Frogs on Orcas Island

 Often you hear them, but you don't really see them unless you have them in your pond like photographer, Mike Hurley.

I call this "nature vs technology". I was looking for a way to hide a wireless extender that needs to be placed out in the yard. Since we moved into the RV for the summer, we are too far away to get TV from our ROKU box. Heaven forbid that we miss any Clean House episodes! So, I'm thinking...maybe I could put the extender in a birdhouse (which will look just a little strange since you have to plug in the extender and there will be an extension cord hanging from the birdhouse). I'm looking around and spy the bluebied house that we got probably 3 years ago and I've never seen a bird go in or out of this box. I go over with my hammer to get it off the fence. I hammer away and the birdhouse doesn't come off the fence, but one complete wall falls off and there inside the birdhouse is...

Oh, no! What have I done! We quickly put the house back together, but I'm not sure that momma-bird is going to appreciate her nest being disturbed. I feel so bad!!

The new Chihuly Glass and Garden (next to the Space Needle) exhibit is now open. (http://www.chihulygardenandglass.com/)

 

This was sent to me. Although the exhibit looks fantastic, I am in awe of the photography. Yes, I know. ENOUGH about the "I want a new camera" mantra. Someday. Patience is a virtue and I'm working on it.

While waiting for a couple from Munich, Germany, I saw a beautiful rainbow arching over West Sound Bay. Once again, I am wishing for a new camera, some nifty lenses, and a few lessons so that I could capture the magnificence of a full rainbow.
This just doesn't do this amazing sight justice...(sigh)

Our season has officially begun with the opening of the downstairs Otter Room. It has been repainted and refurnished to be a wonderful shabby-chic experience of yellow, white wicker, and burgandy reds. This is really a two room suite that we occupy in the winter months. We will be residing in an RV on the hillside for the next 4 months. We are going to do our best to keep this room available for folks with babies. Babies will be babies (profound statement) and as such, can create a bit of noise for our folks upstairs. However, I can imagine that this 101 year old house has seen many babies in its time!

I had a wonderful belated Mother's Day lunch with my son, James. We went to an amazing Creole restaurant in Seattle called Toulouse Petit. The reason we didn't meet on Sunday is that James is part of a Pub Quiz show called the Hammerhead Quiz Show and guess who is Hammerhead? Oh, yeah! Check this out....

I am so excited that we have guests coming to stay with us because they saw our Pinterest Board! One of them is a photographer and is coming to take pictures of Orcas Island. I know that they will be wonderful photos. Certainly better than what we can take with our antiquated camera that makes every photo look just a teeny weeny blurry. I asked her if she would pin some of her pictures on our Orcas Island Parardise Board and we would love you to pin any pictures you have of Orcas Island on our board http://pinterest.com/orcasblueheron

It is a wonderful compliment when someone asks for your recipe after breakfast. This year we are making available Recipe Cards. There are 13 recipe cards of breakfast items, cookies, breads, and a killer granola!

I had been thinking about how to do the recipes when Rachel (yes, THE Rachel from Camp Smartpants who has a zillion creative ideas and at least that many friends with a zillion creative ideas) gave me something that Alison from "so,there" (http://www.andsothere.com/) had created and I love it! So I have a version of this set with our Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast recipes like the one below:

Who doesn't like gifts?! We received two gifts today. One is a beautiful Hydrangea that I immediately planted in the front yard of the Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast. It's little now, but I'm hoping it grows to be a gigantic red bush some day.

The other gift is from our friends, Jim and Lee Fenton, ( www.jimandlee.com ) who stayed with us awhile back. Bogdan is modeling one of two aprons they sent. This is quite an upgrade from the garage sale-grungy-stained-barely white apron that Bogdan was serving breakfast in.

May Day! May Day! I was unable to change the  home page on our website, orcasblueheron.com, and terrified of making more mistakes in the world of html and code language. YIKES! The folks at i3dthemes where I purchased the Frontpage template have been very patient with me. Today I made a small deposit in the "tip piggy". What do you pay someone who rescues you from the abyss of a malfunctioning website?