Tag Archives: Bainbridge Island

Goslings En Masse

Spring is the season for new life. The geese had obviously been taking the task to heart because, as we walked around Bloedel Reserve, there was a large gathering of goslings. It appeared to be that several families were mingling together. I guess strength comes in numbers. The adults were all grazing around the periphery of the group while the multitude of goslings were munching away in the middle.

When we were in Seattle a week later, we came across more goslings. A smaller group this time but the same thing with the adults keeping an eye on them. A couple were getting a bit more adventurous and heading off on their own but they were soon brought back into line. I wonder how many predators geese have. I guess hawks will be happy to take them out but the numbers might explain why there are so many geese wherever you go these days.

Fungi in the Woods

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The grounds of Bloedel Reserve included a lot of different types of growth. Meadows and woodland, organized gardens and natural growth. There is obviously a lot of moisture in some areas because the amount of fungal growth was substantial. Some of the fungi were small growths while others seemed to be substantial organisms. The majority were growing on tree trunks, whether still alive or lying dead on the ground. While I find fungus interesting, there is a lurking thought in my mind from watching too many sci-fi movies that, as I get close, spores will burst forth and I shall be infected with some terrible disease. Fortunately , this time I got away with it. Clearly, there is no harm to watching to much TV as a kid.

What a Great View of the Sound!

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The house at Bloedel Reserve sits up on the hill with the grounds landscaped to provide an unobstructed view down to the sound below. You can imagine the tranquility of sitting on the terrace in the evening, sipping a cocktail and looking out at the water. Unfortunately, at the time of our visit, a large barge was moored a short distance out in the water. I’m sure the view is beautiful but, with a barge plonked in the middle of things, somehow the delightful nature of the scene is a little compromised!

Remains of Another Battery

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I mentioned our trip to Fort Ward in this blog post. The fort was designed to protect the harbor at Bremerton. Therefore, it would not be silly to assume that there had been some form of armaments here. Just like our explorations of the Marin headlands here and Baker Beach here, it turns out that there was a gunnery battery covering the entrance to the harbor. The guns are long gone but the concrete emplacements are still in place. The ground has clearly done its best to try and reacquire control of things. Doorways to lower levels are now partially filled in with earth with just the tops of the doors still showing above ground level.

Cormorants Lined Up for Inspection

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It’s been too long since we last had a cormorant on the blog. Time to rectify that. These are not action shots. Instead, as we walked along the shoreline on Bainbridge Island, there was a wooden beam out in the water. The cormorants were lined up waiting for me. I think they knew I didn’t have a long lens with me, otherwise they would probably have flown off. Instead, they were hanging out in the sun drying themselves. My choice was to shoot from along the beam or side on. I went with both!

Fort Ward

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Our Bainbridge trip included a bonus element. I had been advised how busy the ferries could be on nice summer weekends so we headed out early anticipating some long lines to get on the boat. We got to the terminal about an hour ahead of when we were planning to sail, bought our ticket, drove straight on to a boat and it sailed a minute later! This was a pleasant surprise. However, it did mean we were on the island a lot earlier than our planned first stop was open. We needed to kill some time.

Nancy did a quick search and came across a place called Fort Ward. We put that in the GPS and headed off. Fort Ward is an area of the coastline that used to be part of the protection of the approaches to Bremerton naval shipyards. It was given up by the military a long time ago and now sections of it are rather nice housing and more of it are a state park. In the early morning, walking along the shore through the park was a very pleasant way to spend some time.

Bloedel Reserve

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I’m always on the lookout for the place I might move to when I decide to lay off the whole sordid business of working for a living. We took a trip to Bainbridge Island which, if you asked Nancy, was a chance to check out some of our new area or, if you asked me, was a house hunting trip. The place I was looking at was called Bloedel Reserve. They may tell you that it is an estate that is now open to visitors but clearly they are keeping it ready for me. A nice little house with some delightful gardens.

The house is not necessarily my style but I’m sure I could find a way to make it work. The grounds do look like they might need a reasonable amount of effort. I suppose I could buy a little mower to ride around on but that does sound a bit like hard work. I suppose I could get some help. I wonder whether Nancy would like a little John Deere?