Have a Seat!

What's for Dinner?

Welcome Summer! (…beginning at 6:51am Eastern)

Crew's Quarters

Luxury Quarters

All Aboard!

Old Wall with Caves

Views

Happy Father's Day to all Dads, Grandads, and all who foster others ♥

It's Flag Day

Friday the 13th (Good Luck today!)

Carousel

More Circus Train...

Circus Train

This long horseshoe shaped building houses a miniature hand-carved Circus Train…!!

Wow!

Off to upper Hudson Bay...

Photos via Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences

Today listener's PhD*Son, a wildlife biologist, is headed to Coats Island in upper Hudson Bay for three weeks, to do research.  He will brave high's in the 40's and lows in the 30's, without heat, with winds of 20-30mph (higher during storms), and the threat of polar bears and grizzly bears (yes, on an island). His  team of four hopes to locate most of the 35 birds who were banded last year with a geolocator.  The device sends out a signal at regular intervals (daily at least) to create a data readout of where the bird has gone in the past year.  They need to locate the banded birds during nesting season, rig a soft spring-loaded net at their nest, catch the bird briefly to collect the geolocator, and weigh and measure the bird.  The species they are researching, the Semipalmated Sandpiper, is in steep decline and they are seeking to find out why and where the troubles spots are.  More power to them!

                                                                   Semipalmated Sandpiper sporting a geolocator

listener writes: "We will be very glad when they are safely home!  We will see PhD*Son the weekend of July 4th, assuming they have good weather and can leave on time…which has happened only once in 12 years…last year!"

Meanwhile, we can read last year's camp log here:
http://shorebirdscience.org/category/coats/

And watch for this year's camp log here:
http://shorebirdscience.org/this-is-a-test/
If the sporadic connection works, they may be able to post field notes from time to time, while there.

Last year's notes include:

"Probably not too many people carry a 12 gauge with 2 ¾” rifled slugs when they visit the loo!"

and

"Stephen keeps an eye out for bears while I sample invertebrates…"

but also:
"Perhaps the most magical aspect of working in the arctic in the summer is the midnight sun. In the Arctic Refuge the sun never sets while we are there, it circles the sky creating beautiful rosy and golden light for many hours every night. The birds are active then, and listening to Pacific and Red-throated Loons in the long light of an arctic summer night is an indescribable thrill. We find it difficult to go to bed on nights when the clouds and fog lift, suffusing the tundra with a soft magic that nourishes something deep within us. The sun dips below the horizon for a few hours at Coats, giving us our first arctic full moon rise over the river a few nights ago. We fall silent at such moments, each of us filling a place inside that renews us in the moment, from which the memory can sustain us in the months ahead."

Please tuck their well being into your hopes and prayers.  Thanks. ♥

Where would you go?

Train Station: Shelburne Museum

DANCE!

Found recently on the chalkboard in the children's play cottage at the Shelburne Museum.

Today is VT*Grand's dance class performance.  

Her group of 5-6 year olds will be dancing to "Send in the Clowns." LOL!

Loveseat

In Ye Olde Blacksmith Shop

What light from yonder window breaks?

Even as I was taking this photo, I knew I would post it here. :-)  

As today is Eldest's 39th birthday…our firstborn son...blue seems apropos.

Make ART!

Yes, Cat, you may. ;-)

There's Beauty Everywhere

The Bleeding Heart below is in the corner of the stone courtyard above!

Welcome June! (With thoughts of Georgia O'Keefe)

A good friend and spiritual guide colleague is being ordained today in NH, and I will be present.

Thanks, it's been lovely, May!

On the Porch

This is the porch of the house next door to the Old Red Mill waterfall here in town.

Pansy Face

Blue Pansy

Creeping Phlox

    Today is the 8th anniversary for Eldest and his Bride, the parents of VT*Grand.

Memorial Day

Photo credit:  I Have a Dream Foundation, Southern Nevada 

Peaceful Sunday

AHOY!

Lilacs and Sunshine

Beautiful

&hearts ;

What are you doing to build a better future?

Bee in the Rhody

Breakfast Sunday Style