The change detector has detected a change in the sun. It’s back in a noticeable way. It’s at a height that blasts in our windows all morning, and heats up the house and deck. It’s our first spring with a deck. I shoveled the snow off a few days ago so that everything would melt and warm up and we could begin to use it on nice days. Today was such a day.

It probably wasn’t above freezing in the shade, but in the sun it was most pleasant. I didn’t even wear a jacket as we ate lunch on the glider. Then Mike went back to work in the garage, and I got to stay outside, gliding, soaking up the warmth from the sun, and making up puzzles about whales. They’re good puzzles, too!

Whales are cool. On my life list of things to see are: 1-humpbacks bubble-netting and 2-a blue whale in the wild.

Do you know what bubble-netting is? It’s a unique feeding behavior in pacific humpbacks. A group will get together and swim in circles while blowing bubbles. The bubbles make a sort of net (picture a vertical tube), herding together the small fish and krill that humpbacks feed on. Then the humpbacks swim up through the tube with their mouths open, scooping up their catch.

This is a highly choreographed thing, with one whale leading the show, and everyone in a specific place as they swim up through the tube. Fascinating! And you can see it in Southeast AK. One of these days, I will.

The blue whale, well…it’s on the list because what’s the point of dreaming small? When I was maybe 7 or 8, I remember walking under a blue whale at a museum–the Smithsonian, I’m guessing. It made a huge impression on me (pun appreciated). I remember asking my parents repeatedly if it was real. I couldn’t wrap my head–or even my imagination–around something that big. Can you imagine seeing something like that in the wild? How about in a kayak? Swimming?! ACK! Great. Now I’m going to have nightmares.

But wouldn’t that be something?