Slow walks

 

Raspberries are ripe!

Back on Kodiak I am in the midst of rehabbing my torn hamstring.  It is a slow process!  But the good news is that I can now go on fairly long, if slow hikes.  Steep uphills are still a little much, but Abercrombie is mostly flat and I've been doing long winding circuits about the park with Bode.  

I've been bringing along my camera and taking lots of pictures as I go.  There have been bears spotted in the park, and there are big scary signs at the entrance so I've largely had the park to myself.  Yesterday Bode actually found a bear (I think - he certainly went nuts barking - but I never actually saw the bear). I was relieved that he just barked and did not try and play with the bear.  The bears also seem to like the areas of the park where there are lots of berries.  So I have been avoiding those areas.

Yesterday I also noticed nesting puffins flying to and from the steep cliffs at Piedmont Point.  I tried to get pictures of them flying but they were too fast.  I'll try again today!

Patrick

Horned puffins - I noticed them nesting in Abercrombie yesterday

2 baby warblers that have been in my yard quite a bit of late

Salmonberry

Baby yellow warbler - I almost got a picture of the bright yellow parent

Goldeneye

A 'Sail by' In Honor of George

Later in the day, after the ash spreading ceremony, there was a boat parade memorial service for George.  All the boats put flags in their rigging and sailed (some motored) from one end of the Thoroughfare to the other.  It was a windy day and a bit of a chaotic scene at first.  And then all the boats spread out into a long parade and leaned into the wind - all the flags and pennants flapping.  It made for a spectacular sight and George would have loved it.

After the 'sail by' there was a 'tea' at the dock, and George's son Cam fired a canon.  All and All a good send off for George.  He really did mean a lot to a lot of people.  We'll miss him.

Patrick

Barred Islands Picnic

 

Our final picnic was to the Barred Islands.  They are called the 'Barred' Islands because at low tide the islands are all connected by sand bars.  I had not gone there on a picnic since I was a kid.  I remembered exploring the lower intertidal zone and there was pink coral.  That was like 40 years ago!

On this trip Stewart's brother Robbie came along.  I once researched art for Robbie in London back in the day.  That was when I lived in London and got around town on roller blades.  I'd wear cut off blue jean shorts and would go into art galleries with my roller blades in a backpack.  Anyway, it was fun to reminisce. 

We picnicked at a spectacular beach that had 2 sides.  There were lots of sand dollars along the high tide line.  The tide was coming in and on the side we parked the boats the water was freezing.  But on the other side there was a sort of mud hole that filled with water on the rising tide, and the warm mud and sand heated the water as it filled up.  It was like a swimming pool.  Nora, Stuey and I had an extended swim.  We found the warmest water was in the seaweed patches, and would sort of just lay in them like seals and enjoy the warmth.

Patrick

Goodbye George

 

My stepfather George Lewis passed away in May and I missed his funeral in June.  So it meant a lot to me to attend his ash spreading ceremony at sea.  We all went on a sail in the Rose and spread his ashes along with rose petals into Penobscot Bay.  Goodbye George.