A Working Vacation

It was a quick trip we made to the island.  We had work to do there.

But the good thing about working there is that you get to be there, on Whidbey Island. This time of the year it is very quiet, with the occasional scolding from the gull on a neighboring roof. 

 There was grass to cut,

 and a neglected garden to clean up. This is the "after".  The "before" was ugly. 

 And after about three hours of work, we took a few minutes to sit and contemplate the lagoon.

 I walked over to the bay side of the road.  Passing the front garden I decided it looked pretty good now. 

 The persistent fog lifted enough late in the day to expose the thin layer of clouds.

 Rafts of water fowl floated on the glassy bay.

 This morning the fog lifted outside about the same way as it lifted in my head - slowly.

 More projects - Tom made some adjustments to the roof of his shed.

 I washed the plastic deck furniture so it would be ready to stow away.

 We both planted tulip bulbs in the front garden. There was no sitting by the lagoon today.

 Except for this heron, who spent quite a bit of time perched on an old piling. 

 After lunch we tidied up the cabin, and then the work was done.  It was time for a walk on the dike along the lagoon. 

 Apple seedlings long ago escaped from an ancient orchard and now grow on the dike. 

 Most of the blackberries are long gone, but a late crop persists here and there. 

 My zoom lens spies out peek-a-boo views. 

 My favorite madrone tree. 

 I love the subtle colors of the autumnal fields and wet lands. 

 Well, hello there, you on your perch.

 Good bye. 

 Looking back across the lagoon to the Sunlight Beach road "cabins". 

 Turn around time. A view of the dike from across the lagoon in the cabin back yard.

 The sky was lightening as the fog lifted, so we crossed the road to visit the beach.  There were loons in the bay!

 Fog and clouds battle the sun over the distant Olympic Mountains.

We are back home in Seattle tonight.  We feel both tired and rested.  So it is with a trip to our island.