Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
Is it Spring Yet?
Inquiring minds want to know.
No, I tell them. We are only half way through. Though the baby daffodils seem to think so and shall soon show brilliant yellow blossoms.
And the Rhodies think so too and are already displaying their color.
No. I tell them again. You can’t believe the early bloomers. We’re still in the dead of winter, not burdened with snow, but worse, with cold and gray and wind and rain. Enjoy the sunbreaks* I tell them while they are here.
Still much more winter to come.
~ Susanne
* Sunbreaks – According to Wikipedia, a ” sunbreak is a natural phenomenon in which sunlight obscured over a relatively large area penetrates the obscuring material in a localized space. The word is considered by some to have origins in Pacific Northwest English.” And the Urban Dictionary has this, “When the sun appears in a cloudy sky for a little while, then gets covered again. Commonly used in Seattle, WA.” This I do not doubt.
Astoria!
Earlier this week, (when the weather was still mild not wild), we traveled south for a few days of vacation in Astoria. Our home base was a lovely boutique hotel built on an old cannery pier on the Columbia River. We woke each morning and drank our coffee watching the sea lions and the ships go by. There are worse starts to a day.
We perused the shops downtown, ate at the restaurants and visited the boardwalk along the waterfront.
And found some history at the Flavel House, which was built in 1886, and reminiscent to me of the House on Haunted Hill. (I wouldn’t visit alone after dark.)
There’s history to be found in this town to be sure. Lots of it. The first and oldest American colony on the Pacific Coast, Astoria was founded in 1811 by an expedition sent by millionaire John Jacob Astor (who never set foot there by the way.) He had made his money in the fur trade in New York, and sought to expand his enterprise world-wide, including a base on the rugged Pacific Coast for trade with China. The expedition was both by land and by sea. The two parties were to meet up at the mouth of the Columbia to set up a trading center; this only four years after Lewis and Clark returned from their famous trip. In hindsight, Lewis and Clark made it look easy. Astor’s men didn’t fare as well. Many were lost and died violent deaths on Astor’s venture, though they did manage to establish the short-lived colony before the British took it over. The area remained under ‘joint occupation’ by the Americans and the British until today’s borders were established in 1846. (For more fascinating detail on its history, read Peter Stark’s book, ‘Astoria.’)
To see history of another kind, go to Fort Stevens Park and visit the shipwrecked Peter Iredale which was grounded off the coast in 1906. In fact many ships have been lost where the Columbia meets the Pacific, in an area known as the Graveyard of the Pacific.
And now from sea to sky. We visited the 125 ft. Astoria Column, built in 1926 and standing 600 ft. above sea level.
I bravely climbed the 164 stairs inside its narrow spiral staircase.
I even ventured outside at the top, for the few minutes I could endure standing on the exposed narrow platform, where the views below were wonderful. Bob was pleased to stay behind and now I know why.
Our third day and it was time to head home, but not without swinging by Washington’s Long Beach, the longest beach in the world, according to the sign. (Uh-huh.)
By then the winds and waves had picked up considerably and the birds were grounded. So were we.
It was steadily pouring by the time we made it home, and stormy weather would be with us for days to come. The high winds even shut down several Oregon beaches where we had stood the day before, including the Peter Iredale beach at Fort Stevens Park.
Timing is everything.
~ Susanne
Photo Challenge: Silence at Cannon Beach
For this week’s photo challenge: A winter visit to Cannon Beach without the noise and crowds of summer, only silence.
~ Susanne
Morning Traffic
On the Columbia River in Astoria.
Susanne
The Skagit
We went to the Skagit to see the eagles.
But found the real attraction was the landscape.
And the sunset over the river.
~ Susanne
P.S. The Skagit River lies a couple of hours north of Seattle and is part of the Wild & Scenic River System. Bald eagles from British Columbia and Alaska migrate to the Skagit and other rivers of the Pacific Northwest in late fall, to feed on salmon carcasses, and remain until late January.
Benji’s Rainy Day Blues
“Hey Benji,” I said. “How about some fresh air? Here, I’ll hold the door for you!”
The boy was wound up tight as a spring, bouncing off the walls and terrorizing his big brother. It was time for a break.
He hesitated. “Are you kidding?? It’s raining cats and dogs out there! Haha. Get it?”
“Cute Benji, but you’re driving us all crazy! You’ve been pent up inside too long and this is the only way I know to cool you down.”
And so with a little help, he scooted outside and there was peace in the house for the next ten minutes. Until he was back at the door looking none too pleased.
“Come on Sue, you had your fun. Now let me in!”
“I don’t know Benji. Are you ready to settle down?”
“Who me? Of course Sue! Now come on, open up!”
He did look rather repentant sitting there, not to mention very cute.
“Okay, Benji, I’ll let you in, but you better be on your best behavior!”
And so I did. And he was. In fact he curled right up on the sofa and after a quick bath, settled down for a nap.
Apparently the rain worked.
~ Susanne and Benji
Weekly Photo Challenge: Weathered Wupatki
Weathered pueblos where Anasazi Indians lived almost 1000 years ago dot the landscape of Northern Arizona. The Anasazi are considered to be the ancient ancestors of today’s Pueblo Indians including the Hopi and the Zuni.
The largest pueblo in the area was Wupatki, which had over 100 rooms, a tower, and ball court.
It is believed that the Anasazi abandoned their ancient dwelling places by 1200 AD for reasons unknown. Still, the pueblos endure and we enjoyed visiting them recently at Wupatki National Monument.
~ Susanne
The Last Tree
After the razing of the 22 acres formerly known as the Tiffany Park Woods, it was time to take out the last tree near our home. No hard feelings. In fact, I’m over it. For the last several months I’ve actually enjoyed following the progress of the new development. (Of course I have no choice; the construction is in my backyard.) Most of the trees were gone months ago, but they waited until now to take out the old cottonwood behind us, probably because the overhang onto our property required special handling.
It was the one tree we were happy to see go. It didn’t seem healthy and its old branches had woven into one of our Douglas Firs. It was also a messy tree that dropped leaves and debris year round. Even worse than the leaves, it dropped sticky pods everywhere that the poor cats brought in on their fur.
You can see the old tree next to our evergreens.
We’d been waiting for it to be removed and were happy when we found out it was finally coming down. We watched as they secured cables and pulleys to the tree and the brave logger climbed up high into its branches. He looks like a large woodpecker in the picture below.
We stood a good distance away and watched as he cut away the most invasive limbs, including the very limb he was sitting on!
I uttered a prayer for his safety (and ours) but still wondered if I could outrun the tree if it landed opposite to where they planned. After enough limbs were removed a rope was tied to a large tractor nearby and pulled taut. ‘X’ marked the spot for the sawing to begin.
The deepest cut occurred on the right side where the fall should occur. Less cutting followed on the opposite side, and then the shouting began to move that tractor! A few seconds later we heard the sharp crack of the tree and then the thunderous boom as the earth shook when it hit the ground. The end came quickly and I struggled to capture the actual fall, having forgotten my camera settings were zoomed in and close-up.
See what I mean? What can I say, I’m still learning!
While lamenting my poor picture of the climax, the Project Manager standing nearby was kind enough to share some great shots he got with his phone.
And this was how it looked outside our fence after the fall. A perfect landing!
So, that’s that,. No more floating cotton, messy leaves nor picking out the sticky pods from our cats’ fur. The project continues with more infrastructure and road work the next couple months. Then the building of houses begins, after which we eagerly await the replanting of trees (five for everyone one removed we hear) and a new cedar fence besides (so we hope and as rumor has it.)
~ Susanne
Photo shoot with the Handsome Tiger
“What’s the matter Tiger? You look a little down.”
“Oh I don’t know Sue. Feeling a little blue,” he said.
“Yeah, some days are like that Tiger. But anyway, you still look good! In fact, I know what’ll cheer you up! Let’s do a photo shoot!”
“I don’t know Sue,” he said. “I don’t feel very handsome today.”
“Oh but you are Tiger! Trust me. Come on, show me that strong right profile of yours.”
“You mean like this?” he said.
“Yes Tiger, that’s it! What a handsome boy you are! Such poise! Such dignity!”
“Aw thanks Sue. How about this for my left side?”
“Perfect Tiger! Love the paw too!”
“Thanks Sue,” he said. “I threw that in for you. And you know what? You’re right! I feel much better now.”
“I’m so glad, Tiger! Sometimes we just need someone to root for us.”
~ from the studio of Susanne and Tiger
Weekly Photo Challenge: Growth
Here we are in the dead of Seattle winter, and still I find new growth in the old growth forest of Schmitz Park.
This 200 ft. Douglas Fir supports a fallen Cedar resting on it.
And new growth abounds on shrubs nearer the ground.
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 