Cute but unlikely birdhouse

Last year when a couple of our volunteers put this birdhouse up I was sure it would never be occupied.

It's right out my office window, just 5 feet off the ground and waves in the wind.

BUT, sure enough, it was suitable for this little bird who is busy feeding the hungry mouths inside.

Stop by the Visitor Center in Port Gamble and check on this cute, but what I thought was an unlikely bird house.

Deer Along the Port Gamble/Suquamish Road

I alternate between driving the main roads to work and taking the back roads. Today I drove the Port Gamble/Suquamish Road, a road I often use during tours on the Peninsula for writers and tour guides because it has a country feel and is an historic trail route between the two communities.
The Port Gamble/Suquamish road wanders from Suquamish to Port Gamble and is rural the whole way. The first time I remember taking the route was when my sister and brother-in-law were married, 30 plus years ago. They lived (and still live) in Suquamish and got married in the Port Gamble church. It was a wonderful drive then and I still enjoy it several times a week.
Today, as you can already see from the pictures, I found a doe and fawn as photo subjects. Deer aren't exactly unusual around here but the beautiful green grass and the very young fawn caught my attention and I stopped and got a few photos.

Rob Woodburn Tours Kitsap

There were no mountains out until we caught slight glimpses of them in Poulsbo, but a day of touring with Australian Journalist, Rob Woodburn was fun and ultimately beautiful as we hit the Bloedel Reserve at the peak of it's Rhody season as the sun broke through and the eagles soared.

Rob started early taking the 7:35 ferry from Seattle to Bremerton were we toured the Fountain Park, checked out the museums and galleries within walking distance of the ferry and had a cup of coffee at the Hamption Inn & Suites.

Rob will hopefully write multiple articles but specifically he is working on "break-aways" for people meeting or doing business in Seattle.

We concentrated on things to do without a car, but toured and explored many other areas of the Peninsula including Brownsville, Keyport, Poulsbo, Port Gamble, Point No Point, Little Boston, Suquamish and Bainbridge Island.

We talked about Kitsap's arts and writers community, gardens, museums, golf courses, politics, health care, oops - back to business; history on the Kitsap Peninsula, ferry schedules and more. Rob got a rather well rounded view of our area in a fairly short time frame.

Dinner was on our deck and at that point the weather was perfect and, on cue, the eagles soared by. Thanks to Cathay Pacific for flying Rob here from Australia, along with a group of aviation journalists, to do some softer, non aviation stories on the area.

References to Rob Woodburn, Travel Writer

Still Time to Sign up for June 7 National Trails Day

One of my favorite walks - the Clear Creek Trail in Silverdale. Here's an opportunity to help out on "Trails Day - June 7, 2008"

"Recognizing the importance of urban trail systems The Mountaineers Kitsap Branch has chosen the Old Mill Park loop of the Clear Creek Trail as our Trails Day project.

Sign up to help us pick up trash and remove ivy, scotch
broom and blackberries and receive a free Mounatineers 2008 National Trails Day T-shirt. These are quality T-shirts that will hold up well over time. To receive your shirt you must have signed up before June 1.

Trails Day is June 7 and we plan to work from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Bring your own gloves, tools and food. To sign up follow the link on the branch webpage www.kitsapmountaineers.org"

Clematis

My favorite Clematis, on my deck, looks more like a painting than a real flower.

Immature Bald Eagle

A great view of an immature Bald Eagle showing the longer flight feathers (training wheels for eagles).

Art in The Barn

Here's an event I just heard about and plan to attend. I thought I'd pass it along.

Art In the Barn

Arts • Herb Garden • Living Labyrinth

July 12th, 2008 10am- 5pm

Enrich your soul with a deeper connection to natural beauty and take in the wonderful:

• Art
• Watercolors
• Bamboo & Bamboo Art
• Wool Felting Arts
• Walking Sticks
• Fiber Arts
• Wreaths, Herb Art & Fresh Herbs
• Children's Books
• Bookmarks Cards and more...

have some cool cider andcelebrate the beauty of a summer day.
Bring a picnic lunch or just enjoy our snacks.Bring your camera and the little ones. Here's all we ask...All children should be supervised,if you are allergic to animals or plants take good care of your needs, use our handwash as we are a working farm. It's all real!

More on their site

Red-Breasted Sapsucker

Out the kitchen window, a Red-Breasted Sapsucker checking out the Birch tree.

An Evening on Northwest Electric Boats

Last Thursday was the Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce After Hours Open House on the dock at Northwest Electric Boats. Jim was one of the volunteer captains and I went along to take pictures and turned into the unofficial tour guide.

It was a great evening to be out on the water but not the perfect picture taking weather. We took five or six groups out and met some fun people as well as a few friends who came down and remained on board for a couple trips.

A trip out on the electic boats is always fun, so relaxed and the best views of the Poulsbo waterfront.

P.S. The electric boats are now available on the Bremerton waterfront as well - call the USS Turner Joy for more information. The boats are docked next to the Turner Joy giving you access to the new marina and lots of close-by cruising options.

Sweet Baby Dove

This brown baby dove blends in and stays low in it's nest in my dove aviary.

In another nest there are two white doves and in two other nests there are sweet mother doves on eggs. Looks like the population is really growing this Spring and I may need to find homes for a few of the babies.

A broom is a broom is a . . .

I know that Scotch Broom is an invasive, noxious, loved and hated weed in the Northwest but . . . I bought this variety of a broom before I knew the issues and it loves it's location and gets better and better looking every year.
I almost took it out one year but didn't and the following Spring it doubled in size, as if to say "thanks for letting me stay".

I haven't seen any baby brooms in this color so perhaps this broom is OK - hope so, it is one of the Spring standouts in my garden.

Suquamish Fox

Our fox is back!

Actually, comparing pictures (new fox above), this is a different fox, perhaps the offspring of the fox that spent so much time with us a couple summers ago, but it was great to see a fox again.

I'm hoping we're on the regular route for this little fox so I can get some more pictures, hopefully without the stick in her (his) face.

Late day sun glow on Bainbridge Island

Late afternoon sun glow on the spit on Bainbridge Island. You can't see it with this low resolution, but the detail is amazing and it was a magical evening moment.




Looking the other direction is the pier in Indianola with the same evening glow.


I just love living here.

Space Needle and Ferry

How perfectly Seattle - a ferry in front of the Space Needle. Mid day on a foggy, misty day when the sun never did come out in the open.

What a difference a day, or two, makes; 84 degrees and sunny all day today. So amazingly beautiful - photos to follow.

Jim Trainer - Kitsap's Hidden Treasures

Jim Trainer is someone I know through work, and who is now helping me create a wildlife area on my property (he recently delivered about 50 trees for our pond area!) as well as planting native plants on our bank that will hold it in place.

Just thought I would share this video that he did.

Promote your event on BKAT - FREE

Are you a Non Profit? Do you have or run an event? If so, check out this opportunity to promote it on TV - FREE!

Marcia Breece at the Hallway Art Gallery - Dauntless Bookstore

I received the following as a press release. Marcia is my friend who also owns and runs Morgan Hill Retreat - the wonderful Bed & Breakfast near Poulsbo.

May 12, 2008

Throughout the month of May, the intriguing photographic art of Marcia Breece is on display at the Hallway Art Gallery in The Dauntless Bookstore in Port Gamble.

During years of job enforced travel throughout the world, with destinations such as New York, London, Boston, LA, India, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Chili, Argentina and New Zealand, Marcia became enticed with photography.

Living a much quieter existence at her self-created labyrinth of
inspiration and meditation, she now finds the time to spend on her passion…that of creating art through the medium of photography.

All art is available for sale. This is a free exhibit open to the
public.

The Dauntless Bookstore is located at 4790 NE State HWY 104, in the charming, historic town of Port Gamble, Washington. For further information, call 360-297-4043. http://www.dauntlessbooks.com/

Low tide on Kitsap Beaches

Just another low tide picture from Point No Point!

Abby, Point No Point and a Low Tide

Low tides this month create a whole new world at Point No Point or any of our local beaches.

At times you almost have to climb your way along this beach walking over and around all the driftwood. At low tide it is wide open with tide pools full of wonders and wonderful new views of the lighthouse.

Abby found a friend willing to throw her stick for her. He really wanted Abby to help did for geoducks but she just didn't get it, and stayed with chasing sticks.

Bremerton Marina now open

The NEW Bremerton Marina is now complete. This photo was taken from the NEW floating bulkhead around the marina. It gives lots of new options for great views of the city and surrounding waterways.

We just need a few great days with the mountains out and I'll be down there getting some great fun new pictures of Bremerton.

I love the new angle on the USS Turner Joy, although I noticed that the best former views of the ship are now blocked by the marina.

Very soon now, Northwest Electric Boats will be in Bremerton! I'll get some pictures and post any specials they have once they get going.

Looking forward to the warmer weather this weekend, although 90 is a bit much!

Joe Ives, Master Carver, Paddle Carving Class

Last Fall Jim (back row, second from left, holding his paddle and mine) and I took a mask carving class with Master Carver Joe Ives (front row, second from left) of the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe.

We had great weather and sat outside so I documented it step by step, from a log to a mask.

This time we took a paddle carving class. The weather was mostly rainy and we worked inside much of the time so I didn't do step by step documentation but tonight - the final night of the class the weather was nice and everyone posed for a graduation/paddles done photo.

Abby

For fans of Abby (she gets e-mail!) here she is enjoying a Spring romp after being cooped up in the car most of the day as Bethany and I checked out a couple of the nurseries in Sequim.

Spring Unfolding

Every day, despite the rainy weather, Spring unfolds a little more.