In the arc of time & space

August 19, 2025

At the Martin Luther King Jr. Day march in downtown Spokane, Jan. 20, 2025

Some favorite images from the journey of life

I have two very, very important dates on my calendar—both involving family celebrations—that bookend what remains of summer. The first is in Colorado and the second on the misty coast of Washington. They are main reasons I wanted to have knee replacement surgery ten weeks ago, so I could be mostly healthy and mostly up and about by now . I think I’m up for it. We’ll find out soon. That’s a long way of letting you know I’ll be away from The Daily Rhubarb for the next ten days as I cross the Rockies and back. So much can happen in ten days. I pray most of them will be sanguine.

In the meantime I can share some favorite photos from the past year or so, including some that left me asking: “did that really just happen?” Those are the best.

Skydiving female Kingfisher, near the confluence of Latah Creek and the Spokane River

“The otter scale.” River otters checking me out at Joe Creek just east of Pacific Beach, WA

Great Blue Heron at first light on Latah Creek in west Spokane

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A couple taking a rest at Olympic Beach #4, on Washington’s gnarly Pacific coast, north of Queets, WA

Mule deer doe, in a rimrock meadow, finding a way to scratch the itch on her hind leg.

“Oscar & company” —Two years ago this month I somehow earned the privilege of being able to swim alongside “Oscar” a senior native Redband trout, seen here, feeding with fellow Redbands in rapids about a mile downstream of the T.J. Meenach bridge in west Spokane.

“Snowball” the name I offered this very new magpie, the last bird I photographed before my knee surgery in early June. He/she was just really happy to be here, on the planet, curious and thrilled to be alive.

My beloved sister Nancy, at sunset near her home in Grays Harbor County. She has a birthday ending with a zero in September. I’m planning to be there for the party.

—tjc