Winter wren takes over swallow nest

I guess one of the four swallow nests under our patio won't be home to swallows this year. This nest is the closest one to our door and we have been noticing lots of wren activity. Building upon the mud nest of the swallow, the wrens have added a huge amount of moss, small sticks, and feathers.

Temperature Rises Above 50

Well, that is what they are saying on the radio. It has been a cold second half of March with at least two days of mixed rain and snow during the last 6. Sam is taking a 30 minute break from her thesis in order to get some vitamin D. I think she is planting leek starts.

Swallows came back today despite the cold. Wonderful to see their daring flight maneuvers again. We are curious if they will occupy the same four nests from last year that are under our front patio.

Yesterday I repaired the broken door on the "tool shed" down at Cedar Rock. I used found boards and some large carriage bolts to beef things up. New hinges and hasp. It is not currently locked which is probably fine.

Native American Science Kids Visit Preserve

On a cold March morning, a boatload of nine Native American high school kids interested in science came over from Canoe Island. They are visiting and doing field work in the San Juans for about a week. We talked about Cedar Rock Preserve and some of its natural history as we walked up from the Squaw Bay orchard into the small woodland behind the house. There was a lot of talk about the role of deer and we spent time looking at the level of browse on different types of vegetation. A great group to host!

More Hidden Garbage Gets "The Bag"

This pile was covered up with branches and was very dificult to see from the path. I've hauled off 4 bags already and it looks as if I'll need about 3 more. I'm also noticing a lot of old pilings (creasote!) and chuncks of pressure treated wood on our beaches. Yuk! Toxic stuff!

Waldron Grasses Find Home on Shaw

Sam and I had some extra Elymus glaucus and Bromus sitchensis plugs left over from the Disney restoration project. Not wanting to let them dry out and die, we decided to find some suitable places to plant them. An obvious spot was the bare ground around the disturbed area were the septic repair had taken place.

The remaining 1/3 of the grasses were planted in an area of exposed soil between the driveway loop and the house garden. In this location Sam had recently dug up some exotic yucca.

First 5 Minute Poem: Dead Deer

Sam has been thinking about adding "5 minute poems" to the blog. I think it is a great idea except I don't write too many poems. Maybe I'll dust off some my old ones or maybe I'll get inspired to write some new ones. Anyway, I like this one that Sam wrote.

Dead Deer

I had walked around it for months

Not looking at it

Avoiding the smell

It had died right on the trail

Unlike the ones that had died in the grass, this one was

Slowly melting away

The birds had not found it

“They must have smelled it” he said

But they would not come into the trees

So instead of a sky burial, this one was turning

into the ground on which it lay.

Its frame only a shell

with holes in it.

Its bones were starting to show.

It was cold now, January,

and it no longer smelled.

I talked my eyes into looking.

In that half-light of the woods in winter,

I could only barely make out where the skin ended

and the earth began. It’s neck was arched,

head towards the tree.

Its dying pose.

(Sam)

January 2008

I took this photo back in September while piloting the Raven from Squaw Bay to Cowlitz Bay. This is what Sam and I call the "big field". It is the field that used to have a airstrip.

Today I sampled some of the apples we picked in the west orchard. Still rot free but a little on the dry and rubbery side. Still more cleaning and organizing to do in the cottage though it is quite nice to have the "Costco" shed up. This shelter now houses the tractor.