Easy chair take over

Has this guy got it made or what?! No, the glass of wine was not poured for Casey, but he's co-opted the easy chair because he's figured his favorite Frisbee tosser will be in close proximity to the nearby glass of 2005 La Baronne. Pretty smart guy.

Spring is in the air, well most of it

The sights and sounds of spring were all over the neighborhood today.

Blooming shrubs and flowers (many we still can't name), neighbors and youngsters venturing out of hibernation (with Casey working them for a rubdown), and Mr. Robin...

Well he was back too.


L

Leaving his first tiny carbon footprint of the season...in plain sight.

Careful of the edible flourishes

So what's so interesting at the last breakfast sitdown at the B and B? Why are the guest cell phones and Androids snapping away at an edible flower garnish in the fruit cocktail?

Pure protein

Familiar digs

Be it ever so humble, Casey has no trouble at all settling back into the old routine of, well, settling in.

A favorite rawhide chew, his newest favorite squeeky tennis ball, and just coming and going as he pleases. Three days in the San Juans was fun but, come on, there's just no place like home.

Wrapping it up in the San Juans

The last day on the archipelago was a mini-rush - breakfast at Harrison House, a ferry stop at Orcas Island for a hike, a shot or two of espresso, bookstore and shop browsing, and then back on the Hyak for home.

 

The Art of Coffee in Eastsound is a must during a layover on Orcas Island. Located in Darvill's Bookstore is the draw, but the Pegasus roast that's served up is the real hook, an irresistable slow-roasted blend from Bainbridge Island.

 Orcas Landing

 Heading back to the mainland, until the fall. 

Friday Harbor twilight

MV Hyak, arriving

From the vantage point of a deck off of a different room in Harrison House, smaller but with a great view of the ferry landing and harbor, the final run of the Super Class ferry, MV Hyak, seemed like the only show in town.

Casey couldn't have cared less, but a murder of crows took up perches in a nearby tree as if it was reserved seating.

But even with all this sunset excitement, the fact that the weather has hung it there for the third consecutive day, hasn't been lost on us. Go figure, we should have easily been wielding umbrellas by now.



 

The Hyak, loaded up and eastbound


 

Hike to a coastline overlook

Today's weather hit the 60s on San Juan Island and it was partly cloudy, so we are really on borrowed time as far as fair conditions go. Our next stop was Lime Kiln Point, a prime spot for whale watching, but our only sighting was a stray seal.


We got to wear ourselves out though with a respectable hike to an awesome coastal viewpoint at the 1919 Lime Kiln Lighthouse, now part of a whale sanctuary and research station.





Tomorrow might be more of an indoor day with showers moving in, but no complaints here.           

Any guesses? Anyone...Bueller?

The second day of spring - and a sunny one at that - in Friday Harbor. Just couldn't help getting a shot of this pollen wasp, on whatever kind of flowering foliage this happens to be...any guesses?  

Island trip

The ferry MV Kaleetan waited at the Anacortes ferry dock this afternoon for another load of westbound cars and passengers.

The visibility and weather were superb, and conditions couldn't have been more favorable for a much needed San Juan Island getaway.

Mt Baker

One problem though, we hadn't planned to be in the standby boarding lane for embarking - just more cars than usual, and the weather beckoning. 

The next departure for Friday Harbor was scheduled to leave in four hours, so we just had to get on board with this lineup of cars. Had to think positive.

Blue Herons forraging portside

And you know what, we must have been living right, because there was just enough room for one more Prius.

Pulling up the rear...and away from the dock.

Are we there yet?

Hearth pals

Cool and cooler winter-like evenings are becoming less and less frequent, so too the need to be running the gas fireplace each night. Sorry guys...your seasonal snuggling, if not the comic relief, will definitely be missed.

Ahem...anyone?

Hel-lo...What's a guy gotta do around here to get let outside?

Back to the future: Retro tosses

While on the desktop archives today we found this long, lost video clip. Our 1 1/2 year-old Frisbee novice really showed some promise during a trip to California back in 2009. He's a master at it now now.



Two sisters kickin back

There's nothing as therapeutic as just kickin' back on a Friday night with your favorite blogs and stroking the nearest needy kitty. Just Vic and Stella, and late night chillin'.

If a tree falls

Today we came upon a casualty of our recent stormy weather, a spruce tree well over 150 feet tall, that was toppled during our unseasonably windy weather last week.

And from the looks of things, it didn't matter if anyone was there to hear it or not, it must have made one heck of a sound. 

Vic and Casey are pictured here, waaay down at the other end of the spruce.

Wearin' of the green..and blue?

Just in time for St Patrick's Day, the first of our blooms, a Blue Spring Hyacinth and what looks to be several of its siblings. This group was kind of special because the bulbs were in sorry shape, and replanted to this part of the yard to see if they would make it.

And what do you know, there is actually some good news today,
right outside our front door.