April 2016
The last week in April I spent on Whidbey Island, 15 minutes off Seattle by ferry, where Jenny and Mac moved last December. A dawn flight got me to Seattle around 8:30 and Charlie met me at the light rail station close to her condo and we drove to the Mukilteo ferry landing. A 15 minue ride and we disembarked, and the Massey/McAuliffe manse was maybe 8 miles away.A lcooler trip there never was. Charlie didn’t let on how short it was and I was starved and bought a muffin and coffee. Hardly two bites later we were there!
Jenny had sent many photos but it is better to experience the real thing, and I loved it. What a lovely house and setting. A big open main space with kitchen, dining and living all in one and an incomparable view from a bank of windows. Bird feeders close to the dining room windows were aswarm with American Goldfinch, Pine Siskin, Dark-eyed Junco, Spotted Towhee, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-winged and Brewer’s Blackbird. A hummingbird feeder off the living area was hosting an Anna’s male. And a vase of wisteria and red poppies on the dining table was a must painting subject.
I had my own spacious room with bath downstairs and it was all so comfortable and lovely. Charlie, Jenny and I took a great walk in the afternoon along Useless Bay where waterbirds were varied and close. (Useless is very shallow, would never take a ship.) Osprey fishing, Green-winged Teal, Double-crested Cormorant, Common and Hooded Merganser all cruising around.
Jen is a developing birder and Charlie was as fast as ever and made a list of everything we saw. What fun that was.
Next day (Sunday) Alex and Cam and the kids arrived and we had a warm reunion. Hadn’t seen them in 16 months, and Beau had changed the most, now a busy toddler who talks non-stop and in a language only his family can understand.
Junie was as alert and engaging as ever and we read stories from the ‘Tall Book of Make Believe’ that I had brought. How I love my family.
The week was full of great walks – to Ebey Landing where seabirds bobbed right offshore, to Double Bluff Beach, thru the patch of rain forest in their neighbor’s lot. A visit to Marley Eidness, Jenny’s old friend from Junior High who plays violin and does unusual sculpture. A show of her work has just opened on the island.I can’t upload a photo but her website is worth visiting.
We had one meal out. I wanted seafood and there was a good restaurant right at the ferry landing in Seattle, so we ferried across the strait and were there. A table by the window overlooking the water was simply special. I had my binocs (of course) and Jen and Mac seemed to love the experience of seeing Barrow’s Goldeneye and Pigeon Guillemots float close by the windows.We could see them in detail, a good thing as they are black-and-white seabirds. On the way back there was a most gorgeous sunset. Looking at the photo I can really see how much I have shrunk!
On the last day we drove into Seattle and met Charlie for a tour of her workplace – the Gates Foundation. Mighty impressive, elegant facility with all the percs to keep the employees happy. We met her group who seem very compatible and interesting. Then to Ballard where we visited with Alex and the kids (Cam was at the opening of a play at Seattle Rep; she has a new job there). Had marvelous Vietnamese take-out and another lovely playtime with the great-grandkids.
I came home aglow and will go back any time I get asked!