Blue Lupine in the Cascades

Blue Lupine, Washington State Wildflower

Blue Lupine in the Cascades © 2010 Bo Mackison

Mother Nature makes it really hard to drive on the back roads of Washington state. Every few yards along the sides of the roads are massive spreads of blue and purple lupine. When she wants to make it especially difficult to concentrate, she adds a few white or pink lupine into the mix. Occasionally there are yellow ones, too.

I finally pulled off the road to get my photography fix for the morning. We were driving from Seattle to Vancouver — shouldn’t have been all that difficult, seeing as it is only a two hour drive. But we were already a day behind our plans, since we had taken the turn off I-5 the morning before for a spontaneous detour through the North Cascades. But even being off schedule wasn’t a good enough reason to not stop. So stop we did.

The lupine were definitely worth the delay.

About Bo Mackison

I'm a photographer, book-artist, traveler, naturalist, and creator of the Contemplative Creatives Journey, An Online Workshop and Community and Desert Wisdom Cards and Workshops. Though often not well known, I find the desert a welcoming place - a healing space. Its mysteries and gifts transformed me several years ago. Since that first encounter, I return again and again to fill my well in what most people think of as a desolate region. I'd love to share my desert discoveries and wisdom with you. Please subscribe to receive my five part mini email course The Gifts of the Desert. It's my gift to you.

Comments

  1. How beautiful and blue! I really like Blue Lupine and this is a great shot. 🙂

  2. I love that color. So gorgeous. And a worthwhile delay it was!

  3. I’d certainly say that was worth a delay!

    • Bo Mackison says

      It’s one reason I plan a very loose schedule, and then never get too worried about being somewhere at a specific time. I love the freedom to stop and see what needs to be seen!

  4. This is stunning….and all of my favorite colors too!! All the photos are so vivid and truly alive. Be well. Xtine

  5. As they say in The Trilogy “All who wander are not lost…” The detour sounds like it was worth the change. This is a beautiful flower. I love the deep and rich colors.

    • Bo Mackison says

      That is one of my favorite quotes, attributed to the Trilogy and J.R.R. Tolkien, of course. I am definitely a wanderer, but not lost too often. Thanks, Gandalf.

  6. Lupines. Sigh. I wish we could grow lupines here in the steamy, hot South. So beautiful. Thank you for sharing with us less fortunate beings!

    • Bo Mackison says

      Ah, Debi. The lupines must be a gift or bribe to the Northerners who stay around and wait for them to show their pretty faces in the spring!

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