Sunday night The Gimlet and Thing One were packing for scout camp. Thing Two found his mini sleeping bag and a hat, added them to the pile of gear, and announced, “Thing Two can go to scout camp, too!”

Oh, dear.

So the mini tent and sleeping bag have been assembled in the family room for “Mommy and Thing Two camp” and I’m trying to think of some fun activities for the week.

Later Monday evening we were watching the dinnertime rush around the bird feeders at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. The goldfinches and the chickadees constantly compete for the feeder perches, with the occasional hummingbird entering the fray. The birds were swooping and diving in every direction, and finally one little chickadee hit the window. The acrobatics didn’t even slow down so it must not have been hurt (and it didn’t sound like it hit that hard), but Thing Two composed the following story in honor of the occasion:

The Crying Chickadee, by Thing Two

The chickadee flew into the window. He was sad. He was crying. The chickadee’s mommy gave him a hug.

(Repeat several times until bed time.)

It’s not quite Gilbert and Sullivan, but still quite affecting under the circumstances. But more significant is that Thing Two may have found an artistic outlet for his disappointment over scout camp.

The local strawberries are finally in season, and they are tender, sweet, and so delicious! The season is later than usual due to our chilly spring, and according to the farmers at the fruit stand, the strawberries will last through mid-July.  We’re lucky enough to live within walking distance of a pair of fruit stands, and in addition to the Hood, Puget Summer, and Totem strawberries, have been indulging in fresh Rainier cherries, and the free samples of plums, nectarines, and melons.

We made enough freezer jam to last the year and have been enjoying the rest on shortcake and homemade strawberry milkshakes. If you’re feeling ambitious, this melt-in-the-mouth white chocolate strawberry bagatelle will make good use of the berries and is well worth the effort, but if you can’t wait that long, try our favorite snack: fresh berries dipped in sour cream, then rolled in brown sugar.

A pair of Anna’s hummingbirds have been visiting our feeder several times a day; we regularly see them at breakfast and lunch time. We’ve wondered if they have a nest nearby. The male “flashes” his iridescent red head at us. We haven’t been able to take a really good photo of them yet, but we keep trying. For now, I think this is the female enjoying some lunch.

Meanwhile, the Things’ grandparents also installed a pair of bird feeders, and the goldfinches who visit stay long enough to be admired. Bestemor was able to take two photos of them this week (see the other picture in the Gimlet Gallery) and very kindly shared them with us.

May is almost over, and it’s finally starting to feel like spring:

Lilacs! They bloomed about a month later than usual, and didn’t stay long, but we loved them while they lasted. Thing Two had to stop and smell the lilacs every time we went outdoors. Now when Thing Two sniffs the flowers, they crumble and shower him with little blossoms. He thinks that’s pretty funny.

Baby birds! A sparrow family has been visiting our seed feeder several times a day. The two babies wait none too patiently in the nearby rhododendron (we know they’ve arrived when we hear their insistent chirps) while the parents fill up with seeds, which they then feed to the kids. It seems like the parents spend all day doing this. We feel for them.

Other new stuff! To finish off May, the Gimletmobile shrugged off its mortal coil (or more precisely, its air conditioner compressor) and ascended to Valhalla with a tremendous death rattle and thick white cloud of freon. The Gimlet returned to his roots, or as he said, “This time we’re buying a car that’s reliable.” (We loved the Gimletmobile, but the past few months of expensive repairs have been less than endearing.) The new and improved Gimletmobile has plenty of room for everybody (especially the Things) and will be a welcome addition to summer Scout camp and family outings.

Thing Two has become an enthusiastic bird watcher lately, thanks to Bestemor’s collection of toy Audubon birds. We’ve always seen birds passing through our yard, but we thought it would be fun to put out some bird feeders and really observe them: just how many different kinds of birds would we see? The Gimlet was happy to take on this quick project and set up a 4×4 cedar post for two types of bird feeders: suet and a large tube for seeds. Most of the birds in our area will eat one or both types of food.

The feeders have been up for about a month, and the response has been great. Black-capped chickadees discovered the seed feeder within hours of its installation, and have been our boldest, most frequent customers. The rarer chestnut-backed chickadees seem to prefer the suet, and confine their visits to the afternoon. House sparrows are our second most-seen birds, but they are much more skittish, flying away if we approach the window. So far we’ve identified over a dozen different species of birds, much to Thing Two’s delight. When the feeder is busy, he can be found by the window, bird book in hand.

About a week ago a hummingbird buzzed the window, as if to ask when it would be his turn to be fed. The weather was nice enough today for a few outdoor projects, so the Gimlet installed a smaller post outside the kitchen window for a hummingbird feeder and a thistle seed feeder. We’re hoping the thistle seed will tempt goldfinches into making an appearance.

So far we haven’t had any problems with squirrels, crows, or other animals. A squirrel has been eating the seeds which have fallen on the ground, and we’re happy to let him clean up the area; we’ve also seen it once or twice on the post trying (and failing!) to grab seeds directly from the feeder. So far the baffle and squirrel-proof design of the feeders have been successful, but we think the crows and raccoons may have hitchhiked to the big box home improvement stores to buy wire cutters and a blow torch.
Exploring Further:

• Seattle Audubon Society (or search the National Audubon Society to find your local chapter)
  
• BirdNote radio programs on KPLU 88.5 FM
• Chickadee Nest Webcam, courtesy of the Seattle Audubon Nature Center. A volunteer at the Nature Center told us that there are 7 or 8 eggs in the nest!

Suggested Reading:

• Birds of the Puget Sound Region. This pocket-sized guide features a handy list of commonly seen birds at the front of the book, a checklist and space for notes. Highly recommended by Thing Two.
• Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest.
• Welcoming Wildlife to the Garden: Creating Backyard and Balcony Habitats for Wildlife.
• For general North American information, see Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife published by the National Wildlife Federation. The magazine Birds and Blooms is also a useful resource, with a variety of region-specific and general articles.

We had our first snowstorm of the season today! Earlier this morning we bought Christmas trees and ran other errands; during lunch we noticed the snow had started and hurried home. The flakes were falling in large clumps; Thing One discovered they were perfect for making a snowman. Thing Two appreciates snow in theory (one of his favorite books right now happens to be The Snowy Day) but he prefers to be warm, so he was happy to watch from the window as his big brother made tracks and rolled snowballs. Thing One, on the other hand, has always loved snow and must be reminded to come indoors to thaw out.

I don’t suppose posting this photo counts as sending out my Christmas cards, does it? Oh well; it was worth a try. It was a gorgeous afternoon, though, and since snow doesn’t stay around very long here, we have to enjoy it while it lasts.

Blackberry season is here! Eleven months out of twelve, the Himalayan blackberry (Rubus discolor) is a thorny, invasive pest, but for a few short weeks the summer air is scented with sun-warmed, fruity goodness. It’s a complicated relationship.

Further reading: Another ode to the Himalayan blackberry from the Seattle Times (2002); King County’s Noxious Weed Factsheet.

Today we took Thing Two for his first visit to the zoo so he could meet the animals from his favorite picture books. (Thing One had other all-day plans.) He insisted on walking (no stroller, no carrying, thank you!) and was worn out after about one hour. Some animals, including the hippos and the lions, were napping, partially hidden in their habitats. Others (the mini horses and the giraffes) were out in the open and really caught Thing Two’s interest. The tigers were also asleep but a zoo docent showed Thing Two a tiger pelt to pet and he watched a short video about the newest baby tiger. Elephants and bears are other favorites but Thing Two was very tired after the tiger exhibit. We still had a long walk back to the car, so we decided to save the rest of the animals for another visit. The zoo is full of play areas, both outdoor and indoor (in keeping with our climate) and we look forward to exploring those in the future, too.

As we move forward and begin drywalling the laundry room, it seems like a good time to mention the first small steps in the reef process. The Gimlet installed two 20-amp circuits and dedicated one switch on the Manabloc for the system. The water line will connect to a reverse osmosis/deionization unit (RO/DI); the resulting water will then be used to make saltwater and as freshwater topoff.

A 12′ x 3′ area with 8′ ceiling is available for the tank site, and as the family room is in the basement, the tank will rest on a concrete floor. The tank will share a wall with the laundry room. Originally the plan was to house the tank in the laundry room, creating a picture window effect in the family room while giving plenty of space to work and get wet, but unfortunately the wall is a weight-bearing wall and cannot be altered. With that in mind, I hope to house the sump, refugium, and other equipment in the laundry room, below and behind the display tank.

Not sure how this will all work out, which brings up the most important step in this whole process: research. This large space affords a wonderful opportunity in reefkeeping, and I want to be as successful as possible. I’ve been reading, checking out the myriad on-line resources and communities, and our previous nano experience taught us some valuable hands-on lessons. So for now, I’m deciding how large of a tank to get, pondering deep versus shallow (leaning towards shallow; I like being able to reach in and tinker around), learning about plumbing and lighting options, and of course livestock choices (which will affect the kind of light I choose).

Suggested reading:

• Fenner, Robert M. The Conscientious Marine Aquarist. Microcosm: Vermont, 1998. The first time I entered a local saltwater-specialty store, the clerk strongly suggested I read this before doing anything else. Not only does this book provide excellent, well-written (even funny at times), easy-to-understand advice, it also seeks to instill a sense of responsibility and stewardship for the world’s coral reefs. A must-have.
• Michael, Scott W. and Shimek, Ronald L. Pocket Expert Guides: Marine Fishes and Marine Invertebrates. Microcosm: Vermont, 1999 and 2004. I’m saving up to buy Scott Michael’s more detailed Reef Fishes series, but in the meantime, these two Pocket Expert guides are very useful for drawing up wish lists. Information for the fishes includes: maximum length, range (for those planning geographic-specific reefs), minimum aquarium size, foods and feeding, aquarium suitability and reef aquarium compatibility, and captive care. The invertebrates book includes a category for lighting.

These three books are a great place to start. I have read a few other excellent specialty books on aquarium design, corals, clownfishes, and (sigh) my Hanauma Bay souvenir booklet. Given my past battle with cyanobacteria, a guide to algae is also on my wish list. (Perhaps a little light reading at the community pool during the kids’ swimming lessons?)

At any rate, this post is likely to be the last on the reef tank for quite some time, as construction probably won’t get fully underway for another year or two.

And yet, surprisingly, it has not only snowed in November, but the snow has refused to go away. The storm began Sunday afternoon, has continued through today, and we may receive a little more before the week is out. The roads are too icy for travel, so school was cancelled. Thing Two (not surprisingly) doesn’t like the snow; Thing One has filled our yard with snowmen; The Gimlet has been busily remodeling the basement; and instead of baking cookies, I’m updating the blog.