 As I walked down the path, I found I was smiling and happy inside. What was the source of this good feeling? Then I saw a shadow. An actual shadow. I turned around, looked up and saw the faint winter sun trying its best to burn through the clouds. It must be that. The sun. And now that we’ve passed the shortest days and longest nights, we'll be seeing more of it in the months ahead. At least in theory. Between storms. “But after tempest, when the long wave broke, all down the shores… there came a day as still as heaven.” Alfred Lord Tennyson Following the split rail fence at Possession Sound Preserve, down the gravel path, by the roped off bluff, I noticed young alders with scratched up bark. Antlers? Claws? Most of it was low down, but some was over my head. Could it be a bear? They’re good swimmers. I wouldn’t blame them if they preferred Whidbey Island to Everett. Coming around the bend, I see that volunteer stewards have been cutting back more brambles and planting native shrubs and trees to hold the bank. Dedicated. Then around the last bend a covey of quail dart under the berry bushes as I pass. I hear them in there, talking softly. But my attention is drawn to the water by a sea lion’s massive presence. His big bald head pops up with whiskers wagging. He looks this way and that, and dives under again only to pop up a few yards away. He pops up one more time and then he’s gone. Mergansers and goldeneyes fish the shoreline. Gulls perch on pilings. A heron stalks the shallows while keeping an eye on me. The logstical course between the grassy lawn and the sandy beach requires my full attention. Wet, unstable, these monster logs can shift. They’ve been floating with the king tides, journeying up and down Possession Sound and coming to rest at low tide, banked against the shore. Brown, grey, some almost white, others nearly black, they seem to anchor the northwest elements of water, mist and forests. This is what we’re known for, what we live for. On the beach, the ruffle of waves, calm and rhythmic, the cry of gulls, and across the water, a train whistle blows softly along with the murmur of heavy cars on rails as they push toward the city. I scan the water for whales which I hear are returning, but it is glassy smooth. The only movement I see are birds and boats. My feet are surrounded by crushed shells and grey gravel, purple mussels, white clams, pink algae and gold agates. A mosaic. A heron lands at the end of a log jutting out over the water. Its neck is folded making it look like a hunchback, peering over its shoulder at me as I approach. It owns the beach. I'm just a momentary annoyance. Quietly, I turn to go, watching the ferries cross paths, and a sailboat approach with a backdrop of snowy mountains. A perfect winter beach walk, no wind, no rain, and even a little bit of sun. Making my way back, I’m about to climb from the beach over the logs when I spy the quail out foraging in the grass. At the same time, a couple of women are approaching from the trail above, about to come around the corner as I had a short while ago. Comically, the quail scoot under the brambles for cover as the women round the bend. One is looking at the water. The other noticed the quail. We laughed together as we passed. They sat quietly on a bench nearby to see if the birds would reappear. Just as the sun had ducked into the winter clouds, I’m sure if I wait a little while, I’ll see it reappear, too. Maribeth For more about this property, and others, visit the Whidbey Camano Land Trust website here. I will be leading a First Day Hike at Keystone Preserve with Janet Hall on Jan. 1st. To reserve your spot call 360-222-3310. A First Day Hike is also being offered at South Whidbey State Park Jan. 1st 10am-Noon. Directions: From Highway 525 in Clinton, turn south on Humphrey Road by Simmons Garage. Drive 2 miles to the entrance.
By Bus and Bike: The Route 1 and Route 60 fare-free Island Transit buses will stop at the Clinton Ferry Terminal which is 1.7 miles from the trailhead. Two bikes fit on a bus bike rack. Humphrey Road has light traffic and low speeds but no shoulder for bikes or pedestrians. Please wear something bright and use your lights when on the road. Trail Conditions: This trail is well maintained. It’s gravel and is narrow in places. There’s a steep hill between the beach and the parking lot. The logs on the beach could be a challenge for some, but there is a nice grassy lawn just off the beach, though soggy in winter. There are benches just off the beach and along the trail on the hillside. The beach is sandy with crushed shells and gravel.
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 When I was a kid, as Halloween approached, I’d hear my playmates talking about their costumes. They wanted to be witches, princesses, ghosts or superheroes. I always wanted to be a tree. I was the fourth of five kids. My mom was busy. She didn’t want to spend time making new costumes when I could wear one my older siblings had outgrown. So, left to my own devices, I’d don my brown corduroy pants and a green shirt, but in October the trees were brilliant with color. So, I’d gather branches of bright leaves and try to tape, sew, staple them onto my sleeves. It never worked. Discouraged, I’d finally give up and wear one of the hand-me-downs from years before. This is still my favorite time of year. I love harvesting pears and apples, pressing them into cider or making applesauce, carving pumpkins or making pumpkin pies. All the colorful squash in the produce stands are like the turning leaves in the trees. We’ve had a week of rain and wind but yesterday the sun came out and I rode my bike to South Whidbey State Park. I love the enormous trees throughout the park. You don’t have to go far to see the tall, dark and handsome Douglas fir, or the wide girth of the ancient western red cedars. But on my walk, I realized how many huge maples are there, too. In fact, they were stealing the show. Not as tall or as wide as their evergreen neighbors, the big leaf maples were on fire with brilliance. I started at the Discovery Trail, a place I haven’t been for years. As a Friend of Whidbey State Parks, I’d worked with a crew to install some stairs on one slope, but I discovered more stairs on another. This trail is well maintained. It starts out straight as it parallels the road, then drops down into a ravine with huge cedars soaking up the water from a trickling stream. I crossed a bridge and turned around a bend to find another bridge and the stream slipping directly beneath a tall cedar tree. Circling out of the ravine, the trail turned again and climbed more steps onto a high bluff. Sun seeped through the trees. Puget Sound was visible through a lacey curtain of branches. At an overlook, I could see over the forest. Fort Flagler’s white buildings shone across the water in the distance. Ocean spray branches arched over the trail and provided cover for the little songsters, chickadees, kinglets, pacific wren and a Bewick’s Wren with a white stripe over its eye. Ravens croaked from tall fir trees. Squirrels chattered and scolded. A frog sang from lush ferns. Hearing an eagle, I looked up and saw three spiraling up, up and up into the bright blue sky. Walking the old campground loops I recalled the former ranger who told me about his kick-a-stick-a-day method of trail maintenance. I’ve adopted the campground loop to keep it open for those with mobility issues, so I had my gloves and clippers with me, but had no need. Coming back from the picnic shelter at the end of the road, I was arrested by the beaming maple at the turn ahead. Standing in the glow of its canopy, I was beaming, too. I took a short detour to visit my favorite tree in the park. Some call it the Hobbit tree. It’s hollow inside with enough room for a family of hobbits to spend a warm dry winter. I crawled in and sat on the dry leaf litter in the heart of this huge maple. How cool it must be to be a tree. Happy Halloween Maribeth If you’re interested in the Friends of Whidbey State Parks, click here, or join us Saturday 10-12, November 1st at the Coupeville Recreation Hall for an annual Friends Party. This group helps maintain seven of Whidbey Islands State Parks. Deception Pass State Park has a separate Friends group. For details click here. Directions: From Highway 525 at Greenbank Farm, take Smugglers Cove Road south 4.9 miles. Or from the stoplight in Freeland, drive north .8 miles and turn left onto Bush Point Road which turns into Smugglers Cove Road. Drive 4.8 miles. Bring a Discover Pass if parking inside the park gates, or park by the road at the crosswalk on the north end of the park. Walk across the road to take the trail by the Hobbit tree and enter the old campground loops.
By Bike and Bus: Fare-Free Island Transit Route 1 stops at South Whidbey State Park several times each day. Two bikes fit on a bus bike rack. Cyclists can ride the wide shoulder of Smugglers Cove Road which has some big hills near the north end and on Bush Point Road at the south end. Traffic is light at 40-50 mph. Please wear something bright and always use your lights. Bikes are allowed on the old campground loops. Trail Conditions: The Discovery Trail starts at the south end of the gravel parking area by Smugglers Cove Road. It has many steps, steep spots and braided roots on the trail. The Campground loops are paved and clear with some hills at the south end. The easiest access is by the restrooms from the paved parking area inside the park.  Cool and crisp, dark and shady, I entered the forest steering toward the edge of the gravel where the grass would soften my step. It was quiet, just before dawn at Deer Lagoon. A crow called. All else was silent. The cacophony of spring bird song was toned down now in summer. Mating season has passed, eggs laid and hatched, and now, the young are getting bigger, growing strong. Learning to fish. Learning to fly. The tide was out. Mount Rainier glowed faintly in the distance. I saw the silhouette of shorebirds. Yellow legs poked their beak into the mud. Killdeer called. Ducks hunkered down on sand bars in the shadows. Canada geese honked further out. Gulls perched on the posts stretching across the water. Terns swam nearby. An eagle soared toward Double Bluff. And off to the west, behind the islands of cattails, were the American white pelicans gliding along, evenly spaced, like a carnival game. I’d seen them at Crockett Lake in Coupeville a few days ago and wondered if I would also find them here. These summer visitors captivate my attention with their beaks as big as a shopping bag and enormous 9 foot wingspan. They fly over my house like a pearl necklace shimmering across the sky. I know they don’t really carry babies, but they seem to carry a bit of mesmerizing magic along with them. These are inland pelicans. I’ve seen them on rivers in the Midwest and on the Columbia River in Eastern Washington. It’s such a treat to have them here, too. Last week I'd seen brown pelicans on the Olympic coast gliding just above the breakers. Once I saw a brown pelican at the Coupeville ferry which is a bit unusual. But Crockett Lake and Deer Lagoon are both official Important Bird Areas with global significance according to an internationally agreed upon set of criteria. It’s not unusual to find people carrying binoculars and spotting scopes at either place. Deer Lagoon is considered one of the best birding spots on Whidbey Island. Over 200 species have been documented here. This morning, I was the one with a camera and binoculars. As the sun came up, I met dog walkers, a woman walking with ear buds, and a cyclist passed by. The birds also grew more lively. Shorebirds were flying back and forth, flashing dark and light, dark and light. Great blue herons perched on posts or fished in the shallows. Clouds of bugs erupted out of the channel like a column of smoke. I stood in the shade of a tall blackberry bush which was surprisingly bug-free. Schools of fish made patterns across the water in the wetlands. A heron stood in the same spot catching one fish after another. As I reached the far end of the trail, I noticed a heron perched on someone’s basketball backboard. Turning back, I met more people and dogs out for their morning walk. An osprey soared over the water. Redwing blackbirds and marsh wrens fussed from the cattails. As I returned to the trees I noticed sparrows, towhee and chickadees in the shrubs along the trail. Fireweed blossoms attracted a hummingbird. I picked some blackberries for breakfast, their sweet taste of summer waking my tastebuds. I licked the purple juice from my fingertips and smiled. What a wonderful way to start a day. Maribeth Find out more about this Important Bird Area and how you can help protect it here. Directions: Take Highway 525 to 1 mile south of Freeland. Turn south on Double Bluff Road. In about a half mile turn left onto Millman Road and right on Deer Lagoon Road. Park near the end. Please don’t block the driveways.
By Bus or Bike: Island Transit’s fare free Route 1 and Route 60 buses stop at Double Bluff Road and Highway 525. From there the road is almost level and has a shoulder for walking or biking about 1 mile to the trailhead. Wear something bright if using the road shoulder. Two bikes fit on a bus bike rack. For the latest bus schedule, click here. Trail Conditions: This is a short, flat, gravel trail with easy access for those with mobility challenges. It’s less than a mile round trip.  If you were to draw your own map of your immediate surroundings, how would you name your most well-loved places? Growing up, I spent a lot of time on my grandparents’ farm. There were the fishing ponds where grandad and I would sneak off to at sunrise with our bamboo poles, and the blackberry brambles where I’d pick fruit for grandmas’ pies. I’d go to the garden with her to get squash or beans for dinna. My cousins and I would play in the barn climbing on bales of hay. I’d walk down the long driveway between pecan trees gathering nuts in the fall. That 100 acre farm has been developed now into brand new tightly packed neighborhoods that surround the old homeplace. Those favorite places are gone, renamed in another time. When I came to Whidbey in 1978, I heard about the Chinook Learning Community. That’s what they called it back then. The long dirt driveway led to an old homestead, built around the turn of the century by Finnish immigrants. The log sauna next to it was their first home and the expansive lawns, once forests, were cleared for farming. I got involved at Chinook and saw it evolve with the addition of Granny’s guesthouse, the Waldorf School, and Thomas Berry Hall. I worked on the gardens and trails. They called me the exterior decorator. And it keeps growing, evolving, as places tend to do. Now they call that 100 acre farm the Whidbey Institute, a place for retreats and gatherings, or for taking a walk. I parked at the top of the hill and took a picture of the trail map on the kiosk. Looking closer I found enchanting names on many sites, probably named by the children at the Waldorf School. Dragon’s End, Frog in a Log and the Wonder Trail, made me want to explore with new eyes. Baby Bird Tree, Fairy Highroad and Sleeping Bees lured me on. When I took a walk there this week, I saw some big new changes (a whole new building) as well as the subtler seasonal ones. Walking down the dirt road among tall trees I noticed the tiny blossoms of evergreen huckleberry spotlighted by the afternoon sun. Brilliant pink salmonberry flowers dangled from slender limbs. The delicate foliage of bleeding heart spread across the forest floor. Stunning red flowering currants splashed color across the green landscape attracting hummingbirds and bees. The unmistakable scent of skunk cabbage glowed golden in the marsh. I saw not another soul, but heard a trickling stream, the call of a raven, the quiet tick, tick, tick of a distant woodpecker. Then something caught my eye. I lifted my head and found a barred owl watching me, thirty feet up. Its football-sized silhouette stood out from the vertical treescape around it. We watched each other. It turned its head, listening to every scratch and scamper on the forest floor. I sat on a log and watched with binoculars. Its dish shaped face scooped up every sound. It sat comfortably on its perch taking stock of all the comings and goings, including me. If I was going to name this spot, I’d call it Owl Haven. Oh, wait, there’s already a spot on the map called Owl Hollow! I moved on and soon came to a clearing with a madrona tree at each end. Madrona Meadow we called it. I walked to the West Garden, but there isn’t much of a garden there anymore. Appletree Garden, with its twin apple trees surrounded by flowers, has always been the most charming. Passing the old farmhouse and Thomas Berry Hall, I climbed the narrow trail toward Granny’s to complete my loop. I passed the building, crossed the dirt road and climbed the hill through a tunnel of evergreen huckleberry back to the upper parking lot, happy to see the ever-changing landscape still so welcoming to generations of wanderers. Maribeth These trails are open to the public from dawn to dusk. Please leave dogs, bikes and horses at home. For a list of Earth and Ocean month activities click here. Our Earth Day Party will be 10am-2pm at Camp Casey April 19. For more information about the Whidbey Institute click here. Directions: From Hwy 525 at Ken’s Korner (3 miles from Clinton) take Cultus Bay Road south ¾ of a mile. Turn right onto Campbell Road and then left at Old Pietila Road. Park at the upper lot on the right to find the children’s map of the trails, or go to the lower parking area and look for the map on the kiosk at the trailhead.
By Bike and Bus: The fare free Island Transit Route 1 and Route 60 buses stop at Cultus Bay Road at Ken’s Korner. It is 1.3 miles from there to Old Pietila Road and the upper parking lot. There’s a steep hill and no shoulder so wear something bright if you're walking or biking along the road. Two bikes fit on an Island Transit bus bike rack. Mobility: These trails are narrow, with roots. Some are steep. For a more level walk, take the dirt driveway to the wetland trail and farm loop at the lower parking area. |
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