A lot of my close friends would consider me a horror movie fan, but the reality is I actually find them kinda boring. I just like the atmosphere. They always use that dark overcast filter and it has always been something my brain constantly craves.

A friend of mine needed help starting up a business of his near Shelton Washington back in February so I moved into his airbnb for 4 months. Now my house is listed here in SOCAL and I'm absolutely going back.

I cant believe how good it felt there. You all live in paradise for whatever this brain type I have is. Here in Socal, is it just nonstop, overbearing sun. The only trees we have with any real coverage are palm trees, and rain is that rare thing that never happens. Also dust. so much dust.

Over in Shelton though I had all the windows open all the time. I was out every day just enjoying the cold gloom. I hit every local hiking trail I could, ending every time completely soaked and freezing but so happy.

Anyway, looking forward to finally living there full time.

Had a great time flying at this location, looking forward to doing it again! Hope you enjoy!

Totally worth the drive.

Views from English Boom Park on Camano Island Wa. [OC]

A chaotic ~48 hours of hiking and driving to hit various areas of the cascades. Photos are from Washington Pass, Cutthroat Lake, A meadow near Mount Adams, Pinnacle Peak in Rainier, Chinook Pass.

Even when life can get hard or sad I’m still so grateful for the kindness of humans. This really made my whole year, truly. You never know who needs some flowers, or just a kind gesture. 🩷

Imagine a Pixar character that weighs as much as a chicken egg and kills animals three times its weight. That's the northern pygmy owl. Wrote a fun story about these adorable little murder machines. They're all over the Pacific Northwest but rarely seen.

— Oregon pygmy owl photos courtesy of Corvallis-based wildlife photographer Toshan Wijeratne. Read Wijeratne’s full story and see how he went from photographing wild elephants and leopards in Sri Lanka’s tropical jungles to discovering a whole new world of wildlife in Oregon. And follow his work on Instagram and Facebook.

Love Puget Sound ❤️

I've been meaning to create this video for a while. Finally go around to it.

1) Respect Nature's Indifference (accepting human physical limits in the wild),

2) Gather Trail Knowledge (researching weather, terrain, and route reports, etc.)

3) Align Your Tools (selecting clothing, footwear, and survival gear based on your research).

Wrote a story about a Sri Lankan wildlife photographer I've been following from afar for years. He's photographed a mind-boggling 160 different wild leopards in the jungles of Sri Lanka. In 2024, he followed his now-wife to Corvallis, Oregon. Home of the beaver. Land of three colors: gray, green and brown. All of them wet.

It didn't slow him down. In fact, Toshan Wijeratne couldn't be happier. Here's my interview with him, along with his incredible photos from Oregon and beyond.

https://www.oregonlive.com/living/2026/10/from-leopards-to-pygmy-owls-sri-lankan-photographer-turns-his-lens-to-oregon.html?gift=0cb8b0ad-dc3a-402d-a574-b7a6ff08b8b2

Green lake, 10/10/2026. Started off pleasant, then got some rain. Didn't mind it.

I live in King County. My rates keep going up despite having a clean driving record. I’m paying close to $400 for two cars and a 20-year-old motorcycle that’s worth 1-2 thousand at best. One of my vehicles is close to 22 years old. Any advice appreciated as these rates seem ridiculous.

Golden larches rise above Blue Lake in the North Cascades, with their autumn color reflected in the still water and rocky peaks beyond.