Spring Snow Surprise, but then it is February!

What a nice surprise this morning. I don't know how, but I missed the predictions of snow so the white blanket on Sunrise Acre was like magic; unexpected and it made me smile.

Abby loved it and enjoys chasing snowballs almost as much as sticks.
Our deck had just a couple inches but other parts of the yard had more. In my mind we were moving into Spring. The crocus are coming up, the quince is starting to bloom and it has been almost balmy the last week.


Tonight, as I write, the snow is almost gone again.

Harbor Seal Transformation

Above one of my photos.

Below, my photo transformed into a painting by Debbie Daniels.

This is the second photo Debbie has chosen from my gallery to transfer into a painting. (Previous Llama photo / Llama painting)


If you're interested in this painting or anything else by Debbie you can contact her via her e-mail: debbiedaniels@centurytel.net.

Quick Getaway to Port Townsend

Port Townsend is always a great escape, if only for an afternoon. We drove up to check out Edensaw Woods, a place where you can get just about any wood imaginable.

We got there just before closing but had time to look around the store and get a tour of the warehouse. No purchases today, but we'll return.

We drove through town to an open area where we could walk on the beach and let Abby run. We walked a little and then just sat and watched the Brandt Geese coming in for the night, a seagull dive and catch a fish, blue heron, an eagle and a variety of other waterfowl.

Back in town we stopped in The Wine Seller, a crowded little shop with a big inventory and the best wine prices around. Well worth a trip to Port Townsend.

Across the street we had drinks and appetizers at Fins Coastal Cuisine. The sun was setting and hit the city dock. I was able to get out on the dock and get the picture above.

Take Off

While out on the electric boats, in the not so perfect weather, we did see some waterfowl. The electric boats don't bother them much until we get close and then some decide to move away or, in this case, take off.

Electric Boat Cruises in Poulsbo

Yesterday started out bright and sunny with clear blue skies. It seemed the perfect day to get some photos of the NW Electric Boats for their website.

We planned to meet at 3:00 PM so the sun would cast a nice glow on the town of Poulsbo as a backdrop. Unfortunately the clouds came in and conditions weren't perfect.

But, the boats were stocked and decorated so we took two boats out and headed for Keyport and Whiskey Creek for a light meal and drinks. I got a few photos along the way and will work on them tonight to see if there are a few that might work on the website, but if not, we'll go again on another day.

If you don't know about the electric boats, check them out: http://www.northwestboatrentals.com/. You can take the boats out yourself, starting this summer, you can take a group tour at set times. NW Boat Rentals also have NuCanoes, a sailboat and coming this summer, power boats for water skiing, fishing or just exploring.

I'll post a few more pictures later.

Joey by the light of his light saber

Portrait of Joey, by the glow of his light saber.

Joey the Padawan

Joey, a young padawan, with his light saber.

Just love what the Canon 5D Mark II can do!

Roger and Joey doing battle in our living room.

King of the Bird Feeder

This little guy is a regular at the bird feeder. Earlier I found him caught inside one of the other feeders. When I went out to take this he kept his eye on me but had no plans to leave the new food I had put out.

Hawk Alert!

It starts with the aviary birds making noise, more than usual.

Once alerted, Abby runs to a window to spot the intruder and when she sees it, she barks alerting us to the danger and letting us know that she needs out - NOW - to deal with the unwanted visitor.

It is that time of year when the hawks return to our yard.

We have three aviaries, once very small with parakeets (see picture below with hawk sitting on top), one larger with cockatiels and a pair of pheasants and the third with doves and another pair of pheasants.

With all the small, mealsize birds chirping and calling it is no wonder the hawks find us. It must be very confusing to them to have all those birds within sight but unreachable.

The hawk sits on one of the aviaries or on a nearby branch and try to figure out the situation. I have seen them get on top of the cockatiel aviary where it is wire and jump up and down.

They will also fly at the side of the aviary and try and hit one of the birds. One cockatiel did get hit once, but of course it was on the inside of the aviary and the hawk couldn't get to it and it did recover.

Before the rebuilding of the aviaries several years ago we did have a few holes and a hawk found it's way into the aviary with deadly results. It killed many doves but couldn't find the hole to get back out.

I found it sitting in the aviary and caught it with the net. I shook it up and yelled at it and then turned it loose, sure it would never return to the wild lady's yard. It was back the next morning.

Abby is outside now, patrolling the yard to keep the hawk away.
This photo was taken through the window but shows the tail. I'm not sure if this is a Cooper's Hawk or a Sharp-Shinned Hawk. Here is a link comparing the two. Any experts out there?

Setting Sun

Birds, water, sand. Just a few more late evening beach shots.

Abby racing the waves above.

Point No Point Lighthouse - almost dark.

Low late sun at Point No Point

This was not the best of days - all the little things went wrong. Late afternoon and I did not really want to go to the beach - I was sure the sun would be gone and I knew it would be windy.

Jim talked me into it - Abby really wanted to go. Once there the beach worked its magic. It was windy but it was peaceful, relaxing and problems melt away.

The sun was low, but not gone and I got some nice photos.

The first, Jim holding my hand on the beach.

This is a line of shorebirds that kept landing, feeding and taking off with the low sun hitting them.

And of course, Abby with a stick and the low sun catching her in motion. There really is never a bad time to walk on the beach and leave the little things behind.

Crowversation

I have this sculpture of a crow on my deck (right) and have noticed crows stopping by and talking to it on occassion. This morning I was able to grab my camera and get some pictures. The crow carried on quite a long conversation, dancing around as it talked.

It seemed to be wondering why the metal crow didn't want to fly away and play with the other crows.

Do you recognize this boat?

Last summer, August 1st and 2nd, I followed the first annual Paddle Kitsap, a great event open to kayaks, canoes, rowboats and other human powered boats.

I took photos along the way and many were posted on the Paddle Kitsap website.

I got a call a while ago and I was asked if I would share the photo of the row boat on the beach - the last photo at the end of this post.

I was happy to share and I'm sure I wrote down the information but today, driving to work, I suddenly remembered, but couldn't remember ever sending the photo.

So, if you know who it was that wanted the photo - please let me know and I would be happy to share.

The photo above is at the beginning of the paddle, leaving Port Gamble with Abby trying to help.

Above is leaving Kingston on the morning of day #2.

This is taken from the Agate Pass Bridge as the rowboat approaches and . . .

this the the boat coming out the other side - heading for the Keyport rest stop and on into Poulsbo for the final night dinner.

Above is the photo requested.

Sunrise: Promise of a beautiful day

Promise of a beautiful day. Photos taken from my deck this morning in Suquamish, Washington.

Mount Rainier looking rather small in the early light.

The Cascade Mountains silhouetted against the sunrise.

Sunrise, Seattle, Mount Rainier

Llama Photo/Llama Painting

Isn't this guy cute? He (or she) belongs to friends Colleen and Bill Wright who live on San Juan Island, in the San Juan Islands, Washington State and own San Juan Safaris, a great whale watching company. Check them out if you're ever in the San Juans.

I was at their home one day on a tour of the island with Colleen and took a few pictures of their several llamas and posted this one on my photo site.

Not long ago I got an e-mail from Debbie Daniels asking if she could use my photo to do a painting. I was flattered and readily agreed. Debbie, by coincidence lives on San Juan Island as well.

Today she sent me a picture of the painting (below). If you're interested in this painting or anything else by Debbie you can contact her via her e-mail: debbiedaniels@centurytel.net.



He looks adorable! Debbie is now going to do a painting of one of my seal photos.

Header Time

Working on headers for the Kitsap Peninsula Visitor & Convention Bureau Annual Report. The one with "Welcome to the Kitsap Peninsula" goes on the inside and the one above wraps the outside of a tri-fold.

IMPOSSIBLE to say "Kitsap" in so few photos - and I didn't even include a ferry!