California

At o’dark hundred on Tuesday, we drove to our parking space at the Marriott to catch the hotel limo to the airport. Our 7:00 flight was delayed about an hour, while a mechanic fixed something or other. Slightly nerve racking since Alaska Air had a door come off inflight within the past month, then a wheel fell off another Boeing plane. I guess other people weren’t as sanguine as we were, since the plane was only 1/4 full. Grant and I each had an empty row. Would that the airline would lower its prices. I plan to watch to see if I can get some cheap flights. This time was our annual companion flies for $99 plus $37.63 of taxes. 

I'd used previous years companion flight to go to Calgary for our Rocky Mountain train trip and Evelyn’s wedding. Going to California was the best I could do before the deadline to use the coupon came up. Next year, I plan to go to Fairbanks and see the northern lights. Or Hawaii, if the Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines goes through by then.

Our project this visit was getting the fruit trees planted, which had been waiting a year or more. Originally, the orchard was going to be along Mary’s southern fence, which I had my doubts about, since I thought there wasn’t enough room for mature trees. Not a problem, because Mary had figured out she wanted them along the path she’d build. Now she has her own cherry blossom (with peach and nectarine) path.

Remi was quite pleased with our planting the trees because, as he said, “they will grow, just like I am.” He has just started his growth hormone shots, which should show results within just a few months. 

The digging was easier than when we’d planted the citrus on the north side of the back yard. Perhaps because Mary had dug out the top layer of river rock.

Because rain was in the forecast for the weekend, we met Ryan at Balboa on Friday to see the cherry blossoms before they were blown off. Once again, I didn’t make it to DC to see those cherry blossoms, but Balboa was a good substitute. We had movies of my mother with the Washington cherries, perhaps in the 1940’s, however I think time has ruined all those films. 

Eventually Mary’s walkway will be as pretty.

Remi and Bella had fun dying Easter eggs, then adding lines with markers using a egg spinning contraption. All good, except the markers were food safe and dyed my fingers when I peeled the eggs later. 

On Easter, we went to Ocean Beach to look at birds. According to their website, San Diego River Watchers set up scopes every Sunday. No one was there, which wasn’t surprising, because rain was forecasted. Except the dog walkers, because this is also a dog beach. As usual, dog owners were more impressed with their dogs than I was. Bella got licked in the eye by one. Actually, I like the dogs, just not their owners. I did see lots of royal terns, 3 brown pelicans, many California gulls, 6 willets, a marbled godwit, and a sandpiper of some sort. Dang, I wish the experts had been there.

For lunch, Grant roasted a butterflied leg of lamb; Mary roasted little potatoes and sautéed bell peppers, yellow squash and zucchini. She and Bella made bunny salads.

Friday, we’d gone to a wetlands to find a little stint, a rarity listed on eBird. Mallards, what I thought was willets, but eBird was negative, widgeons, snowy egrets. Lots of little peeps. This was a time I needed my scope. I am going to figure how to pack it for when we come here and Utah. We also saw a cattle egret, which eBird said hadn’t been seen there. I took pictures to make them happy. I know a cattle egret when I see one.