Happy New Year - 2024

Wishing everyone love good fortune in the coming year.  My advice is to have fun, no matter where you go, or who you are with... just enjoy your time here on the earth in the time we are each allotted...

Cheers!

 

 So much fun we had visiting with cousins, paying homage to our dear cousin Beryl whom we miss, seeing dear ones from far away, and spending a wonderful afternoon on the Russian River (first floating experience) in an innertube :D  I have just "blinked" and the summer is gone...

Getting antsy to start the garden - guess we shall have to wait a little bit as it was only 20f this morning.  

 

 Just sayin "hi" - it's been a while~

Our new (117 year old) home.   

We have many rooms to finish 

sanding and painting... 

a long project.

 

  

There is a volcano in the back yard... Mt Shasta and smaller cone Shastina are beautiful in their snowy mantle.

   We are so happy 

to have a big sweet smelling cedar tree in the yard. 

 

Just minutes from the house lies beauty as far as the eye can see.

It takes a bit of getting used to.

We are still here on San Juan Island. Friday Harbor Paradise. 

   We go down to the fish house in the Friday Harbor marina occasionally to feed Popeye - the resident Harbor Seal who lost her eye somewhere along the way - she loves sardines and will take them gently from your hand like a puppy.

The Terrorist is getting very old and frail – she has finally gotten comfortable here in the cabin (before she would not leave the trailer).    Here is the view from our window.

 

We discovered a nice park with a funny name yesterday “Ruben Tarte Memorial Park” – it was way at the top of the island in a small steep little rocky cove with big cliffs all around down to the sea – sheltered and quiet.   There was only one other couple there and G & I sat on a log and watched the boats go by – there is a fair amount of boat traffic in the east sound every day.   Here at the cabin on the west side of the island, we watch tons of boats go by in the Haro Straights, including giant container ships, whale watching boats, lots of kayakers, regular private sports boats; sail boats, plus an occasional huge passenger cruise ship.   There are seaplanes that fly into the local harbor (Roche Harbor) which are terribly loud.   I do love to hear the gulls crying all day – and when the eagle flies by all of the gulls and cormorants fly off of the rocks in a hurry.   One morning we watched two eagles working in tandem – one would fly after a lone gull and then the other one would take over, tiring the gull out.   It finally went to the water, and then the eagle dived down and plucked him right up.   Kind of sad, but amazing to see.   At night we watch the river otters playing along the tide line, and sometimes the harbor seals will smack their tails on the water like a beaver tail.  It is incredibly loud.  Once in a while at night when the sea is calm we can hear the Orcas breathing loudly through their blowholes… truly a wildlife wonderland.   We have front row seats from our small deck above the beach/water.   A few days ago a dead fawn (still had its spots) was on the beach – the deer come down to the beach often and this one must have lost its footing on the rocks and fell in.   Soon the turkey vultures came and stalked it… hanging around in the trees until one got brave enough to start picking at it.   Then they all came down – about 7 or 8 of them and they have a pecking order just like chickens!  

I would say that some of them went away hungry because a few of the vultures wouldn’t let anyone else have any.   Some eagles were there too but we went to town and I didn’t see if they fed.   The next day the “body” was gone – and we could see it out in the clear water just offshore where the high tide had robbed the vultures of their prize.   Richard was glad – he told me he had taken a black bag and was going to get it but the tide took it first.    I would have let the birds finish it.   It’s all gone now, in just a day.

 

4th of July - 2014...One Year Ago Our Great Adventure Began.

Our band float ready for action!

The 4th of July, 2014 - getting the Ingram float ready for the Monte Nido community parade!  Always a labor of love and fun - it has been the tradition since I was a little girl, weaving red, white and blue crepe paper through the wheels of my stingray bicycle. This float is for the Monte Nido Band - a mix of old timers and new musicians all banging, blowing or squeezing an instrument in a semblance of Souza marches and patriotic tunes.

After a hardy but rushed breakfast, cousins, sons, daughters etc. all scramble into the float and off we go to the staging area for the parade.                                                                                                       

Jake ready for bacon

Scotty and Dad ready for parade

Lynn in the sand

The next day enjoyed some time in southern California ocean waters at the beach

Hunter is stuck in the sand!!

Kevin and Sophia at the beach

Cousins - Lynn and Hunter

Becky with Bootsy and Sophia

Jayden with noodle!

Sorrowful parting with sisters after learning about losing my home

Last goodbye - all my siblings

- fun in the sun.  That evening came the bombshell - the co-owner of my home told me he wanted to sell. The beginning of my nightmare was here.

My sleeping granddaughter Sophia in my arms

After saying my last goodbyes to my sisters and brother, my sweetie and I drove away up the coast - stopping at a favorite place - Morro Bay.  I needed to stop and try to understand what had happened.

Morro Bay - a soothing getaway

It has taken me a year to even be able to put this down on my blog - though a lot has happened since this all began.  I don't think my stomach will ever stop roiling in distress when I relate the details.  But I'm attempting to put it all behind me and continue to move ever forward.