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Black-headed Grosbeak

My desk is in a loft office on the second floor of our house. There is a window directly over the garden and when I am sitting here I have views of the hillside and a ponderosa pine. The other day, while diligently working on wedding photos from last weekend, I heard the fluttering sound of wings against the glass. I looked over my shoulder and didn’t see anything and the sound was gone. It repeated a few seconds later. Curious, I walked over to the window and looking down, I saw a Black-headed Grosbeak perched on top of the garden fence.

I backed away from the window while keeping my eyes on it and soon the bird returned and clinging to the siding it looked in the window and then over at a round decorative piece covered with lavender beads.


The bird flew/hopped to the other side of the window and again fluttered at it as if to beat it senseless with its wings?

 

This behaviour happened several times over the next half hour or so. There’s no ledge so the bird could only hold on to the position for a few seconds at a time.

 

 

 

And then the bird left. The grosbeak must have felt that it had subdued the lavender beads and they were no longer a threat to him. I have seen territorial birds attack windows and mirrors when they see their reflections and perceive them as another bird in their territory but for some reason, this bird was obsessing on the purple beads. What’s up with that?

 

The First

Anniversary!

One year ago today we were married on a hillside surrounded by friends and family! Yesterday in celebration, we revisted the hillside and our love for each other. Like last year, it was cloudy but this time it did not rain! There are more wildflowers this year. We had an excellent hike to the wedding site, not exactly the way we planned but still it was nice. Then up and over a hill to Aspen Lake and back for a nice loop.

 

This is a good year for balsamroot

 

 

A pretty flower with an unfortunate name – death camas

 

 

At the wedding site, Ken reads a poem he wrote for our first anniversary

 

And the card that he made

 

 

A type of paintbrush?

 

What if all of our wedding photos were made in this style?

 

lupine

 

Larkspur and balsamroot

 

 

 

Spring Promises

 Spring brings something new and promises of life to come.

Here is some of what’s coming on our hill.

 

Chokecherries!

 

Say’s Phoebes!

 

Butterflies, or maybe moths!

What’s growing on your place?

 

A Fine Day for a Foot Race and a Parade

Today there were at least two noteworthy events in the Methow; well I’m quite sure there were more – I only got to these two!

MVSTA had its 32nd annual Sunflower Relay – a marathon lenth race that can be run by iron men and women OR teams of two to seven runners. I helped with bibs and at one of the aid stations. It was a fine morning to run from Mazama to Twisp through the forest and over the balsamroot covered hills! All the participants seemed happy and full of energy.

Later I stopped in Winthrop and took in the 49ers Days Parade. This parade features more horses than any other parade in Washington State. I think the numbers were a little down this year however there were MORE Roller Girls and I think maybe more bikes than usual.

It was a beautiful day to enjoy the Methow whatever activity a person was doing!

 

 The runners go through lots of dixie cups full of water and power aid.

 

This team dressed the part for the Sunflower Relay!

 

The Candy Man is a fixture in this parade. I’ve heard that his coat weighs over 30 pounds!

 

Here’s Julie leading a gang of young Methow bikers.

 

And the Methow Roller Girls gave demos of the sport of Roller Derby!

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Open

Today Highway 20 across the North Cascades opened for the summer season. It’s been closed since last November. In recent weeks people have been riding bikes up it, enjoying the traffic-free sunny days as they grind up the mountain. At noon, all that changed. The sound of Harley’s filled the air and RV’s trudged through town. It’s good for business but it does change the way of life in Winthrop and Mazama. For the first time ever, I decided to drive up on opening day to see the big cut snowbanks and enjoy the mountain air. But first, Luna and I went for a bike ride at Big Valley, where just weeks ago, we were skiing!

Ok, maybe it was nearly two months ago but it doesn’t seem like that long since we were skiing here.

 

Luna enjoyed the clear cold water of the Methow

 

The river is running a little high, much higher than in the winter

 

Not too high for swimming

 

This bike rider was enjoying the long hill climb as his wife drove the route, photographing him.

 

Liberty Bell from that same spot

And she made my picture too.