We Discover Some Unobtrusive Boarders

While David was concentrating his energy on preventing Charles & Harriet, our resident robins, from constructing a nest on the same window molding ledge they used last year (& losing the battle), a sweet little chickadee was unobtrusively setting up housekeeping in an ornamental birdhouse just outside my garden house.

We were thrilled, because we'd never expected any birds to use it. It was mounted on top of an old shovel that was shoved into the ground next to a climbing rose where it's been languishing for at least 10 years, sadly in need of redecorating. No one's taken up residence in it before, so we were doubly surprised when we saw mama chickadee busily flying in & out.

We don't know exactly when she moved in, & her comings & goings were so quick it took a while to determine what kind of bird she was. Every time I went to the garden house, though, I tried to take a good look without approaching too closely, because I could see it would upset her. When I saw a chickadee flitting from tree limb to tree limb & rapidly scolding me as I entered the garden house I knew she was our tenant.

Once she got the nest ready, which she did by entering through the bottom hole, she plugged up that hole with moss & began using the "upstairs" entrance through the little heart. I'm so glad to see a real birdhouse getting use after all these years. Little joys matter.

A few years ago a hapless little chickadee built a nest on the ground next to one of my climbing roses, which I discovered while weeding the garden. There were eggs in the nest that day, but when I looked about a week later, sadly, there were only some tiny down feathers scattered around the nest, & I knew the feral cats had been at work.

Another Gas Station Is What We Need Here (Not)

This little flea market is nothing to get excited about, but it used to be a sort of run down shop called "Dan's". I went into Dan's once years ago just to see what he had, & it was dark & dank & mostly junk. I think Dan "refinished" stuff. I put it in quotes because it seemed to me he & his dog just mostly lolled around instead of refinishing, but maybe I'm wrong.

Then several women took it over & transformed it into The Spare Room, giving it an exterior paint job that needs doing again, but what's the point, as I'll explain. There are actually 2 stores--the other is to the left of this building but not in the photo. They cleaned it up & have antiques on consignment--nothing slick, but just the sort of thing that fits a place like this. I like to go in there every once in awhile just to check on what they got in, & so do most of the people on the island. Some of the consignment pieces are handmade furniture--nothing fancy, but things you could use on an outdoor porch or patio--chairs, tables, chests.

Sadly, The Spare Room will be torn down soon to make way for progress: another gas station & convenience store. We've been lucky enough so far to avoid such wonderful modern conveniences, but our favorite developer (wink, wink!) bought the property & that's what he plans to do. It's across the street from a strip mall that he wants to build & that we've kept him from building for several years since he's violated several county statutes before he even broke ground. And then the economy dumped, so for us, the good news is it's delayed both projects.

There are 3 gas stations on the island already, all of which have convenience stores of a sort. It's kind of like stepping back in time to go in the 2 oldest, because they're old & creaky & stuff is crammed in like you'd expect from a little 40's store. We like it that way.

One of the problems we have on the island is that people see how beautiful it is, they love it, they decide to move here. And then they want to change it. There ought to be some places that stay pretty much the same, if that's what the natives want!

My "Rose Tree"

My rose tree thrives regardless of the weather. In spite of what it appears to be, it is really a climbing rose called Paul's Himalayan Musk. I saw it in a rose book one day about 10 years ago. Someone had planted it to wind & climb into a dead tree & since we had a nearly dead maple tree that we didn't want to chop down I thought it would be a wonderful way to use it.

It's turned out to be beautiful, but not exactly the way I'd planned it. Mother Nature likes to do things her own way, so once it starting growing the up trunk it found & clung to a healthy maple shoot next door before climbing on up & finally jumping to a couple of other trees that you can't see in this photo.

It's amazing to see it change from year to year. This is the first year, for example, that we've seen rose blossoms growing inexplicably on a nearby sequoia; that is, if you don't see the front of the mother plant & old dead tree first.

December Weather Extends to June

One thing we Northwesterners are accustomed to are the long, dreary, grey & rainy days of winter. So when June comes we rejoice, because although it doesn't usually mean summer is here, at least we get a taste of it every now & then. This June, however, has been just like December, the only difference being the grey lasts 10 hours longer, from about 4:00 am. to 10:30 p.m. People who get depressed find this climate very difficult.

There's an occasional pleasure boat on the sound, but not like regular summer traffic, & with little wind to fill their sails they seem a bit pitiful, especially next to the power yachts that pass them like brash kids feeling their oats. The Seattle to Vancouver Island hydrofoil, The Victoria Clipper, is back in regular service, though, and passes our house about 9:15 every morning. We love seeing it glide speedily by, leaving a long & narrow white foamy wake. The ship presents a lovely contrast to our grey, with it's bright British red, white & blue hull.

The roses are blooming & have loved the extra rain, but this is perfect weather for black spot so I'll have to keep my eyes open.

Island Volunteers Build Playground

Here's another reason I cherish this island & it's life style.

Three days is all it took. It goes to show what people can accomplish when they come together for a common goal. Our island Rotary donated the money for materials to build a children's playground, then the call went out for volunteers. They ended up with a large group of enthusiastic workers, primarily parents.

I read about this venture in the local newspaper but I had no idea how extensive this playground would be until I drove by every day & it came alive before our eyes. The weather the second day could have been better, but on the third day it was cold, with sheets of rain compounding everyone's misery. Still, it's a story these people won't soon forget, & they have every reason to be proud. I'm anxious to see how attendance at the park holds up because so far it's been packed every day that weather permits. (We're still having what I guess is supposed to be April showers!)