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!

My 400th Post... end of the world or beginning?

On Highway 112 from Joyce to Clallam Bay, on a clear day
it is easy to see British Columbia across the Straits of Juan
de Fuca (entrance to Puget Sound).

How fitting that my 400th post is about the world's end because this is not an 'end of the world' story.

This is a story about getting to the farthest, westernmost portion of the United States which is actually called 'the beginning of the world' by the Makah tribe.

On the weekend of June 4, I drove with a friend up to Neah Bay, WA, to see the island that represents the final headland of the U.S. for mariners heading west, land that is still under the care of the original settlers, the Makah.

This view from Highway 112 looks westward toward Clallam
Bay and also Neah Bay, reserved lands of the Makah tribe.

With a history that easily goes back at least 3,000 years, this is a not-to-be-missed journey.

Beyond Pillar Point you can see Vancouver Island, B.C.

It's just that last summer I didn't get up here although I'd heard about it.

The drive to Neah Bay from Port Angeles will take about and hour and 45 minutes. Stopping for photographs or just to see the views will add to the time.

The most scenic route is to take Highway 112 and veer off before Joyce on a winding route with several scenic pull-offs. (At present this route is also under repair from several landslides last winter, so motorcyclists should be prepared for gravel in the road in several spots.) 

This information board at the vista describes the various whales to be seen.

We brought our own lunches but there are a couple of places in Neah Bay to get supplies and the required Reservation Pass. Although a pass is 'suggested,' the fine for not having one is significantly more than the $10 required.  

My friend, Rose, leads the way.

Cape Flattery and Tatoosh Island are six miles north of Neah Bay and it promised to be a great photography day since the summer heat had arrived with clear skies.

The cape was named by Capt. James Cook when he was here heading north to Alaska.

He didn't actually stop that day in 1778, it appears, because of the fog, but the claim is that he he was 'flattered' to think there might be a harbor and thus named it Cape Flattery.

That doesn't make sense to me with all my maritime explorations, but it doesn't matter because that is what it is called now. However, if that is the reason he called the 'harbor' he was expecting was truly named that, it is false flattery as it is certainly not a safe one as you will see from the photos.

A bicyclist, Brian from Camano Island, rode on the planks
to this viewpoint. He said he had been training for this ride
for some time. We saw him again later in the day near Forks.

Ten years after Cook's visit, Englishman John Mears found out about Tatoosh Island and named it after the local Makah chief.

This was my first view of the Pacific. Tattoosh Island is
further down the path and a little to the right.

The Makah have been fishing and whaling and managing to continue living on their tribal lands for centuries, although the reservation was established in 1855. Now a 27,000 acre site, there is evidence that an earthquake and landslide in the Ozette area created a tsunami that traveled to Japan (read this report) in about 10 hours on Jan. 26, 1700.

The ancient fishing village of Ozette had been operational for about 2,000 years before the landslide and the Makah's museum in Neah Bay is a world class presentation of the on-going archeological efforts to discover and preserve information and artifacts from that era.

The trail starts out with a broad path and quickly narrows down. Walking on planks and rounds of wood, single file for about a mile, the sound of birds and crashing surf are dominant. It is lush forest with layers and layers of needles which help to moderate all sounds, including that of tourists who were less reverential than we were.

And the vistas, when they are reached, are well worth the effort.

The brilliant Pacific Ocean crashes up on the rocks and cliffs while cormorants and gulls dive for food and sun themselves on craggy ledges.

There are spots where gutsy photographers have gotten really close to the 100-ft drop to get a better shot. I am exceedingly nervous near those locations... anxious for myself as well as for others. But the urge to have a clear shot without any tree limbs does drive one closer. 

It's just that taking 'selfies' too close to the edge could have an unexpected ending to a fun trip.

Tattoosh Island, the last bit of the United States, seems very
small for a lighthouse keeper and family, and a pretty rough
approach from any direction with strong tidal activity.

A closer shot of the lighthouse....

Closer still...

Where does one dare to make an approach to this craggy shore?

This location is on the National Register of Historic Places so if you are keeping track of all those visited, you'll probably want to have someone take your picture with the island in the background. The viewing platform is up a short ladder and has 360-degree views, safely behind a log railing.

The wind blows hard off the Pacific so even on the sunniest of days you may want to have a windbreaker or light jacket by the time you reach this end, or beginning, of the world.

There is some elevation downward to the walk (thus a slight climb up on the return) and it is not handicapped accessible so it is not a walk for anyone without stamina.

But I will do it again and try to arrive nearer sunset instead of high noon for a different angle for my photos.

Hobuck Resort and Beach is an exotic name for a nice place
that offers camping sites and bathrooms for a reasonable fee.

Our stop on the way back was at a lovely beach just before you return to Neah Bay.

We had our lunch there, walked on the sand, got some warm sun and got back to Port Angeles in time for the last contra dance of the season.

Someone said you can get rich at this beach... there are
gold dollars everywhere... there are... sand dollars!

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!!!

Cats in the Rafters

Ultimo got down off the beam too quickly.

Having an 'open' house leaves lots of options for cats...

Sombra or Shadow - she lives up to her name, darting
about, especially if there are strangers around. She is a
one-woman cat, and lives in the shadows herself.

Here's a change of pace from the sadness of remembering a disaster and the seriousness of saving the planet. I have been enjoying the funny things that cats do; whether to amuse us (a presumptive assumption on my part) or to satisfy something within themselves (more likely), and I have been taking pictures of the 'Loaner Cat,' who eventually became a permanent installation and acquired the name Ultimo and the 'Rescue Cat,' known alternately by her Spanish name Sombra, or her English name, Shadow. What is interesting is that she comes to either name; she doesn't seem to have a preference.

Ultimo is a talker. It must be the Siamese or Himalayan
genes and he's not shy about voicing his opinions on any
subject, including politics. If the TV is on, he will complain
about the news rigorously. 

Ultimo has had his little surgery. The vet said she only cut one because there is a new theory that giving male cats some hormones keeps them healthier overall.  So while he doesn't seem to have the drive to wander, he does call out a lot at night, especially when the moon is full. It is apparent that he has some Siamese or Himalayan background with his markings and his desire to have conversation with me, especially in the morning when he comes to wake me up. He is stubborn about where he likes to sleep - and annoyed when he gets disturbed.

Sombra will be having an operation in a couple of weeks as I think there are too many unaltered cats here and too many kittens that get dumped and I know it is healthier for her to not get caught up in that cycle.

The first Colombian cat was sweet Pasqual, and he was a good introduction to Scott, the dog, who up until that moment hated cats. Pasqual taught Scott that cats can be friends so when Ultimo showed up, Scott was less resistant. Ultimo must have learned from Pasqual even in the short time he was around how to get along with a dog. Just yesterday I watched Ultimo play with Scott's tail and he simply laid there and let it happen.

This cat, really more kittenish it seemed, was hungry. It just
appeared one day, yowling and insistent. Ultimo was willing
to give up and let it eat, but Sombra had another position.

Sombra was not welcoming, and would not bend on this. So
I found a finca that needed a cat and this little female was
transported to her new home. I hope she's happy there. She
was very pretty indeed, and had lovely fur.

But Sombra doesn't like dogs and swears all the time when Scott is around... "Hsssssst! Shhhhhhhhhhh!" Not at all the way to endear herself, so there is no tolerance on either side, sadly. She has more 'wild' in her than domesticated, I think, as she is an avid hunter and that means bugs, moths, lizards and birds. So far she hasn't caught any of the wild birds that come to the birdbath, but she scares them away. At night she is on the prowl, and the giant moths are her greatest delight for chasing.

She also doesn't like strangers, and that means anyone but me - not the owner of Scott, not the gardener, not visitors whether day or night. She particularly dislikes interlopers of the cat persuasion. She ups and disappears or if food is involved, she stands her ground about her 'welcome'. But she is devoted to me and comes and lies on top of me whenever I am stopped and sitting down or on the bed. She is incredibly affectionate and will gently tap my nose in the morning when I'm asleep to wake me up after Ultimo has announced it is time to get up.

Sombra also loves, loves, loves potato chips. If I am eating some, she comes and tries to grab a chip from me. Then she sits and waits for me to get the hint and give her a piece.

Buddies

Ultimo is the pacifist. He will back off from the food if Sombra pushes in, he lets her have first position on the bed, and he also welcomes her cleaning of him and is a fair-exchanger. He also loves watching the wild birds come to the birdbath and will simply continue his lie-down, enjoying the diversion and color.

A potted cat....

What is this? It's a cat-a-one-tail?

One thing that amazes me about Ultimo is the places that he chooses for sleeping/napping. He doesn't seem to mind lying on the coffee table, even when there are books and ceramic pieces strategically placed to discourage him. He simply winds himself around the hard objects until he finds a comfortable spot and dozes happily. Look at this recent shot of him in another s-pot.

Another view of Barichara and the cathedral from a higher elevation, not
far from my casa. Taken this morning on a walk... lovely day!

Anyone who has animals knows how quickly they integrate into the family, and how one day you look around and wonder what you did before they were there.

A remarkable bird!

I wish I could tell you the name of this bird, but I have been unable to
get it identified. It makes a 'chuck-chuck' noise, no chirping or singing,
and as you can see it is eating a very large grasshopper or cicada.

This bird was seen regularly in my yard up until a few days ago. I can only assume it has moved on to other areas, perhaps after having cleaned out all the cicadas from my backyard. It was large. Easily measured eight inches from top of its head to the end of its body, before including the tail.

I miss hearing it's 'chuck-chuck' call from the trees nearby. Perhaps it is a female and is nesting after gorging on grasshoppers. What I'm hoping for is that someone reading this blog will be able to find out more about it and give me a name for it. But isn't it a lovely creature?

Birds are heading north!

These two Macaws, a red and a blue, live in the Parque
Gallinera in San Gil, Santander, Colombia.

Not these brightly colored ones, of course!

I have returned to Florida during the annual migration of a variety of birds and yesterday I had the joy of watching a huge flock of robins pecking through the leaves in my front yard. Today I can hear the sounds of ducks, swans, geese and others calling and circling near the lakes in Lake City as they head north. So those of you who are suffering in snow and cold weather, take heart! The birds ARE heading north and spring will come.

Birdwoman in Colombia

Some of my friends know how much I love birds and how much I miss my sweet African Grey parrot who fell in love with my best friend's husband... I will be going back to Florida to visit that friend and the bird very soon! But in the meantime, I've become the rescue Birdwoman in Colombia when two very different kinds of birds required assistance.

Green Parrotlet, native to Colombia and the region where
I am staying, found on the ground nearly done in.

One was a tawny colored dove which had had an open wound just above the beak and was fluttering around at dusk unable to get flight. I gently captured her with a towel and put her into a wicker basket for the night. The next morning she was still alive and eager to fly and took off brushing past my head as she went. I smiled as I watched her strength and was glad the cat didn't get her.

The next rescue was a day later when I was walking with my hostess along a path and we saw this lovely green miniature parrot lying limp on the ground. I gently picked it up and began doing Reiki and breathing little breaths into its beak. This bird, it turns out, was the female of the species. In the picture above you are seeing the results of the Reiki... the limp little bird was coming more alert.

The little spot of blood on my hand was from the bird's eye which was damaged so there was grave concern as to how it might do overnight. Still, it was able to cling to my finger, so I was encouraged.

Off it went into the wicker basket as well for the rest of the day and the night. Just before going to bed I looked inside and the dear little creature had its head under her wing, clinging to the wicker. The next morning I could hear the birds gathering everyone together and I quickly took the little basket outside, seeing through the slits that the little bird was upright and bright-eyed.

This little bird was recovering and able to grab my finger
with her claws, a good sign.

"Ready to go, little one?" I opened the top and before I could reach my hand in to lift her out, she was on her way, zooming past me to catch up to her flock. She was out of sight before I blinked my eyes.

What a delight to see such progress and to know that I had foiled the cat once more. But there was another surprise in the trees. About noontime, I heard a commotion in the tree next to where I was working. I looked up and saw the largest flock of green parrotlets I've ever seen. They were all chirping and sounding off and although I looked for the one I'd helped, I couldn't see her in the mass grouping. But I had the strongest sensation that they had all come over to let me know that they appreciated my help and as soon as I said "You are most welcome..." in my head... they were back in flight again.

Call me crazy... I am the Birdwoman and probably deserve the adjective... but the universe has an interesting way of giving messages if we care to pay attention.

A Murder of Crows

"When two or more are gathered together..." they are called a "murder of crows." If you have a bunch of geese, they are called "a gaggle of geese." I forget what this phraseology is called right at the moment, but I felt like doing some serious damage to these insistent avian visitors to the formerly peaceful garden I was enjoying. They, on the other hand, were making a lot of noise, together and separately as you can see from the open beaks.

I am only guessing, but the cherries are in full ripeness now and there seems to be quite a bit of competition from the robins and the crows as to who is going to get the reddest one. I watched a robin carry a large piece of the fruit over to the shadows where it put the cherry down and pecked at it unobserved for a moment. Then suddenly it had to do a 'grab and go' as these much bigger bullies showed up.

The noise was too much so I left for the Mukilteo Farmer's Market down at Lighthouse Park. On another day I will take some time to investigate the lighthouse itself, but amazingly it was already mid-afternoon, and I didn't want to miss out on the fresh fruits and vegetables.

Here are some shots of the market, some of the organic food and the lighthouse. Don't those onions look delicious?