Oh Wow!

Spring has arrived. In fact, it's doing its best to imitate Summer! We might reach 70 degrees today and the sun is brilliant. Truly, when the sun shines up here it's hard to beat the beauty of this place. March will definitely go out as a lamb today.

Nice weather brings the urge to get some things done outdoors. I'm going to believe that Spring is actually taking hold and I'll put the chairs on the porch after I give it a good cleaning. John has been working in the garden as much as he can and is rewarded with peas coming up and leeks and garlic well on their way. He will plant potatoes today. We bought two rhododendrons last weekend and perhaps they will find their way into the ground today. Our lilac bushes look like they will take off properly this year at last. They seemed to have a tenuous hold on life for a couple years. And we're talking about creating a nice planting area in front of the porch, maybe a semicircular kind of space. I planted primroses in bloom around our dogwood tree last weekend and they look quite merry there. The bushes and trees in the woods are starting to burst with green without any help from us. 

Slithering Simon

Our resident garter snake, called Simon, was out sunning himself last week. Mind you, we don't really know if it's the same snake as last year and we don't actually know if it's of a gender to appreciate being called Simon. It's like our friend Mr. Peabody which is what we call any rabbit that comes calling. I have no idea why we even name them. Just seems friendlier, I guess. That's probably why I never ever refer to mice with a name. I don't intend to be friends with the critters. Knock wood, we have had a successful mouse-free winter.

I've been "tagging" myself in photos of the grandson when they get posted to Facebook. He is growing and changing daily it seems. We're hoping to get a Skype session in with him next week. Hardly a substitute for real live cuddling, but it will still be nice to see and hear the little fellow.

Work takes up a large chunk of time during the week these days what with the lengthy trip to and fro. I'm not complaining as I enjoy the ride and I enjoy the work. Just observing. John has been home for several weeks which has been great. April promises to be more hectic as he will travel a few times and I will also go to a conference (in Las Vegas). We'll meet up in May! So, for today, we'll be outside if you're looking for us :-)

Seattle Skyline from Kingston

Is that you Spring?

The peas are up! Planted a week ago and they have already sprouted. John prepped two more beds yesterday and is awaiting the arrival of the potatoes and the leek starts. The daffodils are open and we have some hyacinths that are ready to burst. It's properly Spring (or nearly there). The weather is a little "mixed" at the moment, but that's how it is up here at this time of the year. Spring is anxious to begin and Winter is reluctant to go.

It was a quieter week. No wildlife to report. Work and the commute were uneventful. John came over to the city a couple times for appointments and we enjoyed traveling home together. We have changed our health care providers since my job (and insurance)  change and are very happy with the care. I'm really disappointed in the level of health care on the peninsula and so glad it's an easy trip across the water when we need the experts.

Not much else to report for this week. I had a rummage through my quilting bin yesterday and see some projects that could get underway soon. I also took a large photographic print to a local frame shop and am having it placed in something nice. It's a limited edition from an artist who lives in the San Francisco area. I went to see him when we literally "found" this and other prints of his to learn about the history. I had the other smaller ones framed while we were still in California and this one has been patiently waiting its turn. It's a photo of a place in France and will be a nice addition here. That's about it for now. Spring is waiting...

It's a Wild and Crazy Life...

What an unusual week it was. On Sunday John discovered a dead deer in the creek where it comes on to our property from the road. It's about a 5 -6 foot drop there, so perhaps it just didn't see the drop through the fairly dense foliage and fell. We really don't know. It appeared to have been there only a short while, probably happened in the night. This was a new experience for us city folk now living in a wild place. How do we get it out? Who do we call? Well, we called 911 as directed by the police department recording. The operator said she would notify the county road people and they would come out Monday. They didn't. John called them directly and they had a wrong address. They would try to get out Tuesday as their priorities allowed. They didn't. Meanwhile, the local coyotes were much faster. By Tuesday, there was little left of the deer except bones and offal. We were concerned about the water and contamination. So, John contacted a service that removes dead animals and, as luck would have it, they had a truck in Poulsbo on another call  and would be out before 4:30. And they were. John helped them retrieve the poor thing from the creek, and disposed of the "innards". Not the "country life" he had envisioned. My lovely man is more the gardener type than the hunter type. We hope that doesn't happen again.

Monday, my 2 hour commute home turned into a 4 hour trip. There was an accident that closed the only bridge connecting the ferry landing on Bainbridge Island to the Kitsap Peninsula. It was closed from 2 - 6 pm. No bridge = no bus home. It also means no cars crossing the bridge so asking John to fetch me was out of the question. So, we waited. And when the buses were finally able to get to the ferry terminal after the bridge opened at 6, imagine the back-up of people and cars that were all pointed in the direction of my house. The amazing thing was how calm and pleasant people were as we stood around waiting for the ride home. Some folks had been waiting since the 2pm ferry crossing. My ferry arrives at 5:15, so I only waited about an hour before boarding a bus. The buses were full and standing room only, and yet no one was loud or belligerent. It was a day to make new friends! John met me at a park & ride lot in Suquamish (about 5 miles from the house) and drove me to my original park & ride to pick up my car. We arrived home at 8pm.

Wednesday, we met up in Seattle for an appointment at 3:30 and didn't leave until 5:30 in time to catch the 6:20 ferry. Another late arrival home. Things finally settled down on Thursday and Friday. Today we will take some things to a local organization which holds an annual rummage sale. And then it will be groceries. John planted peas last weekend and will likely spend the day outside as the sun is going to shine today!! Tomorrow, we will go into the city for the annual AKC dog show. And it's time to set the clocks ahead tonight! We will have light until at least 7pm now and by July it will be 10:30. I will hold on to that thought. Springtime...

Hard to Tell a Lion from a Lamb Up Here

March has arrived. In California, I would say it came in like a lion, but up here it's more difficult to tell. It rained and it was windy, but less so than winter rains. I guess I'll know for certain when it exits and can make a comparison. The temperatures are varying more now. Some nights it gets down to the 40s, today it's 31 with warnings of black ice for the commute tomorrow morning. John is actively working the garden now to prep for planting. He is going to try setting the peas in today, I think. He pruned the fruit trees back yesterday. That pile of horse pooh is dwindling.

Last evening at dusk, we saw a black tailed doe in the yard. She was enjoying a casual dinner at the edge of the woods. She also looked quite pregnant! We had not seen a deer quite like this one. Her coloring was darker and she looked shorter, but that could be because she was downhill from the house. We left her alone to munch. Two eagles were also sighted yesterday. It was a good day.

Taxes are done and shipped out to the accountant for review. Today I'll make a sweep through the house for items to donate to a local rummage sale. We'll drop them off next weekend. We've been here nearly 4 years so it's a good time to eliminate things we don't really use, things that have been sitting in closets since we arrived.

I finally hung a small quilt that I made years ago. It's in the pattern of Wild Goose Chase and made from material that was in the kids' clothing when they were small. Good to have it out in the open finally. Since beginning the new job, I haven't worked on any new projects. As I settle in to more of a routine and find the spaces, I'll pick it back up. There are some that are calling me. The house cleaning service has been a real gem. At least I don't have to think about those tasks on my all-too-short weekends. We enjoyed the monthly Farm Breakfast with some new friends yesterday. Good times...