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Friday   March 23   2007

On Saturday, March 24th, the Saturday Walking Club will be visiting the Dorothy Cleveland Trail at Possession Point. This trail goes up hill through old, big leaf maples, and stops at the ridge running along the top of the hill where there is a bench and an overview through the trees to the water. Speaking of the big leaf maples, we live in an area of big trees. Along Deception Pass, where once one could see the water out beyond the woods, now Doug Firs have grown up and obscured the view. On the Dorothy Cleveland Trail, much the same thing has happend. A very nice viewing bench sits at the top of the trail, facing what was once a lovely view to the south,over the water, before the maples below began reaching their full size. So the question, should the trees be cut to enhance the view opportunities for humans? " The mandate is both for recreation and for preservation of habitat. Balancing those two competing goals becomes very difficult. Which is more important, the visitor experience or allowing natural processes to continue?" is how Marianne Edain phrases the question. What do you think? Please feel free to comment, by clicking below, to share your ideas. Comment by Jan Hughes: Left up to me, we would never cut no trees nohow nowhere not ever. I am genetically, rigidly, unchangeably programmed to be a tree hugger lover. In the Clinton neighborhood, Gedney View Lane off Humphrey Road, a first-sighting-hummingbird alighted at the peak of a 50-foot fir on April Fool's Day. Popper the Pomeranian entertained the Ala Spit Adventure Saturday March 31st. He was in Diana's temporary care and showed bouncing agility climbing over driftwood and prancing along sand trails. He even sat quietly when four of us became bumps on a log, telling tales to one another while others of the group ranged far up the beach until they were specks in the distance. Further Comment: In looking at the news today, unfortunately for members of the current administration, some of the tree cutting that has been allowed at public expense in the national forests will have to go back to the "bad old days" of needing to go through an environmental impact assessment first.... Perhaps we're finally regaining our sanity on some of these issues.  01:51 PM - link -

Tuesday   March 13   2007

Saint Patrick's Day: known to many as the day the hummingbirds return, (and the whales!) Interesting how nature times these things. The Saturday Club will meet at 2 PM in Oak Harbor and while there march in the St. Paddy's day parade! Afterwards, we'll have a St Paddy's Potluck at Leah's. Now, this is not the Mountaineers, but it is fun, a great time to get out of the house, and I am sure will be a memorable outing for all concerned.  01:26 PM - link -

Wednesday   March 7   2007

The trip on Saturday will be on an old trail near Lake Hancock. Some day we hope this can come into the county trail system. Meet at Greenbank Farm near the pond at 12:45. We saw a lot of wonderful birds last Saturday at Padilla Bay, and now that we recognize them all, we are sure to see a lot more on this hike! Wednesday, March 14th, Hughes said Hiking to Hancock Saturday March 10th was an ankle buster: loose beach rocks underfoot. One walker tried driftwood logs for stability on the return trip. For us midwesterners, seeing a true estuary was a new experience in vocabulary and understanding. Undertow: do not, Elaine strongly cautioned, give in to temptation and go wading in the stream. But oh, it looked so fun! She, and also another native of this area, said I'd end soundly in the Sound somewhere! Thanks for your feedback, Jan, and I'm glad you decided against a swim, I'll wager the water would have been a bit cold!  09:34 AM - link -

Monday   March 5   2007

I appreciate your comments... (click on the "comments" bar to see them.) My father started walking 5 miles a day when he turned 50. Now that he is approaching 80 he cut all the way back to 3 miles.... every day, rain or shine. (View his comment attached to February 28) So, in our area March is, indeed,coming in like a lion. The dusting of snow may have been a surprise for some of the early blooming daffodils, (and their owners!) One friend spent the morning shaking snow off the boughs of the rhodies, so they wouldn't freeze, and the afternoon wondering whether the snow was actually a form of insulation, and she'd made the freeze more likely! If you have special tricks for getting your plants safely through a late snow, please share them with us.  09:30 AM - link -