Tag Archives: Nature

The World of Stanley and Sitka: A Cat’s Perspective

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Meow, Meow

Hi. Today we found Janet’s computer and decided we wanted to say hi.

We are Stanley, the Orange One and Sitka the “Water Boy”.

We live in a house with our friends. We are Canadian Kitties. One day a long time ago (or so it seems) our friends disappeared and Janet showed up. We don’t know where they went and we don’t know where Janet came from. Just like that, there was a change of people. This change was made to guarantee that our lives go as uninterrupted as possible. And, we are good with that.

I am Stanley. I am an orange boy. I have heard people say that I am different because of my color. I would like you to know that I am different because that is how I was made. I am a mush. I like to be petted and skritched. Sometimes I follow Janet around. This way, I can be sure to get enough of everything I need at any given moment.

Janet appears bothered when I try to chew on this machine. This also happens with other machines that she has around. I know I wouldn’t chew on them if she paid more and more attention to me. Today she had a serious talk with me about my chewing on her hands and arms. I laid there and looked at her with defiance in my eyes. Ha, I will show her. (I do like her….just don’t tell her that). Excuse me but I have to go curl up next to her.

Oh, one more thing, I have the best whiskers. They are long and curly and strong. It is one of my best features well, except my belly and my color. I am a handsome boy.

I am Sitka and I am a White Water Boy. I love water. I really, really, really love water. I like it in the sink, shower and toilet and anywhere else I can think of finding it. Water is my life blood. When Janet turns the sprinklers on outside, I go and sit under the spray. I stay there until I am wet all over. I really love water. Janet told me the other day that she had to ring my tail out before I can come in side. Hee Hee.

My coat is always clean and white and I bet you know why. Water. It keeps me so clean and fresh. When one is a white kitty this is important.

I like being aloof and independent. I will never be like Stanley, he grovels way too much. For the first several days I let Janet let me in and out. I even let her pick me up to come into the house. I don’t like to come in when I am outside. Other than that I stay out of her way because I am aloof. I am a kitty.

Now that Janet has been here for a while I am warming up to her. She is actually pretty nice. I found out that if I lay on my back on the sidewalk she will rub my belly. It feels really good so now I let her do that more often. I also like when she talks to me in her kind and soft voice. OK so she is not the bad. One day she brought us treats from the Farmers Market. Even though I usually don’t like treats, I found that I like those treats. Janet is not that bad to have around.

I like to walk the neighborhood. It consists of three houses and a walkway to the beach. Everywhere I go I meet up with water. I am glad I live next to the ocean.I love water. Sometimes if I wander too far the crows find me and harass me until I get back to my house. They can be such a bother.

From both of us…we are pleased to meet you and tell you a little about our life in the north country. Janet tells us our friends that live here all the time will be back soon. That will be fun to see them again. In the meantime, it is nice to have Janet here. She ensures we are loved. We are also taken care of in the manner to which we are accustomed.

We are after all, Cats.

Exploring the Northwest: Travels and House-Sitting

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I have not been very faithful to this blog lately. I have been traveling and enjoying experiences. Lately, people ask me where I am. I decided that it is time to let you in on my current spring and summer plans.

I drove north through Oregon and Washington, visiting friends along the way. It was nice to catch up with friends as I continued to Whidbey Island, WA.

I spent two summers house sitting for good friends on Whidbey. They went off camp hosting in the beautiful wilds of this country. I took care of their lovely home overlooking Puget Sound. Night after night the sunsets never let me down.

I met this little brown song sparrow while I was there, Birdy Boy. We have maintained a friendship over time and distance. We met on the deck in 2021. I have never had a friendship with a bird before. I returned in 2022. There he was, still waiting to resume our friendship. We picked up where it had left off the year before. Two years later, 2024 I returned and there he was just like I had never left. This year I spent two nights with Sandy and Jim and, yes, Birdy Boy. He greeted me with singing. He hopped onto my feet, knees, arms, and hands. He sang away and caught me up on the past year. I am amazed that this has persisted over time and distance. My heart delights in this unique friendship.

Oh Canada

May 20th I crossed the border into Canada. It was a quick and clear crossover. I was welcomed. Then, I set off to catch the ferry to Vancouver Island. I will be spending the next few months here. First stop was a beautiful campground near Victoria, Pedder Cove. I managed to slip into the water and kayak in this beautiful bay. I love all the hidden bays of the northwest.

Two days later I met up with 40 other Roadtreks at Sooke River Campground. Not a Rally, a Meetup ensued. For three nights and four days we gathered as a group and enjoyed each others company. I even found people to kayak with. It was fun to be around all the positive energy of a group of people. I reconnected with those I had met before and met new friends along the way. It was a good weekend and I am glad I encouraged myself to join up with this group of people.

Since the weekend I have been island hopping in the South Gulf Islands. Pender Island was a small outdoorsy island. When you go to Pender you look for things to do outdoors. I planned to put the kayak in the water. Instead, I hiked to the high summits on North and South Pender. Neither hike was long. Sometimes distance doesn’t matter, incline does. It is nice to know I still can do these climbs. I am thrilled to see the wonders at the end of the ascent.

My campground on Salt Sorings Island.

Salt Springs Island. was a much larger island. There are more people here, including many artists. People come to this island for the art. I managed to attend the Saturday Market. It was not a farmers market as much as it was an arts and crafts market. Did I find things to buy? Yes.

This past year I joined an organization, Trusted Housesitters. Starting this week, I will be taking care of two kitties, Stanley and Sitka. I’m house-sitting near Qualicum Beach, close to halfway up the island on the east side. It is a beautiful area. The best part is that I have a good friend who is a fellow photographer and lives there. Guess what we will be doing?

I am still new to this idea of house-sitting for people I don’t know. So the jury is still out on how much I will be choosing to do this. I am still deciding if this is a good fit for me. I like the idea of staying in one area for a more extended time. This way, I can explore more in depth and get to know the area. Maybe I will join a yoga class and have other opportunities to explore the local area.

Some of you have asked where I am. If you have been wondering, this is my current update on my spring and early summer plans. I followed the weather north. I enjoy meeting up with friends and like minded travelers. I like exploring the unknown.

Today I will meet up with the family that I will be cat sitting. The next day the owners leave for a cross Canada trip. I get the kitties and a home to nestle in for a few weeks.

I am thankful for my continuing adventurous spirit. I am thankful that I push myself to explore the unknown. I am thankful for family and friends. Even if they question my sanity, they continue to support me and my life choices.

Today I am Thankful.

Travel Stories of Change: My Unplanned Adventures

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This spring, summer, and fall of travel continues to be a year of flexibility and change.

I make plans, and they change. New plans are almost cemented in place; they change.

I hated planning. It would drive Jim, my husband, nuts. He would almost have to corner me before I would commit. Once a plan was implemented, moving forward and getting excited was easier. But committing to a plan? That was hard.

It began last winter with an itty-bitty infection that decided to hang around and hang around. Driving to Alaska was out, and I started waiting. Waiting to see if the infection would return. It did, more than once. One day, I decided that waiting was not how I wanted to spend my summer.

I made plans, and off I went to Vancouver Island, BC. I visited with friends, saw amazing things, and participated in fun activities. I also attended a workshop on Cortes Island for a week. Throughout the week, I hiked, sailed, kayaked, and learned about the rainforest. I will never see lichen, moss, and green things the same again.

I grew bolder and planned a ten-day trip to Haida Gwaii, formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands. I traveled by long ferry rides to the land of totem poles, rainforests, and whales. I saw interesting things and left with a wealth of new information and a wish to return.

Upon my return to the mainland, I planned to take the ferry to Bella Coola, British Columbia, and drive “the hill” back to Washington state through BC. A landslide and flooding of the Chilcotin River stopped my plans. I returned to Vancouver Island and slowly headed south.

After returning to the United States, I volunteered with the Washington State Parks for three weeks. Well, that must have been planned. No, it was not. I applied for this position in June and never received a callback. As I was driving north into the wilds of Canada, I received a phone call. Someone had a “change of plans,” and the parks needed help with surveying. Doesn’t that sound familiar? I surveyed several state parks in the Seattle and western Washington state.

After volunteering, I planned to visit the Olympic Peninsula and slowly meander south. Did this happen? As you may well know by now, No, It Didn’t!

A good friend of mine, Mary, aka Zee, got in touch and was looking for a partner in fun to go on a few-week adventure along the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. The Range of Light.

We hiked, camped, and kayaked through early fall. We spent time in Virginia City, NV, and Bodie State Historical Park in northern CA—ghost towns of the mining era. Heading down the 395, my kayak experienced high mountain lakes while the aspen quaked yellow. Some days, we only traveled 30 miles before we found our next campsite for a few days.

We continued our southerly journey stopping to visit Manzanar National Historic Site, a World War II Japanese Internment Camp.

 “One Camp, Ten Thousand Lives; One Camp, Ten Thousand Stories.”

It is in a rather desolate area with a constant wind. I am glad Manzanar is being preserved as a reminder of a moment in American History.

Our last southerly stop was the Alabama Hills. The hills are a formation of rounded rocks and eroded hills set between the jagged peaks of the Sierra Nevada and the geologically complex Inyo Mountains. The same uplifting 100 million years ago shaped both geologic features. The hills are located west of Lone Pine.

In 1920, Hollywood filmmakers became interested in the Alabama Hills for its natural scenery. Since then, over 400 movies have been filmed here. The first movies were the westerns; Gunga Din, How the West Was Won, Hopalong Cassidy, Rawhide, Wagon Train, Have Gun Will Travel were among many films shot in the Hills.

I kept expecting to see John Wayne come riding out of the hills. Did you know he had to be taught how to ride a horse? Who else came out of those hills? Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Gary Cooper, Gene Autry, and any of the Singing Cowboys. But wait…there is more. No movie would be complete without the army riding in to save the day. But wait…there is the Lone Ranger and his faithful sidekick, Tonto, coming in to save the day.

When the hills were not filled with westerns, parts of Star Trek and other sci-fi films were produced in the hills. Well isn’t that cool. I love Sci-fi movies.

After traveling with Zee it was hard to say goodbye and become a solo traveler again. I traveled west through Yosemite National Park, visiting the valley floor and the Hetch Hetchy area of the park.

Hetch Herchy

I had planned to visit friends in Sonora and Cool, California, when I got a text. Oh no, can my plans change again? Yes!

Those who have followed my adventures know I occasionally house-sit and pet-sit for friends. You might remember Woody the Cat. Woody, Rocky the Dog, and my friend Mandy live in Salinas,

California. Mandy needed some assistance. She needs to spend her days with her dad and could use some help with her animals. I truly believe all we can do is help when we are asked. Plans changed again, and here I am in Salinas. I have been here for a few days and will be here as long as needed.

“All we can do is walk each other home.”

Currently, I have no plans! Well, I do plan to get my bike out and ride the marvelous paths in the Monterey area. I plan to put that kayak out in the Elkhorn Slough. But I am not planning beyond that. Well, yes, I am. That will be for another post.

This has been a year of flexibility and change. I am not always comfortable with change yet I realize that change will happen whether I am ready for it or not. This is life. This is my life. This is your life.

Today I am thankful for adventure and change and the excitement it can bring as I find new places to explore and new people to meet. Today I am thankful for my friends near and far who when needed I can reach out and help. Today I am thankful when friends reach out and help me.

Today, I am Thankful.

The Continuing Saga of the Little Brown Bird

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I left Whidbey Island in the middle of June shortly after Sandy and Jim arrived home. The night before I left I introduced them to my little song sparrow. By the end of daylight, it was sitting on Jim’s head and singing. I felt I left this bird in good hands.

Throughout the month that Sandy and Jim were home the relationship with this song sparrow continued. Sandy told me that as the time came closer to them leaving for their next campground hosting job they began to dissociate from him as they were concerned about how he would get along when the house was empty.

Robyn and Tom, the next-door neighbors, said they saw this charmer once about a week after the owners had left for their next hosting job in Yellowstone National Park. Then the bird was on his own.

I returned to Whidbey the first week of August. I arrived late in the afternoon, put my things down, and went out to the deck to see if a little brown sparrow was still about. Sure enough, just like that, there he was, singing and chitting just I like I had never left. I was so happy to see my bird. I felt like I was greeting a good friend.

Things were different between me and this sweet little bird. He no longer sat on my head and was often more comfortable sitting on the post near me and chitting rather than singing. One day I noticed he had only one tail feather. The next day both were gone. I was worried. I researched song sparrows and molting online. Sure enough, he was molting. It took very little time before the new tail feathers appeared and grew. Sparrows and most birds molt twice a year, once in the spring and again in the fall.

His colors are more muted now and not the orangey-brown of springtime. He sings less often. Some days I see him once early in the day and not again. Other days, if I had been out and about I might not see him at all. Two Saturdays ago, my friend Melissa was visiting. He came into the bushes near where we were sitting and chatted to us for quite some time. When I tried to approach him he flew away. Sigh

No Tail Feathers

The next morning I went out on the deck to find him and welcome him for a visit. He was not there. It felt different. He had left. Then I noticed there were no sparrows around at all. The White-Crowned sparrows had disappeared. All the sparrows were gone. The Chickadees, Nut Hatches, Finches, and other birds were there and plentiful but not a sparrow in sight. What had happened?

Do sparrows migrate and where do they go? I put a post on Facebook to the Birders in the Northwest region and discovered sparrows migrate to Texas and southern climates for the winter. I assumed my bird friend was on his way south to stay warm and find plenty of food and maybe a mate.

Five days later he returned along with three other song sparrows. I was still in bed when I heard a familiar song out in the back and there he was along with his buddies. My heart was glad. I was immediately up and down the stairs to welcome him back. He remains a bit more distant. His singing has returned and it was a delight to welcome my sweet little birdy friend back to my Whidbey Island life. I am told that when they molt they disappear into the bushes.

The seasons are beginning to hint at change. I know he must go. I am glad that I have let him be a bird. I have not hand-fed him or encouraged him to be anything else other than a little wild bird who has welcomed me into his circle. One time I found a large dead moth and presented it to him as a gift. I have never seen him so excited. He looked down onto the bench where I had laid it. He snatched it up and disappeared into the brush to enjoy a meal.

I don’t know how long he will be here. I see less and less of him now. Often I will hear him early in the morning. I am immediately up and outside to say hello. Some days he is not here at all. When he does come it is usually early in the day.

I am glad I have had some practice at his not being here. It is a bit hard to admit that I grieved for this little bird when he disappeared for those five days. Next time I hope I will buck it up and wish him well and send him on his way. However, I have to remember if this little bird was human I would feel the grief of loss just like when a friend moves away or stops communicating.

By allowing me into the circle of his life he has become more than just another little brown bird. He has become my friend. I feel blessed to have been chosen by this little bird. I have learned a lot about myself and life through this unique and special friendship. There is an unspoken yet very recognizable responsibility when one becomes friends with another. It is important to nurture these friendships, no matter how long they may be in one’s life. The value of friendship is what makes a being unique and special in my heart.

I have spent a lot of time outside and have had time to observe and breathe nature. Many birds come to the feeders, each one is unique. I have witnessed the change of seasons from early spring into fall. The circle of seasons in the yard is special to be a part of. The birds have gone from their spring glory of color to more muted colors. They sing less now. The hummingbirds disappeared for about two weeks while nurturing their young before they returned to the feeders again. My sparrow has grown from a young bird into full maturity. Often he sings for the joy of it, but it is also a way to get the girls to notice. As these little birds come to the feeders I have allowed them to recognize and trust a safe environment. None of them except one little brown song sparrow allowed me to become more intimately involved in their natural life.

I will treasure this moment of time in my life. This wee little bird crept into my heart and opened it to experience the joy of friendship in this somewhat lonesome time. (Covid) It has been a joyous and welcome respite.

Oh yes, truly, today and every day I am so grateful for moments in time that awaken my heart. Today and all days to come I am thankful and so grateful for this sweet little Song Sparrow who happens to be my friend.

Flowers-Nature’s Show

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Flowers are amazing. Have you ever taken the time to really look at a flower? It goes beyond color and shape, although these are interesting features as well. Each part of a flower has a purpose. There are common flowers we see every day. There are weeds that grow in the wild. There are flowers and then there are FLOWERS.

Since I have been on Whidbey Island in Washington State I have been enjoying flowers I have not seen in years. When I first arrived the early spring flowers were blooming. Daffodils and Tulips abound. Just at the end of that season, the Rhododendrons began to bloom. Oh my, they were beautiful. They continued to bloom week after week. in the middle of Rhododendron season, the Lilacs started to bloom. I have favorite flowers and Lilacs are pretty close to the top of the list. Their fragrance and colors are delightful. When I was in high school my father and I would drive to abandoned farmsteads and pick lilacs, fill the car and bring them home. Oh, how I love those flowers.

When I arrived back on Whidbey Island in early August there were new flowers at the roadside stands. Another favorite flower has arrived. Dahlia season is in full swing. They are so unique. Dahlias come in all shapes and sizes. They can be huge or small. Their petals are perfectly formed. The colors are wide-ranging. They are beautiful flowers. It is not uncommon on my walks or bike rides to see Dahlias in almost every yard.

Around this time of the year, I think of my Mom. My Mom loved her gardens. There was an Iris garden and a Rose garden. There were the early spring flowers in every garden. From early spring until late fall something was in bloom in our yard.

My Mother was eighty when she died, shortly after Labor Day. When my sister, Ruth, and I arrived at our family home in Delaware, we helped my Dad plan my Mother’s funeral.

When it came to choosing flowers for the casket the florist was willing to work with us. We went into the backyard to see what was in bloom. The Dahlias were in bloom. My dad took great pride in growing some of the largest Dahlias I have ever seen.

We cut Roses and other flowers in bloom in our yard. The featured flowers were the beautiful Dahlias. The display on top of my Mother’s casket was a generous and beautiful display of late summer and fall flowers from the garden. It was personal and touching. Every time I see Dahlias it brings back a special memory of my mother and our family’s tribute to her.

This spring and summer I have been enjoying the multitude of flowers that exist where there is water. I have enjoyed the long seasons of several flower groups. I like walking outside and seeing luscious colors. I especially love seeing the Dahlias in bloom. It gives my mind a chance to wander to my Mom and treasured moments in time.

Glacier National Park, Personality, Adventure, Beauty, Exploring Inside and Out, Grief

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I continue to remain in Montana near Glacier National Park. The Roadtrek Rally was a success. I managed all the people by remaining scarce, thanks to my friends Linda and Steve. Each day we hiked in Glacier National Park and returned to the rally site around six or seven in the evening.

In the evenings or mornings, people would stop by and visit. If I got peopled out I would disappear into my rig. It worked out, yet, to be honest I don’t think I gave this rally a fair try. I was overwhelmed by the numbers of people that were there. I was overwhelmed before I even arrived. If I choose to attend another one I might stay around for more of the group activities. I believe that if I pick and choose what I want to attend then I will have a little more control over the people time. I know I can be a bit more social than what I ended up doing on this trip.

Glacier National Park was amazing. It has been many years since I traveled in this part of the USA. My first introduction to this park was a backpacking trip with a good friend of mine, Diane, back in the early 80’s. I loved the remoteness and majesty of it then and I find that has not changed one bit. I saw a lot of animals and amazing sites. It was awe inspiring at the least.

On the way north from Boise I lost a part on the outside of my Roadtrek. I have remained in the area while waiting for the part to arrive. I had it put on this afternoon and now EmmyLou the Roadtrek is once again whole, well almost. I still need to find another missing part. That one is not visible to the eye.

As I came out of the drive across Logan Pass (Going to the Sun Road) I received news from friends back east. Once again I am struggling with the basics of life. Many years back, 2013, I posted regarding my friend Zoe. We met on a breast cancer support web site. She and I quickly became friends. Her support was so instrumental in my struggle with breast cancer and it’s treatment. She has helped many people while going through her own struggle with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Her support around Jim’s death was that of a good friend who was always there, no matter what time of the day or night.

Zoe & Kay

Zoe is now approaching the end of her life. I struggle to write this here as I am not really sure what to say. For the last few days I have sat in a forest and dove deep into grief. Grief for the struggle that her and her partner Kay are going through. Grief knowing I won’t be able to see my friend again. Grief for my own suffering and broken heart, no matter how selfish that sounds. Grief for the sake of grief. I have only done this adventure into this area of my life since Jim’s death. I am beginning to recognize when it comes. I tell myself, OK go feel it, you have forty eight hours and then get out of there. Deep grief is not somewhere I want to stay long.

the view from my campsite on the river.

Forty eight hours is now up. I moved out of the forest and am now nested along the Flathead River. Moving out of the forest may be a symbolic move, yet it helps to look out and see the whole world, not just trees. I ventured out tonight and talked with others in the campground. Moving out of grief means moving out of my small and tight world and stretching myself to get back to ” normal” once again. I am not sure what normal is.

I need to ask myself how is it that I can best support my friends during this end of life process? Zoe is not dead, she is dying and no one, including her knows the length of this process. It could be days, weeks or months. She is lovingly supported in hospice and surrounded by friends, her church and mostly her wife, Kay. I don’t know if there is a term for this observing and supporting the dying process, yet that is what we are all doing, for whatever length of time it requires of all of us.

I love Zoe. We have not always seen eye to eye but that is what sisters do. She is my sister and my friend and I am heart broken at the impending loss of her on this planet.

I share this with you all because that is all I can do. “Thoughts and Prayers” seem to lose their intense meaning today and yet that is all any of us can do, think of those we love and pray. That is what I am doing. I carry Zoe and Kay close to me and when I see amazing natural places I hope they know that I see them there too. Nature is a wonderful healer.

In a few days time I will be moving slowly west. I am looking forward to seeing beautiful mountains and seeing friends along the way. I will choose for this moment in time not to spend too much time alone. I can easily sit in a campground and enjoy those around me, even at a distance. I don’t necessarily need to talk to anyone. It is good to have them near by, just in case I feel a social call coming on.

I am back to the present moment. I am remembering to breath. I know that many of you are there if I need to reach out and talk to someone. I am grateful for this knowledge, love and caring support.

Sunset on the Flathead

Now I will be off to enjoy the rest of the evening by the river before the doors shut and I head for bed.