Ice and fallen trees came with the snow. . .

This is the icy pond near the Walmart store where I braved the slippery roads and went to buy food we didn't have to cook.

If you CLICK on to enlarge this one, you will see the ice better.  Sand trucks had helped to melt some of the snow but if froze again with temperatures in the teens.

This was only one large branch I saw along the road.  Reports of many trees falling and crashing into house roofs was horrible.  I am glad we were safe and only had to complain about being cold.

Busy neighbors. . .

Too busy eating to even pose for the camera. . .They live across the street where I go to pick up the mail for my son and family.

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. . .

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Kitsap Peninsula -Port Orchard Boat Dock in January 2010

I found one other photo that captured some blue sky during my visit to my son's home in Port Orchard!  It was only briefly blue here and that is why I decided to capture the scene.

Rainbow seen going to Bremerton on foot ferry

CLICK on photos to see rainbow better.

I was peeking out the entrance on the ride to Bremerton when I spotted this rainbow, so I got brave, stood up and went out on deck and shot the next photo.

I don't know the origin of this totem pole but it is there near the dock to greet you as you enter the side of town closest to where my son and family live.

Foot Ferry between Port Orchard and Bremerton

CLICK on photo to see details better.

This is the ferry we rode to visit Bremerton.  It is called a foot ferry because no vehicles are allowed on it.  You park before you board. It has two floors and lots of long benches to sit on.  In nice weather, there are more ornate benches to sit on for a few people in the back of the ferry outside.  (See my bench blog. . .

benches tomorrow )I did not go around to the front outside  but the photo looks like there are some there also.

The only patch of blue all week in Port Orchard. . .

See that patch of blue in the sky?  I discovered it on my first walk (back to son's home from a boat dock) in Port Orchard.  It didn't last long as the rains came back within the hour of first seeing this patch of blue.  I know the photo is terrible with all the wires but that is the only way I could capture the blue we momentarily had.  Maybe the wires segment it off to show you how little much better than if they weren't there. . .

Here, I zoomed in so it looked like we had lots of blue sky.  haha  If you believe that, I have some seashore property to sell you in Nevada.  haha  It rained every single day I was in Port Orchard but I got lots of walks in anyway in spite of it all.  I was happy to find out that I had not missed any snow when I returned to Vancouver.