A Legend

This is a very,very old shell of one of our most legendary clams. When alive, it has two of these. So we call them bi-valves. "Bi" meaning two and "valves" meaning shells.

Every student in Washington State learns a song about this clam because it is the state clam. My daughter learned it in 2nd grade. I dig them and many of my Indian friends make their living diving for them. They sell them to Japan where this clam is even more highly regarded as food in America.
Two questions:
* Can you guess its name?
* More importantly, can you pronounce its name the way we do out here on the coast?
Your friend, Ron

Can you find the words to the song that Ron's daughter learned?
Mrs. Newton

A Whale of a Good Time!

Dear Ron and other friends in Australia, Montana, Hawaii, Ohio, and across the Internet...
We have been scratching our "skulls" long and hard over the last mystery. We think it is time for a different type of mystery. While not scientific, these may cause some critical thinking:^)
We are posting some of our favorite whale jokes. But here's the rub...
Anyone who answers a joke, must reply with a new whale or sea life joke. I'll begin...
"Where do whales sleep?" ______________
Remember to answer a joke, you must supply a new one to keep the "wave" of fun rolling!
Mrs. Newton and her 1st Graders

A "Fishy" Mystery

This is a tough one. I don't expect you to get the complete answer, but I will give you some clues and ask you to make this an ART MYSTERY CREATURE. This is the first of your vertebrates, meaning it is an animal with a backbone. This creature has sharp teeth, as you can tell. When alive, it can swim and has fins. Two long fins on its back would help you with its exact identity. Its skull is made of bone, not cartilage. One of the largest Pacific Northwest bony fish, it grows to 5 feet in length. It is a favorite food of sea lions and people. It lives on and near the sea floor and likes to eat octopus and other fish.
The artful part of this:
Can you draw a picture of what you think this sea creature looks like?
From the shore, Ron

This drawing, by Cara,is one of the pictures that were created in response to this mystery.