ineffectually tied to a chunk of shopping cart. Ahh, modern anthropology.

If you would like to see more pictures, you can find them here, including a few in color! 

In Color

So until I looked at the photos, I was not aware that my dress and this wall were the same color! This mural in Aberdeen, Washington is one I've passed many times, and decided today to check out in detail. It is definitely the first I've seen to include both flappers and Ninja Turtles.

It is not, by a great distance, the oddest piece of art in the area. There are actually a great number of murals in town, which is something I love!

 It was early enough on a weekday that not too many people were passing through, which is lucky as this still makes me a bit self conscious.

Especially if I had know I had bright pink bra strap popping out all over. Sigh. This dress is a fairly simple one, but with an interesting back. I like this because it makes a nice canvas for interesting jewelry, and will be impervious to trends

Because I'm long past growing (more sighs) I am trying to focus on things I love enough to keep forever, and of nice enough quality to last so long. 

This part of town is one I will certainly have to explore further! 

Although I am hoping there are not too many more of these unwholesome looking clowns. (Are there wholesome looking ones?)

Secret Gardens

Sometimes its nice to disappear. More accurately perhaps, to make all else disappear. Responsibilities, communication, the myriad human noises aimed at us and occurring around us. On nice days my boyfriend and I like to set off exploring on foot. We have found many beautiful trails and abandoned places this way!

When we moved recently I was sad to say goodbye to our old haunts, abandoned mills and empty yacht husks snaked with blackberries, beaches where you could climb over jungle gyms of driftwood to gaze at blue ocean waves. They aren't so far I can never go, but are no longer close enough to wander to.

Since coming to this new location, which is surrounded by more businesses than homes, we've found new retreats. My favorite is actually reached by cutting through the drive thrus of several fast food places in the busiest part of town! Past the abandoned floors (painted red!) of an old house mostly covered by flowers this time of year, is a little opening under the trees with the remains of a tree fort. To its side lays a narrow trail twisting steeply upward. It goes up and up and up with the view growing ever lovelier, and peaks with a view of the harbor and great spanning bridge.

That is not however the best part. Farther past this wide logging roads begin, and even more trails branch out from them. Here you can hear no cars, no human noise at all! The forests are flickering lights and shadows, softly creaking trees. And in the golden sunlit clearings acres of foxgloves grow in shades from white and yellow to violet and hot pink, deep amethyst. They sway gently waist high, tangled some places with other wildflowers in every color.

We have the most wonderful conversations out here. They are much like what our feet are doing, wandering easily to new and beautiful places. Many years before dating we were friends, and these conversations are a large part of how i fell in love with Chris! 

I'm so excited to have someplace like this, which we don't even need a car to reach! I hope we find many more lovely places in our time here.

For those living in Grays Harbor County, all this loveliness is past the bluff.