Spring Comes Slowly

What a lesson in patience Spring is teaching me this season!

I want it now!!

I want the smells, the color, the heat of a new spring morning.

But Spring this year says, "Wait. Patience. Enjoy THIS moment. Not the one that will be coming, but THIS very moment."

Dark-eyed Junkos used this birdhouse this year for their
clutch of hatchlings.

So I watch the Dark-eyed Junko pair feed their babies and listen to his irritated "chit-chit-chit" when I get too close to the nest. And see how they both trust me when I back away so they can continue to do their parental duties.

Today I weeded and trimmed the raspberry patch, added some organic soil for topping (it needs more) and repaired the metal guides that will keep the vines from falling down.

It was enjoyable to simply sit on my weeding bench and pull everything that is not raspberry.

A few bees stopped by to see if there were any blooms worth investigating and in the distance I could hear the local target range firing their clay pigeons into the air, motorcycles were zooming along in the sunshine, swallows were doing their vortexy circles and I was totally focused on my task.

(NOTE: I started writing this in mid-May and now at the edge of June, I am finally getting it posted. The message is still the same; appreciate now... no regrets for yesterday, no anxiety about tomorrow.)

Although I felt a little achy when I was done, it was satisfying and meditative. I'm learning... be here now. In THIS moment.

Birds and Quilts

It's a strange combination, birds and quilts. But believe me, there is a connection between the two.

All winter long I have been working on a Mystery Quilt, developed by Bonnie K. Hunter at www.Quiltville.com. Finally, in the last few days of February I put on a push and finished piecing it together. It will be awhile before I can afford the materials to finish it off and have it professionally quilted, but it is done.

The "En Provence" pattern for the 2016 Mystery Quilt by Bonnie K. Hunter,
which I completed at the end of February 2017. Almost 12 weeks of work.

It was a great way to spend the dark days of winter, sewing for hours, cutting for more, stitching up and having dates with Jack the Seam Ripper, but I learned a lot. Oh, did I say that it was my First Quilt ever?

So, as I was recovering from looking at the purples, pinks, yellows and greens of the quilt, my eyes were given a treat of seeing several types of early birds at the casual feeder I set up. This has been a particularly cold (and wet, and snowy) winter here, so I decided they could use some augmenting fuel. I had junkos, chickadees, sparrows and the biggest were the Varied Thrush pair that really chowed down at my seed restaurant.

According to several bird books, this is the male of the
Varied Thrush. Isn't he beautiful?

The entrance to Robin Hill Park, Sequim, WA after a 3-inch
snowfall. Quite a bit for us in this area.

Last year I signed up to be a Weather Spotter and part of my volunteer assignment is to report into the local National Weather Service office as we have interesting weather. I do not have a weather station, but my camera and my ruler were acceptable and there must have been hundreds of other spotters who used the same devices to report our storm conditions. And as I write this tonight, March 4, we are under another weather advisory for snow conditions tonight... sigh.

Outside my front door during the February 6th storm.

But, I have good wheels for getting around in adverse weather, so it doesn't really bother me. What I noticed in the February storm was how sparkly the snow crystals were. Sometimes they are just pellets or too wet to be very interesting. I love the sound of snow crunching under my feet.

So we go from seeing green grass to white snow and back again. The promise is that if we get snow again, it will melt quickly because the forecast calls for temperatures in the 40's.

I am just about ready to start spending my days getting my garden cleaned up and watching the clematis bloom. Maybe now the quilt is done, so is winter.

Hearts and Flowers

This is the month of romance, hearts and flowers, friendship, love and all those tender things. It is going to be my month of gratitudes and appreciation as well.

So here are 28 things I am acknowledging:

Me in La Conner, WA (2016)

1) My own body; for putting up with my indulgences and still it keeps on ticking and showing me how resilient it can be. I love you, my body, for all the places you have taken me and all the places we haven't seen yet!

2) My children; because you remind me of how I was instrumental in starting something that has turned out very well, not entirely because of my influence, but still I take pride in knowing each of you.

3) The rest of my family of origin including all the grands: Each of you has helped to shape me into who I am today from experiences, events and connections. I am grateful for it all.

4) My very best and longest friend of all, Dee Rivard: hardly seems possible we have known each other for all these decades and that it has taken me so long to realize how important it was that you got to be the Long Ranger for once... this is your year! Ride hard and long and I'll still be riding with you... Kemosabe!

5) Blessed and special friends, some with years of connection, others with less. A couple I will mention here: Rod Normandin, who died Jan. 11, was one of the first folks in Sequim to be truly helpful to me and worked with me to purchase (and then sell) my first place and then was diligent and supportive as we worked on the purchase of my present home not believing me when I said the other one would sell in three weeks... which it did... and gave us both laughter and a sigh of relief. You will be missed, my friend. Carol Joy, who celebrates her first wedding anniversary this month, is dear to my heart for her teaching, supporting, blessing and loving me whether we're close in distance or not. Jenna Rose, the twirly girl, former roommate and dancing pal, keeps reminding me of my responsibility to stay happy.

Cleopurr-tra and Maksim

6) There are two fur babies in my household: Maksim (Russian for 'the greatest') and Cleopurr-tra keep me warm and busy picking up their toys. Oh, and lest I forget, my water balancer, Blue, the Siamese fighting fish, who also entertains the cats.

7) I am so grateful for my steady and reliable car which has the name "Ankh," referring to the Egyptian heiroglyphic meaning "life." I get a lot of joy from this car that has heated seats in the winter and a sunroof in the summer. And in line with that, appreciating the folks at Murray Motors in Port Angeles who keep her running.

8) My home; a sweet little place in a nice community, placed so that I'm at the edge of things, just as I like it... with a manageable garden and last year I had lots of raspberries and blueberries in it!

Guessing that this is some kind of Thrush, but my bird
friends say the beak is too long. Anyone know?

9) The birds that come to visit... junkos and robins and various wrens, swallows, crows, eagles, etc. Though the eagles only come as far as the top of the nearby trees, it is a pleasure to hear them call out to each other.

10) My computer... updated by my son-in-law, it takes me far and wide with connections to folks all over the globe. It stores all my photos of various places and things, holds my budget safely, and is a daily source of instruction and inspiration.

Pretty sure this is a junko taken in January. 

11) The local YMCA provides me with a place to exercise, swim, and be in community with like-minded folks... it's worth the membership fee to not have equipment crowding my living room!

12) My artist groups: I am fortunate to have several and each of them offers me something special to encourage and stimulate my creative juices!

My most recent watercolor from a photograph by Mark Balcer.
This is an 11 by 17 on 350# paper.

13) The Android device that gives me access to hundreds of free books on the Washington State library system, and other free books or movies on other sites, making the dark days of winter hurry by!

14) Bonnie Hunter, originator of the Mystery Quilt, gave me joy and frustration in equal measure as I learned how to build a quilt for the very first time starting in November. The "En Provence" pattern caused me to cut out too many items because I didn't read it well enough, so I have more stuff for another one, perhaps next winter.

Here is a picture of the progress so far:

"En Provence," the Mystery Quilt by
Bonnie Hunter, still has a few panels to go.

15) Financial advisors: Nichols and Pratt, a Boston, MA, firm along with Edward Jones, are appreciated for keeping my financial life in balance so that I can enjoy my retirement which includes exploring my world locally and at a greater distance.

16) The T-mobile phone that costs me the least of any I've ever owned and gives me information, connection, and direction (I'm a WAZER) plus keeping my schedule so I don't miss appointments. Does it get any better than this?

17) All the baristas: who from one provider to another always have a happy smile when I pull up for a vanilla latte and don't make a face if I ask for a little extra milk - I appreciate you all!!

New couch is perfect for me!

18) Brian from Sequim Consignment: who struggled to get my new-to-me couch into my living room and was prompt about getting repairs done to the damage created by the move. And I just love how cozy the replacement couch is!!

19) All the Abrahamsters in my life who support and encourage me by setting a shining example of staying fierce about alignment, minding their own business, focusing on the downstream and soothing phrases that keep joy flowing... I really love and appreciate you!

20) For all the men and women in our military who do their very best to protect the rights of democracy at home and abroad.

21) Grateful for my Naturopathic Physician for discovering that my adrenals needed support and essentially rescuing me from having a personal dead battery... recharged and moving on!!

22) Appreciating the two art show organizers that made it possible for me to show my work in two separate shows in this area for the first time last year. And feeling excited about having my own show in September in Sequim!

Light reflecting off the frame of my Dungeness Sunset,
a watercolor on 10 by 12" cold press paper.

23) Appreciating all the musicians in the area who play in a number of venues so that folks like me can go and dance for a reasonable fee, and for all the fun and laughter I have when I do go dancing.

24) Grateful for the opportunity to learn more about PSYCH-K (TM) and to incorporate it into my Reiki processes, for the highest and best good of all concerned.

The Olympics, as seen from Sequim, WA.

25) For this beautiful part of the world, which gives me delight daily!!

26) For all the scientists and others working for a cure for Multiple Myeloma, so that no one has to endure the challenges it brings, I am truly grateful.

27) The developers of the digital cameras that I use frequently, in my phone, around my neck, in my hand, to capture all that I am appreciating... they get a big hug of gratitude!

and finally,

28) Appreciating all my readers, without whom I could not have continued this blog, and especially those who have, and continue to make, encouraging comments or observations!

May your February be full of things you can appreciate or have gratitude for!!

Holiday Hmmmmm's

Now that Christmas is over, I am preparing for a camel ride into the New Year (photos to follow soon) and plenty of exercise at the new Sequim YMCA.

Maple Valley, WA

To get this energy moving, I had the good fortune to spend some time with my dear friend, CJB, and her husband Joe, near the Nooksack River (Bellingham area of WA) and as part of my Christmas gift, she took me down to the North Fork of the Nooksack to watch the eagles having their Christmas dinner of spawning salmon.

The day before it had snowed a lot so we had the added attraction of driving in rutted paths down back roads listening to the crunch and slush of the snow, depending on whether or not it was in full sun or shaded by tall evergreens.

Such fun to turn around one corner after another and find a vista of snow-covered mountains framed by a cool blue (cerulean ?) sky.

Last year I was here in January and between all the photographers with their space-deep reaching lenses and the eagles flying about, it was kind of crazy.

North Fork of the Nooksak River, near Maple Valley, WA.

This year it was quieter; mostly eagles calling out to each other in their lovely scree-ing tones and the crisp sound of snow under my feet as I tried to find a clear shot through the trees.

We sat for a long time just listening, occasionally snapping a shot, and watching as the eagles triangulated for their chance to have some fresh seagull meat.

It was peaceful. Far from the pre-Christmas scramble to get one last present and farther still from any world news of disruption or upheaval.

How many eagles do you see? When I took
the shot, there were at least eight; I may have
cropped a few out.

Anyone who says the world is black and white after a snowstorm has not tried to paint a winter landscape. It is not just shades of grey, either... it is 50 or more of lavender, blue, green and even orange or brown.

This bird was down at river's edge,
feeding on its catch.

Just as a crow is not really 'black,' but a variety of dark colors which, when viewed in some light, comes across as black. One of my favorite crow photos makes the bird look almost purple.

But I digress from the swarm of eagles on the Nooksack, where hapless salmon have been arriving to spawn and once done, they expire to feed a variety of critters.

Mt. Baker, I think, partially obscured by clouds, taken on the Mt. Baker Road.

All these photos were taken with my Sony which has a digital 30x zoom, but the challenge is holding it steady because it is small, the air is cold and I am breathing a little heavier with the excitement of seeing these majestic birds so near by. I tried the mono-pod for stabilizing, but I really needed the tripod.

There is a side road called Mosquito Lake Road off the Mt. Baker Road which has probably the best photo opportunities for these eagle shots. One of the residents has this funny front yard decoration.

Looks like the guy in the sleigh has been waiting a long time
for the cow to take flight...

One day I will bring my tripod and my lunch and just plan to spend the day taking photos, but for now it was good to have an hour or so watching and listening. These are all, to the best of my knowledge, different birds in different trees. The all-brown one appeared to be a youngster learning to land... it made several attempts to get itself on the branch.

And so ended my day-before-Christmas... joy, joy, joy!

The Dungeness Spit

Dungeness Spit map at trailhead, Sequim, WA.

The locals (on the Olympic Peninsula) call it "the Spit," but the real name is Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge.  Established in 1915 by President Woodrow Wilson, it is 636 acres of a variety of tidelands, beach and upland forest, including one of the longest natural sand spits in the world.

Fortunately it is less than five miles from my home and is a grand spot for walks; long ones or short ones. Even on drizzly days, it is a delightful escape from the moderate traffic of the area.

Upland forest trail heading toward "the Spit."

Today the weather was perfect for a rather long trek, but I didn't tromp all the way out to the lighthouse. That is a 10-mile round trip and I don't think I've trained enough yet.

The walk starts in the forest, and pleasantly meanders gradually downhill until that last 1/8th mile when it is somewhat steep, but on a wide, smooth trail.

Then the trail opens up and suddenly you can see the upper end of Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and across to the island of Vancouver, B.C.

The waves from the Strait of Juan de Fuca create the Spit,
and the bluffs nearby are gradually eroded.

On this gorgeous day, there were plenty of people sunning themselves and even a few were swimming in the water. One woman was walking the beach water line looking for stones in the shape of a heart. She said she collects them. This, in spite of the admonition on one of the signs that the taking of wood, stones or other items from the area is forbidden.

People do a lot of rearranging of the stones on the beach.

Judging from the number of stones in varying stages of being grinded away by the salt water action, I cannot think that there is a great risk of them disappearing because folks are collecting them.

Do you suppose there is someone who has catalogued them and is keeping track of where they all are? A fine government job!

Well, it looked like a heart for a bit...
it's the white one.

When I visited the Pacific coast, up at  Rialto  Beach, I noticed the stones there are being shaped much rounder. Here they are being washed flatter. Even so, I found myself walking and looking down and here is what I found:

A ship loaded with freight heads out to the Pacific Ocean.

Naturally I left it there. I imagined getting back to the Ranger kiosk and having them force me to empty my pockets and then suddenly a large crowd would gather and I would be further humiliated by getting caught... wondering now what the Federal Register lays out as the punishment for removing rocks. No wonder the indigenous peoples are in wonderment about all our rules.

All kinds of creatures, feathered, finny and furry, take advantage of this refuge.

During the spring the seals use the protected harbor beach at the end of the Spit for their pups. In the fall and the spring, the migrating birds take a break from their journey and other native birds are here all year.

This is the sea grass that is essential for nesting birds.

I didn't see one bird on the ground anywhere today. Perhaps they took a holiday. Of course there were seagulls.

The hotter-than-average summer has made the waters in the
Strait less than frigid. 

On my way back up the path I found myself passing a couple who were dragging their feet. Noting they were considerably younger than me, I asked them if they'd had a nice day, curious to learn why they seemed so tired. "We've just completed the walk out to the lighthouse and back," the guy told me. "It seemed shorter heading out than it was coming back," his female companion added.

The Olympic range is off in the distance. The eroding bluff
is to the left in the photo.

I feel so fortunate that I live in such a beautiful area. And that this portion of accessible loveliness is pretty close to my home.

When my son was out visiting we walked along the bluffs. There has been so much erosion, portions of the path I walked a year ago have disappeared and the Rangers have re-routed it.

I have no idea at what speed it will progress, or what will happen to the park itself if the bluffs simply disappear. At least the scientists can't blame the erosion on global warming. Or can they?

Waves on the shore; small now, but come back when the
fall winds whip them up and see them then.

Lavender is in the air...

It's that time of year again on the Olympic Peninsula... the weekend of the Lavender Festival. (The link will tell you all about it.)

Lavender in bloom on the Olympic Peninsula a few weeks ago...

But it's been drier than usual, so some of the lavender growers have already started harvesting some of their crop because it doesn't do to have the flowers come to a fuller bloom too soon.

Still, there's plenty of the purple haze and smell to satisfy the tourists.

Last year I planted my own lavender bush and because I moved in January, the transfer of the bush did not go well. It needed to go into the ground earlier rather than later, but I think it will survive and maybe next year it will have the intensity of its neighbors.

Protection Island in Washington State, in the Strait of Juan
de Fuca, in the mouth of Discovery Bay, near Sequim.

This weekend, there's dinner cruise to Protection Island, a national wildlife refuge, to see the local marine birds. Some of the funds paid for the trip will support the local Audubon Society. I have been wanting to get out there since I moved to this area, so I'm hopeful this may be one of the nicest photo journeys I've been on in awhile.

Close up of the lavender flower, a wonderful scent, if you
aren't allergic to it, which I know some folks are.

The island is one of two of the local nesting places for the Tufted Puffin, and as one of my birder followers (Margaret in Italy) knows, these are interesting and an endangered species.

It's likely the weather is going to continue to be dry and warm, but I'm going to be prepared for the coolness that being on the water at dusk brings.

A good friend is moving to Albuquerque, New Mexico, in a couple of weeks. She was one of the first people who befriended me when I arrived in Sequim, and it will be hard to not have her living nearby.  I completely get the reasons for her move, and people move in and out of our lives all the time, in one way or another. But I don't have to like it, do I?

Conservation Tour

Where I now live used to be farmland, much more than presently exists. A group called North Olympic Land Trust has, since 1990, been trying to conserve large parcels of this land for future use.

A view from one of the farms that has been saved from
commercial development; over 60 acres for grazing or growing.

Today I joined a small group of bicyclists to have a tour of the lands which have been put into conservation easements and while it was a long ride (over 15 miles!!), it was a lovely day and I had a chance to see parts of the peninsula I might have otherwise missed.

While certain realtors and developers might not like this saving of lands with prime views and such, it is important to save these farms for future use.

As land is sold and developed, it is removed from the resource of access for grazing or growing, thus making it necessary to have the farms farther and farther away from the people who really do need them, in spite of those who think that milk comes from a carton and meat comes packaged in the store.

Siebert's Creek runs clear thanks to protections by a non-
profit land conservation organization.

One land owner is a breeder of draft horses, and he bought
it knowing about the conservation easement. His use keeps
the land in agricultural production, but still protects it for the
future, and other agricultural uses.

Some years ago my family gave up land to a national trust for management and care and, in the long run, it is a better decision than letting it get sold for some developer's gain. The pond and land around it still supports the wildlife and is a place of enjoyment for fishermen, canoe paddlers and swimmers in the summer.

I have seen what happens to places where little concern is given to protection of the land and where the rich come in and buy up places for their own use. Small villages or towns, once appreciated for their unique and special qualities, soon are overwhelmed by new landowners of carefully manicured acres of lawns, and the chemicals used to keep the 'estates' maintained run off into streams and rivers.

There is so much more to the issue of land use that I cannot go into it all here, but it is encouraging that some folks are beginning to see that none of us really 'own' the land, but are merely users living on it.

Spending the day on a bicycle, seeing how some of the owners have chosen to protect the land for the future, gives me hope.

Feed Me! Feed Me!

Baby bird, waits for mama to return with breakfast.

Those who remember the campy black and white film "The Little Shop of Horrors" which evolved into a stage musical might appreciate the headline here. Outside my kitchen window I have a demanding baby bird and a busy bird mama, very like the situation my own daughter faces with her brood. Trying to find good food that will satisfy...

I believe these are bank swallows (thanks, Seattle Audubon Society) that have returned to nest again in this cute little house that at least is dry enough for nesting.

The pair started preparing things back in April and I started hearing hungry bird sounds about two weeks ago, but they have gotten louder in the past few days. No wonder. It looks like it is nearly flight time from the size of that baby.

There are more babies in nests around the complex where I live so it is quite noisy around here just now. And my rescue kitty, Maksim, has finally come out of hiding to pay better attention to the outside world. This is reassuring that he is becoming a more relaxed kitty, but the birds don't have to worry because he is an indoor creature.

Me voy a mudar = I am moving = chaos

The nice thing about LaLoma was the proliferation of birds....

By the time you read this, I hope the move will be done and all will be settled without incident. My new landlord, a retired history professor, has done a lot to make my new little space more appealing, and if I have to move again into anything smaller, it will probably be a coffin! My friends here don't like my sense of humor about that, but seriously, folks, in two years....

The nice thing about the center of town location was being
able to hear the church bells every time they rang...
which is about every hour in this village. It was like being
IN the bell tower.... very energizing.

Move # 1 - one year in a three-bedroom house out in the country (LaLoma) - it doesn't matter that I could only use two of the three bedrooms because of the serious mold issue in #3, or that the swimming pool was a breeding ground for mosquitoes, or that the brother-in-law refused to share the costs of the electricity and water even though he was living there in a small cottage with his dog (and sometimes a girlfriend).

What I will miss most about the small casita is the many
surprises of animals that have been tied to a variety of
things - lampposts, cartons, bicycles, motos, etc. while
their owners have a 'quick one' at the bar on the corner.

Move # 2 - supposed to be one year in the oldest (or nearly oldest) house in Barichara right on the park, central to everything. Huge space, but only two tiny bedrooms with 18-ft ceilings and peculiar bathrooms. But clearly the landlady was unwilling to address the serious roof problems and after four months of damaging leaks, I gave notice and found something else right away. Must have been a move during a Mercury Retrograde because...

Sombrita (little shadow) is in and out of all the boxes.

Ultimo is a real cool cat; nothing gets him worked up.

Move # 3 - was also supposed to be for a year, to a cute (smaller) three-bedroom 'cottage' really, but adorable... and I loved being there/here, but while I was away helping with the arrival of the twins, the landlady was telling everyone in Barichara she was hoping I would find something else so she could have her house back. I will miss the grape arbor... made my first batch of grape jam here.

Legally she could have been obligated to me for two months rent, but since I was persuaded that my 'last move' was a good financial deal, I got her to end the contract with no cost to her and I am now - on Wednesday morning/Halloween day - onto

Move # 4 - into two bedrooms (one of which is normal size), two tiny bathrooms, a kitchenette and an open space for dining and sitting around looking at the 180-degree view, up a narrow flight of stairs... should be interesting tomorrow. I have no idea how the cats are going to take all of this... because now we are re-introducing a - dawg. Stay tuned.

Sombrita gets into the middle of all the packing materials, naps there,
and any sound right now sends her scampering... very hyper!!!