Running Away For The Day

We needed to get back to Whidbey Island on a sunny dry day, first to finish up some gardening chores, and then to just enjoy a warm day at the beach. With a forecast for 60 degrees we knew that this was the day. We stopped first at Jake's house in Seattle to deliver a pot full of primroses for his front porch. We do try to beautify his life now and then. Heading north, we had only a short wait for the next ferry at the Mukilteo crossing. The clouds were thin and high, so the mountains were out. At the beach garden the daffodils we planted last fall had burst into bloom. We had some competition from the action across the road, where the new cabins were getting their septic systems installed. They did stop during our lunch break on the deck. It was so quiet and peaceful.

With the work done, we walked over to the beach. We checked out the driftwood

and the shells,

and the wild life. This immature eagle was also enjoying the beach.

Gulls, terns, and crows added their "music" to the scene. The tide was partially out, and with no wind, the water was still.

Across the channel I saw this heron acting strangely, in a pose I'd never seen before.

Then I noticed there were two herons, who were apparently having a face off. It is that time of the year. Slowly the second heron turned and sauntered away, until, after a safe distance, it took flight.

(Click in photo to see these guys all puffed up.)

It is hard to capture in words or photos the scene, the quiet, the serenity, with only the crunch of the sand under foot, an occasional far off plane engine, the fluttery song of the rafts of birds on the bay, occasionally interrupted by the thrashing of wings and water, as a group of surf scoters took flight and then landed again.

Back at the cabin we sat in the sun and talked a bit, and then went for a walk on the dike, along the lagoon.

Again the quiet was punctuated only by the occasional bird song or duck quack. The wild cherry tree was in glorious bloom.

We returned home in the late afternoon, beating the traffic. I'm feeling very lazy. Tomorrow we'll get back to our to-do lists, but for today, it was great to have a day off. That includes not cooking. We're off for a burger.