4th of July

WHY WE HATE THE 4th

/ janpriddyoregon / 7 Comments

Okay, “hate” is too strong. We have mixed feelings for a holiday we both loved as kids. Now we are aware of dangers to our health, sleep, and wildlife. We have legitimate concerns about injuries and the risk to property. We won’t even pretend that the people making all this noise care what they are doing or know how to do it safely.

Gary set up a decoy fort on the sand out front (we don’t go out on the 4th anymore) in order to, hopefully, discourage tourists from building a fire against a new huge drift log. (It’s illegal to burn drift logs, illegal to burn a fire bigger than a beach chair, and illegal to leave a fire unattended, but that doesn’t stop it happening.) This morning the robins sang, the seagulls returned, and we hope our local bats are okay.

That cloud of smoke? Toxic. Fireworks contain poisonous chemicals. Recent and not-so recent research reveals they “emit lead, copper, and other toxins” and “pyrotechnic display particles can produce adverse effects in mammalian cells and lungs” and. Search “toxins in fireworks.”
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INDEPENDENCE DAY

/ janpriddyoregon / 20 Comments

Locals mostly hate the Fourth of July. Too many people, loose dogs, and illegal fireworks going off at all hours. During my run this morning, a dog charged me, barking deeply, and the owner didn’t even apologize. But also a great many brown pelicans, sand all the way around Hug Point, and Gary built a fort. Some bad news, but good food. Education.

There were dozens of brown pelicans onshore in front of our home when we went out about 6:30. We did not approach but took zoomed-in photos. By the time we got home there were people and loose dogs scattered across the beach, and the pelicans had gone off for the day.
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JULY 5th

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Or perhaps the best part was this morning’s coyote tracks on the sand, the black oystercatcher pair, and Gary spotting the first hummingbird in our garden since April or May.

Gary says the best part of the 4th of July was when it was over. I’d argue that the best part was at 5:30 yesterday morning during our walk. When we got home, we opened up the house—every window and skylight. Then, in early afternoon, when people started beach fires, we shut everything back up to avoid the smoke. If we’d had company, we likely would have gone out and built a small fire on the beach. Instead we watched two episodes of a British procedural, and ignored the booms as much as possible.

Good news: The booming didn’t start until dusk instead of trailing out across the entire weekend. The bad news: The explosions were too close and didn’t end until well after ten last night. Even the echo was horrific.

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“I Wave to Whirligigs”

/ janpriddyoregon / 3 Comments

It’s been a wild, hot, and anxious month. On this last day of June, we walked north to the headland and then south to the creek. As we approached our southern goal, Gary pointed ahead. “There’s Tammy,” he said. “She’s waving.” He waved back.

“Where?” I said.

It turned out to be a whirligig he was waving at, and we both laughed. “Don’t tell Tammy,” Gary said. But you know I can’t keep a secret.

Many pelicans fishing beyond the breakers.
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