Happy 4th

 

I spotted the sailboat (in the image above) out in Elliott Bay a few days ago and thought it would be fitting for a Happy 4th of July post. America celebrates its 250th birthday today.

From my collection of old postcards, the card above seemed to be a good choice for year 250 which will certainly be celebrated with plenty of firecrackers. However, I don't recommend sitting on a firecracker like the young lady above.

I'm also a stamp collector and discovered the USPS has new stamps to celebrate birthday 250. The new stamps are called American Icons curated by Ralph Lauren. There are 12 new stamps and a special collectors edition includes 12 oversized postcards. See the images below.

USPS Forever Stamp
2026 - American Icons
The Faithful Dog

Back of the card

Enlarged Description
for
The Faithful Dog  😊

Thanks for stopping by John's Island.

I'm linking up with Saturday's Critters, the sharing site for those who love critters, like the Faithful Dog. 😊

Day 60 Update

Update June 13 - Day 71

Sharing with Saturday's Critters 652

Screenshot - FOBBV YouTube stream
June 13, 2026, Day 71 since hatch.
Sandy, Luna, & Jackie (Mom) on nest.
According to birding experts, Eaglets are
commonly capable of leaving the nest
between 10 and 14 weeks. 
Today, June 13, is WEEK 10.
Fly away ... any day! 😊

Posted on June 3 ...

Eagle Watch

Since February, I've been fascinated with the Bald Eagles raising two new eaglets in a nest near Big Bear Lake, California. The parent birds, Jackie (mom) and Shadow (dad) have been using this nest for several years. Jackie's first clutch of two eggs, in January, was unsuccessful. On February 24, she laid the first egg in her second clutch, and the second egg on February 27. The parents successfully incubated the eggs and the first hatch was on April 4th. The second hatched on April 5th. I've been watching a live streaming camera, on the nest, and counting up the days since the first egg hatched. Check out my posts in February, March, and April for earlier details of my Eagle Watch. Yesterday, June 2, 2026, was Day 60 and, as you can see in the image below, the eaglets, named Sandy and Luna, are well on their way to first flight from the nest. The average time from hatch to first flight for Bald Eagles is 90 days. I can't wait to see if first flight occurs right around July 4th ... wouldn't it be neat to see one of our National Birds take flight on our country's 250th Anniversary! However, today, June 3rd, something tells me first flight may even be before July. The eaglets are getting big and rowdy! 😊

Sandy, Luna, and mom, June 2, 2026.
Day 60 since first chick hatched in
the Big Bear Valley Eagle nest.
[Images are screenshots from FOBBV YouTube Stream]
Link to the FOBBV Eagle Cam

Close up of Sandy and Luna on May 28
Day 55

REMINDER ... Sandy and Luna with mom
on April 12 ... 
(Days 8 and 7 since hatch.)

Ship Watch

I love to watch ships coming and going here in Seattle, Washington. My view of Puget Sound allows me to see lots of marine activity. I keep the camera handy and snap photos of scenes I enjoy. Let me know if you have questions or comments about the ships below.

Cruise ship, Anthem of the Seas, 
arriving under the Full Moon ... June 2, 2026.

Carnival Cruise ship arriving June 1, 2026

Looking out over the Marina full of sailboats to a
bulk carrier vessel (red hull) and, in the distance, a container
ship departing the Port. Olympic Mountains in
the far distance.

U S Coast Guard vessel 751
arriving May 16, 2026.
Alki beach, Seattle, in background.
Info about USCGC Waesche

The LaunchPad seen at anchor in Elliott Bay
June 2nd ... story below.

The Seattle Times reported  that the 390-foot, $300M yacht "Launchpad" … widely linked to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg … arrived in Seattle’s Lake Union on May 27, 2026. On May 31 it moved close to Elliott Bay Marina and has been anchored there. As of June 2^nd, Zuckerberg has not been reported to be aboard. I do not know this, but suspect Zuckerberg will be in Seattle to see the World Cup games and figured the yacht would be a convenient place to stay.   Link to more info about LaunchPad

When the LaunchPad first arrived in Seattle it docked
on Lake Union. This image is from the Seattle Times.

Rhododendron Watch

Here in the Pacific Northwest, Rhododendron plants grow really well. I snapped the image below of a rhody near my home that is one of the prettiest I've ever seen. The color was just amazing. What are your thoughts?

Stamps

Those of you who have visited before know that I've been bitten with the "stamp collecting bug." Here's my latest stamp purchase ... the USPS new 2026 Forever Sunflower Stamp. To celebrate the new stamp, USPS is offering a Sunflowers Notecard Set and I ordered one. It arrived and here is how it looks ...

USPS new Sunflowers Notecard Set
includes 8 cards, 8 envelopes, and 
8 Forever Sunflower Stamps
(4 on each side of the little square)

This image is from the USPS Stamp Store
site and the envelopes are not part of the
notecard set.

Thank you for stopping by John's Island. My plan is to publish my next post when one of the Big Bear Eagle chicks takes flight ... hopefully, in early July, if not sooner!

More Good News

The average time from hatch to first flight for Bald Eagles is 90 days. In my last post, April 12, I gave you the details on the new Eagle chicks at the FOBBV nest near Big Bear Lake, California. The Eagle parents are known as Jackie (mom) and Shadow (dad). Friends of Big Bear Valley are streaming nest activities 24/7 on YouTube.

Jackie's first clutch of eggs, this year, was unsuccessful. The second clutch, 2 eggs, was successful, and chick 1 hatched on April 4. Chick 2 hatched on April 5. My primary use of the internet, since April 4, has been watching these little chicks grow up. It is SO MUCH more fun than watching all the dreadful political mess going on in the USA. 😊 

For all of you blog friends, I've been snapping screenshots from time to time to share interesting moments and those images are below. I'm organizing them by DAYS SINCE HATCH and using the hatch date of chick 1 as DAY 1 ... SO, April 4 is DAY 1. The images below begin with the same image I posted in my last post ... if you're curious about the day-of-the-month, it's always shown in the FOBBV ID bar at the bottom of the image, as well as the exact time of the screenshot.

DAY 9   

Jackie and her two chicks on April 12.
Suggestion: Click on the image to get the larger view.
The images are organized so that you are seeing
the oldest images first.  Screenshots taken today
are at the bottom.

DAY 14

The chicks spend most of their time under mom.
Both parents are usually not on the nest at the 
same time, but for short periods, as seen here.
[Note: Screenshots are with FOBBV permission.]

Afternoon snack.

DAY 16

Late breakfast.

Both parents feed the chicks.
Usually, fresh fish from Big Bear Lake is the entrée.

DAY 17

Both parents assessing the situation.

DAY 19

Another late breakfast.

DAY 23

What a surprise!
Snow started in the middle of the night,
April 26th.

I felt sorry for Jackie.
But breakfast is on the way ... next image!

Shadow arrives with a fresh fish.

A cold breakfast for all.

DAY 27

Excuse the camera's shadow.
This is a late-afternoon feeding.

DAY 28 (MAY 1)

Early morning, May 1, UV camera allows
us to watch the birds at night without disturbing
the birds. I'm noticing Jackie is not covering
the little ones as much as she did earlier.

Early morning breakfast, May 1, 2026.
Both chicks are doing well and growing fast.
FOBBV announces the names of the chicks: Sandy (chick 1)
 and Luna (chick 2)

The question now, is ... how to tell the difference between Sandy and Luna. 😊 According to updates from the FOBBV team, here are the key differences (so far) ...

Sandy (Chick 1)

Slightly larger overall (head and neck especially)

More submissive personality

Has a slight curve to the gape (corner of the beak) — sometimes described as a faint “smile”

Luna (Chick 2)

A bit smaller

More assertive / aggressive behavior

Straighter gape (no curve)

DAY 29 (May 2)

Early morning breakfast, May 2, Day 29
The zoomed in picture is a little fuzzy
but it makes a good record of Sandy and Luna
almost 1 month old. My guess is, that's
Sandy on the left.

Looking Forward

It fascinates me that DAY 90 ... possible first flight for chick 1 ... will be July 2nd. How perfect could it be that these chicks take flight on or around America's 250th birthday on July 4th!

Thanks for stopping by. More updates to come. AND, after the Eagles fly, I'll get back to ships, stamps, and skies.  😊

Blueberry Time

Mid-Summer Report

Blueberry Stand in Seattle

For years I've been buying blueberries at the Spooner Berry Farms stand in Seattle. The Spooner farm is located near Olympia, Washington, about 65 miles south of Seattle. During blueberry season they pick the berries very early in the morning and deliver them to the stand you see above by about 9AM. They sell out daily, usually before noon. These are the sweetest, freshest blueberries I've found in the Seattle area. August is the prime month for blueberries.

Late July and early August snaps ...

Starting point for waterfront walks.
Locals refer to this spot as "the steps".
A quick pic here records the sky conditions
for the day's walk.
[Click on images to enjoy the larger view.]

All flower pics are snaps taken while on my walks.
This is a White Dahlia.
The pink edges were just beautiful.

Chicory.
Info on the internet tells me Chicory is
the root of wellness. I need to do more
research on that.

Purple Coneflower

Roses in the Rose Garden
Elliott Bay in the background.
Bainbridge Island in the far distance.

A wild Rose just starting to open up.

Cirsium / Thistle
Don't miss the Lady Bug

Found this on Facts.net ...

"When it comes to fascinating plants, Cirsium is definitely a top contender. This diverse genus of thistle plants is known for its unique characteristics and stunning beauty. From its intricate blooms to its prickly leaves, Cirsium has captured the attention of botanists, gardeners, and nature enthusiasts around the world." Elsewhere, when trying to get more info on this pretty plant, I found it called Canadian Thistle and also California Thistle. Not sure if those are actually different plants OR just named differently based on where they are found.

The Lupin story ...

The setting wasn't particularly attractive but the 
blooms were, when I snapped this picture of
Lupin in June. Nature has an amazing way of
turning the blooms into seeds. See next photo.

A Lupin creates a lot of seeds.
Upper right ... close up of an unopened seed pod
Lower right ... A pod with one seed left

Worth Sharing ...

I'm adding a new segment of things worth sharing to my blog posts. Today I'm sharing tips for keeping cut flowers fresh. 

Background story:  Each and every single day I get a bunch of marketing emails. I'll bet you do too. Marketing emails are sent, usually, by some business or person you've purchased from online, or even from some website you've visited and allowed them to collect cookies which identify you and reveal your interests. Unless you're really careful with your online connection, you're leaving cookies all over the internet. There are ways to block cookies, but that's another story for another time.

Getting back to marketing emails ... they usually start with a catch. It's sort of like fishing ... you put bait on the hook and the fish go for the bait. So, daily, I must go through my emails and check them, not going for the bait, before deleting them. A few days ago, one email started with Tips for Keeping Cut Flowers Fresh. There is no doubt in my mind that the email came from some place that knows I enjoy flowers. So, I read through the email and thought, this is really good and worth sharing. The bait got me, however I didn't fall for the sale. The question becomes, can I share the tips without the links to purchase the product? The way I look at this, they put the tips right there for me, so there shouldn't be any reason for me not to share with others.  Enjoy.

"Tips for Keeping Cut Flowers Fresh

Summer is bursting with fragrant, colorful flowers. But unfortunately, those beautiful blooms you clipped from your home garden or snagged from a local farmer’s market won’t last forever. Here are seven tips you should try to keep your cut flowers fresh for as long as possible.

1. Cut flowers in the morning (except during hot weather).

2. Use a clean vase.

3. Avoid submerging any foliage in the water.

4. Change the water every day.

5. Keep your flowers away from direct sunlight.

6. Don’t put your flowers near any fruit.

7. Add aspirin to the water."

Now, in reflection, I was aware (more or less) of most of these tips, except for add aspirin to the water.  A little research on the web revealed this:  "Some claim that putting aspirin—and it must be aspirin, and not another pain reliever—in the water can help your cut flowers stay fresh. The drug is a form of acetylsalicylic acid, which lowers the water’s pH and may help the plants absorb water better. Simply crush a couple of aspirin pills and put them in a vase filled with water before adding your blooms." Let me know if you appreciate stuff like this.

Skies ...

Sunset August 8, 2024
FINALLY, the sun is setting early enough for me to 
snap a picture before I go to bed. 😊
Sunsets during summer's Daylight Saving Time are
crazy late (in my humble opinion) here in
Seattle. At our latitude, there is so much daylight in
the summer, the last thing we need is DST!

June 25, 2024  5:42AM
The phase of the moon was Waning Gibbous
An unusually clear sky allowed this shot.

An unusual scene for me: A rainbow over
Puget Sound.  June 16, 2024  6:25AM

It's always hard for me to resist snapping a pic of Mt Rainier.
Take a look at the larger view ... do you see the face at the top?
This particular view is looking across Elliott Bay from the
waterfront trail. 

Critters ...

Great Blue Heron

A member of the family of seabirds known as Laridae.

Gulls are members of a large, widespread family of seabirds known as Laridae. Often known as seagulls, though no species is actually called a seagull, and many are found far from the sea.  Gulls are intelligent, adaptable and often beautiful birds.

I believe this is a White Crowned Sparrow
spotted in the Rose Garden.

The little Sparrow moved out of the grass for a better view.

Apologies for the quality of this photo. This is a hummer
who frequents my feeder on my deck. The photo is taken
through a window. This is a female Anna's Hummingbird
I had watched for a while. She would rest at this spot keeping
an eye on the feeder. When a competitor arrived, she would
chase the other hummer away and then return to this
spot to continue guarding her territory. This is
common behavior for hummingbirds. And, yes, she looks
a little rough ... a fighter? 😉

Google Lens tells me this is an Eastern Cottontail.
And she/he does look like the examples shown on Wikipedia.
So I ask, what's an Eastern Cottontail doing on the
Western Edge of the Continent?
Shall we just go with RABBIT?
In any event, this bunny was busy dining on the green plant
and was not disturbed by my presence.  

Linking up with Saturday's Critters

Ships Spotted ...

I enjoy watching ships come and go here at the
Port of Seattle.  Most passenger ships arrive early
morning ... just about dawn. 

Cruise companies spare little expense to
create a unique appearance. 

This is a Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ro-Ro departing, probably
heading to Asia. Ro-Ro is short for Roll On - Roll Off.
These ships carry vehicles.

I no longer try to photo all the private yachts that appear
near the Elliott Bay Marina. Yes, there are a lot of them!
The economy is doing really well for some folks.
I like this one because it carries along a helicopter.
Need some fresh eggs for breakfast?  Send your 
pilot to pick some up.

Coastal Standard
Identified online as a Refrigeration Vessel
Zoomed in on Captain's image -- top right.

The "fast" passenger-only service between Seattle and
Victoria, BC, Canada.  Known as the Victoria Clipper.

Using parts of the Grain Terminal to frame up a
cruise ship as it appears while I'm walking the
waterfront trail.

Every 4th of July I might as well sit out on my deck
and watch all the fireworks. (I say "might as well" because
there sure isn't going to be any peaceful sleeping!)
The big Seattle fireworks show is on Lake Union, which
I cannot see. However there are plenty of displays
around Elliott Bay and nearby towns, like Bremerton.
This particular shot is a burst in a nearby neighborhood.
Looking closely, you can see the shadow of the 
Olympic Mountains in the distance.

Closing thought ...

Thanks to Jean Wagner for this bit of wisdom.

Thanks for stopping by!