Queen Mt Baker

My husband rows on Thursday mornings. Today it was cold and frosty, until they worked up a sweat. Then it was like me during a hot flash - hot, cold, hot, cold, mostly hot. It was a beautiful chilly morning. I wished he had a camera with him. Mt Baker was out in full glory, the sun was spotlighting her, making her shine. A low layer of fog parked right in front of her, with a tint of orange from the sun, adding a dramatic effect to the scenery. 

She is glorious when she's out. Magnificent comes to mind. Her beauty shines and she shows it off well on days like to today. I love her best when she is covered in white, the snow glistening on her peaks. On a beautiful clear day with just the right sunset, she is softened by a pink glow, illuminating her for miles. During the full moon in January and February, on a clear night of course, the moon is angled right above her, crowning her, making her queen for a evening. I have yet to photograph this beautiful event. You have to catch her right around dusk.

When I first moved to Seattle, someone told me a story about Mt Baker, Mt Rainier and Mt St Helens. He told me that Mt Baker and Mt St Helens were love interests of Mt Rainier. It was during a fit of jealousy that Mt St Helens blew. I don't remember the details of why she was jealous, only she was jealous of Mt Baker.  Maybe she should be. For no finer queen reigns in the Cascades. She is truly a gem. I can imagine Mt Rainier being awed by her beauty. Desiring her as his Queen. I can also image that she is strong, determined and independent. A woman not to be overpowered, or overshadowed by a dominant male, such as, Mt Rainer. That her independence is what makes her great. 

There is a certain photograph of her that I long to take. On a beautiful clear, winter day, she stands tall over the Skagit Valley. From a certain vantage point in Conway, you can get her in the background and the beautiful white Conway church in the foreground. Two divine symbols in one photograph. The beauty is stunning, the imagery spectacular. I have yet to take this photograph, it is on my bucket list - that, and a better camera.

We are lucky here in the Pacific Northwest to have something so beautiful watching over us. Every once in a while though, I have to remind myself that in that beauty is also Fire. She is after all a volcano. I hope to never see her blow in a jealous rage. I hope that she continues on - beautiful, majestic and Queen over us all. 

photo by Tony Locke

See more of Tony's photos on Flickr