Birds and beaches

We're welcoming spring in the usual way around here--new baby chicks. We put our incubator to use again and hatched out six fluff balls.

Then, because I'm crazy, I stopped at the feed store for "just a few more" chicks. We've got a soft spot for Ameraucanas with their gentle personalities and neat blue-green eggs. So now we have eleven.They're brooding out in the garage this go-round. The dusty mess in the house was getting to be too much. We don't spend as much time fawning over them out there, but they still get quite a few cuddles.

A few weeks back we spotted this cool bird nest about 30 feet up a big leaf maple in the yard. Luckily, our top floor deck gave a perfect view to snap a photo. We saw it moving so we know someone was in there, but we've yet to see who. Any idea what bird made this?

There were no grand plans for spring break this year, but we did have a couple small getaways to two very different beaches. Ole and I visited Hood River with our friend Lisa and her crew. It was a beautiful sunny day, so we played in my favorite riverside park. lunched at pFriem, and topped it off with ice cream at Mike's. Perfect! I was happy to show her one of my favorite spots.

Our other beach getaway was a pre-Easter post-birthday weekend at my parent's in Westport. We always seems to catch a lucky dry break to visit the beach; this time we went back to Westhaven State Park. I love how Alex and I are freezing in our jackets and Ole is barefoot in shorts.

A friendly Dungeness crab was nice enough to take our photo.

Mostly we're just enjoying spring: waking up to songbirds, bright green grass growing like crazy, and the adventures of a new season.

Weather schmeather

We are in the middle of an ice storm over here. The freezing rain started an hour ago, and already chunks of ice are flying sideways and hitting the windows. There's ice and snow and more ice and neverending wind. Roads are shut down and we haven't had school since the 6th of January (that's ten snow days so far if you're keeping a tally).
Our conversations are exclusively weather related:
"Is this our 4th ice storm or our 5th?"
"Did you hear they clocked a 102mph gust at the lookout across the river?"
"When will it end?!?!"

I am just going to think instead about a kinder, gentler winter--one of birdwatching and nature hikes. We've visited the great little wildlife refuge just down the hill from us twice already this winter. Our second visit was a guided hike on New Year's Day and it was great to learn a little more about this gem so close to home.

Mt Hood in the background.

A great blue heron

We spotted two bald eagles on our first visit.

Crowding around the spotting scope, the Columbia River to the right.

A cell phone photo through the scope.

Canada geese taking flight.

The perfect way to start the new year!

Wintertime fun

We've settled into winter over here, a big pile of muddy boots in the laundry room to prove it. With two ice storms and four snow days off from school, we've spent most of it at home. It has been cozy and fun so far. And we're currently on day 8 of a 19 day Christmas break (but who's counting, right?).

Our sweet kitty Maeve loves her spot under the tree. She's been edged out by gifts now.

Staying home means lots of cooking, baking, planning meals, and thinking about food in general. So it's only natural that I kind of obsessed over this perfect breakfast: the last of the homemade goat's milk yogurt with pear, walnuts, and honey. So good!

Ole has kept busy. Between bouts of begging for television, he's been painting, drawing, sledding, jumping, and all sorts of fun kid stuff. I've been loving his latest work.

We finally had our first frost deep into December. I do believe it was the latest frost on record in our area, but it brought with it a doozy of an ice storm.

We've lived here long enough to see a few of these storms, so we were fully prepared and happy to stay off the roads for a few days. I saw the new neighbors wandering around dazed by the sight of inch-thick ice, taking photos of it all just like me.

Here's hoping the holidays are happy and bright wherever you are!

Ho hum autumn

The days are getting shorter and the east wind is a-blowin'. Our fall routines continue here: the hauling in of pumpkins, the saving of seeds, and the jumping in of leaf piles.

A colorful assortment this year.

We enjoyed Washougal's harvest carnival again this year, especially the balloon man who seems to find real joy in his unusual career.

He made a bat!

Other fall things are happening, too. We chopped the artichokes to the ground and mulched, pruned the raspberry canes, and planted a few spring bulbs.

Mama hen teaching her four nearly-grown chicks the Way of the Chicken.

A few artichokes left unharvested in the garden.

Then just before it was finally time to trick or treat, the bat disappeared and this ninja emerged. Doorbells were rung and candy was eaten in classic Halloween style.

This week has been overshadowed by election disappointment. Despite the drizzle and my foul mood, I headed to the woods early Wednesday morning, hoping to shake loose that dark cloud. It was a lovely trail, but no luck. Even Pepper has the blues.