Wall Art in the alley near the Gum Wall

I just got back from taking Meghan to the airport to go back to SD via Denver. She got in last Tuesday night and we had a great time the whole week. It is about 2 1/2 hours each way… IF you get to the ferry on time AND the drawbridge is not up AND the weather is good.

Wall Art in the alley near the Gum Wall

We had the office holiday bash Tuesday with some great food and co-workers, and we have spent time on the beach. Wednesday we went on the beach and walked about a mile looking at things. Then, in the afternoon, the biologist took Meghan out onto The Spit in a closed area about 3 – 3 1/2 miles out to do a bird count and talk science.

WARNING!!! SCIENCE IN PROGRESS!!

Sue and I were walking along talking and Meghan had stopped as we kept walking. She said “What the hell is that noise?”. We went back and heard a huffing noise and discovered that there was an elephant seal pulp juvenile in the weeds! Way cool! Sue said that is kinda rare so that was quite a discovery. As we were heading back to the mainland we got to see a snowy owl – Meghan’s first.

Friday we went to my favorite city – Seattle.

Seattle Waterfront Panorama

Meghan wanted to go to Pike Place Market. The weather turned out to be sunny and gorgeous. Got to hit the Chinese bakery again for bbq pork hom bow and steamed pork buns. Damn tasty stuff there. We wandered around acting like tourists because, well, we WERE. We looked inside the first Starbucks “just because”. Surprised there wasn’t another “first Starbucks” right across the street from it. After that we wandered around and finally found it… the infamous (and, I believe, original) “Gum Wall”. Seems as though theater patrons used to stick their chewing gum on the wall of this building in an alley below Pike Place Market. They finally gave up on scraping it off and it is disgusting, yet intriguing.

The Gum Wall in Seattle

The Gum Wall in Seattle

The Gum Wall in Seattle

Saturday she went out on a dead bird survey with one of the local experts, who was also quite interested in the wolf study she is going on next week. After she got done and I finished up my work we went out to do a trash pickup along the beach. We found the body of a young Dall’s porpoise that washed up on shore. These animals look just like a small killer whale.

While I worked on Sunday she did the “Twilght Tour” over on the western shore area. We went out for pizza and beers and then went to watch the Seahawks blister the ass-end of the 49ers.

Yesterday we went running errands and I took her over to the Madison Falls area that I went to previously.

Forest near Madison Falls

After that, we came back and went to the lighthouse to empty their garbage and pick up beach debris. She got a tour while we were out there and got to go up in the lighthouse.

But, today it was back home for her and leave in a few more days to Minnesota. I am off the next two days so it is back to my routine as well. Need to hit the gym to work off some cheese dip, cookies, and cake. Tomorrow is massage day and then off to the hot tub.