July 12th, 2011 by contributor
Recently The Forks Elks Lodge on Merchant Road became the host of a little family, a very little family, and they were a happy bunch, always humming. Well, they were Hummingbirds.
Elks Lodge employee Chrystal King noticed the little nest in one of the Japanese Maple trees out in front of the Lodge and began documenting the blessed event with pictures.
On June 16th the eggs hatched and the two little birds began to grow.
On July 7th, the baby birds were overflowing the tiny nest, their fully feathered bodies were ready and they took flight.
From Emily Dickinson, Within my Garden, Rides a Bird
He never stops, but slackens
Above the Ripest Rose –
Partakes without alighting
And praises as he goes……
Tags: Hummingbird
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July 7th, 2011 by contributor
Forks just had a phenomenal Old-Fashioned 4th of July celebration. The weather was perfect…no rain and 80 degrees! It was a rare day due to the dry weather with record attendance at the parade. The parade was one that was full of color. Summer is here in Forks!
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June 25th, 2011 by contributor
Forks High School entrance (LEFT PHOTO) – Summer 2010 Forks High School entrance (RIGHT PHOTO) (facade) torn down June 20, 2011
Forks High school is currently being rebuilt where the 1925 building once stood. The 1925 structure had been condemned and had not been in use for two years so most of it was torn down last summer (2010). Last week, the front entrance (facade) was removed to make way for the new structure. The new high school building will be completed by this coming late Fall of 2011.
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June 20th, 2011 by contributor
An
incident in the Olympic National Park yesterday serves to remind us all that wild animals are, well wild. And while it is great to get close for a better picture we all need to take care when camping and hiking and coming in to contact with animals. It could be a matter of life and death for the person and the animal.
Tags: Elk, Olympic National Park
Posted in Olympic National Park | Comments Off
June 4th, 2011 by contributor
Spring time in the Hoh Rain Forest means new life. Not only the sprouting of native plants but the birth of a new generation of wildlife. Forks resident and National Park employee Patt Doyle, got to witness these events close up last week.
When a calf elk was born just off the back steps of the Visitors Center she was able to behold the wobbly baby taking its first steps, later during a walk she observed baby ducks and a mother deer with twins!
On her drive home a chance sighting of a bull elk, its antlers in velvet, and she gets paid for this?
The good news is, we can all enjoy the beauty of the Hoh Rain Forest, and its mosses, ferns, trees and even the baby boom.
The Hoh Rain Forest is located approximately 31 miles south of Forks off Highway 101 Phone: (360) 374-6925 for more information.
And, Thank You Patt for sharing your great photos!
Tags: Deer, Elk, Olympic National Park
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May 25th, 2011 by contributor
The first Settler’s to the Forks prairie in the late 1800’s didn’t come for logging, they were mostly farmers. Hay, oats, grain, and vegetables grew well on the prairie, and hops were a major crop.
But selling products beyond the prairie was a challenge. The nearest market in the 1870s was 100 miles away in Port Townsend, and in the 1890s was 60 miles away in Port Angeles. Hops regularly rotted awaiting transport.
Hop growing was in decline by the early 1900’s. The Merrill Whittier hop house, was located near our Town’s current only stoplight, became the site of all-night dances, people coming from miles around and staying until they could travel by daylight to their homesteads.
About twenty years ago I received a start from the original hops plants that still grow wild near the Forks Airport. Every spring when it begins to grow again it reminds me of the hardy individuals who first made Forks their home.
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May 23rd, 2011 by contributor
Born to be Wild? Or just like to have a good time? It is not too early to get the Rainforest Run marked on your calendar. This 4th annual event will take place August 19th-21st.
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May 16th, 2011 by contributor
Gentlemen and Ladies it is time to “Start Your Engines” as another season of West End Thunder drags is fast approaching. The first race of the season is set for May 21st and 22nd. Hopefully the weather has rained itself out and sunshine will make an appearance along with all the mean machines that have been sitting around all winter.
Hop in the seat and hit the eighth mile!
Tags: drag racing, West End Thunder
Posted in Sports and Recreation | Comments Off
May 13th, 2011 by contributor
One of my favorite Forks Chamber web cams to check in on is the O.N.P. camera located at Lake Crescent. From 1937-1940 these deep cold waters harbored the mystery of a missing woman’s whereabouts.
The woman, Hallie Illingworth, had disappeared and her husband claimed she had left him, but dental records identified her body when after three years it returned to the surface of the Lake.
Lake Crescent’s icy waters had turned Illingworth’s body to soap. Her husband went to trial and was convicted of her murder and sentenced to life, but was later paroled, leaving Illingworth to forever be known as “The Lady of the Lake.”
Tags: Lake Crescent
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May 12th, 2011 by contributor
If you are in Forks this Friday & Saturday, May 13th & 14th be sure to see the award winning live performance of Humble Boy that received rave reviews from it’s first weekend of performances. This adult performance by the Rainforest Players is at 7:30 pm both evenings at the Rainforest Art Center, 35 North Forks Ave. (next to the traffic light intersection). It is a lively performance that reflects life in both a serious and humorous fashion. DON’T MISS IT!
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May 11th, 2011 by contributor
While spring still seems to be unavailable, a trip to the beach can be a little chilly. So, the marketing people for Pemco Insurance have hit on some more Northwest humor, with their Northwest Profile #38-Goosebumped Beach Bum. This actually reflects many trips I have enjoyed. But what the heck the scenery is outstanding and the crowds are usually few, put on some warm clothes and enjoy!
Tags: Beach
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May 9th, 2011 by contributor
While the TV show AX MEN is in re-runs the real thing can be seen every Wednesday for free, courtesy of the Forks Chamber of Commerce. Logging & Mill Tours, offered at no cost by the Forks Chamber, leave from the Forks Visitor Center at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesdays, May through September. The 2 1/2 to 3 hour tour provides a real view into the logging industry in the Forks area. Each tour, led by a volunteer experienced in logging and local forestry, is unique. The tour usually includes a visit to a working mill & logging sites as well as being jam packed with valuable information about forestry and logging. Reservations are strongly encouraged as the tours fill up quickly. Come experience the real danger and drama that loggers face every day, and get a better understanding of our local logging heritage. Call the Forks Visitor Information Center for more information 360-374-2531. Picture: Joe Wentworth & Jack Olsen (my grandfather)
1930′s Clallam County.
Tags: Ax Men, Logging
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May 6th, 2011 by contributor
The next chapter of The Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn, is already the cause of many a heart rate rising. Take a look at the latest Twilight pics of Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner to get even more excited. This latest movie in the ‘Twilight’ saga is expected to be in theaters in mid-November.
Tags: Breaking Dawn, Twilight
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April 29th, 2011 by contributor
Earlier this month the Quileute tribe officially welcomed the whales with a Return of the Whales Ceremony. This ceremony was revived about four years ago, and the whales seem to appreciate it, several times they have actually shown up during the ceremony. This traditional event welcomes the gray whale migration but Orcas have also gotten in to the act. Whale watching trips are being offered but even from the beach it is possible to get a glimpse of these amazing creatures.
Tags: Quileute Nation, Whales
Posted in Quileute Nation | Comments Off
April 28th, 2011 by contributor
It is likely that Trillium ovatum, otherwise known as Wake Robin, is perhaps the most familiar floral sight in our woods and forests. It is one of the earliest blooming of our native flowers, a herald of spring. There are a few species of trillium native to our area, part of a group of hundreds of species worldwide.
Picking a trillium seriously injures the plant by preventing the leaf-like bracts from producing food for the next year. A plant takes many years to recover.
So resist the urge to pick and everyone can enjoy them in the wild for years to come.
Tags: Forests, Native Plants, Trillium
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April 26th, 2011 by contributor
Widely distributed, this is the bat most commonly seen by people. It has a fondness for hot attics for its nursery colonies, and those colonies can range into the thousands. Little Browns, eat many pest insects i.e. mosquitoes, gnats, crane flies, wasps and moths. These little bats can live 30 years or more.
This little guy or gal whatever the case may be, was about 2 ½ inches long. It got stuck in a house and settled into a bucket of wood pellets. It was carefully scooped out and placed on a piece of bark in the woodshed, where it assumed its signature position-hanging upside down. I swear it waived a batwing at me in thanks.
Tags: bats, insects
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