JINGLE BELL, MY RESCUED RAGDOLL KITTY, IN THE DAFFODILS ON EASTER SUNDAY -

SPRING 2008

Wednesday was my day to volunteer with the hummingbird banding network. It's located at a lower elevation from here, and takes about an hour to get there. We start the work right at dawn, and work for 5 hours. After we ate our lunches, and went on our way, I drove through the mountains before I went home. These are some of the pictures that I took. This weekend we are supposed to get snow here at the lake, and although the daffodils are blooming, we are still a bit away from our spring at this elevation.

Spring 2008

Lupine, Fiddlehead, Calves in the Oaks, an Old Barn,

and orange lichens on the rocks

Jingle Bell's nap in the garden!

BEACH COMBING

We were stationed on Oahu, Okinawa, and Guam during our years in the Navy. When we finally returned to CONUS, (the Continental United States) we had at least 60 glass floats, hundreds of shells, (never took live ones) a huge collection of baskets, and many great memories. The puka and paper shell fads emerged while we were out there, and we spent many hours on the beaches collecting them. While living on Guam, we were good friend's with our commanding officer, Admirial Morrison, and his wife, who were Jim Morrison's (of The Doors) parents. Mrs. Morrison was still grieving the death of Jim, but she was an avid beach comber. So when she found out that we had been stationed on Okinawa and were pros at it, she saw to it that we got on some special beaches open to only her. And sometimes she went with us. One time we went to a beach near Anderson AFB, and just as we got out, my son, Kent, opened up a garbage can at a picnic ground, and out jumped a huge iguana right in his face. Scared us to death. It was the most beautiful green I've ever seen. The beaches were of pristine, white sands, and the waters were warm, swirling with creamy tones of aquas, torquoises, and greens - just yummy, entrancing colors that made you never want to leave. I would love to go back to Guam just to see the changes, but then maybe I really don't! However, each time I go to Oahu, there are many changes, but I still love it.

BEACH COMBING!

During a beach combing trip on Okinawa, we found these home made "paddles" which were probably for floating a fish net. As I remember, my girlfriend and I cut it in half so we could each have a piece of it. We did the same thing with another home made fish net we found, but that one was weighted down with dozens of little terracotta beads that someone had made. The net part has since disappeared, but I still have a lot of the beads.

LARGE GREEN JAPANESE GLASS FISHING FLOAT

This is probably the greatest jewel we ever found, and it has a story. After driving to the other side of the island, and making sure that the long hike would be done at low tide, we had to ford water, fields, and outcroppings of coral and stickery trees. We had to back-pack in our food and water also. This was the only way we could get to what we all had named "The Super Secret Seaball Beach". The secret hike was told to us by a friend who had found it all on his own. He was leaving the island, and passed the secret on to us, by taking us there just before he left. We were forced to remember every little nook and cranny on how to get there, and he said he had found it by following a Guamanian fisherman. Once out to the shore line, there were long expanses of pristine beaches, covered with shells, tidal pools, and occasional glass floats, and no people! This one was found on a tiny beach about 50 feet wide. It was just sitting there waiting for us. It had made it there by the sheer luck of high tides that helped it over reefs, and had not hit anything which would break it. At that time, it even had the rope still attached to it. Note the water in it, which means that at some time during its journey, it had been pushed down to very deep depths during a storm, and somehow water seeped in. We also found 2 large aqua floats that day, and several of the small ones, not to mention, a bag full of shells. I mention that because we still had to hike OUT with all our treasures, which was no small wonder! These floats have since been divided up between the 5 kids. The green one, 1 aqua one, and about 20 small ones still adorn my alter, and I love then , like Muppet, every moment of every day!

More Trophies from the Sea!

We have been avid beachcombers' since 1972 when we moved to Okinawa. At an early age, the kids were introduced to beachcombing at its best! While living on Okinawa, we were able to have the Naval Base, at White Beach, all to ourselves to learn the art. Shells, beach glass, once a large turtle shell, and our MOST favorite, Japanese handblown glass fishing floats. They were in all sizes, and were in blues and greens, the same colors as the tropical waters there. We still have them, and I still dream of those beautiful beaches 37 years later! To this day, some of us still walk the shores looking for treasures, and believe me, if there's something to find, we WILL find it!

Moonstones and Agats

FROM CALIFORNIA AND OREGON SHORES -

I'M READY!

OK!

IT'S TIME!

CHANGE

As oprah says, "This one thing I know for sure" - grieving brings me to a whole new place - it's inevitable. I knew it before my best friend died, and I had small tinges of change lurking in my heart, just waiting. I have 4 journals going. Perhaps it's the "ol navy wife" in me, but I'm know I'm ready for a change. I just need to take it slowly, read my journals (which, without even knowing it, say it all!) and listen to my heart. It has to be worth while.