AFTERGLOW  -  Gig Harbor, Washington

My photo partner had already started packing up. I, too, was eager for the warmth of the car and a hearty dinner, but something told me not to leave just yet.

The sunset had been pretty, but not spectacular. I wasn’t sure the evening had offered anything memorable, and the light had all but slipped away from the harbor. Like a mildly disappointing fireworks show, it seemed everything was over...until the grand finale kicked off.

Without warning, Mount Rainier burst into brilliant pinks and reds, its glow spilling across the still harbor below. For a fleeting moment, the boats, the water, and the mountain - all so familiar to those who call this place home - felt transformed. Vibrant sparks of color danced over the water nearly as fast as my finger pressed the shutter. And like the finest fireworks finales, the spectacle lasted less than a minute, leaving me standing in silence, mouth agape, grateful I'd stayed to witness the afterglow.