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| I decided the paw prints should stay. 😊 Haystack Rock near Cannon Beach, Oregon. One of my favorite snaps from a recent visit. |
I wander through blogs like a
garden in spring,
Stopping to ponder each post that
they bring.
A tale of a tulip, a memory
shared,
A chuckle, a sorrow, a moment laid
bare.
With coffee in hand and a curious
mind,
I follow the trails that others
designed.
Sometimes a poem, sometimes a
prose,
Sometimes just watching a bluebell
close.
I pen a reply with humor or grace,
Trying to brighten a faraway
place.
A note in return, a ripple of
cheer—
Proof that a blogger has truly
been here.
For blogging’s not merely words on
a screen,
It’s building a bond in the spaces
between.
We write, we reflect, we visit, we roam—
And somehow this circle feels warmly like home.
New Books
Clouds
 |
| Clouds ... How to Identify Natures Most Fleeting Forms by Edward Graham I discovered this book thanks to an excellent review by blogging friend David on his blog Travels With Birds The beauty of this book is in the art of the illustrations. |
Sharp
 |
| I subscribe to a health newsletter published by the Mayo Clinic Press. This book was mentioned in the newsletter and I decided to add it to my Kindle. This is truly an interesting book by Therese Huston, Ph. D (I snapped a picture of the Kindle for the photo above.) |
Stamps
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| USPS Birds and Flowers for all 50 States Stamps issued 1981 - 20¢ |
Fleetwood was a company, later known as Unicover, that
specialized in creating and distributing stamp-related collectibles,
particularly first day covers. The story of the stamps above begins in 1978,
when Fleetwood hired father-son wildlife artists Arthur and Alan Singer to
create 50 original paintings of state birds and flowers. When U.S. Postal
Service officials saw the high-quality paintings, they immediately decided to
issue 50 stamps, one for each State, showcasing the father-son team’s
watercolor paintings. Arthur created the birds, while son Alan painted the
flowers. Each stamp is unique – making it the first series of its size to
feature original artwork for each different stamp. At the time of their issue,
these stamps were the most popular in U.S. Postal history.
 |
| Enlargment to show detail. For Washington State, our flower is the Rhododendron and our bird is the American Goldfinch |
In a previous post I mentioned my stamp collection and got a lot of postive comments. So, as we go forward, I'll be sharing more of it.
 |
| USPS 1996 Souvenir Sheet Endangered Species |
Collectors enjoy these “Souvenir Sheets” published by the Post
Office. Souvenir sheets are essentially small sheets of postage stamps, often
commemorative, designed for collecting or display rather than for postal use.
They usually have a wide margin and an inscription or design commemorating an
event. There isn't a strict definition, and they can be single stamps, small
sets, or even larger sheets, as long as they are smaller than a standard sheet
of stamps. The one you see here celebrates Endangered Species. The stamps were
issued in 1995 and had a value of 32¢.
 |
| Enlargement to show detail. Top left: Brown Pelican Top right: California Condor Bottom right: Woodland Caribou Bottom left: San Francisco Garter Snake |
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| See lots more critters at Saturday's Critters |
Ships
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| Imagine my surprise when I spotted this ship. I always like to get a shot of Coast Guard vessels. Wow, zooming in, I noticed it is Vietnam Coast Guard. What are they doing in Puget Sound? 😊 |
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| The National Geographic Venture At anchor, April 22, near the Marina, in this photo. |
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| In another capture ... I didn't notice until looking at the image on the computer ... someone out in a kayak. It's fairly unusual to see this out on the Sound. |
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| Holland America's Koningsdam arrives early morning April 23rd. The cruise ship season is underway. |
 |
| My first
time to see the Hapag Lloyd MS Europa 2. MS Europa 2 April 23rd |
 |
| Washington State Ferry on its run between Seattle and Bainbridge Island. In the background ... West Seattle and in the distance Vashon Island and Colvos Passage |
 |
| Click to see the large view what I hope to show you ... a tug pulling a barge of containers ... probably from Alaska. Notice the distance between the tug and barge. Mariners beware of the tow cable! 😂 |
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| Looking out over the sailboats in the Marina, a bulk carrier at anchor, and in the distance, a Matson container ship. In the far distance, the Olympic Mountains. |
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| Early morning departure of MSC container ship on May 2nd. Note the small load of containers ... probably due to the tariff situation. |
 |
| I always enjoy catching a sailboat. This is an unusually large one. I could not identify a name other than the 15 on the mainsail. |
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| Maybe this should go in the SKIES section. Afternoon sunshine on the water creates an interesting look. There are literally hundreds of sailboats in the Marina ... and most of them STAY in the Marina. 😊 |
Skies
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| April 13 Full Moon on Puget Sound |
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| Just before sunset on a cloudy, somewhat stormy, afternoon. In next image, taken after sunset, note the rain in the far distance, creating an unual sky effect. |
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| Unexpectedly captured a chopper too. |
Blooms
Wrapping up this post with some blooms I thought worth sharing ...
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| These are tulips along my driveway. I kept watching them as they bloomed this Spring, and couldn't help stopping to snap a photo of them in bright sunlight. So beautiful! |
 |
| OK, I can hear you saying, What's this? 😊 This is my Cottonwood Tree which I planted in June, 2023, as an expiriment to see if I could grow a tree. LOL. I've posted about it two times before. I think it's looking pretty good! Starting a Cottonwood Tree Experiment and More on my Cottonwood Tree |
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| I am amazed at my neighbor's Wisteria. He is quite the gardener and has been training the plant to grow along the edge of his deck for years. |
Here is what Wiki says about Wisteria: Wisteria is a woody, deciduous vine in the pea family (Fabaceae) known for its fragrant, pendulous clusters of pea-shaped flowers, typically blue-violet, but also pink or white.
Closing thought ...
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| When I first saw this back in 2019 I thought it was pretty accurate. Today it is getting a little bit scary. 😊 |
Thanks for stopping by John's Island!
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