WPP2017 – Week 11 – Depth of Field
To View The World Through a Drop of Water
Tag Archives: Camano Island
After The Snowfall – 2017 WK 8 – Playing With Light
*WPP2017 – Week 08 – Playing with Light*
“After the Snowfall”
Celebration!
Sometimes a photo just needs its own post. This is one of those times.
Eagle Watch – February 2015
 People often think I was nuts to move so far from work when I bought my home. Granted, it is quite a drive. However, much of it can be very scenic if you get off at the right exit. And the long drive is worth it when you have young eagles taking their maiden flights over your head as you cruise along a country road. |
 Probably one of the most difficult things about living out here and watching these young sky sentinels is to try not to be too enraptured by them. Unless, of course, you pull over and break out the camera to get some pictures of them. Eagle gazing, I am sure, ranks right up there with texting while driving. |
 There were a total of 8 of them in the trees over the river when I took these shots. This one, though, was off away from the others. I suppose he/she wanted some alone time. Wasn’t even looking at the river. Maybe he/she wanted some red meat. |
 This is the Stillquamish River from the bridge on Pioneer Hwy between Silvana and Stanwood. We’ve had a lot of rain this year, so its a bit high. Not as high as a few weeks ago, but still impressive. Maybe that makes the fishing good and why there are so many eagles camped in the trees along its banks. |
 Yeah, I know, it looks like the other one, but this is on the other side of the river bank. |
 And this one “Is” looking at the river for some fresh seafood. Maybe they are working together for some surf-n-turf. |
 One of the youngsters is looking out from the branches of a tree. Its funny how few people see the kiddies. There was a father and son on the bridge that saw all the adults. Didn’t see either of the kids in the trees right next to the bridge. |
 Even without the white heads and tails, the juveniles are still quite regal and impressive. |
 And he had absolutely no interest in me at all! I tried very hard to convince him to take off flying, but he just pretended he didn’t hear anything. |
 Actually, that needs to be corrected. He heard everything except me which just goes to prove that it is not just human youngsters that have selective hearing. |
 There’s a part of me that wonders if the kids were near the bridge so they could get the easy roadkill lunch from the road. The grownups wanted the fresh salmon though. |
 Just one more shot, because you can just never get enough looking at these beautiful raptors! |
 Yeah, they had that whole length of the river covered. You could almost hear them gossiping amongst themselves. “I’m telling you Fred, the one I caught last week was THAT big!! I kid you not! We had to leave half of it for the damned crows. Not that they ever share with us. Greedy little bastards!” |
 And every once in a while, one of them strikes a pose and looks for all the world like Elmer Fudd doing Scrooge. |
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 Sittin’ in the mornin’ sun I’ll be sittin’ when the evenin’ comes Watchin’ the salmon roll in Then I watch ’em roll away again, yeah I’m sittin’ on the branch of the bay Watchin’ the tide roll away, ooo I’m just sittin’ on the branch of the bay Wastin’ time |
 Hey kid? What say we go down the river a bit and see if the farmer left us some leg of lamb? |
 Sure! There’s too many fishing here to day. They’re scaring them all away. |
 And the incoming sea gulls came gliding through the air towards the fields below. |
 And with them, came the other little birds, the doves and the blackbirds, the crows and the swifts. It was gonna be a fun time in the pasture this afternoon. |
 And they began to find a formation. All except Henry who never seemed able to get with the teamwork motto and always fell away from the pack. |
 And you thought they were a pop group! (Flock of seagulls, if you didn’t get it) |
 It seems that they just find the need to all take off every few minutes to a spot about 100 yards in some direction. Yup, all of them at once. I think that may be one of those co-dependency things. |
 We’ll just call it field hopping. See? They’re doing it again. |
 Or it could be a strange mating ritual of showing off their gliding technique. Not quite as dramatic as a peacock doing the shake your tailfeathers boogie, but I suppose its better than nothing. |
 But, in truth, its not completely without some Ohh-Ahh! moments. |
 And the sun begins to set over the bay, so a short stop at the wetlands. Could build a town with all the driftwood we get! |
 I do believe that is Rainier off in the distance. Very impressive considering how far north this is. |
 I needed a reflections for a photography group. Nailed it! |
 Yeah, I live in paradise. If I believed in heaven, it would be right here. |
 Yeah, I think its Rainier. Pretty sure. Not craggly enough to be Baker. |
Driftwood Shores – Camano Island 06/18/2014
 My dear friend came out for a visit for a couple of days. As we had spent the morning having breakfast on the way back from the airport and fussing around at cool little local stores, we finished the day by going for a wander at my beach. The entire beach seems to be a bleached graveyard for the trees and branches for at least a half dozen states and numerous islands. |
 Okay, so there are a few things that seem to resist the bleaching aspect of the beach, like this manzanita branch. We were fascinated with the knotted curls along the length like arthritic joints or maybe alien tentacles reaching out from the rocky blanket. Ooooh, “They Came From Below.” |
 And they insert their demonic spawn spores into the branches to wait for unsuspecting people to carry them home where they will mature and hatch and then possess the bodies of the people in the house, insert themselves into society and take over the world. They count on the fact that most people are looking to the skies for potential invasion, so are unsuspecting of what is below their feet. |
 Nature is just amazing in its ability to find a seat for new life in just about any place, on any surface. Such as a bleached out dead piece of wood that has washed up on the beach. |
 I do so like this house that just sits out all by itself on the bluff. |
 Its almost like a lifeless tree growing out of the pebbled beach on an alien landscape. |
 Quite the little battle of the goldfinches going on over the feeder. You would think there is more than enough to go around. It seems greed is not just restricted to humans. |
 It almost seems like it was an orchestrated plan to build such a linear, high tech building next to this particular sand of driftwood. Though, it seems there is one that is either rearing up in protest or celebration. |
 I was very proud of how well this one came out. I may have to work out the words of these three in their battle of the bulge. |
 Skeletal hands at the bottom of this sculpture beckoning you to look closer. |
A weeping figure.  |
Could be a moosehead on the right there. |
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Just cuz it was a cool little rusted thing. |
Then we had the clouds at the house when we got back. We considered calling SETI or NASA, but opted to just watch it. |
Painted skies in in the evening and morning are common. One would think they would cease to have the effect of taking your breath away after seeing them so often, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. |
BIRD DIVE!!!! |
I’m pretty sure they were in a movie I saw. War of the Worlds maybe?? |
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Clipped and Clean and New Babies To Put To Bed
 Well, hey there! I guess its time to go play in the garden again. Contrary to mom’s opinion, I think I would be most helpful out there lending assistance to the tasks at hand. I have looked out the window and seen all those feathered and furred morsels, uhm, I mean monsters, that are in need of my eradication of. I am far more capable that mom gives me credit for and just seek the opportunity to prove myself. |
Ooooh lookie! Squirrel! |
 Sometimes the universe just smiles on you and you are heading home from the store and catch the tail end of a plant sale on the island. You pick out a couple of plants and are told they have dropped the price on every plant there. Then they keep handing you more and more plants as freebies. And when you get to the final total for the overwhelming batch of plants, its $5.00. Wow!!! I do love this island! |
 Tada!!!! The front yard is now freshly mowed. Will save the raking for another day. All I have to say is all that time I used to spend at the gym has NOTHING on all of this! And then there is the additional payoff of the beauty of the land and gardens and your feet in connection with Mama Earth! |
That really is a lotta lotta space to mow! |
 A view looking in. And I am sure that her little flooferness self is looking out drooling all over her ruff and wishing she was out here with me. |
See? There really is quite a yard in front as well.  |
 And then there is my tiny forest trail. I think this was one of my favorite things when I looked at this house. I need to do some cleaning and clearing here when I get the expanse fully taken care of. |
 The flowers are gone, but its still such a beautiful tree. And I love the little cupie curl on the top of it! I will have to take care of that after fall and its bare. |
 Another interesting thing I am noticing here is that it seems plants with different blooming times are all over. Just when one bloom has ended and tipped its head in a final farewell another one opens up and spreads its petals in celbration. |
 Need to get some pictures next time round of all the bees that dance around these flowers. The neighbor was telling me that they had not seen many of them a couple of years ago, but they seem to be coming back in force. I wonder if that means that the people on this end of the state have paid attention and stopped using the pesticides that are attributed with killing bees. Would be an interesting thing to look into and see if that is the case. |
 The BACK YARD!!! Yes it really is that big!!! Oh, and the prodigal son is coming and I have his practice swords. I suppose if he promises to play nice, we can try and play with them while he is here. |
See? BIG!!! |
 The back gardens from the porch view. |
 Sooo? Was it good for you? Did you bring me a bird? Well did you at least bring me a squirrel? One would think that the least I should be able to expect since I am held prisoner in this place is that I can trust that the visitors will at least be considerate enough to bring me an offering after they have flaunted their ability to wander the wilderness that is denied to me. Okay, well can you at least toss me a treat on your way out?Y’all come back now okay? |
Sadness, clippings and cages
 May began with a sadness this year. A farewell to one of the most beautiful souls I have ever had the privilege to know. May your soul fly free now dear Julian, may you dance and sing, may you run like the wind, dive the waves like a dolphin and may what lies beyond be all you deserve for the beauty and light you brought to all who had the honor to know you. And don’t forget to sometimes visit to breath words of comfort into your dear mother’s ear. As she will miss you most of all. |
 And so mom’s idea of how to deal with the grief is to do massive amounts of work in the yard. Personally, I think she should stay inside and let me cuddle with her, but she doesn’t listen to my floofy wisdom. |
Yeah, I’ve decided I really don’t have a need for a gym membership. I figure I will be nicely trim and strong by the time I have this yard to my liking. Plus, there is always the potential for some running spurts in the instance of an unplanned game of eaglescat invaders! |
 I know, I did’t finish it. But, I got about 2/3 of it done. And a hot bath will be in order at the end of this day! |
Its a POTATO enclosure!!!! |
 And another enclosure for the compost pile. |
 Yup! That was a lot of work for one day! |
J ust an interesting piece of driftwood in the front garden. I’ll find some shapes in it another day. |
 Done already, are you? Well, I am sure mom will be right back at it very soon. Don’t forget the offering dish right over there. Just pull a handful out and set them on the chair here. |
