Lessons Learned from Shaba

Today I want to talk about a very special friend, and my heart hurts today and yet at the same time I know that everything happens for a reason and it always happens when it is supposed to. My constant companions here at Trinity for the past year have been my wolfers Kaia and Shaba, they make me laugh with their antics, knock me down when I try to play like them, love me unconditionally, you name it, but the one thing they don't like to do is ride in a truck, they would rather run or follow me which hasn't always been a good thing, Kaia went to doggie jail but Shaba was too smart he never lets anyone get too close that he doesn't totally trust, he has taught me alot and I always trusted his judgement with people. He was very standoffish until he trusted you and the first month he was here it took lots of patience and letting it happen as it did. He loved to go on hikes no matter where they went and most times you wouldn't see him but he knew everything that was going on here, he always wanted to see what everyone was doing so he moved around to find the best spot to see. All I ever had to do is start walking and there they were, ready to see where we were going today. I not one time have ever had to correct him, always such a gentle spirit, and in him I saw what I wanted in my life, the peace he carried with him. Kaia on the other hand does everything with reckless abandon and constantly being corrected, nothing bad but she reminds me of how I was in my younger days, it truely is karma because what you put out is what you get back sooner or later.
I believe that everything comes into our life for either a Reason, a Season, or a Lifetime, it's up to us to take it for what it is and not worry about the "what ifs" or "wish I hads", life is to be lived to the fullest, to be enjoyed full of love and compassion, and a knowing that our world is what we make it. Shaba taught me lots of that just by watching him and how he approached things. Shaba is a 92% Artic/Tundra /Mal and a very big boy. We haven't seen him in 9 days and over the past few weeks it seemed as if he was seperating himself from not just me but Kaia too, but was still always ready to head out on a hike and he loved to go to the dam. We aren't sure what happened but I trust that he's where he is supposed to be he is a Wolf. When I couldn't get out they took it on themselves to get food and took down a deer without any assistance from me but I was so very proud of them, they are who they are and it makes me grateful that I was able to share in part of it. Life is constantly changing things on us and that isn't so bad it is how we choose to use it that either can make a difference or not. Today I honor my friend Shaba who I called "Bigga" because he was bigga than anything else out here, thank you for all you have taught me, I know I am better for it. Paradise often alludes us but we, Kaia, Gizmo, Shaba and I have found it after many wrong turns, because we are home, no mater what the day may bring. My hope is that you can find your paradise too.

Back to spring at Trinity

This last month has been very interesting the snow has melted the dam filled with mud, rocks and debris, shutting down the water to the powerplant. After getting dropped several times since the meltout has started and all the water came up in the creeks and rivers it's just something that happens, Last year I went to the dam all year this year I haven't seen it since Dec because of a snowslide. As a matter of fact when I went to the dam hiking there was still 10' of snow on the road there, very compact. Things are getting back to normal for here the small creeks have gone down now but some of them are still cranking along very strong, the river has cut many new channels, going where it want to right now, trees are across it and new log jams are forming. This has been a very wet June at the same time it has been very nice to watch the mist rise the deer and birds coming in to feed , even already had some hikers out this far even though the gate is still closed. There is some bad damage to the road in a few places that can really mess up your vehicle if you aren't playing attention.. I'm just starting to see flowers blooming here that have been gone for months on the other side of the mountains and definitely seeing the bluebonnets(lupine) , this late in the year when in TX they have been gone since April. It's those things that make this paradise to me, because I can enjoy flowers for a very long time just by driving a few miles. Got to go to a BBQ with some old friends and new friends this weekend and had such a wonderful time, met a new friend from TX and that has been wonderful it's fun talking to someone that relates to the things your talking about or knows where you are talking about without alot of explaining. Life is good and everyday brings new experiences and adventures and now that the snow is almost gone and I can get out there are so many things I've yet to try here and look forward to the opportunity this summer. I want to enjoy life and have fun and what better place than paradise. Hope you find yours.

Just to Show

In Wahington these are called lupine but since I'm from TX they are known as Bluebonnets. Texas claims that everything is bigger in TX but the lupine in WA are much larger than what they have in TX.










These paintbrushes are different from what they have in TX so this is my gift to my friends there

Hummingbird's getting nesting materials

This hummingbird is gathering material from the old chair to use for making it's nest. There have been several of them gathering it up this past week.





Gathering more stuffing from the chair for it's nest we also put out Kaia and Shaba's undercoat that we brush out , they seem to like it alot. Before they were just interested in eating and fighting so it seemed but in all of their antics they have found partners and are now building their small nest in the conifers and pines around the houses.







Getting a mouthful of stuffing with their small needle like beaks they can gather quite a large amount of the nesing material at a time, they are very busy animals always moving except for their very short resing periods usually while eating, some don't even stop then the refuel inflight. 

Why it's difficult to go in and out from Trinity

This is the road leaving Trinity, part snow, part creek and it's just getting worse because of the rains we have had in the last week and a half.










Bob on his rig trying to go out last week, just after this picture we blew the CV joint so he walked out I stayed home with the kids. We've been watching the creeks and rivers and all the other places that the water is running right now.










This is Phelps Creek just above the auto bridge, the water has cleared to a beautiful blue and the flow has settled down to around 400 cfm last week it was over 800cfm according to the best info we have here.







This is looking south from Trinity just before Phelps Creek campground, but it looks more like the creek than the road at this time. The water had been as high as 5' before it broke through the snow banks. Will keep you updated 

Whata difference a day makes

These clouds are covering up Massey mountain but if you look real close you can see where it is in the clouds
This is what the skies looked like yesterday here at Trinity
The mist is rising off the forest floor after the rain that came to the valley here.
 

First Flowers @ Trinity

These are the first flowers to show up at Trinity
this year they just had to wait for the snow to
clear enough.
 

These 2 showed up in the pond together but I believe they are 2 different types of ducks 

Another view 

Closer view under the bridge looking at the concrete footing 

Seems more erroded today than yesterday but safe so far 

Under the auto bridge  

What a great way to end the day seeing this when I looked out my window. Paradise is wonderful, even when it's not so convenient. 

My favorite is lokig for beauty in any direction from my house, that's Buck again. 

Beautiful skies between Buck and Massey Mountains nice color 

Fire in the skies above Buck Mountain yesterday. 

Phelps Creek is raging

This is looking upstream Phelps Creek from the auto bridge, that is the railing on the bottom, according to the gauge in the creek it is flowing at the 3.6' level and there is still alot of snow to melt.






 

The Creek and River are really up and dirty

Since Sunday we'[ve been watching and walking along Phelps Creek and the Chiwawa River, taking many pictures of the snow that is left and the water as it has really picked up, lots of whitewater now, places thaqt were covered in snow just Sunday are now covered with water. Phelps Creek is flowing about 7 times faster than it was on Sun morning, and the Chiwawa has almost doubled it's flow in the same time frame, so the snow is definitely melting at the higher elevations and all the creeks that have been dry sine last July are now flowing again. Water from Phelps Creek is now flowing into the Chiwawa above the log jam that changed it's direction earlier, but it is still also covering much of the sandbars and land that was visible last year, constantly changing are the wild rivers.