Friday, July 31, 2009

Cathi says, "Are you taking my picture AGAIN?" She and I were part of a party given by our friend Deb. It was a celebration of 31 years on the Island with 31 girlfriends on the 31st day of July. It was a really nice afternoon, meeting women I've seen around but never really talked to.
When I got back, David was cutting out a sign - we love to watch it cut!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

I added some color to my recycled jeans pouch with Shiva PaintSticks. You color with them just like crayons, but they are solid oil paints. Very fun!
After they have dried, you can heat set them with an iron.
The fabric is washable after that. I wanted to lay color over some of the stitching and raised areas. I've had a great time with this project, and have been amazed at how much I can cram in this pouch!

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Did I mention how hot it is? Seattle broke a record - it was 103 degrees today, the hottest recorded tempurature in Western WA's history! It may have been a few degrees cooler here on the Island, but how would you know! The lawn is long dead - at least we don't have to mow!
Sizzle, Sizzle, Sizzle! Nothing but brown, and a few greenish weeds.
I have no idea what the deer are finding to eat!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Our book club had a summer picnic tonight at the Freeland Park. It is a cool oasis during this hot weather, with a lovely breeze from the harbor. We enjoyed some great potluck salads and dessert and conversation. Very nice evening.

Monday, July 27, 2009

We're in the middle of a record-breaking streak of high tempuratures - several days of over 90 degrees, which is unusual for us! By the water is a lovely breeze, tho...
Another view of the red algae bloom - you can see how it swirls around the end of the harbor - it floats in and out with the tide and winds. And the smell, well, just imagine piles of dead fish laying out in the sun . . . .

Sunday, July 26, 2009

. . .toooo
hot
. . .to
move . . . .

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Today is David & my anniversary - we've been together for 37 years! Wow - almost 2/3's of our lives. Sadly, he was feeling ill most of the day, so it was a very quiet day. We do have plans to take a quick trip to Leavenworth and spend the night, so hope to fit that in soon. Love!
More photos of the algae bloom. With the tide in, it is much more evident.
When the boats go through it, they throw up a red wake, red splashes.
Close up, the water is filled with floating blobs of plankton/algae, and the reddest algae floats on the surface. The blobs are suspended in the upper several inches of sea. There are indeed toxic versions of 'red tide', but they say this isn't toxic, and is a natural phenomenon of warm weather and us.

Friday, July 24, 2009

Another low tide at the Freeland boat ramp - I walked all the way to the end of the concrete ramp, and the last several yards were covered in slimy, slippery sand/sludge. But the tiny crabs liked it just fine! Me, they didn't like so well, always scurrying sideways away from my steps. This one is about the size of my thumb-tip.
The main reason I went down there, though, was to see the red algae bloom. With warm weather and harbor pollution, we see some spectacular results!
I don't think it's harmful, but rather alarming if you don't know what it is! The birds, of course, are enjoying their low-tide feast!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Thursday Art day - this is a pillow top Audrey made, using bits and pieces of fabrics, trims, ribbons and clothing labels. It is done in a technque that Janet Steadman showed us, as a way to use up scraps. Very fun!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

The crow and the corn-dog. A drama played out in the parking lot, crow vs cars. Every time crow started to eat the corn-dog, a car would come by, or people would pass too close walking to their car. This crow and it's buddy had to keep flying to the roof of the store, and voice their disappointment. And, even worse, when I came out of the store, someone had parked right ON TOP of the corn-dog!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Ahhh, the best way to use some of those countless summer zucchini - Chocolate Zucchini Cake! Yum! Look close and you can see those green shreds of squash adding moisture and a certain freshness...
But, wait, where is the other part of the cake?? Hmmmmm.....

Monday, July 20, 2009


I've signed up for a basket give-a-way on ETSY. The prize is this horsehair basket by Pamela Zimmerman, and here is the link to the ETSY site.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

The madronna trees are just starting their summer peel - the little branches are first, the reddish-brown papery bark splitting and curling. Soon the larger branches and finally the tree trunks will expose their bright green new bark.
On this sunny summer day, the blues, greens and browns create a cheerful harmony.
Out in the thistle field, the goldfinches have arrived to get their share of thistle seed. Unfortunately, we'll need to hack down the thistles before most of them go to seed.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Love the daylilies! The petals sparkle in the sun, and the fuzzy stamen look around sharply.
And on the opposite side of the color wheel, the salvia have an intense hue. On them, I love the fuzzy purple stalks!

Friday, July 17, 2009

Most of the swallow nests have fledged, and those parents will likely start over again with a new brood. These two nests are in-between, and have had some drama going on. I haven't been able to really figure out what happened. In the nest below, the swallows were sitting for several days. Then I noticed that they had moved, and are sitting in the nest above, which is just a few feet from the first one. They guard it faithfully, so I sure hope there are actually some viable eggs inside!
Meanwhile, the juncos have been trying to sit on this nest, but get chased away by the swallows whenever they are spotted. But, today I see that they have been successful. Now, the question is: is this baby a junco baby, or did a grackle (cowbird) sneak in and lay it's egg? If that happened, it may be why the swallows moved. We'll find out, I hope...

Thursday, July 16, 2009

I find it hard to resist sunlight and water and reflections. Here I was playing with ripples.
And I liked the effect!
Further up the driveway, and I finally got to see the Cooper's Hawk babies sunning. David and one of his friends had seen them a week or so ago, when they still had some fluff. Now they are pretty streamlined,
and pretty much the same size as Mom, on the right. At least, I figured that was her, as she was pretty jumpy and only sat there for a moment. The two babies stayed quite a while, and let me creep closer in the car (no way was I going to get out!! That mom has it in for me). Then they flew up into the nearby trees while I went on up to the house.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Summer's back, and it's a good time to do some beachcombing. Or, have dinner.
A surprise guest in the house today. Of course he hopped away, and I couldn't find him to put him out, so I guess we'll hear from him eventually!

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Well, that was it for the rain! Now we're looking at least a week of sunny and warm, summer again. The hawkweed in the lawn has gone to seed - nice pouffy balls like dandelions, catching the setting sun.
The light limns the other weeds. Maybe it's time to mow . . . the grass is all dead, it's just the weeds that are growing. And, what the hey - if they're going to seed, they must be done growing, too! It's a good thing I'm not in charge of the lawn mower. . .

Monday, July 13, 2009

We've been having rain, what the Navajo call 'female rain', which is a gentle steady fall. It's been quite a while; things are pretty dry. The grasses in the lawn have gone to seed, and readily caught the drops, reflecting the stalks of grass, trees and sky.
A different perspective.
The little pinkish grasses bow over with their loads.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Yet another swallow nest - this one is in a vent pipe. It's the violet-greenbacked swallow, while the others are the barn swallows. One of these babies fell out onto the roof for a couple of days, but is back in the nest now, and will be flying very soon.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Choochokum, the Langley Arts Festival this weekend. Here are some scenes.


At the food area, looking down Anthes Street to the stage.
From the stage, looking up Anthes Street.

Friday, July 10, 2009

I got a better shot of the baby wrens, and discovered there are three of them. So cute with their fuzzy feathers, but they're losing them quickly. Soon enough they'll be out of the nest.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

This wren nest is built in a boat trailer. The babies are tucked tidily down in a pipe, following instructions to 'sit still'! I didn't get a good enough look at the mom to tell what kind of wren she is.
The setting sun gilded the tall grasses at the edge of the lawn.
The shasta daisies bloom in front of a rusted filigree circle.