I’m always careful not to waste food.

(Insert joke about sale of Brooklyn Bridge or waterfront lots in Arizona here.) So after cutting the rind off a pork roast, I popped the scraps into a pot of water and boiled it to make stock.

The result – gelatinous glop. Julia Child probably could have turned it into a succulent aspic or something, but I never learned to like aspic, so I left the pot in the refrigerator to be dealt with later.

Tom found the mess and took it to the beach to feed to the ever-ravenous seagulls. Which is how we get rid of bread crusts, etc.

That old phrase – Eagle Eyed – that’s true.

The gulls lost out. No sooner had Tom had dumped the boiled rinds out on the sand than a couple of eagles landed and took possession. Luckily he had the camera, and also luckily, is better than I am at quickly snapping pictures of birds in motion, so he got the whole recycling drama on camera.

Whether they got any food value out of those hunks of skin that I’d boiled to death is debatable, but apparently eagles like pork.

If you can’t get ahold of a friend today don’t worry, they’ve probably left the cell phone on the kitchen counter and headed outside to count birds.

The Great Backyard Bird Count

Today is the first day of the annual Backyard Bird Count, and bird aficionados all over North America are out with binocs and notepads, tallying their avian visitors. Candace, one of my bird loving friends, reports identifying 13 species this morning without stepping out her door.

You can help with this effort to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across North America. All it takes is 15 minutes a day.  For full information on how to count and report your findings head over to Great Backyard Bird Count headquarters.

Bird counting bonus

When you focus on nothing but birds for a few minutes you’re sure to see some funny bird behavior  - like those upended swans I saw at Kensington Gardens.

Boat Shows are Nothing New, but This Year it was an Education

We’ve been to more boat shows than I can count. Our first child was born the morning after we attended an in the water boat show on Lake Union. She received a marine influenced name.

This year’s show though, was the very first time we went with anything other than window shopping in mind. This year we’re repairing and outfitting, so we compiled a long list of:

Objectives For the Boat Show

• price tenders
• drool over bigger, better stoves
• look at feathering props
• choose replacement ports
• learn how to get good wireless access
• check out the latest in eco-friendly bottom paint
• get updated on navigation systems

We need a new forward hatch, so critiqued several, looking up through raindrops at the familiar gray sky.

We inspected dodgers and biminis and considered simple rain covers made from tarps and PVC pipe.

I was blown away by the new open transoms. It’s been a few years since I looked at new boats. Is it just me, or does this (admittedly accessible) style preclude taking small children and yappy dogs along on cruises?

Personally, I gained a new respect for teak decking with raised rubber caulking. This was the first time I’ve trodden really wet decks in street shoes, and though water puddles between the rows in a way I find slightly troubling, the tremendous non-skid properties saved my @$$ several times.

The nautically colored pennants were snapping in a good stiff wind, but the sailors were all at the show.

Indoors, at Century Link Field, the star attraction was this mini submersible speedboat styled and painted to suggest an Orca. My first reaction upon seeing it was dismay. Not only did it strike me as pricey (and possibly sacrilegious in the Puget Sound area) kitsch, it also reminded me of my least favorite Christopher Moore book, Fluke.

DISCLAIMER: I really like Christopher Moore’s books. Lamb is divine. I even liked most of Fluke. The ending just got too … stretchy for me.

A video loop showed action sequences of the mechanical Orca diving and even doing a passable breach. I had to wait until the show was closing down to get a clear shot of this beast.

Outcomes From the 2012 Boat Show

• Feathering props are really slick
• I want to try Sea Hawk Smart Solution paint (it has no copper in it!)
• Our stove will do for quite some time
• We’re saving for a Hypalon RIB
• We’ve got lots more research to do on the wireless and nav solutions
• We now own a doorstop-size catalog of ports, fittings and hatches

The biggest lesson I learned from taking the boat show seriously was that I have a lot more questions about boats and sailing than I ever imagined.

Neither snow nor rain will stay forester Elliott Menashe from heading out into the woods. Maybe gloom of night will keep him inside, but I wouldn’t bet on it.

Elliott snapped this picture of some pretty impressive icicles hanging above a creek on South Whidbey Island during last week’s ice storm.

How many Northwesterners would like to be doing this right now? Raise your mittens!

Photo of boys playing in Maui surf by Mari Hotchkiss.

Regarding Launch Dates

One of the categories for the new improved Tidal Life will be Tidal Life Afloat, lots more stuff about boats, boating, sails, sailing and getting places via the water. Above is a shot of where I’ll be writing from … though I hope she’ll be in the water at some point.

Which launch will come first? I’ve set the launch date for the new version of Tidal Life for March 13. I’m relatively sure that launch will beat the boat’s launch.

Regarding Boat Names

She needs a new name. She’s got a bad one.

What is it with boat names? Some are really gag worthy, and I’m not just talking about all the Judi – Lee’s and Cindy – Jo’s. Take a walk in your local marina some time, you’ll see what I mean. Throw those folks a Thesaurus.

Admittedly, this has not been my strong suit either. Poor Nameless continues unnamed to this day.

Perhaps I should hold a name that boat contest for both of them. I’ll consider that.

In the meantime, wallowing in blog design and content development as I am, writing and blogging puns come too easily to mind.

If I had to pick a name right this minute this boat would be christened one of these:

• Chapter Two
• Prologue
• Pitch
• Heading
• Tag Cloud
• The Loop
• Theme
• Manifesto
• Akismet

Christen me giddy.

In need of a refresher on pruning technique, I stopped in at my second home, the Freeland Library.

No sooner had I cast my eyes toward the garden section than a title jumped out at me: How to Cheat at Gardening and Yard Work. As I’d rather be a Cheater than a Dummy or an Idiot any day, I grabbed that book.

While How To Cheat is about tips and shortcuts — cheats — for making garden work easier and gardens lower maintenance, the author opens with a short manifesto about the cheating way of thinking. These 10 points are guiding principles to prepare the mind for a new way of looking at the topic of garden tasks.

I immediately saw the possibilities for adapting these concise points to my search for the environmentally sound coastal life. So here’s my

Cheater’s Manifesto for Living on the Coast

1. Care of the land and water has no end point.

The natural world is always going to be there and will always support us. Far better if we also support it. We’re part of a vast system that can’t be eternally bent to our way without breaking down. Look for ways to work with nature rather than trying to remove it from the equation.

2. It all starts with the elements.

Whether you’re gardening, building or fishing, the air, the soil and the water were there first, and must be thought about first.

3. Nature is more powerful and knows better than you.

When deciding how to form your coastal life, remember that nature calls the shots. Ignoring natural forces will cost far more in the end. Understanding, embracing and working with nature will pay dividends you can’t even imagine now.

4. We all make mistakes.

With all the variables at play in the coastal environment, nothing we do here is black and white. Scientists do the best they can to find out what’s what and share that information with us. In dealing with our impacts on the land and water, we need to use the information provided to us as best we can. Just like we do when choosing our food or raising our children. When you learn you’ve been making a mistake, admit it and take another tack.

5. Take risks and escape the tyranny of “the way we’ve always done it.”

From goat milk shampoo to riding a bike to work, new ideas come along every day. Give some that seem outlandish an honest try. As Helen Keller said, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”

6. Helping to heal the world will heal you.

Chemicals make our bodies sick. They’re no better for our land and water. Exercising outdoors is good for us. It’s also good for the earth, because we care for what we inhabit on a daily basis. Taking part in a beach cleanup or stream restoration benefits our hearts and minds while benefitting the land and sea.

7. Decide what you’re here for.

Why did you come to the coast? Because it’s beautiful? For fresh air? To play on the beach? To raise a healthy family? Why are you here now? Are you here to watch life happen to other people on television? Or are you here to live your own great life? Keep answering this question. Keep acting on the answer.

8. Work hard to make taking care of nature easy.

Get rid of habits, products and processes that don’t benefit nature or anyone. We do a lot of things without thinking. Do the hard work of choosing between what you really want in your life, what’s worth spending time, energy and money on versus what’s simply been sold to you.

9. Know your limits.

Some jobs need more than trial and error, or come with confusing instructions. Some technical problems are beyond our knowledge. Those times call for expert help. Get that help early. There’s a great network of scientists and professionals surrounding coastal issues. They really appreciate being called in before a situation turns into an emergency.

10. Learn to value a different set of rewards.

Instant gratification is nice, but it’s difficult to come by when working with nature. In this realm, you have to take the long view. When you’re seeking control, letting things be, letting the pieces fall where they may, can be the ultimate torture. If your biggest thrill is planting your petunias precisely 10 inches apart, on center, you’re in for some changes. But the rewards for learning to SAIL (Stand Aside, Interfere Little) will be great.

How to Cheat at Gardening and Yard Work, by Jeff Bredenberg, is available at most libraries and of course, on Amazon.com.

A version of this post was previously published in The South Whidbey Record September 9, 2010

Thanks to Jack O’Neil we can all play in the ocean without the hypothermia.

Now we can all read the story of how the wetsuit got invented – if we can get our hands on the book!

Whidbey rumor has it that It’s Always Summer on the Inside, Drew Kampion’s biography of Jack O’Neil has become hard to get.  It’s sold out on Amazon. Perhaps a second printing is in the works?

Meanwhile, Drew says there are still copies available from the O’Neill USA website.

The leafy neighborhood of Ballsbridge is just a few blocks from downtown Dublin, and a fifteen minute walk from Trinity College. It’s the perfect location for visitors who want to be close to everything, but would like to get some sleep.

I actually considered booking a room in Temple Bar, but this trip was not for partying and nightlife. This was a heritage visit with Mom, and I’m a writer and old building reuse fiend. The Schoolhouse, a restored parochial school, where the rooms are named for famous Irish writers was the only reasonable choice for us.

Opened in 1861, St. Stephen’s served the children of soldiers from a nearby base until it was closed in 1969. The heroic (at least as far as historic preservation goes) Sweeney Hotel Group bought the derelict building in 1997 and restored it for use as a charming and unique hotel.

A night in the Oscar Wilde room casts a witty light over the rest of the trip. Always a blessing for family travel.

The Schoolhouse Hotel
Dublin, Ireland
http://www.schoolhousehotel.com