Good Times In Canada

Every proper Quadra residence has its burn pile. We heard a burn ban was imminent so Mia and I, with a little help from our neighbor Ben, burned 2 of our burn piles. This is the largest.

What happens when you pour a little gasoline on the wood and toss in a match.

After much stoking, stirring and encouraging the pile shrinks. It was pretty much a whole day process trying to keep things burning. In the distance you can see the smoke from the smaller pile.

Burn pile chick at work.

Does my shirt need to be washed or what?


A trip to Quadra isn't complete without a visit with Sarah, Derek and Saoirse. Their new house is looking fabulous.

The living/dining area has paint.

Saoirse and her baby.

She loves to swing.

Driving her car on the deck.

A Quadra rainbow.

Three ducks at the beach.

The tidepool where the eagles love to fish and hangout.

Our beach.

The mountains and their reflection.

The path to the beach.

Quadra Flowers May

This is a plant called a hellebore. Its flowers this year are exceptional.

One of the rhododendrons in our yard..

This is the first time I've seen this rhododendron in bloom.

These are actually a neighbor's tuilps. I have one yellow tulip bud.

A pretty yellow daffy.

The orchard on one of our few sunny days.

Our fruit trees in bloom.

I think this is a pear flower.

Cherry blossoms.

Apple blossoms.

Eagles Everywhere

Eagles have been very busy lately. Here are three as they fly past our front window. I saw five just moments before these three.

I went to the beach and counted 16 eagles. There may have been more in the trees. Here are 4 on the tide pool rocks with one overhead.

These two guys, an older and younger couple, just sat and watched all the activity. Oh yeah, one of them pooped..see the white streak?

I was sitting on a log watching the eagles when from above and behind me, out of a tall fir tree, this eagle dropped down. It was as though he were parachuting. A strange sound and even stranger sight, he's after something in the tide pool.

He hits the water but doesn't get anything. See his head in the refection?

He lands on a small rock...

Then climbs onto a larger one and sits looking very regal.

"Did you see that?"

Look at the wing span on this guy.

A classic shot, eagle soaring with mountains in the background.

"You look that way, I'll look this way and we won;'t miss anything."

Landing.

The gull flying above this eagle was dive bombing the eagle and bugging him. The eagle just ignored the gull. I've also seen gulls chasing eagles..little pests! It amazes me the eagles don't demolish the gulls.

Another huge eagle flies overhead.

That evening I spotted these two seals cruising along, enjoying the calm, beautiful ocean.

A Beaverton Visit

Lucky Nana spent Mothers Day weekend with Jackie and his parents.
Jackie's first dandelion blowing lesson. Huff...

Puff..

Blow like Dee.

Hooray!

Jackie has grown both in height and in his vocabulary since we saw him in December. He is still happy, busy and active. There are lots of things he likes to do..such as run.

Give Nana a heart. (From the bleeding heart palnt.)

"Push, push, push." He is saying as he pushes Nana. Jackie wanted to get me out of the room so he could climb up and push the buttons on the DVD player. He'd push or sometimes pull me into the kitchen area and then with a cheery, "Bye Nana." and a smile he'd head back to the living room. Old Nana wasn't as dumb as he thought, she quickly reappeared. "Oh Nana!" And the process of pushing/pulling started again. Two years olds are very determined, tenacious and a bit OCDC....but then, so are 66 years olds.

The age of discovery..a puddle in the folds of the BBQ cover.

And his "mipple" also something to marvel at.

He loves to be read to. (Nana read Good Night Moon 8 times in a row.) He also likes little books, this is the directions to something Jessica got for Mothers Day. Note his hand, checking to see if that mipple is still there. We fully expected it to hurt after all of its inspections.

Jackie likes to wear other people's shoes. These are Nana's.

Going for a ride in his car is always fun.

We went to Russel Street BBQ (YUMMY) for lunch. Hand a boy an iPhone and he's focused for the duration.

Who me?

Also at lunch were Jackie's charming parents, Brother Boy and Sister Girl. What a family..

Time for a walk to the river for a little rock tossing. Jackie catches a ride with Dee.

Going in for a little icy wade.

Running as fast as he can..there is a monster chasing him.

A model Oregonian..kissing a tree.

The Laird family. (Parents are looking much better than they were in the last photo.)

Some pretty lilies to remind us that, despite the chilly temps, it is Spring and it will be Summer.
The end of a GREAT visit. Thanks Thaddeus, Jessica and Jackie.