Red, White, and Blue in Washington

Today I'm visiting San Juan Island on the way from Victoria to Seattle. Along the way, I noticed an unintentional color theme in the photos.


This wasn't the first photo of the day, but it's the one that made me realize I was seeing a lot of these three today.


This is the blockhouse at the English Camp. Which is meaningless unless you know that in 1859, San Juan Island was almost the cause of a war between the U.S. and the British Empire. Even though the two countries had settled on the 49th parallel for a border back in 1846, they had never quite decided who got this island, and almost came to blows over it just before the Civil War.

For 12 years, there was an English encampment at the north end of the island and an American one at the south end, enforcing the truce. The top of the block house shown here is turned 45 degrees to protect the shooters who use those little holes, and it also allows for overhangs from which the fighters can drop things onto forces attacking from beneath. The top floor did double duty as a brig.


Boxed water is not better, no matter what the packaging says. But it sure is pretty between the red water and the blue label.


This fire boat is supposed to be red, but has turned pink from the sun. Girl Power to the rescue in Friday Harbor!


Am I the only one who sees this vending machine as a glowing version of an Easter Island stone head?