Spring Blessings

We have now moved on to Everett Washington. But I want to go back a couple of days and write about the excitement we had at our last park. Within a feet feet of our door was a small pond. There were two Canadian geese and two mallard ducks who frequented that pond. Saturday the mallard ducks showed up with ten ducklings in tow. Many people who resided in the park started hanging around the pond with cameras in hand. It was amazing to me how many people, including myself, were so taken with watching that duck family. Those babies learned quickly who to follow. And Mama duck did not have to say a word to them. If she got too far ahead of them,  those little balls of fluff scurried as fast as their little legs could move to stay close to her .It was also interesting to see her tuck them under her wings for the night. Yes, all ten are under her in the picture below.

The first thing I did Sunday morning was to walk down to the pond and count the ducklings. I had to see if they had survived their first night. All ten were out on the pond swimming around. They sure can swim fast if they need to catch up with their Mom!  It also impressed me that she never seemed to look back at her babies to see if they were still close by. It was like she assumed they knew what to do and where to be. A man standing next to me that morning made the comment "life is good". How true that is, and it does not take much for me to appreciate the blessings of our natural world.

Sunday afternoon we took a drive over to Bainbridge Island to visit John's cousin Gretchen and her husband Tom. They have a beautiful home on the beach of Puget Sound. Seattle is eight miles away across the water . It was too cool and windy to be out on the shore, but we still had a good view of the harbor inside from the front rooms of their home. The backyard of their house is quite pretty now with its array of spring flowers. We have been seeing the beauty of spring for a couple of months now, in California and on up the coast.

As we were standing in the backyard I happened to look over at their neighbor's home and noticed a statue of a man hanging over the front door. It certainly ensures that anyone can locate that house!

Despite the overcast weather we did venture out for a walk to view the community garden. The strawberry beds are covered with white flowers. Lettuce and pole beans are starting, rhubarb already has a good start. Surprisingly this area has been getting some sun, we just have not seen much of it since we came. Life is still good, the sun will return one of these days.