Paired like Geese for Life

"Honeymoon cottage" at the Wanapum State Park, WA

Our wedding in Vantage, WA, was all that we could have asked for - and more! The weather cooperated, all the guests and family that could attend were there, two wonderful videos were taken of the event for the absent ones to enjoy and soon there will be pictures from the hired photographer to review.

Susan Smith, pastor's wife and Wayne's
daughter helped to arrange the flowers. 

Just as Pastor Smith (Wayne Smith is Wayne Ratcliff's son-in-law) said to the group, "I now declare you are husband and wife," two geese in the Columbia River, near the beach where we were having the ceremony, suddenly began honking loudly and as we were watching, the two took off and flew away. Everyone agreed it was better than a basket of doves being let loose!

Bronwyn Brady and "Lolita".

I was 'given away' by my two friends, Carol Joy Bennett and her husband, Joe Woodbury. I had another dear friend, Bronwyn Brady, standing attendance with me by driving me to the venue, and she took some of these photos.

Joe Woodbury was my escort part way,
then his wife Carol joined us for the last lap.

Prior to the wedding, we stayed at Sportsman's Campground in Union Gap, WA, near Yakima for the Washington Spring Sashay (square dance event) with three well-known callers: Jim Hattrick, Adam Cristman and ----. Hattrick is an old friend of Wayne's who he hasn't seen in some time, so it was a lovely reunion for them.

While at that campground, I saw an osprey near a pond where we were walking. He watched us closely as we moved through his territory. It was here we discovered that the tow bar was broken and I would have to follow the RV for the rest of the trip.

Broken tow bar meant following the RV everywhere.

This eagle is giving us the "eagle eye."

Wayne and Susan Smith, daughter of Wayne R. (right)

Our next stop was the Big Pine campground on the Yakima River. It was running fast and high but the campground was somewhat empty of campers. It made for pleasant camping and while we were there, Wayne's son-in-law Wayne Smith and his wife, Susan, came down to discuss wedding plans. That was the night a huge eagle decided to swoop down over our heads and park in a tree nearby. Very impressive and Wayne R. got a photo of him.

During that stop we took time to find some of the local potholes so Wayne could get some fishing in.

We caught two trout and many sunfish. Wayne ate the trout.

He let me use a rod and was surprised to discover he was marrying a woman who wasn't afraid to put a worm on a hook and one who could also catch a fish... not just him (LOL!).

My logger lover lowering a limb... not mine - ha ha!

We also went over to visit his other daughter, Aleece Martin, but they were off getting a couple of pigs for their farm, so he found a chain saw and got rid of the willow tree that scratched the Jeep during his son Dennis's wedding two weeks before. Once a logger, always a logger, it seems.

The next stop was Wanapum State Park in Vantage, where the wedding took place. It is a very lovely spot on the Washington side of the Columbia River, just above Wanapum Dam. It fills up quickly in the summer and it was already full for our weekend in May as well.

Wanapum State Park from the highway up above it.

The bride, Larry Dykeman, Dennis Hughes and the groom.

We were very lucky to get the spot we did up on the "Inner Circle" where the sites are larger, more grass and trees on the site and neighbors are spaced apart. And the view was awesome! The beach area where we had the ceremony is perfect for families with children with lots of space to run around and water shallow enough to be fun. The trees offered protection both from the wind and the hot sun, because surprisingly enough, it was rather warm for May that weekend.

Several of Wayne's friends were there:
Dennis Hughes was his Best Man, Larry Dykeman drove with Dennis from Deer Park, and his school chum Bailey Sammons and his wife Terry, came from Olympia to help us celebrate.

Terry Sammons, the groom and Bailey Sammons of Olympia.

We kept the ranger busy that weekend with people coming and going but when we went through the ranger station for the last time, she had a big smile on her face and thumbs up!

Bride is escorted by Joe and Carol... we had
a laugh ahead of time picturing them 'holding
me up' as we are all seniors!

We have some photos that were taken of everyone who was there, but I still don't have them to post here.

After the ceremony, we had a potluck with hamburgers, hotdogs, salads and soft drinks followed by cutting the cake (carrot cake with cream cheese frosting) and toasts with sparkling apple cider. I so appreciative of everyone who came and participated in various ways to make it such a special event!

Ceremonial spot on the Columbia River, heralded by geese!

The "Tikquities" amongst the
Petrified wood in Vantage, WA.

What a birthday present!!

Pastor Wayne Smith introduced us as Lord Ratcliff and Lady
Anne Tudor because back in time there was a Lord Ratcliff
who married a Tudor... history repeats?

When we get the wedding photos of family and friends, I will post them here and a few on Facebook.

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!

Miller State Park in Washington

Walking down the trail at Miller Peninsula State Park.

Miller Peninsula State Park is considered one of Sequim's attractions in Clallam County and today, July 30, the Olympic Peninsula Explorers (Volkswalkers) had their sanctioned walk.

Last week there was just a genial exchange between the Canadians and US walkers, and I walked almost eight miles. Today it felt longer, but it was really shorter; less than six miles overall.

Fungi amongi... not the latin name.

There is a wide diversity of plant life, including multiple types of fungi, tall evergreens and some pretty large deciduous trees as well. It was fun to stand quietly once in awhile and just listen to the needles, driven by the wind, raining down on the forest floor.

While there are several trails, the best (and shortest) one down to the water of Puget Sound takes about an hour down and back. Well, maybe for fast walkers it is less time, but we weren't rushing and for less nimble feet the trail shrinks for the last half-mile to a single file dirt path with roots, stumps, holes and rocks so it's sensible to pay attention and not get tangled up.

Still, the reward of seeing Protection Island from one of the closest locations from land was worth it.

We were lucky to have a 70-plus degree day with a light breeze instead of the one that preceded it yesterday (June 29) which was topping the 80 degree mark. The sun was shining hotly by noon, so this is good hike to make in the early part of the day. Even though the path has shady spots along it, the sun can be felt enough that sunscreen is also useful.

I like it when the trail bosses leave these trees where they fell.

The hike description said bug spray was needed, but we were fortunate to not have any issues. We did  meet one hiker who had gotten stung by a bee, so if anyone walking in  your group is allergic, be sure to have an epi-pen or a fresh copper penny* on hand. There is no way to easily remove someone from the park in an emergency like that.

This is the blue sea and sky at the end. It is
hard to differentiate which is which.

This is a better view of the Puget Sound as we arrived.

Except for the narrow trail down to the water for the last bit of the trip, there is plenty of space to walk side by side for easy conversation. This is a good walk for kids as there is plenty of running room before the trail.

Once down at the water it is easy to see eagles fishing and flying up into the wind vortices, and possibly puffins from Protection Island could be seen with some good binoculars. It was reported by a local TV station that humpback whales were seen near Discovery Bay this weekend, but I didn't see anything that dramatic in the water.

Protection Island sits almost at the mouth of Discovery Bay. This view is
one of the best to be had from land. A longer telescopic lens might help.

A rugged rocky shore looking sort of southeast, I think, toward Discovery Bay.

I had plenty to think about as I meandered down the trail and back again, lucky I had brought my two walking poles which I was able to share with another in our group.

This eagle flew right toward me from the water and then
landed on a branch only a few feet away... I was thrilled!

And so, after a really pleasant lunch/supper/tea with a new friend, I was ready to put my feet up and see how Foyle is getting on with his various detective challenges.
* I make no claims to the efficacy of a copper penny on a bee sting, but the hiker who was stung was using it for her relief.

Eagles, eagles everywhere

I enjoyed a weekend in Lynden, WA, recently with my dear friend Carol. Met some more of her local friends and danced at the Bellingham contra. It was one of those special set of days with weather, folks and food that made it quite memorable.

North Fork of the Nooksack River... eagles looked like
sparrows there were so many of them!!!

My friend drove me to this magical place where the eagles were taking turns getting dinner from the river... I want to go back there because I needed more time to watch them and their patterns for better photos.

This is what it means to get "the eagle eye."

They seemed to be unaffected by the hoards of folks snapping digital shots of them.

I am using these photos to get a better artistic sense of these glorious birds as I have an eagle in a tree acrylic painting I am working on.

After an hour we left, as did almost everyone else, but there were still a lot of birds... truly wonderful and great for children to see this national bird up close.

Beautiful to see them in flight so closely!

I think this is a juvenile, but I bow to the orthnologists.

To get to this location, you head up to Bellingham and get off I-5 just after the main city exits. Head up toward Mount Baker and look for the Mosquito River Road. Or just ask the folks who live there; they know where they are. I will try and post an actual map.

There are a fair number of eagles in Sequim, too, and regularly people blame the disappearance of their cats and small dogs on some 'napper, but it's just these hungry birds of prey looking for a good lunch. 

I have them in the trees around my home, too. I just don't seem to catch them as easily as I did on this particular journey.

And the only caution is not to let your little dog Toto run around near the river... easy pickin's.

By the way, if you are going to make this trip, absolutely do not miss out on ACME. 

Go into the little general store there and get the local ice cream. It is so delicious, you will be planning your next trip with a freezer truck.

Tufted Puffins and more...

The dinner cruise, in support of the Dungeness River Audubon Center, was called the "Puffin Cruise," but in fact we saw young and mature eagles, a variety of seagulls, cormorants and harbor seals with pups along with the promised puffins.

John Wayne Marina, Sequim, WA about 6:30 p.m. Due to
the mist, it is hard to see the island destination well, but it
out where the sky is lighter, only when we got there it wasn't.

It was a misty evening with a light breeze, about 50-60 degrees, and not much wave action, but the wind waves picked up as the sun was setting, making it a little hard to get good shots. The lack of defining light was also challenging. I was glad I took along a windbreaker because once I went out on deck, the breeze and the mist were pretty chilly.

The 65-foot Glacier Spirit from Port Townsend was our
tour vessel. The captain and his team did an excellent job!

We were served a delicious dinner of dill and garlic salmon with a Caesar salad and Capt. Pete's Party Potatoes along with fresh-baked bread from Pan D'Amor that was yummy.

From my years of living aboard, I had a very good appreciation of what it takes to get a meal out from a galley and to serve it while underway.

Cruise time to the island was about 30 minutes. That was time enough for most folks to finish their meal and then go out on deck to see all the creatures on this island refuge.

The southern end of the island has a spit where the seals and
pups can lie on a beach and the water is somewhat shallow
so the pups can learn to swim safely.

Apparently the eagles, young and old, don't have enough challenging food adventures on the peninsula, so they come over to the island to grab a few eggs from the gulls or Canadian Geese, and the gulls harass the seals for the placenta after they birth their pups. This is a fine example of the "pecking order."

Off in the distance you could see the ruckus that the eagles were causing, and as we approached (only within 200 feet, please) we could make out pups lying next to their mums, geese in the water nearby, and puffins bobbing close enough to get shot or two before they dove down for fish for dinner.

If you look closely, just to the right in the photo, you can see dots of birds
circling and doing aerial maneuvers. We were too far off to hear much.

Rhinocerous Auklets, Caspian terns and other birds identified by our tour guide were flying or floating all around the boat.

In fact, it was rather difficult to know where to 'tern' next to see the next bird.

A closer shot of the chaos being created by the eagles...

Many of the birds are nesting now, so we often saw birds with fish in their beaks being carried off to the cliff homes for the little squawkers.

It was possible to see the holes the birds have made in the cliffs, but not much more from the distance we were required to stay offshore.

I was seated with a couple (John and Marie-Paul) who had lived in the Hague for awhile and they were delightful companions for dinner. The other couple at our table was mostly silent as we ate and as soon as we were close to our destination, they were up and outside. On the ride back they seemed subdued; no explanation.

"Bob" in the cap, was our birding
point man. Lots of local information!

Our tour guide was exceedingly informative, but I did not bring anything for taking notes. He had an excellent grasp of the history of the area and was knowledgable about the status of the threatened species and the numbers of birds on the island.

The tufted Puffin pair in all their bright colors, cruising near enough for my
camera to zoom in and get this shot.

We were offshore for about an hour and then we turned for home. The crew delivered up freshly baked brownies with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, almonds and a raspberry on top for our dessert. Wow!

Canadian Geese in the water, seals on the beach, gulls on
logs and in the air, and eagles - just out of the frame.