Creekside Village Stories

  Photo:  June Jossy First, a little science.   The northern lights , or aurora borealis, are caused by solar storms in the corona or upper atmosphere of our sun.  Solar mass ejections hurl charged particles into space creating the solar wind .  The earth's magnetic field directs these particles towards the northern and southern poles.  The aurorae are created when the energized particles slam into the upper atmosphere.  In the southern hemisphere, the phenomenon is called aurora australis . Our neighbor June took this photo at Creekside Circle, Anacortes, Washington on May 10, 2024 at 11:45 PM.

  Our neighbor Terry shares an experience every nature lover hopes for.  Looking out on the front porch, there lay a newborn fawn curled up in the corner.   Once again we're in that time of year when baby animals are born, and such encounters are not unusual.  A mother deer leaving her newborn in a safe place to go off and feed is normal behavior.  Fawns are born with no scent to attract predators.  As long as they lie motionless, they should be safe.  Mom will usually return within 8 to 12 hours to nurse or move her offspring to another location.  To protect the fawn, Terry kindly blocked off the front porch until mom returned to retrieve her offspring. Unless you know for sure the mother will not return, it's best to leave newborn animals where you find them, even if it might be inconvenient for a short time.  This is a good reminder to review a previous post  with information from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife should you have a similar encounter.

  Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife , Apr 16, 2020 - Reprinted by Permission Keep Fawns in the Crib Every year we see people who want to “help” fawns left alone in the forest. But, just because baby animals are alone does not mean they need help. Fight the urge to pick up and rescue bedded fawns — you might save their life. Most fawns are not abandoned or orphaned; chances are their mothers are nearby. Fawns are born without scent, so if they remain still, they do not attract carnivores. A doe will often leave her fawn for long periods to feed and rest. She may only return at dawn and dusk to feed her fawn. In fact, fawns instinctively lie low while waiting for their mother to return. Deer may leave their young in odd places like porches or yards. In many cases, a doe may leave her fawn in the same spot for several days, until it is strong enough to move with her. If you encounter someone who has made the mistake of moving a resting fawn, you may still be able to salvage the s

  By Mary McClung We are now at our first Canadian port on the ”fall foliage cruise” I took from Boston to Quebec in October 2019.  Recent hurricane Dorian had hit Halifax, as evidenced by many downed trees.  Who knew that hurricanes extended this far north!  Halifax really deserves a 2-day visit but we are here for only one full day. The Acadian area north of Halifax is an interesting UNESCO World Heritage site. French settlers had prospered here but were kicked out by the fearful British based in Halifax (and many became the New Orleans "Cajuns" of today in the local dialect).  However, I chose a trip with four of my fellow ship mates on a private tour in the other direction because I wanted to learn about the history of the city and to visit the Peggy’s Cove lighthouse.  A number of tragedies have affected Halifax.  We passed by “The Narrows,” where in 1917 an explosion decimated the northern part of the city.  A French munitions ship loaded with explosives for WWI battlef

Reprinted from Fidalgo Island Crossings In a previous post , I spoke of the Red Rock Quarry next to the new John Tursi Trail as a source of stone for Causland Memorial Park.  This is Causland Memorial Park in Anacortes, Washington. Originally, the park was built as a memorial to World War I veterans from Anacortes.  Later memorials were added for World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.  The park is named for Harry Leon Causland, "one of the one hundred immortals D.S.C. 6795."  He received the Distinguished Service Cross for actions in France that resulted in his death.  Fourteen others from Fidalgo, Guemes, Decatur and Cypress Islands are also named in the memorial.  The park is listed in the National Register of Historic Places . On the day I visited, the flag was at half staff in recognition of the Orlando, Florida nightclub slayings. What makes Causland Park unique are the colored stone mosaics that decorate the bandstand and surrounding wall.  The source o

  By Mary McClung For those of you wishing this dratted virus would go away so you could get out of the house and have some fun, travel vicariously here.  Let’s make this an entertaining part of our Creekside blog.  I’ll start off with the first couple of stops on Norwegian Line’s “Fall Foliage Cruise” I took from Boston in October, 2019, before the virus struck. Boston is a history-lovers dream.  I arrived a day early so I could immerse myself in all things historical.  I stayed at the Comfort Inn in Revere, across the river from Boston but close to the airport.  The hotel has free transport from the airport and into Boston, plus a hearty free hot breakfast.  Bright and early the next morning after breakfast, I took the MTA into Boston to join the not-to-be-missed 4-hour “Revolutionary Story” walking tour with 11 others, hosted by energetic young historian Mike.  We walked along  the Freedom Trail, which includes 16 key spots associated with America’s fight for independence.  To the r