Tagging Along

THE WISHING TREE: I'm not going to lie, our goals when leaving the house this morning were not that lofty. We wanted to go find some Pokemon for our Pokemon GO games, and were just trying to get a walk in.

Along the way, we encountered something rather remarkable. 

Fall is putting on its leafy show, and along the Ship Canal, between the Fremont and Ballard bridges, the trees' leaves are resplendent shades of orange, gold and red. 

One big tree just west of the Fremont Bridge caught our eye. Dozens of little cards hung from its lowest branches.

Around the trunk, we saw this sign. ... 

Dozens of passersby had added tags to the tree. Some of the wishes were big, broad and beautiful.

 Some were heartbreaking.

Some caused a lump in my throat. 

For whatever reason, this particular tag continually danced in a microwind, while all the others hung still.

Some tags went to the dogs ...

while others went to the cats.

I wholeheartedly agree with this tag!

Also along that same stretch, we head a steam whistle in the distance. Before too long, the lovely old Virginia V came gliding past.

According to Wikipedia, this steamboat is the last operational example of a Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet steamer. Virginia V was once part of a large fleet of small passenger and freight carrying ships that linked the islands and ports of Puget Sound in Washington State in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Virginia V's original route was between Tacoma and Seattle, and between Vashon Island and the Kitsap Peninsula.