Definitely a rainy Spring is in the air. . .

Winter isn't over yet but spring has arrived early here.  (Making lemonade when I get  lemons.)

Yes, it is still raining . . .

I was almost afraid to go out in the rain today and take photos because my camera was just back from Olympus because of moisture problems I had before. BUT I DID!  I like the rain drops I captured on this budding tree. . . CLICK on to enlarge.  If you  enlarge this as big as it is, you can see MY reflection in the raindrop!  I was so surprised to find this out!

My camera is back!!!!!!!!!

I made these last week for our apartment building.  Because of  illegal use of personal information, the Vancouver Housing Authority won't give us the names of  those who have birthdays each month of the 150 plus residents that live in our 9 story building.  Thus, we have decided to make it a general monthly greeting and I  got ëlected"to make the posters for the glass enclosed bulletin board.  I did buy the sparkly edge paper but everything else I already had.  Some I like better than others.  I also laminated each one so they will be useful for years to come. CLICK on to enlarge if you want to see them larger.  Thanks for being patient while page loads.


I got the call tonight at 5:00 PM that my camera was ready to be picked up.  If I could get there before 6:00, I could have it tonight.  Of course, I went to get it.  I am so happy to have my friend back! Thus, I can show you my latest project!

Meeting an author. . .

I had the privilege of meeting an author in Port Orchard (at their public library) one evening while I was visiting son and family.  DIL took me.  She had read his book and I  almost got it read before we went the second day I was in Port Orchard.  (It was a long book and I had to take time to "walk my camera too.")  I bought my own copy and re-read it from the beginning twice!  He autographed it. The book Richard LeMieux wrote is called "Breakfast at Sally's" and is about his experience being homeless in the Bremerton/Port Orchard area.  He traveled with his little dog and he says that he will be writing a children's book about his dog next. I did not get to meet his little dog as it had  passed away just recently.  IF you have not read this book, I highly recommend it.

Book cover credit from Google on internet since I have no working camera. . .

Harborside Fountain Park in Bremerton, Washington

We walked here (where I also found many beautiful benches I have already shown on my bench blog -- remember the blue ones?)before we went to the Naval Museum nearby. It was raining; my camera was not extending the lens and I was one unhappy camper thinking I would not get any photos at all. Thus, a few are better than none. I hope to revisit here one day when I am visiting in Port Orchard again. I will know how to go myself on the foot ferry and can take my time. . . one day . . .

PS The stairs is a water fountain. . . the water just trickled down the stairs.

Birthday week memories

Grandson in high school is quite the cook.  Among other things that he made especially for me, during my birthday week visit,was this lemon pie.  I was waiting for it to cool but my son had to have a piece so he took out of refrigerator and cut a slice so . . . I did too --that's why the bottom looks a bit juicy -- was not cooled enough!   IT SURE DID TASTE GOOD THO!

Dancing of the worms. . .

Look closely at the snowy branches. . . NO WE DID NOT GET MORE SNOW --this is from the end of December, our only snow day.  Ok, so do you see the "snow worms" dancing on the branches?  CLICK on to enlarge to see the show!

Late December 2009 view of Mt. Hood

Today, we had the bluest skies ever in a very long time! Mount Hood looked the same as it did in the end of December when I took this photo.  For so long, with all our rain, it has been invisible with the  overcast skies.

An invitation . . .

If it hadn't been raining, I might have gone down the steps to play in the water. . . looked so inviting! This was still during my trip to Port Orchard for my birthday.

Snowflake bush . . .

On the bed of snow, I see a bush that looks like a snowflake!  Am I  missing snow or what?

Do you see the "white rabbit"on the limb?

Look carefully and you will see a snowshoe rabbit made of snow on the limb.  Isn't it cute?

Wasn't that long ago that. . .

I showed you this snowy  path I walked on at Stewart Glen along Burnt Bridge Creek. . . since we have had no further snowfalls this winter, it bears repeating. . . HOW I WISH we could get another snowstorm before winter is over. . . BUT it is going to be 60 degrees later today!  sigh  Nice weather for walking in but without a camera, good time to stay home and get some housework done.  Ü

I would just like to see at least one more snowfall this winter so that the tree above in our apartment complex (but facing neighborhood apartments)yard could be once more covered with snow. How beautiful thy branches, covered in white in winter. . .

This is what I would like to see again . . .

This is what I would like to see more of this winter. . . wondering if we ever willl?  Maybe it is waiting for my camera to get back from repair shop?  Do ya think?

O Columbia, How beautiful you are in winter . . .

I am using this as my screen saver on my new computer.  I love to see the strength of the waves of water even tho they are not high waves.  This was taken just as winter was coming to Vancouver this year.

The old red barn in Port Orchard . . .

It was hard to get a photo of this barn without going onto their property but I was determined so it is kinda leaning uphill.  I liked the door design. . .

What's that noise?

I was taking photos of the other side of the waterway in Port Orchard/Bremerton area with its fog and clouds and colorful houses when I heard this loud noise. . . 

I looked  to my left, zoomed in and spotted the speed boat crashing through the water.  The tree reflections aren't half bad either!   The mist hung on all day long.  CLICK on photos for  details.

Boat Ramp in Port Orchard

On my first walk by myself, I found a boat ramp. ( Along the way, I found many benches for my bench blog also.) CLICK on to enlarge to see more details of ramps, shore, reflections and the stormy clouds.

Is 3 inches all we get this winter?

I guess if the Olympics in the "other Vancouver" doesn't have  enough snow for the Winter Olympics starting this Friday without trucking it in, we aren't going to get any either. . . sigh . . . glad I still have photos to look at from our three inches we got back in late December.  It's not fair that the east coast got all our snow this year!

Salmonberry Creek in Port Orchard

Near my son's home in Port Orchard is Salmonberry Creek . . .
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It is just one neighbor's yard over from his home. . .

I guess that's why the road my son's address is on Salmonberry Creek Road!

Wishful thinking . . .

This is how our ONE (1) snowstorm this winter began. . . With everyone back east getting multitudes of snow they don't want, I don't know why the weather doesn't co-operate and give us a second snow day this winter.  I am so sad. . . The above was not a blizzard three days after Christmas -- it was rather pleasant to walk in.  This is part of the replica of Fort Vancouver during our one snow storm of the winter. . . sigh

Portland Skyline Across the Columbia

Taken in early December when we had nice weather. . . plane looks like it is heading for Portland International but it really came across the river and landed at Pearson Airfield in Vancouver.

Down one hill and up another in downtown Port Orchard

My DIL drove me downtown one day while I was there and I walked back to their home. I started by climbing this hill for the view and then headed down the street towards home. When I got to the edge of town where the country starts, I saw this house on the hill and admired it from afar.

Library mural in Port Orchard

It's a beautiful scene of the water from the dock.  CLICK to enlarge.

To cross the street as a pedestrian when there is no traffic light signal. . .

You take an orange flag and hold it up as you walk across the street.  All cars must stop until you have completely crossed.  There were only two flags left on this post so a lot of people had already crossed the street.  I don't know what you do if there are no flags left -- probably walk a few blocks to the traffic light.  That's what I did because I was afraid to use a flag to cross the street.

Port of Bremerton

As the sign says, the observation deck is in Port Orchard and that is in the Port of Bremerton and that is in the Kitsap Peninsula.  Are you confused yet? Did you notice the bench? Port Orchard had a bench on every corner and some in between! It's hard to take many photos without one in it. My kind of paradise. . . Ü Don't let that little patch of blue make you think the sky was sunny -- it wasn't and when I took the photo, it was raining too.

Half a barn???????

Now, what I am wondering is the reason why they only built half of it. . . Plenty of room for the other half. . . Never saw anything like this in all my  life!