Chicka-nee-nee-nee

Ever since Ben was little he has called these birds Chick-a-nees.  We have a bird clock that has a different bird for each hour - and he also says "mopping bird".

Don's cousin Bob brought us a birdhouse from Wisconsin when he drove out to visit several years ago.  We've always hung it in a tree.  One day earlier this month - when it was still warm - Don and I were having our tea out in the yard by the trees and I noticed that there was a "chick-a-nee" flitting in and out of the trees.  She would perch on the branches - then dart up and down in the tree - chatting all the time.

The birdhouse that Bob brought us from Wisconsin . . .

Do you see her up in the branches?

 Then she hopped onto the birdhouse . . .

Back onto a branch . . .

 Now back on the birdhouse - ever watchful . . .

 Oh - back to the top of the birdhouse to survey the surroundings . . . look at those big people over there . . .

We were sitting very still - Don had to lean forward a bit so I could get photos of the birdhouse without having to move and possibly scare the chick-a-nee away . . . he's very patient with my picture taking . . .

Now she's on the perch . . .

Thinking about going in . . .

Going in . . .

Ok - almost in . . .

And looking back out at us - like she is saying - see, this is MY house . . . I can come in here whenever I want . . .

And back outside.  She repeated this several times while we sat there - and finally Don could relax and sit back in his chair.

The next day Ben and Jahn came over and they sat out by the birdhouse with me until we saw the chick-a-nee go in.  They were very excited about baby birds.  Ben and I watched during the week as the mother chick-a-nee began to bring food and we could hear the teeny tiny peeping.

After a frightful windstorm I noticed that the birdhouse was on the ground under the tree.  I could hear peeping coming from it - and it was lying on its side.  I carefully began to move it upright - listening for the peeping, to make sure I wasn't crushing the babies with the nesting materials inside.  I finally got it hung back in the tree and the mother chick-a-nee was soon at the door - bringing food to her babies.

Now the birds have fleged and are flying all about the yard.  We had noticed that this year it seems we don't have many birds at the feeders - but since the chick-a-nee babies are flying about the yard - the other birds have come back - even the blue jays and the crows.  Seems that tiny little chick-a-nee mother kept all the other birds out of her territory while she hatched her eggs and raised her babies.  Brave little chick-a-nee mother!

Chick-a-nee nee nee - Chick-a-nee nee nee (from a song Ben learned at preschool)

Sailing Ships in the bay

Last Sunday, early in the evening, we decided that after a big day of cleaning and sewing and lawn mowing, that we'd do something fun.  I wanted to be near the water - so we headed for Boulevard Park - it runs for blocks and blocks along the bay - with playgrounds, band stands, benches and lots of grass and paths.  It was the perfect temperature -  warm and a slight breeze in the sunshine.

First thing - a cup of coffee for Don and a chocolate cheesecake muffin to share - we sat on one of the benches near the edge of the bay and watched the boats in the harbor.  There were two large sailing ships - the Lady Washington and the Hawaiian Chiefton, out in the bay - doing a historical battle re-enactment.  The Lady Washington is the Official Ship of Washington State.  The two boats sail up and down Washington all summer and you can book rides or battle re-enactments on them.  We just happened to be there the day they were in Bellingham Bay.

The two boats approaching each other as fairies dance about on the water . . .

Puff of smoke from the cannons . . .

Coming about . . .

Small boats came and went all during the afternoon . . .

More smoke . . . more cannon shots - they echoed against the nearby hills behind town . . .

Two ships passing . . .

A view of the stern . . .

Furling the sails . . .

A portion of the bay inside the park . . .  old pilings from lumber mills that used to line the bay . . .

The beach below us . . . usually full of kids skipping rocks and playing in the edge of the water . . . they didn't stay long - it must have been very cold water . . .

The long wooden walkway over part of the bay - this will be closed in the fall for maintenance.  There are benches spaced out along the back of the dock for resting and enjoying the views.  Many walkers, runner and bikers use this dock. . .

View of the old pilings from the dock - someone balanced that piece of driftwood very carefully between two of the pilings . . .

An almost submerged remnant of a piling . . .

A lady on the beach - taking photos - it was a great day for photos and beaches . . .

Chuckanut Drive

Again - that beautiful Friday - sunshine - clouds and a drive up Chuckanut.  Chuckanut Drive a 20-mile road that connects the Skagit Valley to Bellingham. It is a much slower alternative to the whizzing fast traffic of I-5 - just the thing to complete our day.  It winds along the coast and  along the rock shoulder of the Chuckanut Mountains. 

"Chuckanut" is a Native American word meaning "beach on a bay with a small entrance."  The road was originally

completed in 1896 - but not paved, and was the first road to connect our county to the south. It brought in a new era of transportation and merchants could now market their products in Bellingham and return home all in the same day. 

The road has some of the most difficult road-building terrain in the state due to its sheer cliffside, which made it a less-than-ideal location for a highway. Paving the road had to be done in stages because there was no funding left after the road was laid out. 

Convicts from local jails worked on the road and it was completed in the early 1920s, with plenty of stone guardrails and stone bridges.  At some places you could reach out and touch the massive rock cliffs that line the road - and it is often so narrow that two normal size cars slow down when approaching each other to avoid hitting the rock cliffs - or the rock retaining walls.  The road curves in and out of the forest - with amazing views of the San Juan islands and the bay.

View from the cliffs above the bay . . .

Looking north . . .

The gravel beach is actually the railbed for the trains that travel this route - between Seattle and British Columbia.  This is the route that Amtrak takes - beautful views of the bay from the train.

Another view of the bay with fairies dancing on the water . ..

Lookin towards Anacortes . . .

Islands and clouds . . .

Almost more breathtaking views than you can take in . . .

Don looking out over the bay . . .

 

Boulders to keep you from driving off the cliff . . . a good idea . . .

Boulder table and benches - I think you should bring a cushion or two for the picnic . . .

This tree is trying to step over a very large boulder . . .

This huge boulder sits across the road from the view point where we stopped.  The plaque says "Dedicated to the Memory of Governor Lister - by the Women's Improvement Club - Edison, WA".  There is no date - he was governor from 1913 to 1919, when he passed away.  Governor Lister was instrumental in using honor convicts from Washington prisons to work as servants in his home, helping them to earn money to be used on their release from jail. It was a successful experiment, and convicts were also used to complete the paving of Chuckanut Drive. 

The view point was dedicated to the governor for his work in helping convicts and eventually getting the road paved, after funds ran out for the project.  There is just a small pull-over area beside this boulder and if we hadn't stopped to turn around and go back to the view point we would have missed the plaque.

Bow and Edison - part 2

Back to our favorite Friday and two of the cutest towns you'll ever want to see.  Read the last post if you haven't caught up with our visit to Bow and Edison, WA.   I loved the houses and the yards.

One of the first buildings we came to  was an old garage - well kept - but unoccupied . . .

The simple sign still on the front of the building . . .

We saw many interesting houses - this one is being added onto - or should I say - it is being added onto the new addition.  I would have like to see them lifting that house way up there to put the addition below it.  The top part is very old and shabby - I want to go back later in the summer and see what they have done with it.

A lovely yellow Victorian . . .

Close up of the top story - and a robin sitting on the arbor - click to enlarge . . .

A most interesting house and an even more interesting pink flowering bush . . . 

The shape of the branches is captivating . . .

And the flowers covered the branches . . . do you know what kind of bush this is?

A very cute blue and white house . . .

It  looks like some of the shingles on the second story were blown off in the recent high winds. . . that dark spot in the peak is not a window - it is open to the attic where the shingles are off .

Peaceful on this side . . .

And in the yard - beautiful lilies . . .

A quiet house with a picket fence . . .

The biggest rhododendron I have ever seen - that is a two story house behind it . . .

Lots of rhododendrons in bloom in town . . .

A spring blooming clematis on a trellis . . .

It was a wonderful day . . .