A rainbow or two

May 6, 2017 / one2travelfar / 1 Comment

Who needs TV when we had a night like last night? We sat down to a late dinner (pork tenderloin, peas, applesauce, salad and brownies) when the seagulls got stirred up. All at once they were all in the air flying. That’s a lot of seagulls in flight and they were joined by a few eagles. It didn’t seem like the eagles started it but it was one great fly fest. Two eagles buzzed right in front of the window where we sat.

At the same time rainbows appeared and kept evolving. It was spectacular.

Today was a bit more mundane. We took out the boat to patrol the island during one of Washington state’s three halibut fishing days. All boats we saw respected the 200 yard boundary around the island. I worked on docking in wind. And provisioned – I made yogurt, a loaf of bread and dinner.

I finally got my band weaving out and used some of the knots I worked on during my boating course to secure my band to a post.

A lovely weaving spot except it’s under a barn swallow nest on the porch. We’ll see if they keep letting me weave there. Plus there’s an otter under there as well. It’s a sanctuary out there!

I’ve been working on an aran sweater for myself. It’s coming along, s l o w l y. I actually knit the whole back piece before we left but learned it was WRONG and I had to rip it all out. This is RIGHT. And so pretty.

Here’s a panoramic view of the harbor with our boat, the Auklet, tied up alongside a clean dock. The harbor is protected from the wind but not the birds.

Getting better every day

May 5, 2017 / one2travelfar / Leave a comment

I can’t complain when my new work station looks like this.

Our caretaker cabin is quite cozy and was in ship shape condition when we arrived. Pictures to follow some day. We spent the past couple of days tidying up the inside and outside, and going through all the drawers and various buildings to take an inventory. After a little hiccup with the propane fridge, all is well. Bad weather was supposed to arrive yesterday. It came today instead. Not too bad, just right.

We got out on the boat to patrol the island before it arrived. Yesterday was one of 3 halibut fishing days in the state and there were way more boats on the water than we have seen. None got too close to the island though.

The seagulls have company. We spot more bald eagles every day. Here’s a family that flies by the house.

One little egg wasn’t so lucky and we have spotted some feathers on the road.

I’m not sure if this is seagull love, but they were certainly close. The eagles seem a bit more sedate.

Might be a night for the wood stove. All’s well with the wind blowing outside. Time for tea and knitting.

Morning has broken

May 3, 2017 / one2travelfar / 3 Comments

And the seagulls woke up. Here’s what we woke up to on our first morning. What can you expect living in a wildlife refuge. While reading the paper, we saw an otter slide under the back porch. Sadly a starling was drying out in the woodstove, before we lit it.

The cabin is quite cozy and in great condition. A lot of work has gone into it. We have a propane refrigerator and freezer, propane stove, instant hot water, a washer and dryer, a comfy bed or two, and a wood stove. I spent yesterday cleaning the interior while Tim cleaned the outside. We inspected all the fire extinguishers and smoke detectors on the island and got to know the surroundings a little better.

Our water tower is straight out of “Petticoat Junction” except there aren’t any bathing belles in it – I hope. We can’t drink it anyway.

We also made a first pass at cleaning bird poop off the dock. We later learned we don’t have to actually scrub it. Yippee! Nasty work. But it can get slippery.

We inspected the fleet and its fire extinguishers. The dodge truck has grass growing out of the floor mats. Actually seeded there, not growing up from the ground. Must not see a lot of use.

A new(er) truck is supposed to arrive by landing craft sometime this season. More bird posts are supposed to arrive as well to deter them from landing on the roof and clattering about like Santa’s reindeer.

The views are outstanding. Here’s the harbor side of our little cove.

Screenshot 2017-05-02 at 8.39.15 PM

And a Google satellite view of the island. Our cabin is in the lower third.

Tim was a lucky guy yesterday. I made pancakes, two loaves of bread and an apple pie. We’ll do a patrol today and should get some more shots but less baking.

The eagles have landed

May 1, 2017May 2, 2017 / one2travelfar / Leave a comment

And 20,000 seagulls are on their way. Our day began at 0530, on island 0830, orientation until 1130, return to the mainland, a few hours learning the boat and its systems, back to the island in a favorable tide at 1730, and here we are. With better internet service than at home.

We saw eagles, a great blue heron, guillemots, oystercatchers and…seagulls. Lots of them. Our dwelling is in the middle of a colony. If we can get used to the clatter of seagulls on the roof, and their intermittant noisiness, we should be fine. Here’s my first bird photo from a scope in the living room.

We have to scrub guano off our speedy steed daily.

I got some helm time today.

And I think we’ll see lots of amazing seascapes.

Now to all, a good night.

Pack it out

April 30, 2017 / one2travelfar / Leave a comment

We took a garbage run with Dungeness Wildlife Refuge caretakers out to the lighthouse, which is 5 miles out on a spit of beach. It was pristine. There’s an active Friends group and have restored the quarters and tower. The brass glistened. The original lens is gone. They have a keeper program where people pay to stay for a week. I forgot to take photos. Here’s a link to a beautiful one on the internet.

Our makeshift tiny house is just dandy.

We’re poised and waiting for the right combination of tide and weather to head out to Protection Island. In the meantime we shop for food and enjoy looking at the Olympic Mountains.

Breakfast in bed

April 29, 2017 / one2travelfar / Leave a comment

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and internet streaming.

We passed our practical and written boating course, the written with flying colors, and we both won prizes – boating knives. I can drive a trailer, turn a boat around in a tight circle, make turns at high speeds, and recover objects and dummies that fall over board. I couldn’t help a scream or two at the first high speed hairpin turns. Probably frowned upon while captaining.

I floated in various cold water survival gear and learned this. When you fall in cold water, it takes about one minute to regulate your breathing, you have muscle control for about 10 minutes to do what you can, then you last for an hour before succombing to hypothermia. Happily I was trying the gear in warm water but cold air.

We left Seattle behind and headed to Sequim to prepare for stage 2 of our trip, which was dependent upon us passing stage 1. Hence breakfast, et al, in bed. We are in a brand new tiny house, at the Dungeness wildlife refuge, that is not quite outfitted yet. Our first purchase was toilet paper. No table but there is a bed and 2 folding chairs.

Now we are learning about our responsibilities on the island. Sounds like we’ll mostly be cleaning bird poop. We learned one caretaker fell off the dock and drowned because it wasn’t clear of guano!

We’ve received too much information to process and will have the usual island turnover, maybe Monday. Head out in a narrow tide window, get a quick briefing of the systems, weather is turning, tide’s going out, got to go, bye!

Everyone we meet is super friendly here. Could it be due to legalized cannibis? We were even able to use our volunteer patches as proof of identification in one government office.

We know we’re on the west coast. The grocery store has a wall full of different chiles.

The best news is Tim Tams seem to be available throughout the US now I saw them in NY and they’re also available here. Thank you Australia! Go get yours and try a Tim Tam slam!

Back to the caretaker manual.

The high peaks of the Adirondacks

April 26, 2017 / one2travelfar / Leave a comment

Since I could clearly see the altimeter in our small plane – 2 pilots, 3 passengers – I was happy when it rose above 5,000 feet as we neared Whiteface and the High Peaks.

Here’s home.

The work before vacating

April 24, 2017April 24, 2017 / one2travelfar / 2 Comments

We’re getting ready to head off for another adventure. Sounds exciting, right. Indeed it is, however, first I have to clean the refrigerator. And the house. We have a friend who will move in the day we vacate. He’ll take care of the house and our cat, Elli. Things have to be tidy. Then it’s likely we’ll have to open and spruce up the house we move into on Protection Island, WA.

I spent about five days organizing the fiber projects to pack. I settled on a cable sweater I am knitting for myself, a fair isle sweater (for me too), card weaving, pin loom weaving and a lace shawl. Throw in a few baby gifts and you can understand why I am leaving my violin home. I vacuum sealed the yarn the other night.

Today I spent the total of about an hour choosing the clothes I will wear for the next three months. I’ve got my priorities straight, plus I should have 2 new sweaters while I am away. Must remember a hat to protect me from guano. Then I organized the medicines and medical supplies we might need. Finally I packed our electronics. We are all set.

And away we go.

Spring contrasts

April 13, 2017April 13, 2017 / one2travelfar / 1 Comment

We had a last visit from old man winter, with a wet heavy snowfall. Tim, is my intrepid snowman. I didn’t even have to manhandle the snow blower for this one.

Instead I headed south to an acupuncture conference in Pittsburg, which is a much nicer city than I expected. Food was great, but keep in mind I live in a town with only one restaurant. My hotel room overlooked the convergence of three rivers and there were lovely walks along their shores, even if the weather was a bit dreary.

Trees were flowering and daffodils were in full bloom.

I had to travel to Long Island for a sad gathering and we stayed in a motel where they had an unimaginative decorating scheme. The room had two of the same pictures, but one was hung upside down for variety. Hmmm.

I returned home to confused weather. The temperature rose to 60 degrees but ice floes and snow piles remain for a little bit longer but

there is hanky panky in the air. Different birds show up every day, bluebirds have been sighted, peepers are peeping, phoebes are phoebeeing, and our local Toms are strutting their stuff. Love is in the air.

March came and went as a lion

April 1, 2017April 1, 2017 / one2travelfar / Leave a comment

Another spring snow storm. Not a blizzard but lots of wet, heavy snow bending trees and fences, and obscuring views. It is in juxtaposition to spring blooms indoors.

Looks like “we” will be manhandling the snow blower again. Especially since Tim has a small concert here tonight. I need a break from my latest endeavors anyway.

I fell into a rabbit hole that held a pin loom. These are small hand held looms that make small woven squares. But they are addicting. One website I found said they are just like potato chips, you can’t make just one.

Now I’m puzzling over piecing them into a baby garment. I found my 1930’s edition of 2″ and 4″ looms on ebay and they even came with some finished blocks. The pattern books from that era are a hoot. I could make a coat for myself, blankets, rugs… The mind boggles.

After I made a couple of hats on my Passap knitting machine, it needed something else to do. Here’s a cotton blanket for a new baby.

These sweet blocks were a fun knit for a charity knitting project. I finally found and joined a fiber guild. Who cares if it meets an hour away – at night. A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. So many talented fiber artists there.

Here’s another obsessive project. I knit 6 strips on, ahem, my other knitting machine, 3 at a time, then wove them into this cute little ball. OK, maybe I have a bit of cabin fever.

And we can never have enough rugs. Really, I am trying to reduce my stash. I had these sock loops and even had some unused warp. They go together nicely. The classes I took at Red Stone Fiber Glen have paid off. I can dress a loom with finesse these days.

The stash I am not using has been squished so at least the volume, if not the quantity, has been reduced. Tim picked up 5 gallon, lidded spackle buckets for me and I stored my 3 clean fleeces in them. For another day. Maybe next March?