Finding Beauty Everywhere: April 2006

A First for Puget4

Today I had another "first". I've been sailing with Gooserock for 24 years, but today, for the first time, I sailed SOLO!! Here's the proof. That's me in our El Toro sailing dinghy beating around a local marina. "Beating" is sailor talk for going up wind by zig-zagging back and forth.

Gooserock has offered to let me try any number of times but it was never right. Now, for many reasons, I was ready to want to try, so I did. I am one happy gal.

BTW, Gooserock is the photographer. Duh!

Leaving a Wake

At one point I found a gust and actually left a little wake. Gee Whiz! This is FUN!!!

Look Ma, No Hands!

And finally, even though there was a gale a-blowin' (har-har) I let go of the tiller. Yippee!

Sunset Surprise

I have posted this before but I wanted to share it again. I had been photographing an awesome rainbow 180 degrees from this view, turned around and found this sunset.

By the way....how do you like my new blog "look"?

The Eagle Has Landed

I was busy at my workbench when I heard some noise and looked out over the tidal plain just beyond our house. I saw two eagles on a dry hump in the basin. One was a juvenile, looked to be only a yearling. The other was an adult in all his grandeur. It takes 4 years for a bald eagle to get its full white head and tail. A yearling is almost all dark with only a small amount of mottling.

I grabbed my little Nikon Coolpix 2500 (a VERY basic camera) and our small birding telescope and using Gooserock's technique I took some shots through the telescope. By the time I was ready, the juvenile had left but Himself was still there.

This first photo is for reference to see how close he is to human habitation. The rest of the photos I engaged the camera's telephoto function.

Adult Bald Eagle and Friends

Adult Bald Eagle. It takes four years for the bald eagle to grow his full white head and white tail. Beautiful isn't he? This was taken with the same camera using digital telephoto on full and holding it up to a small birding telescope.

Eagle and More Friends

Himself with more small sea birds...probably buffleheads.

Eagle Watching Me Watching Him

I'm sure he has spotted me.

Spring Sunday

What a beautiful day we had today. Temps were still a bit too cool in the morning but they warmed up in the afternoon. Hummingbirds are buzzing around and earthworms are crawling about. Baby fish are diving and swerving in schools in sunlit tidal waters. A pair of Canada Geese have begun to hang around making their presence known. Last year they hatched a family but, sadly, the feral cats, the coyotes and the raccoons put an end to that.

I started thinking about spring and color. What is the color of spring? Well, I think we'll agree that spring is certainly green. But what else? Below are some ideas on that.

Spring is White

Spring is Blue: Blue Petticoats with White Lace

A pod of grapes (hyacinths). The name addition is from Olivia. Thanks, Olivia.

Spring is Yellow

Yellow and gold and white, oh my!

Spring is Purple

Another dull brown bulb, more warming earth, sun hours lengthening, gentle rain, borrow color from the irridescent head of a pigeon, add patience. Stir these together and see what grows?