Apple Blossoms

Last year's apple, this year's blossom

Anniversary Roses

Anniversary Roses. Thank you, Judy and Scott!

Weekend in Port Clinton: Monday

Morning walk at Sheldon Nature Preserve

Friendly squirrels all over the place.

Wildflowers making an appearance


Egret


Canadian Geese taking off. Can you see a face (well, two eyes) in this photo?

Eventually you end up on the barrier beach.

Barrier beach.

That's All Folks!

Weekend in Port Clinton: Sunday

Sunday, we hiked out the West Harbor trail at East Harbor State Park.


Saw my first butterfly of the year -- a small purple one.



Swans out on Lake Erie

Lots of texture everywhere:

Sand. Pitted by rain drops. Lined by waves.

Bark. Sycamore. Ash?

Fungus.

After hiking for two hours, we drove out to Marblehead Light, and had a picnic lunch--apples, cheese, and crackers.

Hungry grackle kept a sharp eye out for any cracker crumbs we could spare.

Weekend in Port Clinton: Saturday

We got up each morning around 7 and started the day with a swim (me) or a jog on the treadmill (Dan).


Saturday morning we drove out to Magee Marsh to observe the early migrating birds. There will be more variety around mid-May, when the warblers arrive and rest on the southern coast of Lake Erie before flying on to Canada.


A muskrat making its way across the channel.

We sat on the beach for the rest of the morning, and I sketched driftwood.

Back at the Visitor's Center, it was Bald Eagle Day. Back to the Wild Wildlife Rehabilitation Center brought some of their resident birds, snakes, and other wildlife for visitors to see up close. These were animals that were injured and rescued, but are now no longer able to survive in the wild, due to blindness or other injuries.

Red-tailed Hawk

Great-horned Owl

Barred Owl

American Kestrel

Bald Eagle.

As were driving back to Port Clinton, we encountered this turtle, which I guess is a snapping turtle. He was about 12" long, not including his tail.

Weekend in Port Clinton: Friday

Late lunch at McCarthy's Pub on arrival in Port Clinton. I highly recommend the Madison Salad. For bigger appetites, try the traditional Irish fare: shepherd's pie, potato soup, Irish stew, or a boxty, and of course, a Guiness.

Old Wine Barrels at Mon Ami Winery. After lunch we drove around Catawba Island to scout out some dinner places.



After dinner at the Islander Grille, we found a spot to watch a Catawba Island sun set. The Islander Grille is the new incarnation of Port Clinton's Garden Restaurant, which closed, sadly, due to a fire last fall. The food is still tops. They still bring out an appetizer of pâté (on the house), and I was glad to see they still had their Fish Market salad (shrimp, berries, field greens and other good things) on the menu. The Islander Grille is located on the Islander Golf and Country Club on Catawba Island.