Sat, 08 Jul 2023
Partner's Mom passed away early this morning.
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Uploaded Wed 27 Mar 2024
Thursday 29 February 2024... Leap Day! |
It rained all thru the night and it's dark and dreary this
morning! But the breeze has continued as well and 37°F
is feeling like 30° with the wind chill. Brr!
I put on extra layers, and tuck the camera under the rain
jacket and head out like usual!
Aw, look at how precious she is!
That's a Golden Crown Sparrow, our winter visitors from Alaska
and Canada. The yellow is Oregon Grape blooms, our state flower!
With raindrops on her head!
All this rain means the creek has come up and the bike
path is flooded under the bridges.
And the rain is filling up the wet prairie puddles again!
I walk up into the neighborhoods at the edges of downtown.
This is Wayside Park, a micro park in an awkward corner of an
intersection. They've chopped up the big Mimosa Tree that
had fallen in the ice storm and it feels empty without the
canopy.
*laughs* I just can't get enough of these pink flowers!
Okay, here's something odd...
I had walked past the Community Garden, and I saw this
bird, way far away getting dive bombed by Starlings...
And I assumed she was that Red Shoulder Hawk, who has
been hanging out in the area.
But I was surprised when I looked at the photos!
*laughs* That's a Corvid. She was far away, but I knew she
was big. And I'm wondering if this is actually a Raven!
We rarely see Ravens here in the city... occasionally, very
very occasionally -- like once every other year -- I might hear
a Raven's croaking caw as they fly over. But that's it.
You have to go out into the wilderness to meet a Raven!
So yeah. I'm not sure. But that makes a pretty cool
Leap Day! :)
Tag: february 2024
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Wednesday 28 February 2024... Today |
There's a gusty breeze today and I get all the way to the
Community Garden and I haven't taken any photos of anyone!
So I decide to go in and look at the flowers.
The Crocuses in our plot are already looking pathetic.
But the Daffodils in the back corner plot are cheerful!
Back to the bike path. It's kind of a sleepy day, today... :)
And it's started sprinkling.
Tag: february 2024
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Uploaded Tues 26 Mar 2024
Tuesday 27 February 2024... Up Hidden Trail, with Turkeys |
*laughs* The camera lens has fogged up! It's 86% humidity,
probably even more than that here in the forest next to the
waterfall. And it's been sprinkling.
Aw, there's a deer up there too? And of course, no one
is cooperating! heh.
More trees getting chopped up.
Oh nice! I think this is the same little bachelor band
that I couldn't get pics of on the way up!
That's sweet of them to stick around for me!
Tag: february 2024
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Monday 26 February 2024... Today |
There's a little bit of a lot of weather today! *laughs*
I set out under a grey cloudy sky, but the sun broke
out before too long. Under my warm, heavy shirt and
my black rain jacket, I was getting way too hot. ugh.
The clouds came back and soon it was sprinkling.
And then raining. And then pouring! When I turned
around, I was walking into the wind. The jeans got
soaked and I was getting rather chilly!
And then the rain clouds broke up and the sun came
out again. But this time the chilly wind kept me cool.
And that's how I prefer it...
I'd rather be slightly cold, rather than slightly hot.
I can just walk a little faster if I get cold. But
walking slower when I'm hot, is not an option! Haha!
Here's Henrietta. It's always nice to see him!
This willow tree came down in the ice storm...
but spring time is bringing it to life!
The broken willow past Blazey's spot is coming to life
as well.
Tag: february 2024
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Sunday 25 February 2024... Cherry Blossoms and Bluebirds |
Aw, is it going to be one of Those days?
Some trees coming to life with spring green and cherry blossom
pink!
Yep.
Okay, that's better!
whoa! Usually the teals are shy and paddling away! But
this pair is close and sticking around for some decent photography!
Thank You!
Yeah, some of the big logging machines are still here from the
Logging Conference. It's funny how useless they are!
The new fence looks picturesque!
Oh! There's a pair of Bluebirds at the Community Garden!
She is so cute!
YES! Check it out! Do you want to raise some little
Bluebird babies in there?!
Aw. They are a cute couple! It would be nice to have a
family at the Community Garden again. There are several
nesting boxes here to choose from. Last year we had House
Sparrows in one, but the others were unoccupied.
Tag: february 2024
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Saturday 24 February 2024... Out to the River |
Oh, gah, the sun is so stinkin' bright! And a few days
without rain, and look, there's just a trickle coming
over the spillover, into the ponds.
Ha! My new little friend! She's bouncing around barely
six feet away, and isn't bothered at all when I move around
like a strange human with a camera!
Such cute little birds. I will miss them when they go back
up to Canada and Alaska for their nesting season.
Oh, cool! There are turtles Everywhere! A little bit of
sunshine and everyone wants to come out and soak up some rays!
It's hard to tell the invasive Red Ear Sliders from our native
Western Pond Turtles... especially when I'm pointing the camera
into the sun! ha.
But here's a native!
The Cackling Geese like to hang out in huge flocks,
and someone has disturbed this flock at the school fields...
Suddenly there are hundreds of geese in the sky!
The flock was flying in my direction, and when they turned,
as a flock in a beautifully coordinated liquid-like movement,
the WHOOSH sound of their wings on the air was surprisingly loud
and awe inspiring!
In less than five minutes, they are all gone, can't even hear
anyone honking.
Can you imagine a flock of Passenger Pigeons...
blackening the sky for days on end??
Looking northwest from the Owosso Walking Bridge.
Tag: february 2024
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Friday 23 February 2024... No Science Today |
I started counting humans on the bike path again today...
But then I got to the Events Center.
There's heavy machinery taking up all the space in the Events
Center parking lot. And the back parking lot is full, and
there's trucks parked along the neighborhood streets, for
blocks around.
And there are men walking from their pickups to the Events
Center. Technically, they are _on_ the path... but they are
not _using_ the path in the way that I want to count.
Also, it's 100% men, and that's really going to screw up
my count.
When I got home, I looked up to see what was happening...
It's the Oregon Logging Conference
and oh my gosh, the irony. The fallen Leaning Tree is
right there... They could have done the city a favor AND
could have provided a demonstration of their big stupid
machines by chopping up and cleaning up the Leaning Tree.
Did they? no, of course not. And of course I'm glad that
the Leaning Tree remains in place. But it's still a ridiculous
situation!
This stuff is called Winter Heath. It's a low growing plant,
native to the mountains of Europe and used here as an early
blooming landscaping plant. Normally, it has pink flowers,
so this white one caught my eye!
Oh, aren't these Lovely! I think I will make this a postcard!
Tag: february 2024
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Thursday 22 February 2024... Hendricks Park with Science |
Let's see. There's usually a Song Sparrow here to greet me?
Ah, here we are. Too bad she didn't give me time to get a
decent picture!
Couple different Camelias blooming at the Rhododendron Garden.
Osoberry blooming in the forest!
Many of the fallen trees from the ice storm just look like
normal forest. But some don't.
I decide to go up on the Ribbon Trail... and oh hey! New
gravel?
Oh! That's right, they were working on the trail here,
in October!
oh wow, this is so much nicer now! Parts
of the trail were literally sloughing off the hill, and
one section was actually getting dangerous. All nice
and leveled and reinforced!
Oop, a place they haven't cleared the trail... but it's
relatively easy to step over the couple of heavy branches
across the trail.
Oh, these are pretty little things!
Let's see... not Candy Flower. Candy Flower has five petals
and the petals are notched. Not Herb Roberts either, which
also has five petals and is pink. Okay, Google...
Oh Cool! A native wildflower! It's Coast Toothwort!
Okay!
Yes, I've been counting humans today at the park.
My hypothesis is that there's going to be a lot more
women here... The park is not big, and it's entirely
contained within wealthy neighborhoods. Rich women
have a lot more time to walk.
Also, there's rarely any homeless people out on the trails.
So I counted differently today... I kept track of WHO people
were walking with.
5 Pairs = 10 people
3 walking dogs
7 walking alone
Total = 20 people, 7 of whom were men and 13 women.
Wow: 65% women and 35% men. Almost twices as many
women is a complete turnaround from the bike path numbers,
where there are two or three times as many men!
Tag: february 2024
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Wednesday 21 February 2024... Science in the Rain |
It started pouring down rain today as soon as I got out the
door. And I was pretty sure it would screw up my numbers
for my science experiment today.
Yep, while it rained, all the way up past the Community Garden,
the count was 100% men!
But then the rain quit and more people came out. The numbers
are still a bit skewed tho.
Data Analysis 29 men, 11 women == 40 total, which is
72.5% men and 27.5% women.
Conclusion Almost three times as many men today, with
the rain. (The other day, walking this way was twice as many
men.)
Just one of the reason why I love it here:
Not sure that there is actually weekly work that needs to
happen this time of year. Probably it's just people gathering
for a happy time! :)
Tag: february 2024
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Tuesday 20 February 2024... Stewart, Science and Cedar Waxwings!! |
I am walking west today and I am counting humans again.
Hypothesis I think there's going to be even more
men using the bike path, going this way.
Experiment Count up the people I see on the bike path.
Data Analysis 24 men, 7 women. 31 total makes
it 77.4% men and 22.6% women.
Conclusion Wow. More than three times as many men!
Going this way, there are industrial type
warehouses along the bike path.
Yesterday, I went east on the bike path, towards downtown.
The bike path goes thru neighborhoods and parks. There are
grocery stores, and shops and restaurants as you approach the
edges of downtown.
And there are apartments and houses all along the way.
It is more beautiful going east. And with nearby stores,
there are places to walk to and from. Also,
being near homes makes it feel safer for women.
To the west, there's none of that.
So fewer women are here.
Oh my gosh! It's bath time!
*Laughs*
Cedar Waxwings like to be right next to each other.
But lordy, does everyone need to be RIGHT THERE? Don't we
need some space to splash?
Their cute little mask across their eyes.
Aw. A Cackling Goose all by herself, just hanging out with
a couple of Mallards. Where are your people, my dear?
There are Northern Shovelers and Teals here as well, and some
Canada Geese further on. It's good to see the ponds in use!
I finally get to the little forest, but it's pretty
quiet here today.
Tag: february 2024
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Monday 19 February 2024... Science on the Bike Path |
I'm doing science today!
The internet tells me there are seven steps to the
scientific method...
Question How many men, compared to how many women,
use the bike path?
Research I've been walking the bike path, lo these
many years. *laughs*
Hypothesis A lot more men use the bike path.
My observations: Almost all bikers are men. Most homeless
people are men. Dog walkers... hm this might be closer to
50-50. Walkers and Joggers, probably mostly men, maybe
around 60-40.
But what does it all come out to?
Experiment Count up the people I see on the bike path!
Data Analysis Today I walked just over 4 miles and I
was out for about 1h35m. I counted 19 men and 8 women.
27 people total is 70.37% men, 29.63% women.
Conclusion Twice as many men are using the bike path
today.
Communication *waves at you reading this!*
It makes me sad that there is this disparity.
The inequality probably has many reasons... the extra (unpaid)
labor that women still must do: they simply don't have time to
walk on the bike path. And as well, not feeling safe in a
place which is clearly dominated by men.
A Crow cawed in an alarmed way and the ducks I was looking
at in the creek, flushed! What's going on? You're not freaking
out about me, are you??
I look up. Ah!
The fallen Leaning Tree still remains... it's been over
a month since the ice storm in mid-January.
The trunks are broken off from their roots.
I just love this Camellia bush!
That Red Shoulder is at the Garden again!
Tag: february 2024
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Saturday 17 February 2024... Vulture at the River!! |
I'm starting at the Rose Garden today, and the Magnolia
tree is well on it's way to spring!
I hear some Crows cawing and far away I see them mobbing
a Red Tail Hawk.
Oh, wow! There's a Turkey Vulture!
Vultures are my favorite!
And look at her face! You see how the tip of her beak is
mostly dark grey? She's a juvenile! Her beak will change
to bright white, and her face will get red as she gets older!
She is so beautiful! She flies over to a nearby tree and I
hope she'll pause there while I walk over.
Just carefully walking this tightrope! haha!
Thank you so much for your time! You are so sweet!
Autzen Walking Bridge is my turn around point. I go across
to make a loop and come back on the other side of the river.
But I always pause here to listen to the river.
I love it here and wish I could stay longer.
But I've got other things to do today, and eventually
I move on.
Tag: february 2024
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Friday 16 February 2024... The Hungry Hungry Squirrel |
The Varied Thrush has been singing somewhere outside the
bedroom window this morning. Really going at it! I wish
I could see him!
Cloudy today and not too chilly. It's a nice day for a walk.
Hmm. I don't know why the tree has a ribbon, either.
At the Community Garden, I look down the path to the street
and see a squirrel getting into a food wrapper. And a Crow
patiently waiting for a turn.
Oh my gosh! Look! That Squirrel is Very pregnant!!
The Crow must realize the situation. Crows def have the
upper hand with squirrels, and could easily just walk up
and take the food wrapper! Instead, she's practically
guarding the squirrel.
Yep, definitely Prego! :)
Heh... Probably Squirrels get cravings when they're pregnant
too!
Keeping an eye out.
And Squirrel is paying attention to her Guardian Crow,
if nothing else!
I can't tell what was in the wrapper. Candy bar? Energy
bar?
Her roundness is just too cute.
And the Guardian Crow is too awesome.
Good luck, Little One. Hope everything goes smoothly!
Someone has left some art!
Escaping thru the Lilly [sic?] fields,
I came upon an empty space..
It trembled and exploded,
Left a bus stop in its place.
And the Leaning Tree and it's art remain.
There was web site contact info on the back of the poetry
pieces, but I will spare you from having to look at it.
Crazy guy, deep in the conspiracy theories, probably needs meds.
But his poems are nice.
Fare thee well now.
Let your life proceed by your own design.
Tag: february 2024
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Tuesday 13 February 2024... Stewart Pond |
These are pretty, but I don't know what they are.
um, what the heck is going on?!
Ha. This bun-bun must have escaped? And now we are having
second thoughts because it's really scary out here in the
real world! I think she is wishing she could get in with the
hens!
I arrive at the ponds, and Yay! There are ducks here!
Teals all over the place, and this little group was talking
to each other.
They are so little and cute.
huh. They are called Green Wing Teals... I wonder if it's
just how the light falls, that some of them have blue?
Okay! We are all paired off now! ha!
There are a couple handfuls of Norther Shovelers here as well!
In the little forest, I have to replace my Hazard board again!
The root that sticks up here is so hard to see, I def don't
want anyone else tripping over it!
ooh, careful! Don't get a splinter in your foot!
And what is that on your face?
*laughs*
Tag: february 2024
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Monday 12 February 2024... Birds! Wonderful Birds! |
Good Morning, Lovey!
Oh. I've interrupted your morning calisthenics?
Oh yeah! I can tell that feels good!
Oh my gosh, look at them all!
Unfortunately, being straight up from the path is not
a great angle! *laughs*
They like to be cozy, right next to each other!
Bye!
There's a partnered pair of Downy Woodpeckers, but they
were both bouncing around to fast for me.
Oh hey! Instead of openly mocking me, my friend the Belted
Kingfisher has decided to sit for a moment!
This pair always flies up and down the creek, this time of
year, looking for a good place for a nest. Kingfishers dig
a tunnel in the bank for their nest, but I've never actually
seen them do that... so I don't know if they nest here or not!
heh. She notices me and flies off.
And Falkor Part 2, again.
Such an awesome variety of birds today! It makes me happy!
Tag: february 2024
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Saturday 10 February 2024... Flowers at the River |
It's a good day for flowers!
Still working at cleaning up the parks.
Pardon me? Your shoulder feathers are sticking out weirdly...
could you just fix that please?! :)
Huh. I wonder what happened here!
I did not photo the jerks walking in the forest, *Right* *Under*
*This* *Sign*!! Jerks.
Still much work to be done.
Tag: february 2024
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Friday 9 February 2024... Blurry Birds |
There's a steady sprinkle coming down for the entire walk
today. But I keep having to point the camera up... and I
keep having to wipe the lens!
I wander into the Community Garden... and notice one of the
Lesser Celandines I tried to murder the other day in the
neighboring plot, is trying to make a comeback.
This is inevitable of course. I break off the leaves,
and contemplate the pointlessness of it all. *laughs*
A Crocus is coming up in our plot!
Moving on. Here's someone I've not seen before.
A very pretty boy who def should stay inside.
Another pretty boy, I have to look up for.
*wipes the lens* Again!
Oh! A Varied Thrush!! Aw... is there ANY chance at this?
Well... ?
Yay!
*laughs* Thank You!
Out to the Leaning Tree...
I keep wondering when they will get around to removing
this tree. Will this be the last time I get to see this
beautiful tree?
Tag: february 2024
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Uploaded Mon 11 Mar 2024
Thursday 8 February 2024... Up Hidden Trail, a lot is going on! |
Yeah, so today I'm going up to the Acorn Woodpeckers territory
to confirm if they're dead or not. Last time I went up, there
were zero.
Good Morning, My Dear.
And first I go past the Little Free Pantry, and oh jeez...
someone repainted it...
oh, gah. Green is my favorite colour...
but this? This ... is kind of ... cringe.
In fact. I kind of feel like this is vandalism! The artwork
here before was beautiful, and that Crow on the side was
awesome! And this is just... blah. ARG!
And Look! Not only did they not clean up the inside...
It is completely Empty! Because who wants to have food on
those muddy, gross shelves. GAH! Painting the outisde
was SO misguided and stupid! GAH. Why are people so stupid??!
*Deep Breath*
It takes me a while to get over my annoyance! In fact, I'm
halfway up the hill before I get out of my screaming brain!
heh.
And then I'm at the top. And coming around the corner,
there's a hawk up here again.
Red Tail Hawk... and what are you doing with your feathers??
It's not rained or anything, maybe she's drying out from
a bath.
And then I see an Acorn Woodpecker!
Yay!
Oh, Yay!
oh my gosh. I was so worried!
But here we all are!
There are Acorn Woodpeckers guarding the hoard. And I can
hear some talking their Wika-wika-wika contact call
in the trees to the north. Oh, I am so glad to see them!
And, I'm thinking. There are hawks up here all the time.
I wonder... the last time I came up here... I wonder if a
hawk had just murdered some little bird or somebody for breakfast,
just before I showed up?
The hawk might have been on the ground eating, and I wouldn't
have noticed. I'm not looking at the ground when I'm up here.
But all the other birds would have been laying low, and shocked
that their friend had just been killed.
And then I come along. And don't see or hear anyone.
And freak out and assume everyone is dead.
well. I'm glad that not everyone is dead!
Here's a woodpecker working on a new hole...
the chips are flying!
Whoa! That little hole is way deeper than you'd think!
I am just so releaved that this Acorn Woodpecker family
is still here!
I'm going around the corner to get back to the hiking
trail down the hill. And I see this one, a Steller Jay,
just minding his own business...
What the heck??!
A Scrub Jay?
???
And the nice perch goes to the victor!
*laughs* So very odd!
And then I'm coming back down the hill, and here's a little
deer!
Her winter coat is looking decidedly scruffy!
And people are still getting fallen trees removed.
It's been three weeks since the ice storm, and there's still
so much tree damage that needs to be taken care of in the city.
Tag: february 2024
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Wednesday 7 February 2024... Leaning Tree Art Part 2 |
There's a family of crows gathered and eating something
again today.
Heh. Does that look a bit like a Cheez-It?
Well, that's certainly some crappy human food.
It's not good for you!
It's Angle's Friend, the Common Merganser. Still no sign of
Angle, tho I keep looking. But I'm seeing this one often enough,
I guess Angle's Friend is going to stick as a name for him!
I guess they've finished the new fence at the Events Center...
I still don't know what the point of it is, but at least it
looks nice!
Oh funny! They've put a fence around the fallen Leaning
Tree as well!
I walk around the end of the fence and spend some quality
time with my friend the Tree.
The Oaks take so long to wake up in the spring.
This tree is loved.
I loved you and I love you
This is a special place. A landmark. A focal [point.]
Oh! This is nice! They've left some extra streamers and some
sharpies to write your own tribute to the tree!
*laughs* I don't know what to write! Everything I think of
seems inadequate to the moment!
Sighs.
Oh my gosh! It looks like...
Suspish is getting married!! Awww! Little Fishies In LOVE!
Congratulations, Suspish!
Tag: february 2024
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Tuesday 6 February 2024... Delta Ponds |
Still visible progress made here with the ice storm damage,
even tho I was here just a couple days ago!
These bouncy birds amused me!
Today I'm heading across the road to the Delta Ponds Park.
And yes, the Riverbank path goes thru the Delta Ponds as well...
And I really really wish we could maybe name all the different
ponds so that people can figure out what you're saying when
you say Something Delta Ponds or Something Else
Delta Ponds!! *laughs*
There actually aren't many trees down from the ice storm
here. Tho it's obvious that they've cleaned up the trails.
There's an Osprey platform nest here and haha! Got a lawn
going on up there! I wonder if the Ospreys will mow it when
they get back from their winter vacation.
Turtles! Unfortunately, they are the very invasive Red Ear
Sliders. But they are cute!
Oh hey! When I get past the main parking lot, there's a
sign!
Well. The dates are incorrect... the Construction Schedule
def did not begin last summer and def did not end in late fall.
But it will be so awesome when they actually finish the loop
around the Ponds!! I mean, look at how close they got the
first time (and then they ran out of money!)...
Oh! They have started on the work! Yay!
Wow! There's a path started! Nice! Too bad I can't
see very far because of the hill. But how exciting!
Tag: february 2024
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Monday 5 February 2024... Rain! |
Yay, the rain is back. And it is raining all day!
Hello!
And Goodbye!
*laughs*
Oh, and it's the other Merganser as well!
So delightfully dreary!
They are still working on the new fence at the Events Center,
and dang, it probably sucks to work in the rain.
Tag: february 2024
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Sunday 4 February 2024... A Day |
Huh. Someone has gathered some rocks and put them into a
pretty pile, right outside on the sidewalk.
This is a vent or something in a building at the end of the
street. A few years ago, some swallows used it as a nesting
area. And then the House Sparrows stole it, and they've had
it ever since.
It's way too early for nests, but perhaps the sunshine has the
birds thinking about it!
These are pretty things. heh, I should have dead headed
the plant for them, before I took the pic! :)
It's still really muddy, walking thru the forest part of
Stewart Pond Park. And, Hey! The tripping hazard board
I laid down is gone. I put down a new one!
Why there are so many of these little boards right next to
the hiking path? Really couldn't tell ya!
*laughs*
Tag: february 2024
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Saturday 3 February 2024... Out to the River |
They have been working hard at the parks, but there is still
much to do, from the mid-January ice storm. They'll probably
cut this tree down.
It's another blue sky day. I'm starting to miss the rain!
Oh! This is different! There are Coots up on the bank!
With their cute red eyes!
And their adorable feet!
Tag: february 2024
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Thursday 1 February 2024... Up Hidden Trail, with flowers and with worries |
The neighbor sets out a variety of nuts, and we get a family
of Steller Jays who come for them. Steller Jays are more shy
than our other corvids, so I'm always happy if I can just get
them in the frame! ha.
I walk thru a neighborhood, on my way to Hidden Trail. And
I enjoy several front yards and happy hell strips on the way!
I get to the hiking trail, and it looks about the same with
the trees and branches still down and not cleared. This trail
is on privately owned land and I doubt they have a volunteer
group to maintain the area.
oh foo. A Red Breasted Sapsucker being uncooperative with
the photography!
Here's that house that the tree had fallen down on.
And then I hike it all the way up to the Acorn Woodpeckers
territory... and find nobody... ?
All the birds are quiet, no sparrows bouncing around in the
brambles next to the sidewalk.
And I'm looking and looking at the top of all the snags. And
I don't see a single Acorn Woodpecker, and I don't hear any either.
They have to guard their hoard. They HAVE TO. Where are they?
I am getting ever more upset.
Finally I see some Starlings... but the Acorn Woodpeckers
*should* be driving them away.
I don't know what has happened. Could the ice storm have
killed everyone? That's what I'm worried about. Or did
something terrible happen in December when I was away?
Because
there's always at least one Acorn Woodpecker guarding, and
I usually see two or three others hanging out as well.
I don't see any. And
I'm in tears as I hike back down the hill.
Sighs. Gotta let it go.
These tiny irises are about six inches tall.
Dwarf Irises, which blooms way earlier than the regular irises.
And they've chopped up the trees that had fallen across
the side street next to our home.
Tag: february 2024
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Uploaded Mon 4 Mar 2024
Tuesday 30 January 2024... Hendricks Park |
Very often there's a Song Sparrow singing in the bushes as
I walk into the Rhododendron Garden! I love that!
I head to the hiking trails.
The ice storm has brought down a lot of trees here.
But they've done work to keep the paths clear!
Tag: january 2024
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Uploaded Sun 3 Mar 2024
Monday 29 January 2024... Back at the Garden |
It's a dreary day today!
oh look! It's the bouncy kid from the other day.
Falkor Part 2...
She's still boucing around, and it's obvious that she doesn't
worry about things touching her injured foot.
Unlike Falkor, who held her foot way up off the ground.
And she's still surrounded by her family, who are less worried
about me watching today!
At the Community Garden, I continue the work I started yesterday,
digging up Lesser Celandine from the pathways.
It takes me 20mins, again, to fill up my small backpack.
And on the way home, I'm thinking about Angle again.
I've not seen her since the ice storm... did she not survive?
or has she just moved downstream?
Tag: january 2024
|
Uploaded Sun 3 Mar 2024
Sunday 28 January 2024... Garden Work |
The sun shines today.
And I'm at the Community Garden to murder some Lesser Celandine!
The thing about Lesser Celandine... You have to dig up the
dirt under it as well. My little hand spade won't go deep
enough, but at least these plants will have to work a bit
to come back up.
And the other thing about Lesser Celandine... you can't
throw the dug up plants on the compost pile. They will just
keep growing and take over!
You have to bag up the plants and dispose of them with the
regular trash. And since the Community Garden does not have
trash pickup, I'll have to haul this home to throw away.
It's good exercise, carrying a little bit of extra weight! :)
It takes 20minutes to dig up enough Lesser Celandine to fill
my smaller backpack. And there's still some patches I want to
tackle. So I guess I'll be back tomorrow!
Tag: january 2024
|
Saturday 27 January 2024... Part 1, Visiting the Garden |
Some sprinkles off and on, as the clouds re-arrange themselves.
Bath Time!
And the next customer is ready for a bath, too.
Oh, hey! This is the Common Merganser that Angle was hanging
out with in December...
Excuse me! um! Have you seen Angle, recently?
um? Female Mallard? Droopy right wing? Not an angel?
No? Oh. Okay. Thanks anyway. It's nice to see you again!
Just as I get to the garden, there's a tiny section of
Rainbow in the north!
I go into the Community Garden, and ha, the paths are just
long puddles!
Oh shoot. These round leaves are Lesser Celandine,
a very bad invasive. Maybe I should bring my backpack
out here, and dig this up before it starts flowering.
Oh. Now this is interesting! This black tarp is covering
part of Probably Not Evil Neighbor's plot. Our plot is on the
left, with all the leaves and going over to the two orange
buckets.
But you see the pink flag? A couple plots have them, and I
think it means Probably Not Evil Neighbor isn't coming back
for a second season!
Yay! A new neighbor! I mean, Probably Not Evil was nice
enough. Def better than Evil Neighbor that I had to put up
with all those years. But Dang, I got so annoyed at having
to constantly tidy up the border between our plots, and
dig up the invasive Horse Radish in the back of his plot.
And the next neighbor might be just as bad. But you never know!
They might be a responsible community member instead!
And in my plot, I'm happy to see the volunteer Elephant
Garlics are still alive!
The leaves are extremely munched tho. Weird. I didn't think
that slugs like garlics and Alliums.
Not much of the Fava cover crop has survived the ice storm.
And what's left is also extremely munched and pathetic looking!
Why are the slugs so hungry??
So. That Lesser Celandine? Every green thing in this plot
is Lesser Celandine. Ugh. Horrifying! And it's not even to
the Complete and Total Mat stage yet...
it will be there next year, I suppose.
And it's only a few plots away. I make note of a couple
more plants that are growing in the pathways, and I'm
determined to come back with my backpack to dig them up!
Tag: january 2024
|
Saturday 27 January 2024... Part 2, Birds on the way home. Some Unfortunate :( |
Yep, I saw so many interesting things today,
I decided to split the photos up into two blog posts!
I know. I am crazy.
Oh No!
Poor Baby! All the other birds I've seen with bum feet
have been able to hold their leg up. But this leg is just
hanging. Which means their ankle is messed up as well.
oh my gosh, so terrible. Did she get frostbite in the
ice storm? ugh, so painful. I feel so bad.
But at least she's got her friends to hang out with.
And hopefully they will help her.
Feast time for the House Finches!
At the top is Hardhack, a native. And there's a bunch of
dried up Himalayan Blackberries as well, invasive but tasty!
What the hell? Another One?!?!
Another useless, dangling leg. And this one's foot is much
worse. And so painful. Damn. Poor little birds.
Tag: january 2024
|
Friday 26 January 2024... Day of the Opossum! |
I was just past the Community Garden and there's a Eugene
Parks truck on the path, coming towards me... going even
slower than usual. What's going on?
The driver has rolled down his window to talk to me,
even tho it's raining :) and says,
Do you see the Possum?
I was skeptical. Opossums are nocturnal.
I look over and sure enough! That's not a cat! *Laughs*
I thank the Parks Guy profusely and wish him a great day
and go and take pictures!
Her cute lil pointed face!
Wuuuhh... HOLY! Haha, a Yawn, becuase Opossums are nocturnal!
But lordy!
Look at how big and round the inside of her cheeks are!
Crazy! And she looks like a Thylacine with how much she
can open her jaws!
And her cute little nose and her cute little ears!
And her cute naked tail.
Lookin' like a cute stuffed animal!
aw, you're going back home for some sleep? Bye bye!
On with my walk! Oh, foo. This one gets away before
the camera could collect itself. But I've never seen
a Cormorant at the creek before!
Would have beeen nice to meet her... did she have to
swim away so quickly?!
The Alder Trees are doing their thing.
This Red Shoulder has been hanging out near the Community
Garden, but has been evading my picture taking! ha.
I will have to think about a name for her, since I've seen her
a few times now.
Tag: january 2024
|
Uploaded Wed 28 Feb 2024
Thursday 25 January 2024... Up Hidden Trail |
I am curious to see what the trees look like, going up
the hill thru the forest. Before I get to the trail,
I meet up with a few wild turkeys!
This picture cracks me up! Maybe the dog is off duty!
*Laughs*
Always happy to see one of our native squirrels!
Here I am at the native plants section of the hiking trail.
But these are the same old logs at the waterfall. It's very
good that they leave them, because decomposing trees are an
important part of the ecosystem...
There are bugs who specialize in eating up the dead wood
of a single, specific tree species. Not to mention all the other
hundreds of species of plants, mosses, molds, fungi, bugs and more
who will help break down the fallen tree!
Uh, Yikes!
That purple thing is a plastic sled... and I desperately hope
that the sled went down WITHOUT a human on it!
The hill is extremely steep here, and I can just imagine some
stupid kid thinking how epic a ride down the path would be. Gah.
Nothing to keep you on the path, of course. And nothing to
slow you down once you get going.
Lordy. I am pretty sure. I'm positive. The sled was just
dropped and slid down the hill by itself.
Wow, so bright!
And dang it, I cannot wait for this species to be renamed!
Because I can never remember that they are called
Townsend Warblers! Hopefully their new name will be more
descriptive and memorable.
∞ These
American birds and dozens more will be renamed, to remove human monikers
Heck Yeah! and this is a great article!
∞ Bird
Names For Birds
∞ Wipipedia,
Bird Names for Birds
oof...
Can you imagine how terrifying this must have been?!
heh. Another good sign! :)
Ha! Probably everybody here with a fireplace or fire pit is
excited about the access to free wood!
I come across another band of wild turkeys on the way home.
Tag: january 2024
|
Uploaded Wed 28 Feb 2024
Wednesday 24 January 2024... A Day of Crows |
Nice clouds again today!
Oh wow! Look at all the Crows!
Maybe the worms are coming up and it's feast time for the Crows?
And then, another batch of crows at the bike path curve!
But look! It's another limping Falkor...
This crow seems to be a juvenile. And the leg must not hurt
much, because she's hopping around like a crazy person! *laughs*
But then one of the watching Crows has noticed me, staring
at her child and she flies in...
And comes to stand in front, while everyone gathers protectively
around their friend!
They are sticking up for their disadvantaged youngster, and I
love them for it!
If only humans could be so wonderful.
Tag: january 2024
|
Uploaded Mon 26 Feb 2024
Tuesday 23 January 2024... At the River |
They have already done great work at the park, gathering
branches and trying to make it safer for the humans.
This is the edge of the playing fields at Maurie Jacobs Park...
where I started out watching the eclipse, last year. There are
several trees that will need to be chopped down. Sighs.
Oh my goodness! The clouds today!
Wow. There's so much water coming over the spillover, there's
hardly a separation at all between the river and the ponds!
The sweet little Golden Crown Sparrows are still so friendly!
Weird that the turtles are out in winter. But I guess the sun
has warmed things up enough for them.
The turtle on the far left is our native Western Pond Turtle.
The other two are invasive Red Ear Sliders.
There are a few of these printed signs around the park.
The paved paths are all clear, but maybe not the trails.
Cute female Lesser Scaups...
Scaup is a weird word. Several dictionaries say
scaup probably means scalp, which is a bed of shellfish.
And it looks like Scaups like to eat Mollusks.
Oh wow! A week ago it was 20° (-7°C) and now the
Osoberries are leafing out! Crazy!
Ah. Yes it is.
Well, that was a lot of photos for the day!
That makes me happy! :)
Tag: january 2024
|
Uploaded Mon 26 Feb 2024
Monday 22 January 2024... More Ice Damage |
This is a sweet little Willow tree along the bike path,
one of its big limbs cracked and lying on the ground.
I'd assume this tree is low priority, since it's in no one's
way. And I really really hope that by the time they get around
to it, they will have time to prune off the limb...
Rather than just chopping the whole tree down.
So many trees are going to have to be removed completely.
I just wish they would leave some, who are damaged but
still alive!
I stop by the Leaning Tree again.
The trees in the neighborhood -- on private property --
are being cared for properly. Just getting their limbs trimmed.
I'm looking around for Angle, but don't see her.
Oh, shoot. It's warm enough today to wake up a caterpillar!
Her bright green would look great in the grass! *laughs*
And I make sure she gets to the grass before I leave her.
My cute lil leaf muncher!
Tag: january 2024
|
Uploaded Sat 24 Feb 2024
Sunday 21 January 2024... a rainy day |
I can hear the Varied Thrush from my bedroom window, again
this morning. I've only seen him twice so far, once during
the ice storm. It would be nice to take his picture, even
if I have to aim the camera out the window, but I haven't
had the opportunity yet...
I am happy just to hear from him, now and then in the mornings!
It's sprinkling and so there's not much picture taking, today.
That's okay, it's good to just be outside and get some
exercise!
Oh, Look! There's a Grebe at the creek! Just having a
wander today, my dear?
Such a cute face, but I can't get over how weird they look
without tail!
They were saying, out at the Raptor Center there was a tree
down, across the driveway up to the center, which had also
taken out the electrical lines.
So they had to haul up fuel for the generators, thru the forest!
Oh my gosh, I can just imagine how much hard work that is...
not only getting thru the the shrubs and thorns of the forest
floor, but also going up hill, which will be muddy and slippery
with all this wet!
But it's important! The generators supply power to the
wildlife hospital. There are about 20 birds in the hospital
right now. and I suppose they have their rat room there
too, which must be kept warm.
∞ Eugene
wildlife care facility forced to close following severe winter weather
Tag: january 2024
|
Uploaded Sat 24 Feb 2024
Saturday 20 January 2024... More Ice Damage |
Oh My GOSH!
∞ Cascades
Raptor Center grapples with damage after ice storm
Two aviaries destroyed!
They were able to rescue Atticus, the Bald Eagle, right
away.
But the tree had fallen on Great Horned Owl Lorax's
aviary over night... The frantically looked for her
in her crushed aviary, moving branches and structure aside and
fearing the worst... but they couldn't find her!
She was missing!
Ay Yai Yai! The Raptor Ambassadors who live
at the center cannot be returned to the wild because they
would not survive.
They started calling for her, and Lorax hooted back!!
She was nearby and when her human partner held up her
gloved hand, Lorax came straight down to her! YAY!
She had a scratch on her face, but was otherwise unharmed.
phew!
I have a photo of Lorax from a few years ago, that I made
into a postcard, so she is
especially precious to me! But since our Raptor Center is
open to the public, you def get to know all the Raptor
Ambassadors when you visit, so there is an undeniable connection!
They estimated 30,000$ for repairs and I think they got it
in donations within about 24 hours! I love my community! :)
Out for my walk.
I was too far away for decent photos, but I really wish
I knew what was going on here...
There were actually three Northern Flickers standing on this
telephone pole, all female. Were they having a conference?
Were they family, just having a get-together? What are they
discussing? So many questions!
Sighs. I just cannot get over the new configuration
of my Leaning Tree.
Remember when the vultures sat here?
The Vulture Gathering was so cool. And it will never happen
again here.
∞ Eugene
focused on clearing roadways, begins park damage assessment
∞ Nothing
is going to stop Mother Nature: Was this ice storm Eugene-Springfield's worst ever?
Don't bother clicking on this, it's behind a pay wall.
But here are the highlights...
The storm made a major impact in one of Oregon's most populated areas in numerous ways, including:
* At the peak of power outages, at least 40,000 were without electricity in Eugene-Springfield while another 10,000 lost power in the south valley. It may take a week or longer to restore everyone's power, officials said.
* A boil water notice was issued for Springfield due to power outages that caused a loss of pressure in pipes, which can lead to contamination. No contamination was detected and the advisory was lifted by Saturday morning.
[The boil water notice started on Tuesday, I believe, and included over half the city... So that took five days to sort out!]
* At various points, state highways 126, 99, 36 and 20 were all closed -- while I-5 near Cottage Grove became so gridlocked some spent the night in their cars.
* In Springfield, officials estimate 20,000 city trees were damaged and tens of thousands more were damaged on private property, city officials said. Similar levels of destruction were present across rural areas and the south valley.
* Some schools were closed all week. Springfield Public Schools declared a state of emergency Wednesday night after determining significant damage had been dealt to multiple facilities.
* Lane County, city governments, fire districts and public utilities have collectively spent more than $2 million to respond to the ice storm, and that number will continue to rise.
Tag: january 2024
|
Uploaded Thurs 22 Feb 2024
Friday 19 January 2024... Stewart Pond |
Good Morning My Dear! You are looking dapper!
Let's head out and see what we can see today!
Trees down...
Uncooperative birds...
Ah! There are ducks at the ponds, at last!
Oh, hey! There's a Heron here, too! That's different.
Is that you, Henrietta? I don't think so.
And I wonder if there's
much food here for a carnivore in a temporary, seasonal pond!
oop. Oh Wow!
Definitely reminded about how big these birds are when
they open up their wings!
Bye!
Lots of trees and branches down in the little patch of
forest, too.
More uncooperative birds! *laughs*
People have been pulling branches off the path... but this
one is too big to move easily. I step over it and continue
on.
Tag: january 2024
|
Uploaded Thurs 22 Feb 2024
Thursday 18 January 2024... Leaning Tree |
There's still some bits of snow left on the ground, even
tho it stayed well above freezing last night and it's 46°
this morning.
And when I get out the door, the branch with the power lines
is still blocking part of the street. Here's the car under
the branch...
The frame is okay but the roof will probably leak, now.
They are lucky it didn't bust their windshield!
I walk further today, going around the bridges since the
bike path is still flooded.
Branches and trees down all over the place.
oops, this tree took out a street lamp.
heh. It's ironic because this is the same area where
vandals were pushing over the street lamps here a couple
years ago. The city has probably already replaced that
pole two or three times! *laughs*
Oh. My Leaning Tree...
It's leaning on the ground. I am so upset.
This is such a beautiful tree.
Yep. It's done. The trunks are broken away from their
roots.
They'll have to chop it up and remove it.
*cries*
When I come back home, on my street, there's a good
Samaritan with a chainsaw, cutting away the part of the
branch that's blocking the road. It doesn't look very safe,
he's standing on top of his car to reach.
But there's work for everyone who owns a chainsaw,
and you can hear them in the distance, running constantly.
I hope they all stay safe!
∞ Hundreds
of downed tree limbs and branches causes immense damage across Eugene
Tag: january 2024
|
Uploaded Tues 20 Feb 2024
Wednesday 17 January 2024... The Mess the Ice Leaves Behind |
It's 43° and raining. The ice is gone from the trees.
Still ice on the ground tho, I suppose it will take a while
to melt it all.
Here's the branch that fell past my bedroom window at 7pm...
The little round things are Sweet Gum Balls, spikey little
seed pods from the trees above.
And this must be the 10pm branch... I think the sound of it
falling must have echoed in between the two buildings to
make it sound like it fell in the parking lot!
This branch is blocking half the street, has power lines
involved, and has dented the roof of the blue suv.
What a mess.
And the creek is full of melt water.
There are branches down all over the place.
The bike path under the bridges is flooded... deeper than
my boots! *laughs* Yep, I tried! So I didn't walk very
far today.
Coming back home on a different route, I saw a couple Big trees
had come down across our side street. They had already been
chainsawed into pieces, and weren't blocking the road. But
I wonder when it happened, and how is it I didn't hear it!
The buses are still not running, but the airport
started up with flights, in and out today.
Tag: january 2024
|
Uploaded Tues 20 Feb 2024
Tuesday 16 January 2024... ICE... Worse Before It Gets Better! |
Holy Shit! I should not have gone out there!
The sun is out, briefly, and the top molecules
of the ice have melted. It is slick. So slick!
Walking over that is just terrifying... Dang, I thought
it was scary before, but this is a hundred times worse!
The slightest incline is horrifying.
I was slipping even when I walked in the grass,
because it's an ice sheet as well.
Walking back thru the neighborhood, a car and I both came to
an intersection at the same time. The car stopped for me, but
I waved them thru, since they were going a tiny bit faster
than I was! ha.
The passenger rolled down his window.
I'm having fun, he announced.
He indicated the driver, She's NOT!
I laughed and nodded and replied,
It's terrifying!
I just walked around the block. It's maybe ¾ mile,
and even less than a mile felt like a huge mistake!
It took me almost an hour to walk that little bit!
3:15pm...
It's been raining for an hour or so.
It's still 27° so it's
freezing rain again. I watch the wildlife out the window.
Lesser Goldfinches, the Varied Thrush flies by,
and a squirrel.
And I watch several branches come down.
I wonder if the squirrels know to stay out of the trees?
The one I see just goes up and down the trunk, but I
can't tell if she's avoiding the branches on purpose.
4:05pm... I was working on photos on the computer
and the power went out! It goes off and on several times,
each time there's a loud noise coming from down the street.
After a few seconds, the power is out for good.
I hope the computer is okay. I hope I didn't lose much from
the photo file I was working on! I can't remember if I had
hit the Save button at all! ha.
I get down to write a letter of the day.
And asked Partner to get the candles out.
By the time I'm finishing my letter, I do need the candle
light! Done with that, I take my candle and set it
in the window sill. My kindle is an E-Ink --
it's not backlit and has no front illumination either --
so I need the candle to read on it!
It's got a good charge, so I
won't have to worry about that.
When I get hungry for some dinner, I have a peanut butter
sandwich and some pistachios. Hot food would have been nicer! heh.
6:30pm Power back on? Yes, it seems to be back on.
Computer is good, Internet seems fine as well!
And the automatic backup on my software caught most of the
work I was doing on that photo file I had been working on!
Yay Technology! *laughs*
7:04pm A big branch just hit the roof and slid and
fell right in front of my bedroom window. And I'm suddenly
scared that the trees are going to kill us!
There's little branches snapping and
coming down, almost constantly. But
now and then, bigger branches crash down.
∞ Mass
cancellations at Eugene Airport strand travelers
∞ EWEB
crews restore power to water treatment plant, continue working to address outages
Our water treatment plant had a generator, so it was okay.
They weren't as lucky over in Springfield... In the coming days,
half the city will be on a boil water notice!
On NextDoor, I see that some of the grocery stores have been
open... but the shelves are pretty empty because the trucks
haven't been able to get into town to deliver!
∞ User Photos:
Winter Weather Gallery KVAL is a local tv station.
This is great, some really good photos here!
9pm... It's warmed up to 30° and it seems like it
will continue to get warmer thru the night! Good, I hope it
melts before the trees do too much damage.
9:30pm... I go to bed, but I can't sleep.
It's so noisy, branches are falling, hail is falling,
other unidentifiable sounds. It's very worrisome.
Just after 10pm, there was cracking and a crashing
and a very loud thump, and
oh, that did not sound good. Not good at all!
I sat up in bed and looked out the window.
I expected there to be a big branch down.
But I can't see a thing in the darkness.
The shades part in two
apartments across the parking lot.
A guy came out and then another.
It sounded like it hit a car.
Yeah, that's what I thought, at first...
But then I realized it was just a thump, no glass
shattering and no sound of metal.
But we don't see anything, and I lie back down and
try to sleep.
Tag: january 2024
|
Uploaded Sun 18 Feb 2024
Monday 15 January 2024... ICE Continues |
It feels like a repeat of yesterday! It's 21° with the
wind chill bringing it down to 9° and the hard ice continues.
Walking oh so slowly and carefully again,
and the trees are still beautiful.
No sign of the Hermit Thrushes who were here the first
day, but the Killdeers are still hanging out.
And Henrietta still has ice on his back.
I really wanted to go into the Community Garden... I'm pretty
sure the ice has done in the Fava cover crop, it wasn't
doing all that great anyway.
But I wondered what the volunteer Elephant
Garlics were doing...
It turns out, there was no way I was getting into the Garden!
*laughs*
The ice is so thick and hard, I couldn't even move the chain!
So crazy!
Oh! But look at this! The water in the creek is so warm
it's melted a perfect line up on the bank! Ha!
At my turn around point, I pause for a moment and take in
the day. And then I realize there's a little brown bird moving
around at the edge of the water, under the frozen line...
Oh my gosh! She's a Wilson Snipe! What is she doing here?
I've never seen any shorebirds at the creek. She she lost?
Or just wandering around on her own? What's her story?!
whoa!
AllAboutBirds
says Wilson Snipes
feed by burying their bills deep into soft,
wet soil to probe for insect larvae, worms, and other invertebrate
prey. The bill's flexible tip can open to grasp food while the
base of the bill stays closed.
Okay, this is super interesting.
How does this work?! I guess there's muscles and ligaments
and blood flow inside their beak? I've never thought about
this before! Weird!
Hm. I'm headed back home, and this one has been standing
at this fence the entire time I've been walking. To be
respectful of her space, I inch around her, as far away as I can.
I suppose she's having trouble flying. Poor thing.
The ice is hard on everyone. The city is completely shut
down since Saturday. Nothing is open, the buses aren't running,
the damn Urgent Care is closed! (But don't get me started about
how evil Peacehealth is!) All the flights at the airport are
cancelled, stranding people. Today's
Martin Luther King Jr Celebrations have been cancelled,
which is a bummer.
Tag: january 2024
|
Uploaded Sun 18 Feb 2024
Sunday 14 January 2024... Snow to ICE! |
Freezing rain continued thru the night, and the temperature
has settled at 21°F this morning
tho the wind chill makes it 15°.
Gah.
And it still looks
like nice fluffy snow covering everything...
Except it's not snow anymore. It's ice.
Thick, solid, scary ice.
Utterly treacherous, especially since they couldn't
be bothered to do anything with the roads yesterday.
I put on all the layers and head out. It is pretty
terrifying to walk on the ice. It's smooth, it's hard.
I walk slow and a lot of brain power is going into how
I place my feet!
The ice is just crazy!
But everything is so beautiful.
Here's a male Brewer Blackbird, down near the water.
He's drinking, and it's probably several degrees warmer down
next to the water... but dang. The ice on his back and tail!
Feathers are excellent insulation, keeping the warmth in.
But that ice sticking to him must be really annoying.
Everybody I see has ice on them!
And I notice, too, when they fly, their tail hangs down!
It looks incredibly awkward. I feel bad for them.
Plus they have to stand directly on that ice. eee.
Tag: january 2024
|
Thursday 15 February 2024... A New Place to Hike? Wild Iris Ridge! |
I have been meaning to check out Wild Iris Ridge for a while
now. There was an
article
in the Eugene Weekly
about the park and it looks like a nice little hike...
the park is 255 acres and the loop trail is 3.7 miles long.
The problem is, the park is just over 2miles from home.
All together, with the hike, that
would be a pretty long walk for me... and if there's any kind of
hills to go up and down on the trail, that's going to be a
tough walk home!
So it might be better to drive over there. But before I get
the car out for a ridiculously short trip, I want to make sure
it's worth it by walking to the trail head and checking it out!
And I've been putting this off for months...
I've never been up that road, and since it connects with 11th
-- a major thoroughfare --
I figured it would be nothing but strip malls and businesses,
and I'd have to be avoiding cars coming in and out of parking
lots. And blah, right? Boring!
But then, today. The sun was out, there was blue sky all the
way across. Except for that bit in the west.
I thought I was going to walk up Hidden Trail. But I got
outside, and that bit of grey cloud in the west had completely
taken over! It started sprinkling, and then raining.
And it wasn't going to let up at all!
So, yeah. I don't want to bother going up Hidden in the rain.
And I decided to go find Wild Iris Ridge instead!
I walk thru part of the same neighborhood...
(These are some dwarf irises in someone's front yard.
This variety pops up way earlier
than normal irises which bloom in May or so!)
And then cut thru to get to the road that leads to the park.
And it turns out, the road is really nice...
I come up the hill to what looks like a city park, with
grass and a line of fir trees. It turns out
to be a sprawling middle school. And there's neighborhood
and community buildings all along the way. I don't have to
dodge a single car, even on the streets I cross! So nice!
And then I find the park!
Yay! But the parking lot is tiny. And full of cars.
hmm. That could be a problem.
I check out the map at the kiosk and then go up the trail
to see what the park looks like. It's not terribly inviting
from here...
um? The trail follows the power line clearing?
Okay, this is kind of terrible.
But I keep going... Okay! This is more like it!!
I go a little bit further, just to make sure. And yep,
there's a split in the trail and you can go up the hill thru
the forest, and avoid the stupid power lines!
I think we have a winner!
Tag: february 2024
|
Uploaded Thurs 15 Feb 2024
Saturday 13 January 2024... Snow! |
I awoke to a Winter Wonderland this morning! And little
flurries still coming down! And cold! Dang, it's just 27°
(-3°C) and not going to warm up much at all today!
I bundled up in my snow gear... heavy shirts under my rain jacket,
snow pants and my boots! That should do it! Nice to be able
to use the snow pants every few years. ha.
There's Juncos on the steps, right outside...
He's eating a peanut bit, and I don't think you want that
snow on your tail feathers, dear!
And while I was looking at the cute lil birds, this one has
been trying to get into a walnut for long minutes!
There you go, it's coming open now!
The snow on the bike path is on the crunchy side of slush.
It's not slick, and fairly easy to walk.
There's a whole flock of... Hermit Thrushes?
Running around on the snow, here!
Where'd they all come from all of a sudden?
And a little bit further on, there are loads of Killdeers
running around in the grass! So interesting! Why are they
all gathering here?
The Leaning Tree looks lovely in the snow...
Little do I know that these will be the last photos I take
of the tree in one piece. Or. You know... Three pieces that
are actually alive.
The ice will bring it down.
Sighs. But it's beautiful right now.
The novelty and delight in the snow suddenly wore off tho...
When I turn around to come home, I was walking into the wind
and getting hit in the face with frozen rain --
Hey! OUCH! *laughs*
Not even a trace of ice in the creek, despite the cold.
The water is usually in the mid-40s (7°C), this time of year.
Hi Henrietta! You got ice on your shoulders!
When I got back home, I found that the temperature had
actually dropped a degree, now at 26°F. And
the Wintery Mix kept coming down, all thru the day
and into the night.
Tag: january 2024
|
Uploaded Thurs 15 Feb 2024
Friday 12 January 2024... Fly Away! |
heh. Here's my friend, the female Belted Kingfisher,
doing what is normal and flying away from me!
Every year, this pair of Kingfishers flies up and down the
creek. I assume they are scouting out good nesting locations.
Kingfishers dig their nest into the bank, and I have no idea
if they've ever actually nested here.
Every once in a while, one or the other
sits long enough for me to get a
blurry portrait. But mostly, they fly once they see me looking
at them, and stop on a perch just close enough that I think
I can try again. But when I get there they fly again.
Yes. They are def making fun of me!
I appreciate the game. But I have cursed at them a lot! *laughs*
I walk almost my entire walk and I'm practically home and I'm
wondering if today will be the day that I don't get any decent
photos.
But then this one sits for me!
I thank her for her time.
I usually try to thank all the birds for sticking around
and letting me click the camera at them.
It's just polite, but I do wonder if random humans coming up
behind me think I'm crazy! ha!
Tag: january 2024
|
Uploaded Mon 12 Feb 2024
Thursday 11 January 2024... A Happy Walk with Angle! |
I see a duck down in the water and for an instant, I think
it's Angle, the Mallard with the messed up wing who is not
an Angel. I saw her right before I left for my December
travels, but haven't seen her since I got back, and I'm
worried!
But then that duck in the water flaps her wings, to rearrange
all the feathers properly. And I'm disappointed, Angle can't
move her wing that much.
But I can't let go of my suspicion, and I watch her carefully.
She walks up on the bank and settles on some trash, and when
I come around to see her right side... oh my gosh! It IS
Angle!!!
Angle! Her wing is healing! And she can move it!
The pain is getting better! oh wow...
I still doubt she'll ever be able to fly. But I'm so
happy to know the pain is lessening and
her range of motion is improving! Yay!
I think this is a little Hawthorn tree.
And I think the robins will make quick work of all the berries!
heh... She looks funny...
A Song Sparrow singing from the Red Osier Dogwoods...
And when I come back thru... Angle is still here, napping!
Tag: january 2024
|
Uploaded Mon 12 Feb 2024
Wednesday 10 January 2024... Fun Birds |
The Crows are making a ruckus this morning at the wet prairie
and I stop to watch them.
There is something in the grass that's making them bounce
around and talk excitedly.
And then one Crow flies up and a couple others are chasing after
her! She flies all around but isn't losing her friends...
She's got a huge chunk of, what? bread or something that she
wants to keep for herself! *laughs*
I don't know... these photos just amuse me greatly.
Okay. Moving on. Here's a cute Kinglet...
Ha! This is such a small patch of grass that's getting some
habitat restoration! I wonder what they've planted.
The Leaning Tree from the other side, looking west. (I usually
take pictures on the way out, looking east!)
A White Crown Sparrow.
Ah! The Beaver munched trees, of yesterday with the
pink ribbons... They put fencing around those marked trees
to keep the Beaver away.
Seems odd. I mean, a Beaver has to chew! Are they going to
put fences around all the trees?
Tag: january 2024
|
Uploaded Sat 10 Feb 2024
Tuesday 9 January 2024... The Rain Pours |
Good Morning, Cuteness! It looks like you're having a
good breakfast of peanuts in the shell!
Ah, it looks like you've been burying some of those peanuts,
too... Mud on your nose! *laughs*
It is pouring down rain and this is my kind of weather!
I mostly have the bike path to myself. There's not as much
wildlife out and about, but I can usually find something
interesting to take pictures of!
Ha! I am amused by the raindrops in the water!
Oh wow! Our Wayward Beaver doing her important work!
And someone official has noticed... I'm not sure what
the pink ribbons mean!?
Going past the Community Garden,
and Oh My Gosh... She's a youngster!
Too Cute!
Hi Baby! Is this your first day away from Mama?
Aw. She looks a little cold. Poor Baby. You got to eat
a lot of nuts, and then you'll be nice and fat and you won't
notice the cold so much, little one!
When I turn around to go home, I'm walking into the wind.
I get soaked, despite the rain jacket
and wet clothes make it a little chilly.
But! My energy is finally starting to come back. Yesterday I was
able to get a couple chores done, and it felt good to run the
vacuum!
And this afternoon, I've finally emptied my luggage
from traveling in December. Ha, yep, the bags have been sitting
out in the hallway all this time, since I got back!
Now it's nice and tidy!
Tag: january 2024
|
Monday 8 January 2024... Stewart Pond |
Our cute little Lesser Goldfinches are so much brighter
than their cousins the American Goldfinches, this time of year!
Well, here I am at the ponds... and there are no ducks, no
geese, and no little shore birds. Where is everybody??!
I don't see my friend the Kestrel, either. Sighs!
There are some robins bouncing around in the forest area, tho!
And when I go around to the back of the park... Oh! It looks
like they've had a Tree Planting Party! Awesome!
I wonder what kind of trees they are. I'll have to look at
them when they get some leaves!
Oh, hey! I've not seen this one before!
And I get the feeling I won't see her again... she is very shy
and is high tailing it away from me! ha. Oh well. Have a good
life, Beautiful One!
Tag: january 2024
|
Sunday 7 January 2024... Another Day |
I don't know, do I feel better, or not? I'm still sniffly,
and my energy just isn't coming back and I'm kind of grumpy
about it!
And then, this morning... look at what I did.
There were other dishes in the sink when I was washing the coffee
pot, and I tapped them as I was swishing water around. I didn't
even notice it had broken until I went to make coffee... haha.
It wasn't a fast leak, but there was def coffee all over the place!
Sheesh.
Hi Henrietta!
Tag: january 2024
|
Saturday 6 January 2024... A Day |
Pardon me. Um, the fur on your face is a little messed up.
If you'd just swipe your hand across your cheek, you'll
look all pretty again! :)
The clouds are moving around and eventually some blue sky
appears.
Ah. A little book burning on the bike path.
Hopefully the book was boring.
And a Blurry Bird! A tiny Ruby Crown Kinglet -- with just a
bit of his crown showing! As usual, he was bouncing around too
quickly for me and the camera!
The forecast is saying we might have some weather next week...
snow up in the hills and then the potiential for the coldest
temperatures of the season. blah.
Tag: january 2024
|
Tuesday 6 February 2024... Month of Letters |
Ha. Yep, a week of February has already gone by, and I've
suddenly decided to login at LetterMo...
It's okay tho, since I have sent some postcards every day so far! :)
They have ported into a new design again this year, and
consequentially, I've lost my extensive friends list. This
is a bummer. And additionally, they still don't have
DMs or any kind of private messaging.
The lack of functionality on the LetterMo website is what
drove me away in the past.
On top of that... I hate that font!
But it is what it is.
And I've updated my profile.
And I've sent out a few friend requests.
Tag: february 2024
|
Friday 5 January 2024... Today |
Oh the cute little Hooded Mergansers!
Usually so shy! but today they are a little bit more bold
and I get to take a couple pics before they paddle behind
some bushes to hide themselves.
And at home, I get food and take a nice hot shower
and lie down for a long, two hour nap. Again.
Sighs! Will I ever get my energy back??!
Tag: january 2024
|
Thursday 4 January 2024... Blah |
There is a Varied Thrush singing who I can hear from my
bedroom window in the morning!
They have the most wonderful and interesting song... it is
just a single tone whistle. You can listen to it here:
AllAboutBirds
Varied Thrush, sounds
That song belongs in the forest! And every time I hear it,
I imagine an old temperate rain forest in winter... the grey
sky, the drizzle coming down, the huge old trees covered in
mosses, and the ferns. And the eerie song of a Varied Thrush.
But... I'm still kinda blah today, so I won't be visiting
any forests in real life! Just walking down the bike path...
Still looking for Angle.
Back at home, and another nap today.
Tag: january 2024
|
Monday 5 February 2024... A Loved Tree. Tribute to the Leaning Tree. |
My Leaning Tree fell over during the ice storm of mid-January...
It's three trunks are now leaning on the ground in three
different directions.
Today, I found it had been turned into an art installation!
[Oak trees hold] Onto their leaves so long in fall
And watching people go by
Hug trees, Love trees, Climb trees, Plant trees
Teaching us to look up. I Loved...
Dearest Amazing Tree.
I am so thankful for you!!!
Held in love
♥
Okay. That one made me cry. *sad smile*
I will miss this tree so much.
But this beautiful memorial from the community
really is heart-warming.
Tag: february 2024
|
Wednesday 3 January 2024... Today |
Yep, I'm going out for a walk again today. I thought I felt
better but I run out of energy pretty quickly. I am
seeing interesting things and I just keep walking
for some stupid reason!
Hi Henrietta! You are looking very handsome today!
A new Graffiti Artist! I like it! Tho the snail's face
needs some help. Maybe they got distracted before they were
done.
Poor little guy with messed up toes. Sighs. Looks like
it will be another year of Sick and Injured Wildlife.
I've not seen Angle yet, since I got back from my travels.
So I'm studying all the ducks I come across. I hope she's
okay!
Food, hot shower and then a LONG, two hour nap. heh, that walk
completely exhausted me!
Tag: january 2024
|
Tuesday 2 January 2024... A Day |
Oh, the fog on the hills is lovely.
But, Ugh.
I want to be over the stupid head cold I picked up
while travelling in december...
But today it's decidedly worse: my throat hurts
and the sinus headache is back with a vengeance.
I wonder if I just shouldn't stay home, but once I get out...
the fresh air feels so good in my lungs!
There's a pair of Hooded Mergansers at the creek. The female
is less shy.
I walk out to the Events Center, but maybe I shouldn't
have gone that far?
On the way home, I run out of energy.
And after some food and a hot shower, I lie down for a nap.
Tag: january 2024
|
Monday 1 January 2024... Happy New Year! |
I am thrilled to start off the New Year with a squirrel!
I still haven't gotten over the cold I caught while traveling
in December. I'm just a bit sniffly, but it's def annoying.
Henrietta, up in the fir tree he likes to hang out in.
I go to the Community Garden, and I lay claim to that big trellis
that I left behind the other day, and haul it to my plot!
Yes, I am being entirely selfish with all the freebie stuff I've
taken! But I've decided that no one wants this big trellis
as much as I want this big trellis! *laughs*
Tag: january 2024
|
Sunday 31 December 2023... Stewart Pond |
Happy to see that Stewart Pond Park has some decent ponds!
The far away ducks today are Green Wing Teals.
Oh, yay! The Kestrel is still hanging out here!!
I'm so glad, I hope I get to see more of her!
Once I get to the little forest, there are the usual
mix of little birds and robins chatting amongst themselves.
But this Flicker is the only one who lets me take his picture.
*laughs* My Tripping Hazard marker is still here!
Good thing, too. With all the muddy places, this trail could
def use some maintenance.
Singularly unconcerned about the state of the trail...
Henrietta! But, gah, seriously?
And some ducks!
Tag: december 2023
|
Friday 2 February 2023... Tea Time! |
I am a coffee drinker. I'm pretty serious about it.
But I've decided to teach myself to drink tea!
You know... Afternoon Tea! just sounds like something
nice. And I think I'm the type of person who should be doing
something nice like Afternoon Tea!
To that end, I've gotten myself some herbal teas that looked
good...
I tried out the Berry one today.
It's kind of... meh.
Probably it needs some crumpets or something to go along
with it?
*laughs*
Well. This morning I got some sun again, for my walk.
oh, hey. The field behind the Events Center is getting a
new, cute fence. I wonder why.
The clouds are moving around a lot and being pretty!
Tag: february 2024
|
Saturday 30 December 2023... Garden Score! |
Home Again!
And the squirrel outside the door is surprised to see me...
It's misting and sprinkling this morning, but no wind and
nice and warm at 48° (9°C)... perfect Oregon weather!
But why is the wet prairie pond so small? Has it not been
raining here?
The birds can't believe I'm home, either!
I decide to stop in at the Community Garden. And oh my gosh!
Look!
They must have cleared out some abandoned garden plots!
Everything left at the table is free for anyone to pick up
and use! I grab a handful of wood stakes, the instant I
lay eyes on them... wood stakes are always so useful to
have around! (Not just for murdering vampires!!)
I drop them off in my garden plot and come back for a closer
look. There's some large tomato cages, nice! And I also get
the smaller of the two trellises. They both just fold out in
an upside-down V and the green one is about 3 feet tall...
I think some Lemon Cucumbers would be happy to grow on it!
It would be nice to have the big trellis as well... It's two
stock panels are 4x6 feet. It would be so nice to have something
sturdy for the wax beans to grow on!
But, after I take a few black bricks... yeah, I feel like I'm
being selfish. Taking all the good stuff without giving anyone
else a chance. heh. So I leave the big trellis where it is.
Maybe I'll come back next week, and if it's still here, I'll
grab it!
It's good to be home!
Tag: december 2023
|
Friday 29 December 2023... Getting Home |
I am not looking forward to the plane ride home... the
altitide will take my little cold and turn my sinuses and
ears into a living hell. But, that's not until this
afternoon, and there's stuff to be done before then.
I get up and take the sheets off the bed. And I start
getting luggage organized.
Downstairs, it's a normal morning, people gathered around
the kitchen table. Reading the newspaper, reading on laptop,
doing crossword puzzles.
When I get the Emily Laptop out to read my own newspaper...
∞ Where's
the Damn Paper?
Eugene Weekly is fighting to come back after a massive financial blow
oh jeez! The Eugene Weekly is our alternate paper, it goes
out once a week and the print edition is free,
paid for with advertising. Their bookkeeper had been siphoning
off thousands and thousands of dollars, for years.
And they had to lay off everyone, right before Christmas. UGH!
So that's a bummer. But again, stuff to be done!
Brother and I load up with cookies to take home with us,
leaving a couple of each kind for Mom and Dad to eat.
I get back to the
luggage, trying to fit as many of the Christmas presents in
as I can, along with the cookies!
I've stolen all of Dad's photos... thinking it would be nice
to print up a couple to mail back to them. And we work on our
new calendars, writing in the family birthdays and anniversaries.
Eventually, it's time to go to the airport. And eventually,
it's time to get on the plane. And eventually, we get home.
And eventually, get to bed.
Awesome trip. But it's good to be home!
Tag: december 2023
|
Thursday 28 December 2023... More Christmas Time |
I coughed all thru the night, which was a bummer for
my sleep. But at least I don't feel too terrible.
We take it easy today. And the highlight of the day is our
own personal Christmas time.
I am excited about this little microscope that Mom and Dad
got for me...
it's going to be so fun! But I don't pull it out of it's
packaging right away like I want to because we'll be
traveling again tomorrow.
And my brother got the Good Omens dvds for me, and I'm def
looking forward to watching that and all the extras!
There were gifts galore, and we had a great time!
Tag: december 2023
|
Wednesday 27 December 2023... Travel Day |
There is still a good bit of snow on the ground...
But the roads are okay! We are doing our 10 hour drive
from Iowa, back to Colorado.
Dad overslept but says the sleep did him good and he's
feeling okay even tho he's caught our germs. We were on
the road just a couple minutes after our planned time.
There were some snow flurries that worried me, for a few
hours around lunch time. The road got wet but no problems.
And eventually we were in Colorado and the clouds broke and
it was dry and much warmer!
We traditionally get pizza when we return home to Mom and Dad's
house. But the closest pizza place was out of a lot of veggies!
haha! No black olives or mushrooms for my vegan pizza. And
no green peppers for the other pizzas. It was so pathetic!
and after complaining about it for a long time, they finally
gave us a decent discount on the price.
Tag: december 2023
|
Tuesday 26 December 2023... Last Crazy Day in Iowa |
Snow!
Just a dusting, but still coming down! Some Christmas
Snow! So that's nice, except we are driving back to
Colorado tomorrow, so it needs to clear up quickly!!
The Aunts and fams arrive again for lunch. Someone had
brought a jar of Green Olives stuffed with Lemons. Whoa!
It was good... in a very strong way. You could not avoid
making a lemon face! *laughs*
We played a big game of 10 card Flipper Golf and just hung
out for a while.
We were supposed to go back to the other
Uncle's in the afternoon, but they never texted to say
everyone had arrived. We waited and waited and finally
Brother got a text...
It turns out they were trying to text the landline, back
in Colorado, instead of anyone's phone!! Haha! I guess
that tells you a little about our relationship with technology!
Anyway. We went and most all the cousins were there with all
their kids and everything was crazy. We had Traditional
Christmas Part 2, with the dinner and the presents again.
Like I said, you can't stop these people with their
craziness about the gift giving.
We hung out for a while but Dad and I left early. Dad was
starting to get sick as well, and I was just tired of my
constant cough. Plus, Partner had stayed in bed, again,
and I wanted to check on him.
Dad went to bed, and I watched the game of Hand And Foot
that the Aunts and Uncle were playing. Yet again, the
men were winning by so much, they didn't even play the last
hand. Ha. It seems to be a theme!
Partner got up so he could prepare for tomorrow's drive.
Mom and Brother got a ride back and we sat around for a little
while before getting to bed.
Tag: december 2023
|
Monday 25 December 2023... Christmas Day |
Christmas Day is traditionally a lazy day for us!
It's nice to relax after the crazy fun we have on
Christmas Eve.
I coughed most all night, so the sleep wasn't great.
I'm stuffed up and sniffly, have a sinus headache and
still with the cough and sneezes. It's annoying, but
I'm not too bad off.
There's always birds to be watched at Uncle's house...
Here's a fun
woodpecker. She's an eastern bird, not to be seen
in Colorado or Oregon. Red Belly Woodpecker!
For the most part, it's too dark and dreary for taking
photos of birds out the window. Oh well. It's nice to
see them flitting about all the bird feeders in the back
yard, anyway.
With my cold, I do wander down to the basement
for a good chunk of the day, to suffer in peace.
In the evening, more family shows up, both Aunts this time
with parts of their families. After dinner we play some games
With so much of the family around,
Nerts
is definitely going
to come up. This is a ... very physical card game. *laughs*
I don't play, and some of the guys hate to play.
And yet they always end up playing a couple rounds!
We also played a fun game of Natalia's Golf and a good
game of 65.
Again, just good family time!
Tag: december 2023
|
Friday 26 January 2024... A Tribute to Blazey |
Today is the one year anniversary of Blazey's death,
and I thought I would put up a little memorial. I miss
Blazey so much. His place on the bike path is empty and
sad and I think about him often.
Blazey was the best Bike Path Ambassador! He was always
eager to greet all the humans on the bike path, and most
of the dogs as well.
As we got to know each other, Blazey would sometimes
jog towards me when he saw me. He was so wonderful and sweet!
My last photo of him, on the day that he died...
That squirrel in the background was on one of
Blazey's Thrones and eating his dry cat food.
But Blazey wasn't too worried about it!
And then a few days later...
Sighs. He deserved better. But this is what happens
to outside cats, even loved cats with happy homes.
Tag: january 2024
|
Sunday 24 December 2023... Christmas Eve |
Partner, Brother and I decide to skip morning church... we are
all sick and Partner just stays in bed.
Brother isn't too bad off, tho he's been ill for a couple days.
He thinks we caught the germs at last week's church service.
Super Spreader
*laughs* At least we know it's just
a cold, and a mild one at that, because Partner and I had
gotten both the flu shot and covid vax a couple weeks ago...
those immunizations are at full immunizing capacity right
now!
I try to be social, but my face keeps exploding.
Gah, so annoying.
Brother is feeling better and decides to go with Parents
to see the children's Christmas Play at the local church
in the evening. I am sad that I'm missing out, and demand
he report back to me if anything interesting happens!
And this evening is our traditional Christmas celebration.
We go back over to Mom's Brother's house, have a fantastic
dinner. And then we open packages.
I have been trying to get these people to scale
back on this Christmas Present Thing for years!
*laughs* I don't buy anyone any presents, anymore.
For me, the stress outweighs the enjoyment.
But you can't stop these crazy people.
*Affectionate Eye Roll*
And then we played some more games... We tried to play a
weirdly modified partners game of Hand And Foot, because
we had seven players. Uncle flip-flopped between the Mens
side and the Womens side, and it started out well. But then
the Men+Uncle could not get their canastas down in the third
round and Uncle ended up with negative 10,000. Bahaha!
It was a fun evening, good family time. And I was happy
that my face didn't explode too much.
Tag: december 2023
|
Saturday 23 December 2023... A Change of Place |
I get up in the morning and am nominally sick, so I just
get on with the day. We play a couple games in the morning
and then after lunch we pack up our stuff into the pickup
and drive down the road to my other uncle's house.
I start sneezing.
Another Aunt, Cousin and Child come over for a visit. The child
has a couple games that are fun to play even tho she's little.
Moving the little metal ball around the obstacles is on the
frustrating side. But the Whack A Mole is fun... I win a
few games before I retreat the the basement so that I can
not sniffle at everyone for a while.
I come back later to play a game of 65... different rules at this
house and extra wild cards. Aunt is always very lucky at this
game and she easily won. But as we were finishing up the last
round, she pointed out that I was using the wild cards wrong.
haha! No wonder I'm losing so terribly!
Or maybe I'm just sick! I go to bed early, only to lay there
and sneeze and cough for most of the night.
Tag: december 2023
|
Friday 22 December 2023... Games All Day |
A panopoly of games today!
Monopoly Deals and another attempt at Coup.
Sixty-Five and the dice game Qwixx.
We pull out Wits and Wagers and that was a fun game...
Brother and I were winning, but then Dad bet all he
had on William Shakespeare for the last question!
Brother had 19, I had 17 and Dad had a crazy 40 for the win!
The game Blank Slate was out and we dug into it for
a pseudo game, asking the questions but not keeping score
or anything.
After dinner we played Blank Slate again, keeping score
this time. Brother won, then Mom won.
We also played more Wits and Wagers and Brother knew the
last question, and bet it all and won! FYI, in the
traditional Monopoly game, you start out with 1500$. *laughs*
Something I will probably never care about! ;)
In the evening, I realize I've got some kind of disease.
My throat is sore and I've sneezed more than normal and
I'm a little stuffy. Arg. This is annoying, I don't want
to be sick!
Tag: december 2023
|
Thursday 21 December 2023... Out for a Walk |
Uncle and Aunt live right on the edge of town, and it's a
pleasant, short walk to downtown. Nobody wanted to walk
with me, and I'm happy to go out alone. It's good to get some
exercise!
I LOVE their black squirrels!!
This is a colour variation in their Eastern Grey
Squirrels. Very cute!
I go across the main road that goes thru town and find the
library.
Yep, I go in and check it out! It seems pretty cozy.
There's a fireplace to gather at and nice places to read
by the big windows.
I continue thru the neighborhoods. Yay Art!
I go across a few blocks to make a loop and come back thru
the Square . My great aunt worked in the courthouse,
when I was a kid and so I've been inside a few times. I didn't
feel like going past the construction, so I didn't go in today.
A squirrel who looks more familiar... Eastern Fox Squirrels
are the invasive species we've got, back in Oregon!
A Little Free Library outside a church. And yep, a hefty
section inside the box was taken up with religious tracks. Ha.
Back at the house, I watched the end of a Camel game.
Mom was kicking butt, and she won!
I joined in for a men against women game of Hand And Foot.
The men came in really strong and after the first round
they were beating the women by 2000 points! But the
women made a come back and we caught up... we had done so
well, our scores were almost even, the men were ahead by
just five points!
The pendulum swung back to the men for the third round and
they were ahead by 3000 points. The fourth round is the
last one, and we women started out great! But then the
men put their 150 down and built canastas quickly. Dad
went out to finish the game and unfortunately we didn't
even need to count for the final score because the men were
still over 2000 points ahead.
We are tidying up a little after the game...
And Brother found Dad's Foot on the window sill! He had
set it out of the way, and then forgot to play it!
Cheater!!
Bahaha! We decided to call it an even game, instead!
Uncle and Aunt have an excellent game room in their basement.
A foosball and a pool table.
My brother is an expert at the foosball. My dad and I ganged
up against him, and we lost miserably!
And then later in the evenng he thrashed my uncle at
a couple games!
We played some pool as well. I happened to get paired up with
Aunt, and it was good! I'm terrible, tho I can occasionally
make a good shot. But Aunt is brilliant. She's by far the
best player in the house! So we won a few games against
everyone! Yay!
Tag: december 2023
|
Wednesday 20 December 2023... Games |
I slept in and then it became a day of games!
We pulled out the Camel game, and my brother won.
And then a game of 65, Aunt thrashed us all.
After dinner we set up a partners game of Hand And Foot,
women against men. Sadly, the men killed us in that game.
A couple games of Wits and Wagers. Mom won the first and
Partner won the second.
Apples To Apples was incredible... Mom guessed correctly
every single round, until one or two at the end.
And then a ten card Golf game. We play a few different
varieties of Golf card games,
and I'm always getting them mixed up.
This one, Brother came in first with -75. I was in second
but I trailed far behind with -39...
There were a couple
other negative scores, but a few people had really bad
positive scores. It's a fun game, but when you get the
luck and finish the rounds quickly, you can really
exacerbate other people's bad luck!
Tag: december 2023
|
Tuesday 19 December 2023... Road Trip |
The sunrise in Colorado.
And then we jumped in the truck and drove to Iowa!
It's a hefty 10 hour drive. I love road trips, even when
I don't get to drive!
It is a long day, tho.
We were going to be staying at Mom's brother's house, and
as we drove past Dad's brother's house, Dad laid on the horn!
Gah! The people in the back seat had no idea what was
going on, especially since the horn was on for practically
30 seconds or more. I thought the check engine light
had suddenly gotten a lot worse! haha!
And the truck that was in front of us... way, _way_ out
in front of us, didn't know what was going on either!!
They pulled over and were probably confused for hours.
I wonder what story they will
tell about that incident!! *laughs*
We arrived and got settled, and then Uncle and Aunt kept
chatting and chatting even tho all I wanted to do was
go to bed! They are def night people and of course
excited to see us. But that was pretty funny!
Tag: december 2023
|
Monday 18 December 2023... Day of Chores and Games |
Tomorrow we are heading to Iowa, so I need to do a load
of laundry and re-pack my bags. Dad is getting stuff done
as well, organizing the pickup.
Dad, Bro and I play a game of Monopoly Deals... Dad gets all
the good cards, Bro and I lay down a couple of things which
quickly get stolen.
In the afternoon, Bro and I decide to see how fast we can
walk the 2mile loop to the back of the subdivision.
We walked at 17.38 minutes per mile... I'm not sure if that
average includes me stopping for photos! *laughs*
European Starlings...
And Eurasian Collared Doves...
Ha, there's more than just invasive species here!
But the Robins and far off Magpies were not sitting
for their portraits today!
The same curious goat as the other day... I wonder if this
is the leader!
The other goats are relaxing and enjoying the day!
Partner came down as we were thinking about playing a game
of Hand and Foot. That's a tough game with five players, so
we switched to Group and Run. That ended up being a very
slow game, anyway... but Partner eventually won!
Dinner was fridge wipe out! And when we were all done
with our last minute chores for tomorrows car trip, Brother
started up a movie. Oblivion, 2013. It was pretty good,
but had some major plot issues.
Tag: december 2023
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Sunday 17 December 2023... Sunday Cookie Decorating! |
Church this morning and then some football on the tv, to be
ignored by most of the house. Brother
and I wrapped our Christmas presents and then Mom was working
on more cookies!
We had fun decorating the sugar cookies!
Never mind the box of Triscuits... they're vegan and
pretty tasty, but now we have cookies to munch on!
And the newspaper puzzles are a morning tradition, at the
parents house!
We played Can't Stop, it's a dice game with a board and I enjoy
it. But the race was between Dad and Brother, and Brother won.
And I lost miserably, of course.
Then we tried out a first game of Coup. It is very complicated
and the language around challenges and blocks definitely needs
improvement. And then the game ended abruptly when Brother just
paid to outright murder me! That was lame, and no one wanted
to play again.
Later in the evening we played some
City Guesser.
Last year we played the heck out of this game, and it
was really fun.
This time around, there were some very boring walks along the
way and it was def not as fun. Oh well!
Tag: december 2023
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Saturday 16 December 2023... Raptor Center! |
Today the Rocky
Mountain Raptor Program in Fort Collins
is having an open house!
Outside the building, they have a
Bald
Eagle mascot dressed
up and dancing around! haha!
And inside the building we are greeted by the smallest of
their raptor ambassadors, an
Eastern Screech Owl!
The links go to each of the ambassador's personal pages
at the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program website. You can learn
about what brought them into the program! For instance, this
Screech Owl had a broken jaw which now makes it hard for him
to eat.
A terrible photo... but the cuteness!
None of the photos today are any good. The light was just
really bad in their building. That's okay, it's fun to meet
all the bird ambassadors, anyway!
I asked about his name, and they have a whole speech!
Rebekah said they were changing their policy about names...
Formerly, they didn't name the raptors because they are
wild animals.
But they've recently decided to name them after all,
because it creates a connection and fosters empathy.
Personally, yeah, you know I give names to the wild
lives!
But I can respect what they were trying to do by not naming
anyone. I do wonder how they refer to everyone when the
public isn't around, tho. For instance, they've got two
Eastern Screech Owls and a Western, who are all ambassadors,
not to mention three Red Tail Hawks. They must have some
kind of identification, beyond their species,
to figure out who's who!
And then we get to meet the biggest raptor... a
Golden Eagle.
He was happily ripping flesh off the spine of a bunny.
eh. Carnivores.
This is a
Northern Goshawk.
He is almost completely blind, but very sweet and gentle.
This taxidermied Prairie Dog amused me with her Holiday Bow.
They did have a sign that said No animals were killed or
harmed for the purpose of creating these specimens...
That's good to know... tho they do kill a lot of mice and
bunnies and whoever to feed the raptors.
There's
also a sign reminding people that it's illegal for regular
people to possess feathers, bones, eggs, nests and the
bodies (living or dead) of these protected species.
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act covers ALL native North American
birds. It's illegal to keep even a sparrow's feather!
The Rocky Mountain Raptor Program has state and
federal permits, which allow them to keep the birds and
bird parts.
Like this owl skeleton. Wow, that eye socket is just crazy!
I think the next hawk is this
Red Tail
Hawk, who had West Nile Virus and was treated and
survived encephalitis (brain swelling) that left her with
neurological deficits.
And finally, we've got this
Swainson
Hawk who is blind in his right eye.
I was so excited to see these Hawks, and Eagle and Owl,
and learn about them and hear their stories. And then I
went and spent some money at their gift shop. I got a
tee-shirt
with Kestrels, since I get to see Kestrels at
home, now and then. I also bought a couple notecards that
I'll keep for the art! A Turkey Vulture photo and
an illustrated Silby card of Owls of the western US.
And now that I'm looking at their online shop... oh my gosh,
I kind of want the
Dodo!
*laughs* And the
Turkey
Vulture. And. Well. They've got a lot of fun stuffies!!
Anyway. We headed back home to my parent's house, and Dad
got to work with the fire pit!
We had a lovely time out there, gathered round the fire
and drinking hot mulled wine, a gift brought by the lovely
Amber.
In the evening we pulled out the new Camels game again.
This board game is a bit complicated and the first time
we tried to play, Dad was grumpy
about it, for whatever reason.
That's fine. We are humans and we have emotions.
We are allowed to be grumpy! And he apologized.
The game this evening went much more smoothly, now that
we are figuring it out. And it's interesting, once you
get the hang of it! Mom won with the most money, and I
lost pitifully.
Tag: december 2023
|
Friday 15 December 2023... Birds and the Barn Star |
My Dad keeps some bird feeders in their back yard,
and I was taking some photos today.
Altho our homes in Oregon and Colorado are split by the
Rocky Mountains, our Northern Flickers are the same: Red Shafted!
They also have Oregon Juncos in Colorado. But one bird that
is different... Blue Jays! We don't have any in Oregon.
Another bird in Colorado that we don't see in Oregon is
Magpies. I never get to take good photos of the Magpies, tho.
I don't know anything about their personality or anything,
so I'm not sure what it would take to get a portrait of
one of them.
The parents have a lit star on the top of their barn, as a
Christmas decoration. But the lights on one of the arms of
the star have gone out... I said it has Starfish Wasting
Disease!
This is vaguely funny for an inanimate object... but in
real life, this is a horrifying disease that has killed
almost all of the precious
Sunflower Sea Stars.
The die-off started in the Pacific in 2013,
populations crashed by 99.2%
and they still don't know the cause
or treatment of the disease.
∞ SeaStarWasting.org
∞ Wikipedia,
Sea Star Wasting Disease
∞ Nat Park Service,
Southwest Alaska, Sea Star Wasting Disease
Anyway. Dad wanted to bring the star down and replace
the ribbon lights on it. My brother said he is scared of
heights, but I'm not, so I volunteered to help!
Yep, I climbed up there! and
We got it done! I should have taken a photo of the fixed, lit
star at night... but nope, I didn't.
Later in the afternoon we went for a walk in the sun.
Mom and brother and I played a game of Blokus. I enjoyed it,
a fun game with tetris type bits that you have to place on the
board. Brother won, of course.
In the evening, we went to my Dad's favorite brewery,
City Star. That was fun! Mom and I had Fizzes, these
Passion Fruit thingees. And we chatted and people watched,
it was a fun night!
And then we went to a nearby restaurant for dinner. For
some reason, me being a vegan was a huge production! *laughs*
The servers had this conference to figure out what I could eat,
even tho they had the Impossible Burger on their menu.
It turns out, their specialty made burger buns are not vegan
so that was kind of a bummer. But I'm really grateful that
they were able to accommodate me. And hopefully the next vegan
who walks in will get smoother service!
Tag: december 2023
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Thursday 14 December 2023... Shooting Stars! |
Today my parents had some stuff to do in town. And my
brother had forgotten a couple things at his house and
I wanted to check out his neighborhood. And my parents'
cleaning service was working and we needed to stay out
of her way!
So we piled into the car.
I had been to my brother's house before, but had never gotten
to walk around. The weather is decent today, not too cold and
not too windy! So I was excited because he's got a
nearby bike path just like I do...
This neighborhood street dead-ends at the creek, and a
walking bridge takes you over to the bike path!
I was amazed because it looks a lot like my bike path at
home!
Except this is a much more narrow green and blue space, going
thru the neighborhoods. The bike path here is maybe
5 or 6feet wide, whereas mine at home is 8 or 10feet wide.
We also walked thru the city park that backs up to the creek.
There's a baseball field and some playground equipment. And
a small utility building with this Amazing mural on the side
of it!!
Isn't that brilliant! I love it!
In the evening, after dinner, Mom went out to the mail box
to check for packages. The Amazon delivery guys have been
stuffing packages into the mailbox, illegally, instead of
bringing them up to the porch. It's annoying. And yeah,
illegal.
She came back and told us she had seen a Shooting Star!
Wow! I want to see a shooting star! She told us where it
was, and I got bundled up and went out to look for some
meteors!
But, dang it's cold. I look around at the sky, but after
about five minutes I have to go back inside to warm up.
I keep trying, but don't see any shooting stars.
After the parents go to bed, I get the Emily Laptop out
and look to see what's going on in the sky...
It's the Geminid
meteor shower... today and yesterday are the peak viewing
nights with 150 meteors per hour. And it turns out, the Gemini
Constellation, where many of the meteors are coming from, is
on the opposite side of the sky! It was just a happy
happenstance that Mom had seen a shooting star in the west!
So I put my coat on again and went out on the back porch.
I didn't see anything and after about five minutes I came back
in to warm up again.
But now I've convinced my brother to be excited as well... and
we both go out for the next attempt.
Yay! A Shooting Star! It's long! Not just a little flash!
and then Another one, in the same area! Wow! So Cool!
We both saw some smaller ones as well, mostly out of the corners
of our eyes.
What a great day! To see Shooting Stars! Awesome!
Tag: december 2023
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Wednesday 13 December 2023... Colorado |
oh my gosh. It is just so nice to lounge around and hang
out with my family at my parents house! So relaxing and good!
My brother and I went for a short walk in the neighborhood.
My parents live on the front range of the Rocky Mountains, it's
dry and grassy with few trees. Very different from home in
Oregon.
And there are bunnies!
Partner had slept all day yesterday, after we arrived. So
I was happy that he was able to join us for his first game
of Monopoly Deals. We had played several games yesterday,
and it's such a fun game!
But this round was really dragging on, for whatever reason.
Partner got frustrated and suddenly Rage Quit and went back
to bed. We kept playing without him... I paid his rent, and
I was going to play his hand when the round got to his turn.
But when I looked at his hand of cards, and the properties
he already had down... I realized that if I flipped a
wild property, Partner actually had three sets complete!
He had WON!!! Haha. I went and told him but he stayed in bed.
Phase10 is also a fun game we played today. It's more fun
when I happen to win! *laughs* I'm usually extremely
unlucky when it comes to card games. So it's pretty
exciting when I do get to win! :)
Tag: december 2023
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Tuesday 12 December 2023... Travelling |
I am flying to Colorado today, with Partner, to visit
my family.
I gotta say... I hate flying. Airports give me anxiety
and I get motion sick on airplanes. It's just terrible
all around.
But I get to see my parents and my brother at the end of it.
:)
We arrived in the morning, and got to my parents house, and
just lazed for the rest of the day.
It was so nice to sit at the kitchen table and watch Mom
make Gingerbread Cookies! *laughs*
And my brother brought a new game, Monopoly Deals. It's a
card game and it's really fun!
Tag: december 2023
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Monday 11 December 2023... A Day of Birds!! |
oh, delight! There's some Robins munching on this big, beautiful
Pyracantha bush!!
And, today I have the new code to get past the Community
Garden gates! I've grabbed the Hand Hoe to take home, and
I'm happy with the state of the garden plot!
And on the way home... oh cool! A Common Merganser!
I don't think I've ever seen one at the creek before!
And then I realized I should be paying attention to
who he's hanging out with!! Haha! It's Angle!!
I'm so glad I got to see her, one last time before the
trip tomorrow!
Tag: december 2023
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Sunday 10 December 2023... Oops |
I was going to the garden today to pick up the hand hoe.
I've worked hard to winterize the garden plot... there's a
couple areas of cover crop, the rest is covered with a thick
layer of leaves.
I was going to make sure everything was perfect for the
inspection that happens a couple days after we fly outta
here on Tuesday...
But, all the gates suddenly have locks on them, and my code
isn't working!
ARG! I walk home and complain bitterly. Because I had a plan
for today, to bring home the stupid hand hoe, and I was twarted!
It turns out that SOMEONE didn't send me the email with the
new code. (That SOMEONE is Partner, who is usually very good
about sending me the emails.) *laughs*
oh well. I guess I'll try again tomorrow.
Tag: december 2023
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Saturday 9 December 2023... Walk at the River |
Aw, really? That's not nice.
Yay, spillover!
It starts sprinkling... and then some tiny hails come down
as well. ack!
Ha. That one white goose who always hangs out with
her Canada Goose friends!
I'm not going to get any decent photos today with the
weather being what it is. So I try for something artsy!
*laughs*
Tag: december 2023
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Friday 8 December 2023... Hidden Trail |
Okay! The clouds are starting to break up as I head out
this morning! That's a nice change!
And here I am at the top, in the Acorn Woodpeckers' territory.
And yet again, they are too far away for decent photos. SIGHS!
Oh well. It's fun just to spend time with them.
Tag: december 2023
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Wednesday 6 December 2023... More Rain |
Dark and dreary today, and it rained and sprinkled the entire
morning.
Here's a different view of the hill I usually photograph...
Safe
Spot Community
There are 18 pallet houses here... Conestoga Huts are 6x10 on
the inside, have a bed and an electric plug-in but no water.
The community area includes port-a-potties, hand washing station,
shower station, and a kitchen.
I'm not taking very many photos today because of the rain,
but this flock of Rock Doves delights me.
Look at how individual they all are!
And they are so focused on the ground. What are they
even looking at??!
I don't know, but I suppose they are finding good things
to eat.
Tag: december 2023
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Tuesday 5 December 2023... Finishing Up at the Garden |
Well, my arms are a bit sore from all the vaccinations
I got yesterday. And I'm maybe a little bit tired, as well.
But it's a dry day, so I've got to work at the garden.
In a week, I'll be traveling to see family for the holidays
and I don't want to leave this for the last minute!
I heard this one begging like a baby, as I was pulling a
wheelbarrow out of the shed. She was too far away, but she
was easy to spot: her bright red self in the mossy tree
stood out like a beacon!
Okay. Here I am in the back corner of the garden plot...
Jerkface is on the left, and you can see how far away that
landscaping fabric is. Jerkface.
I'm ripping up the bit of grass there, and then I will put
down a deep layer of leaves. It won't kill the grass, and
I can't imagine that Jerkface will every get a clue. But
doesn't that look much nicer!
And I'm done!
The bits of green that aren't covered by leafy mulch are
cover crop... some Fava and some Dead Nettle. There are
also a couple of Elephant Garlics volunteers!
I'm really kind of exhausted, as I head home. Side effect
of all those shots yesteray. Def taking a nap this afternoon!
Tag: december 2023
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Monday 4 December 2023... Covid Vax! |
No mass vax drive-thrus this year, to get vaccinated for
covid, and it's no longer a free
shot. That's a bummer. But I made an appointment, online,
at a pharamcy in a nearby grocery store, and I'm walking there
this morning. I'm grateful that it's not raining!
Oh my gosh! It's Knotty!
It's been over a month since I've seen her! And of course,
she shows up today when I can't spend much time. foo.
It's great to see you, Knotty! But I gotta run!
And then the sun comes out and I see a bit of blue sky. Oh,
the trees are shining in the sun and being all beautiful!
And then, under the bridge... it's no longer flooded, but the
silt left behind is soft and has evidence of all who have walked
by!
That's a raccoon! And a dog. And duck footprints at the bottom!
How cool is that?
But I mustn't get distracted! I've got an appointment!
Oh beautiful TNR kitty! No more distractions!
I turned off the bike path and went into the grocery store
a few minutes early for my appointment. I stood near the
Vaccination Check In sign for a few. They weren't
busy, and I waited long enough to get annoyed. I could have
spent more time with Knotty, dang it!
The doctor finally got to me and I told her my appt time
and literally only had to say my name and confirm my health
plan. Just like the drive-thru vax clinics, I didn't
have to show my ID or my insurance card or anything!
But then I had to wait some more for her to set up all
my shots... I was also getting a flu shot and I was way, way
overdue for a tetnus shot!
I wandered over to the nearby stationery section and
looked at greeting cards... they have some of the Papyrus
line, which have beautiful artwork! That made me happy.
And then I sat down and waited
and wished I had something interesting
to do besides fiddling with the camera.
Finally, I was called up with my last name...
I could tell she didn't want to attempt my first name!
Haha! It's a doozy, and
while most people pronounce it approximately correctly the
first time, I understand why you'd want to avoid it! :)
I went back to a TINY little sheltered area in front of the
door to the pharmacy. She sat me down, we chatted for a second
while she got organized with her cotton balls and bandaids.
I asked if I'd have to wait the 15mins and she said
that wasn't a requirement anymore.
I got my shots and my bandaids and my information sheets,
and I was out after about 25 minutes, total. Not too bad, but
def could have been streamlined a little better.
I got back on the bike path for more walking, and soon passed
a couple who had been in the pharmacy line. I made pleasantries
at them and they agreed it was a beautiful day.
Perhaps a little too beautiful? It's so warm, this one
woke up from her winter hibernation! That can't be good!
But at least I didn't need to rescue her from the path...
I hope she finds a good place to sleep some more.
And then on the walk home, oh wow! It's the Wood Duck
couple who have tried to raise a family here at the creek,
the last couple of springs.
They lost their babies to H5N1, and I'm surprised to see them
again. In general, birds find a new place after a nest failure...
Trying to escape sad memories, you know.
They are so beautiful, and I just love them. I've gotten to
see lots of good wildlife people today!
Tag: december 2023
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Sunday 3 December 2023... Rain, Rain |
Yep, it's pouring down rain again...
The creek is getting towards full, and the trees along the
bank are under water!
Here comes Angle!
Here's her more familiar side with her hurt wing.
I walk past the Community Garden... and now even the back gates
are missing the locks!
ARG! This is so frustrating. Who is running this stupid show??
I can't believe Becca would be so negligent.
Well. There's nothing I can do about this ridiculous situation,
so I walk on.
And the funny ducks at the next bridge, cheer me up...
The bike path is flooded, the creek is supposed to stay on the
left side of that railing! And it amuses me greatly that the
ducks are paddling over the bike path!
Tag: december 2023
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Saturday 2 December 2023... Today in the rain |
It's pouring down rain this morning, so I'm going to
keep my walk in the neighborhood.
How cute... there are a couple of female Teals hanging out
with some Mallards. The size difference!
I just keep walking. In the downtown area, the creek is
contained in a canal.
As I walk out to 18th, there happens to be a break in traffic,
so I go on across! I've never walked out here before, and
it's good to see some new things.
It's a much richer neighborhood, the houses are bigger and
they are further apart with bigger yards.
I walk thru Washington Park... no nature, but there's a
baseball field, basketball court, playground and stuff.
I don't bother to take any photos... it's still pouring
down rain, I'm soaked and when I turned around, I started
walking into the breeze. The wet clothes are uncomfortable
and I'm a little bit chilly.
But at the other end of the park... oh my gosh, they have a
little community center!
There's a big indoor meeting space, with natural light coming
thru a wall of French doors. And a fire place with a colourful
rug and comfortable chairs around makes it look so cozy!
A kitchen and public restrooms.
It looks so nice, and dang
I am jealous! *laughs*
Tag: december 2023
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Friday 1 December 2023... Continue Garden Work |
The trees are so grey now.
Good Morning My Dear!
And Good Morning, My Other Dear!
And then I noticed that the gate I was going into the Community
Garden, didn't have a lock. What the heck?? And the tool shed
was missing it's lock as well.
Well. This is not cool. I assume they are maybe replacing
the locks, or changing the codes? But they have never just
removed locks before, so that's weird. And I'm really NOT
COMFORTABLE about this.
But I have work that must be done. So I get to it!
I haul eight wheelbarrows of leaves today... and I'm
really close to being done!
On the walk home, I'm happy to see Henrietta.
He's focused on the hunt!
Tag: december 2023
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Thursday 30 November 2023... Cool Birds at Stewart Pond |
It stayed above freezing last night, and it sprinkled for
hours before sun up. And it's just much nicer, so I'm
heading west for my walk today.
I walk past the wet prairie, which is still just a
prairie, and Stewart Pond Park is not a pond yet
but there's some geese hanging out...
It took me a minute to realize this is a mixed group!
The above pic has Canada Geese in front and the two in the
back are the smallest cousin, Cackling Geese!
Here you can see the differences in their faces. The Canada
Goose on the left has a longer beak and the Cackling Goose
on the right, has a cute little snub-nosed beak.
And of course the Canadas are quite a bit bigger than the
Cacklers.
An then, just before the entrance to the park, someone is
fluttering up on the power line...
Oh my gosh! An American Kestrel!! This is so cool!
But, oh, I wish it wasn't so dark and dreary... the
photos aren't great, but I'm so glad I got to meet her!
Somebody has disturbed the flock of geese!
I was walking on the path thru the little forest,
and I tripped on a tree root that's poking up. I caught
myself but felt stupid because I've stumbled over that
root before! But now, there's a hole on the one side of
the root, so the potiential for harm is much increased.
I looked around for something to mark the danger and I
found some white boards, a bit up the path! Perfect!
I put the board over the hole and this will prevent the
tree root from murdering the humans!
A Golden Crown Sparrow. Hopefully her weird toe nail doesn't
give her much trouble. It must be annoying tho, that she can't
grip the branch with that toe!
I'm back on the bike path, heading home, when I see a flash
of red. Oh! Sapsucker!
S/he is So Sweet, they let me walk around the tree for a
better view!
What a great day with an awesome variety of birds!! It's
always exciting when I get to see new and different birds!
Tag: november 2023
|
Wednesday 29 November 2023... Garden |
Still with the below freezing temperatures in the morning,
and I'm so tired of it.
heh, I was tired of it on day one! Normal temp for this time
of year is 49/36 and that sounds perfectly nice!
The little Nutrias are out and running around again!
They are so cute.
And you can see how little they are, with the ducks to compare
to!
Okay! I am switching gears today at the garden. Going to
kill some grass that's been annoying me...
Since it's not rained for seven days straight, I get the
hand fork out, to do some serious weeding. But nope. The
dirt is Still too muddy, and I can't pull out any grass roots.
foo.
Heading home.
I am learning about a tree... Alder!
They are easy to identify right now, the leaves have fallen
but the small cones stay on for a good long while. And of
course, the catkins are starting to do their thing!
The odd thing about their autumn leaves... they fall off
when they are still green! No autumn colour at all. On
the ground, the green leaves will slowly break down to
dark brown.
Tag: november 2023
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Tuesday 28 November 2023... Hauling leaves at the garden |
It's another frozen but dry morning. Looks like warmer temps
and rain will be returning by the end of the week, so I'd
better hurry up and get as much done at the garden that I can!
But on the way, I'm distracted by the Magnolia Trees.
And Henrietta!
And one of the little Nutrias that I saw yesterday.
Okay! Today I'm working on the left side of the garden plot.
Which means I need to chop down the big Comfrey. I was happy
to have Comfrey finally growing in the plot... But this one
has just gotten too big and I'm going to try to remove it.
It's huge, easily 6 or 7 feet diameter, and the roots are
very well established. So it will probably take years to
kill it! ha. And the killing starts today,
with me hacking at the roots with my hand hoe, like an axe!
Unfortunately, I forgot to take before and after pics.
But here's what the garden plot looks like after 10 more
wheelbarrow loads of leaves!
On the way home, I see Angle. She's preening, and I'm pretty
happy to see that she's able to move her bad wing a little!
I assume she won't be able to fly again... She's only got a
few primary flight feathers, tho those will grow back eventually.
But she's also holding her wing in a weird way, and I don't
know if whatever is wrong there will ever heal.
I wish there was a magical clinic where the wildlife knew
they could get medicine and get healing. But that's not the
way stupid nature works.
Tag: november 2023
|
Monday 27 November 2023... The Birds and The Garden |
Another frosty morning. But little wind, so once I get to
work at the garden, I'll be able to take my jacket off.
Oh. This is new...
My condolences to Billy Skinner's people.
The cute little Teals are paddling away from the crazy human.
But look at that splash of teal !!!
Heh. The Hooded Mergansers look kind of worried
when their hood is down!
I just love all of our winter visitors at the creek!
Okay! I'm at the garden, and the same deal as yesterday...
I have to work hard to get to the good pile of leaves, which is
hidden well behind the crappy fir needles.
But then!!!
A new batch of leaves has arrived! I stay out of the way and
wave happiness at the driver!
And these leaves were PERFECT! Light and fluffy,
no pine/fir needles, few sticks, no trash!! YAY.
I got 2 wheel barrow loads of those... and then
a street cleaner came and dumped 2 loads of absolute
crap in the way. Muddy, and needle-y. ARG!
But it's relatively easy to get to the light fluffy leaves,
and I don't have to perform heavy gymnastics to get to them!
So that's great!
And, because of the lighter leaves, I was able to haul extra
today! I got 9 wheel barrow loads, when I was planning on 4.
Also, you see that Possibly Not Evil Neighbor has thrown down
a tarp. Sighs. It does not cover his entire plot, not even
close. And of course he couldn't place it so that it would
stiffle the grass along my edge. Jerkface.
Heading home.
Oh! Hello!
Oh! And Hello!
You all are just all over the place! *laughs*
Cute lil critters!
Tag: november 2023
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Sunday 26 November 2023... Garden |
Henrietta. And a lot of sticks!
It's well below freezing again, and dry so I'm heading
to the garden to start hauling leaves to the plot.
I get to the Community Garden and pull out a wheel barrow and
two forks. I put on my garden gloves and get to work!
The front pile of leaves... is TERRIBLE. oh my gosh, it's so
bad! There's few leaves, it's mostly fir needles, and there's
sticks and I'm picking out trash as well.
Dang it. So, that's just not going to work... the fir needles
are bad for the soil. They won't break down like the leaves
do, and they'll decrease the pH of the soil, making it more
acidic. Rhododendrons like that. But garden veggies do not!
So I poke around the leaf piles before loading up a 2nd
wheel barrow load. About 8feet behind the fir needles are
some actual leaves. I can't get the wheel barrow back there,
so I have to reach with the fork between the leaf pile and
the wheel barrow. And these leaves are wet, molding and heavy!
It's really really hard work.
I don't want to kill myself on day one, so I only haul five
wheel barrow loads...
heh, yep, just a bit of the corner is covered.
And, yeah, going a good bit over the border, into JerkFace's
plot.
Is this second round of freezing temps going to finish off
the favas??
On the walk home... oh, hey! It's Angle!! I've not seen
her in a couple days and was a little worried.
Oh, look how cute!
Top Sparrow: You've got something on your face.
2nd Sparrow: Oh, thanks! *wipes face on branch*
*laughs*
Tag: november 2023
|
Saturday 25 November 2023... Day of Woodpeckers, Up Hidden Trail |
Brrr! It got below freezing last night.
ugh. I don't like it! But it gives me something new
to take photos of!
At the base of the hill, where Hidden Trail starts going up,
I hear an odd "Thump. Thump. Thump." I look up in the tree...
Oh My Gosh! There's a Pileated Woodpecker up there!!
These woodpeckers are so cool. They are big! And they look
a lot like the extinct Ivory Billed Woodpecker.
I walked around the tree, trying to get a decent photo... to
no avail! Ha! Bird was not interested!
Oh well. Another time, maybe! :)
I get to the top of the trail and start walking up to the
Acorn Woodpeckers' territory. Oh Foo...
This is NOT who I came up here for!
She's a Red Tail, and doesn't even do me the courtesy of
giving me a good photo. *laughs*
She's scared most of the little birds into hiding, but there
are a few brave souls flitting, low in the shrubbery.
And a single Acorn Woodpecker has stuck his head up to
guard the precious hoard of acorns!
I follow the road, which curves around to the other side of
their territory. Still just the one, and he's preening now.
Hey! You, up there! Are you allowed to preen when you're
on guard duty??
*laughs*
sighs. Am I ever going to get close enough for decent
photos of this family?
Certainly not today.
oh well. :)
Back at home, the African Violet is blooming!
And that's the happy Spider Plant, too.
Tag: november 2023
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Friday 24 November 2023... Garden |
Hi Henrietta!
He's busy looking for some breakfast.
At the garden, I am weeding again along the border with Probably
Not Evil neighbor. But you can hardly tell the difference when
I'm done, so I think I'm going to ignore the rest of the grass.
Next time I come, I'll start hauling leaves!
The Columbine has expanded a little bit this year, happy to see
little babies sprouting up here and there. The flowers are pretty
of course, but I love the leaves, too.
And the way they catch the dew!
And then something in the back Fava cover crop patch, caught
my eye...
Oh, Yay! We had some below freezing nights at the end of
October that damaged many of the Favas... But they are
re-sprouting at the base!
I checked the front Fava patch, and some of them are re-spouting
as well!
So that's good. It's nice when the winter cover crop actually
lives thru the winter! ha.
On the way home, Henrietta is still at the same spot at the
creek. Are you Still looking for breakfast, My Dear??
Tag: november 2023
|
Thursday 23 November 2023... Garden |
It's chillier again today, with some uncomfortable wind.
But it's dry, so I'm weeding at the garden today.
oh foo. Little Bird? Why you gotta be that way?
Here's where I worked today.
The raised beds are the back neighbor. The end of the board
stops at the red post, which is the back corner for our four plots.
You can see I have, yet again, weeded well beyond the edge
of my plot and into Probably Not Evil Neighbor's plot...
And, ya know? He might not be evil, like the last guy was,
but he is kind of a jerk.
This has been his first season, but I assume he's seen that I
Consistently weed the edge of his plot. And he's done nothing
for me in return. I'm starting to get annoyed.
And that's the corner with the Horseradish investation.
I use the dandelion tool, and most of the horseradishes
break off a couple inches down. But when I pulled this
one up, it just kept coming!
As I'm walking out of the Community Garden, a hawk flies by
and settles on a nearby utility pole!
That long tail gives her away... she's a juvenile Cooper Hawk!
Tag: november 2023
|
Wednesday 22 November 2023... A Day with Birds! |
So much nicer today with our insulating clouds keeping us
a little bit warmer. It was 50°F when I left the house
this morning and the day was 53/37... perfectly, wonderfully
normal for this time of year. And it's just about my
favorite!
Here's our sweet Angle (not an Angel)...
right after she was abandoned by
the two ducks she was hanging out with. Jerks.
They flew down to
the water, but Angle can't fly. She has to slowly walk down
the bank of the creek.
Poor Girl.
There was a Kingfisher flying up the creek. For once, she
didn't notice me... so she wasn't flying circles over my head
and wasn't laughing at me! And I was able to hide behind the
shrubbery and get her photo! Yay!
The big flock of Cackling Geese were hanging out at the
school field again.
And the Pigeons again! Just the two this time,
I didn't see the third one.
Pigeons are so cool. In the book I'm reading right now
the author says that we domesticated pigeons so thoroughly
that even now, when you hold a wild pigeon, they will sit
quietly in your hand. They remember.
∞ The
Bird Way: A New Look at How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, and Think
by Jennifer Ackerman
It's excellent reading and I highly recommend it. Birds are
ever so interesting!
*laughs* I made her nervous when I talked to her!
She jumped when she heard my voice and is now ready
to push off and fly away.
I was just saying hi and how is your day going! :)
but if people can't appreciate a simple greeting...
Well. What're you gonna do?
My day is brilliant, thanks for asking! What a great walk!
*laughs*
Tag: november 2023
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Tuesday 21 November 2023... A Walk to the West |
Oh, hey! Here's somebody I've not seen in a while!
A Black Phoebe!
This is about 100miles north of their
official
range. Climage change, you know.
Aw, really?
Hi Henrietta!
Here I am at the un-named wetlands. The sky is nice today!
Cute lil Song Sparrow!
Oh my goodness! Do birds Sneeze?
Well, of course birds sneeze! Everybody who has lungs
needs to be able to sneeze. I just never thought about
it before!
*Gesundheit*
Henrietta is still hanging out!
I'm bummed that I've not seen Knotty in a while. I hope
Henrietta hasn't kicked her out!
Tag: november 2023
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Monday 20 November 2023... A Lovely Walk at the River |
It's chilly again today. And it's so late in the season, I'm
surprised to see some rose blooms, still hanging on!
And I've got the Riverbank path mostly to myself! That's
nice... yesterday's bike path crowds kind of made me ...
non-relaxed.
The art pavilion at the Downtown Riverfront Park...
Which reminds me! The park
won
another award recently!
That's cool! It's a small park, but it really is amazingly
beautiful. Especially when you consider what it was before...
the bike path did go thru this area, but it was lined with
chainlink fencing, blackberry brambles and was just kind of
sketchy.
And now we've got this lovely place, with walking access to
downtown. It's really something to be proud of!
I'll cross the bridge to make a loop at my turn around point.
I love listening to the river here.
I try to get artsy with the trees...
And here's the Heritage Cherry Tree in all it's autumn glory.
Tag: november 2023
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Sunday 19 November 2023... A Beautiful Day |
It is MUCH warmer and nicer today with the sun... and there
are a crazy amount of people out walking on my bike path.
Here's Angle again, our ducky friend who is not an Angel yet.
She's still hanging out near the bridge, and
this is our third sighting for her.
Tag: november 2023
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Saturday 18 November 2023... Today. With Amusement. |
Heavy fog today, and because it's not raining, I need to get
down to the garden and do some weeding. There's probably not
so many non-rainy days left in the year, so I gotta make use
of the ones I have!
Hi Henrietta!
I was thinking. Since I'm pretty sure Henrietta is bigger
than Knotty (who I've not seen since my
revelation about the two herons) ...
and since female herons are smaller than males...
Yeah. I think I've mis-gendered Henrietta. I should start
saying Him !
Not gonna change his name to Henry, tho... I like Henrietta too
much! *laughs*
It'll be like
the
man they call Jayne. Bahaha!
Hi My Cute Little Mergansers!
Hi Robin!
Okay. At the garden. I SAY I'm weeding... but the
ground is too muddy for that and I'm actually just ripping
out the grass. Every once in a while I get a good long
grass root to come out. But I'm mostly just mowing with my
hands!
On the way home, I see that duck with the messed up wing again.
It's only the second time I've seen her, but I think she's
a keeper. Which means I can name her.
Since I thought she had an angel wing at first, I figure
I should call her Angel. But I don't want to call her that.
I think I'll call her Angle.
She'll be a little ode to my spelling problems! heh.
...
and I'm still *giggling* about the man they call Jayne!
Tag: november 2023
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Friday 17 November 2023... Garden Freebies and Henrietta Eats a Fish |
I thought I was going to do some work at the Garden plot today,
but when I wandered past the front, I saw someone had left some
freebies!!
Strawberry plants and a huge SunChoke root!
Yes Please! I grab one of the bigger strawberry plants and
the SunChoke root ball!
I've been wanting some Sunchoke plants for a while. I actually
got a couple roots last year... but I just barely covered them
and squirrels munched them all! None of them survived.
So this time, I am going to bury them deeper!
That should be deep enough to protect them from the squirrels.
And just gotta cross my fingers to see if the roots survive
our muddy winter.
I'm heading home... and Henrietta has just caught a fish!
oh, ugh. Poor fish is still flopping about.
Henrietta jostles the fish around a bit.
She throws the fish down in a shallow part...
And then stabs him.
But the fish is still wriggling! Dang, that poor fish
lives thru multiple stabbings.
I think Henrietta just doesn't want the fish wiggling and
alive in her stomach.
After a few more stabbings, she finally swallows the poor,
tortured fish.
The fish is so big, she has to force him down.
A pretty big meal. She won't have to think about eating
for a while. I wonder what kinds of hobbies she can work
on now!
A moment of silence for our fishy friend... I'm sorry his
death was so hard, and may his remains give good nutrition.
Tag: november 2023
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Thursday 16 November 2023... dreary |
It's misting this morning, and dark and dreary...
... But not actually THAT dreary! I hadn't fixed the exposure
on the camera from yesterday's sunny day. *laughs* so the
photo came out a bit wonky!
Here's something bright and cheerful to counteract the dreary.
This is the pollinator mural at Charnel Mulligan Park.
It's called *Honey Forever* by David C.P. Placencia.
(I really like the concept art,
Park
Mural Project... it's too bad the finished art had to be
so square.)
Not a very exciting walk. ha. Sometimes that happens.
Tag: november 2023
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Wednesday 15 November 2023... Hidden Trail with Sun |
It was raining when I got out of bed this morning. But the
day lightens up and I am thinking about visiting the Acorn
Woodpecker family.
There were a couple turkeys walking across the street, and
a car had to stop for one of them. The turkey kept sauntering
and the driver waited patiently.
Oh! Here's something super cool...
My Squirrel friend is standing in a Pacific Madrone Tree!
It's one of our natives, they range along the Pacific from
British Columbia to half way down California.
That peeling bark is normal. And you can tell it's related
to Rhododendrons, because that's what it's leaves look like!
I've never seen the berries before, they must get eaten up
pretty quickly. But it's nicknamed the Strawberry Tree
because the berries are bright red.
I get to the top and wander thru the Acorn Woodpeckers
territory.
Looks like just males, again... The females have a band
of black across their forehead, between the white and red.
I wonder if females ever have guard duty.
Tag: november 2023
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Tuesday 14 November 2023... a New Bird |
Here's a different view of the foggy trees on the hill for you!
Aw, what happened to your tail, Little One?
And who's this?
You know what happens when you look up Little brown bird
in Oregon ? *Laughs* You get lots of sparrows, lots of
wrens, and you don't get any of these birds!
And then she flies away without even showing me what she
looks like from the front! sheesh.
But that warm, cinnamon red tail gives her away!
Hermit Thrush!
Looks like they are another one of our winter visitors.
Tag: november 2023
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Monday 13 November 2023... Work at the Garden |
I had just gotten on the bike path and a Nutria swims by.
She's quick and I don't get a good photo before she
disappears under the bank. I wonder if she has a home there.
Okay. Today I'm clearing out the Second Cucumber Empire.
Pulling up all the veggie plants, untangling the tomato cages,
and doing a bit of weeding. Here's the result!
*laughs* All the Tomatillos that didn't get ripe! and look!
They are all skeletonized!
That red plant is a volunteer and I wasn't sure if it was a
beet or chard. I decided to look it up when I got home...
Turns out... Beetroots and Chards are the Same Species!!
What?!! Yep, they are just different cultivars. That is just
crazy and it totally blew mind!
∞ wikipedia,
Beta vulgaris
It's good to learn things!
The back Fava patch is mostly recovering from the
below freezing nights we had a couple weeks ago.
The Fava in the front was too tall and it's having a
harder time with recovery.
But this stuff is also growing in amongst the front Fava...
I'm pretty sure this is Dead Nettle. I don't know if it
will survive the entire winter, but right now it's doing a
great job of filling in for the failed fava cover crop!
Before I left, I threw the Soybean hulls down, to add some
fiber to the tomatillo compost banquet! haha! At some point
I'll be covering all this with leaves, and it'll decompose
and add nutriets to the soil.
I finished shelling the soybeans last night!
There were 1288 pods and it took me four days to finish,
working about 40 or 45 minutes a day.
There were no bugs. Which was surprising, considering
how buggy the Favas were when I gathered them.
Shelling the soybeans was not big deal at all,
and it was kind of meditative.
Regardless of how the homemade tofu turns out, I am
def going to plant soybeans again!
Tag: november 2023
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Sunday 12 November 2023... Sunday Stroll with a Hawk! |
I came up behind this one, and with the sun, all I could see
was a dark silhouette. But right away my brain said That's
a funny looking Crow! *laughs*
Cooper Hawks are about the size of Crows. They eat song birds
and so they must be small and maneuverable to fly thru the trees!
I obsess over those trees out there!
This news item is a couple weeks old now, but I've been meaning
to talk about it...
∞ American
Ornithological Society, English Bird Names Project
The AOS commits to changing all English-language names of birds
within its geographic jurisdiction that are named directly after
people (eponyms), along with other names deemed offensive and
exclusionary, focusing first on those species that occur
primarily within the U.S. or Canada.
This is so awesome, I can't even tell you how excited I am!!!
I despise all the old, white men names in the bird world...
So much so, that when I talk about these birds, I always remove
the possessive...
That Cooper Hawk above? Technically they are called Cooper's
Hawks, and I hate that!
I can't wait for them to start renaming our birds! The
Bird
Names FAQ says there are about 70 to 80 birds to rename.
Anna Hummingbirds will be someone new!
Maybe Steller Jays can be Stellar!
OR maybe they can be Blue Magnificants! haha!
Bewick Wrens. There are lots of Townsend's and Audubon's...
I'll be glad to see them go!!
Tag: november 2023
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Saturday 11 November 2023... River |
Warm and windy today, a pleasant 52° (11°C).
The river is brown with mud and is flowing better for the
rain we've gotten.
The ponds are higher, and muddy as well. But no spillover from
the river yet.
Just glancing at the ponds... I can see our winter visitors
are ever so much more happy. The muddy water is yucky, but
there's more space for everyone.
The Cormorants are always just a bit too far away for the
camera to do them justice. Their beautiful eyes!
Cute little Grebe... but they look so weird without a tail.
Listening to the river at my meditation spot.
It is just so beautiful out here!
Tag: november 2023
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Friday 10 November 2023... a day |
That house is always in the way of the photographic trees.
I wonder if they ever see me pausing on the bike path to
point my camera in their direction!
Well. Now that I think about it... That's kinda creepy!
*laughs* Great. I'm the creepy person putting random
houses under surveillance.
Aw, Ducky. That isn't good for you!
She's hanging out with the homeless people under the bridge,
and at first I thought she had an angel wing from eating
junk food.
But I look again and realize her wing is damaged. She's hurt!
The Year of the Sick and Injured Wildlife continues. Sighs.
I'm wandering in a new neighborhood, past the end of the
bike path. And I discover the Eugene Weekly office!
The Eugene Weekly
is our local, alternative newspaper. It is only published once
a week, but it's good and fills a needed niche that our
corporate newspaper fails at: Letters to the Editor.
Suspish was invited to decorate the building with their signature
fish, and I'm glad to see it. It's been ages since they've put
up new art and I miss that.
Tag: november 2023
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Thursday 9 November 2023... West and Henrietta Mix-up! |
It's a little chilly this morning, 39° tho the wind chill
makes it 33°, brr. But the forecast says the rain will hold
off until this evening, so I decide to walk west on the bike path
today.
I thought this was Henrietta...
But the more I look at all the pics from today,
that's def not the same heron I have been seeing!
That dark blue patch at her shoulder is quite a bit bigger.
huh.
And now I'm looking at previous photos. oh my gosh! There
are def two Great Blue Herons at the creek!
This one, with the big blue
shoulder patch and another one with a very small patch.
And I've been calling them both Henrietta! haha!
I need to look into this! ***
But first...
I'm going out to the unnamed wetlands again.
There's nothing special here.
Or, I should say... I haven't yet discovered what's special
here!
But I always seem to find some birds on the walk back!
There's a little flock of Bushtits.
As usual, they bounce around too quickly for me and the camera!
And a Spotted Towhee.
And some sparrows.
I turn off the bike path to walk thru Stewart Pond Park...
But we still don't have a pond yet.
It's still all prairie out here.
But there's a flock of Cackling Geese here, anyway. I'm
sure they would prefer to have some ponds here too.
Rain! Where are you, Rain?!
Okay. It's time to figure out who this really is!
I go clear back to the beginning...
I named Henrietta on Feb28,
and here's her pic from back then...
This is def the same heron that I saw today.
Big blue shoulder patches, plus you can see some of the dark
blue feathers underneath her wing too.
And here's a pic of the other Great Blue Heron I've been
seeing...
We'll call her Not-Henrietta, for the moment!
Very small shoulder patch, and you can see some of the
cinnamon coloured feathers behind it too.
And it might be the angle or her stance, but I feel like
this heron is a bit more petite, and doesn't have as many
of those fancy feathers hanging down at her chest.
Not-Henrietta back in July...
So, she's been around... and been mixed up with Henrietta
for a good long while! Ha. It's funny! I'm glad I finally
noticed! :)
And yes, I will go back thru the old posts and correct them!
(Looks like our first sighting
of Not-Henrietta was in June.)
And since I've seen her so many times, and can now identify
her in the future, I've decided to call her Knotty!
Knotty is in keeping with the not theme of Not-Henrietta.
And when you say it out loud, it sounds like Naughty. She didn't
trick me on purpose, of course! But she is def messing with me!
*laughs*
Tag: november 2023
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Wednesday 8 November 2023... Sweet Potatoes! |
There's more rain in the forecast, so today I'm digging up
the sweet potatoes. The vines had died with the below freezing
temperatures at the end of October and it's time to see what
we've got!
At the garden, I dig!
I am pleased with all the Sweet Potatoes I dig up under the
first plant! There are some good sized tubers, tho they all
have cracks in them. That's a bummer, I don't know why that
happens.
Under the second plant... there's hardly anything!
I dig more and find a couple of potatoes that may
have belonged to the first plant. ha. oh well!
The water is still on, which makes this a lot easier!
The dirt is mud and I'm glad I get to wash off the sweet
potatoes before I haul them home.
Once home, I set a fan on them to get them as dry as
possible. I always lose a couple anyway
because mold starts growing on some of them right away.
And they don't keep, I'll have to eat them quickly!
While in the porch room, I notice the Peace Lily is blooming!
In the evening, I get back to the soybeans.
I've now shelled 500 soybeans. And my shelling technique
is def getting more efficient.
When I started, it took over 15min to shell 100 soybeans.
Now it's taking closer to 10mins.
So that's good. And I've made a pretty good dent in the pile.
Tag: november 2023
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Tuesday 7 November 2023... Right Past the Garden |
I thought I was going to work at the garden today.
But it started sprinkling before I got there... and I walked
right on past!
I do regret the backpack, tho. It's got the hand tools in it:
spade, shears and dandelion tool, along with other odds and ends
like garden gloves and such. It's not terribly heavy, but
my back was hurting a lot by the time I got home, having walked
around 5 miles with it!
Ha! We are almost the same colour as the leaves and branches!
Oh! Pigeons!
They are cool, but weren't very interested in getting their
portrait taken.
Back at home, I decide to do some shelling!
Well. This is not going very quickly. I glanced at the time
while I shelled 100 Soybeans, and it took me over 15minutes.
Dang.
How long to do all of these??!
Hopefully I will get faster!
Tag: november 2023
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Monday 6 November 2023... Up Hidden Trail to visit the Acorn Woodpecker Family |
Oh, hey! It's that youngster I saw in the park the other
day with the shortened tail!
I've seen him three times now - I also saw him out my bedroom
window a couple days ago. And that's the point where I usually
give someone a name. But... I don't know. I get the feeling that
he's still wandering and doesn't have an actual territory yet.
I'll hold off on the name until I see him again.
I get to the top of the trail and walk up to the Acorn Woodpeckers
home. The sun is coming out... and can you see? There's the
faintest of rainbows leading right to my woodpecker friend!
They are just SO interesting!
They've managed to jam two acorns into some of the holes!
Tag: november 2023
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Sunday 5 November 2023... Cackling Geese |
Good Morning, Friend!
Henrietta is busy hunting. (Yep, it's Henrietta!)
Last night got too chilly and I had to close my bedroom
window again. I guess I need to get used to the fact
that winter is coming!
Blazey's Guy, running errands on his bike, passes me twice!
When he goes by
the second time, he tells me there are geese, way out at the
school. I wasn't going to walk that far today... but I can't
turn down the first flock of Cackling Geese of the season!
Cackling Geese are the smallest cousins of Canada Geese.
We have both species this time of year, but the Cacklings...
uh, Cacklers? heh. Tend to gather together in huge flocks.
The clouds are starting to break up.
On my way back, I noticed a spider web, glistening in the
sunlight...
Wow, her anchor lines are at least 12feet long!
And she's caught lots of food.
Tag: november 2023
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Saturday 4 November 2023... Trees in the Rain |
It's been mid-60s (18°C), and even the nights
have been warmer, in the mid-50s (13°C).
And yesterday afternoon, it got so warm I was able to open
up my bedroom window again.
I got to listen to the rain all night, and that's the
best thing ever!
Today, still it rains!
So I'm just walking in the neighborhood today. The rain means
I probably won't see much wildlife, and the camera will remain
tucked under the rain jacket.
But the trees are so lovely, I just can't resist a little bit
of photography!
Tag: november 2023
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Friday 3 November 2023... Gathering Soybeans! and Crime. |
Hello Young Fellow!
There was some excitement on the way to the Community Garden.
On the bike path, barely a block away from the Garden,
it's probably 9:40ish am. There are two cops, woman and man,
on the path talking to a homeless guy on the other side
of the creek. I couldn't see him at all, thru the trees.
Woman Cop: okay. Thank you.
Man Cop: (Indistinct but asking a question)
Homeless guy: ahhhh. (Long pause) No.
(I don't even know what's going on... but that very long
pause jumped out at me. That guy is SO guilty!)
I'm within hearing disance now, walking on by.
Cop: So you didn't shoot a pistol or something like that?
Homeless guy: I was just listening to my music. (Indistinct)
Cop: Because it was reported in this area.
(Pause) Exactly where you are.
So that's just great. Shots fired at the bike path.
And now I'm kinda freaked because somebody's shooting
their stupid gun... and are they even paying attention
to where they are pointing that thing?!
Sighs.
And then I get to the garden and I'm starting to futz around
in my plot when I notice there's a woman, on the inside of the
Garden fence walking past all the gates. She stops at the
gate I had just come in and rattles the chain. I always spin
the lock well.
She walks back the way she came... and climbs up on a chair...
I have so many questions. Like how the heck did she get in?
And what did she do, while she was in here? She obviously
didn't take anything.
Well. Some things you just have to let go. I keep an eye
on her, but I've got stuff to do today!
I started out the season with about 30 soybean plants. Not
all of them grew up to normal size, but most of them did.
As I pulled pods off the stalks, I counted what I was getting
from each plant... there were 60 to 70 pods on an average plant.
They were in clusters of 1 to 5 pods every 6 or 8 inches going
up each stalk, and a plant had at least a couple branches
of stalks.
I had brought three small ziplocks with me... but those filled
up quickly! ha! I pulled out one of the gallon ziplocks that
I always carry with me, and
got it mostly filled as well!
Awesome!
On the way home... there were different cops, and a couple of
Parks employees poking around the bike path, their trucks parked
on the grass nearby.
I checked the police dispatch log when I got home. And sure
enough...
Call time: 09:09:33 AM
Dispatch time: 09:29:30 AM
Incident Desc: Shot(s) Fired
Disposition: PATROL CHECK
Sighs.
Back at home, I spread out the soybean pods and put a fan
on them. Most of the soybeans were on stalks that were
standing up and those were ovbiously good and dry, they
rattled in their pod. But some stalks had fallen over and
were on the ground and wet. This should help!
And, wow, that's a lot of pods I'm gonna need to shell out!
Tag: november 2023
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Thursday 2 November 2023... Garden Work |
oh, poor mangy dearheart... barely has any fur.
I don't know. Do squirrels get the mange? I bet she's
terribly cold. And just another continuation of
The Year
of Sick and Injured Wildlife. Sighs.
I wish I could magically throw some
medicine at her and make her better!
Okay. Here I am at the Community Garden, with another,
healthier squirrel. She's got a small sunflower
head... They like to cut the heads off and just take
them with them, to munch on at their leisure!
Here's a sunflower head in my plot that the squirrels didn't
take! It's empty of seeds... it provided food to many birds!
This is the section I'm going to work on today.
You can see all the Early Girl tomatoes, from where I pulled
up that plant the other day. Today I'm going to untangle the
two SunGolds from their tomato cages, and the Striped German.
And wow, those SunGolds had some roots! It was really hard
to pull them out of the ground! And, of course, they were
sprawling all over the place, so getting them out of the
tomato cages wasn't easy either!
I really need to think about doing something with the soybeans!
Someone else's kale.
Tag: november 2023
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Wednesday 1 November 2023... Turkeys Up Hidden Trail |
Well, this one is scary! But look at the adorable
dragon gargoyle!
Okay! Up the hill!
I saw the deers first, but the camera was not being agreeable...
And then the deers were being skittish. I assumed someone
was walking a dog, around the corner. But actually it was
these guys! haha!
Mourning Doves! So nice to see our native doves for once!
But I'm actually up here to visit the Acorn Woodpeckers.
They are too far away again. SIGHS!
SIGHS!
Well. That's not a woodpecker! haha.
Varied Thrush. There is such a great diversity of native
birds up here. They are doing construction, further up the
hill and dang, I hope they don't cut these trees down.
That's all I get today. That's okay, I'll keep coming up here
and they'll come closer eventually!
Back down the hill, and there's a whole flock of female
Turkeys... Over a dozen! And they were just walking on past me!
And checking out the patios!
So Cool!
Tag: november 2023
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Saturday 16 July 2022... New Osprey Nest! |
So I've looked at a map, and I hope I get around the new
Downtown Riverfront Park without getting lost this time.
It's closed because they are using it for the
World
Athletics Championships, which started yesterday
and runs until the 25th.
This amazing mural just outside the Rose Garden was finished
just in time for the Championships.
And, of course, you can't go by the Rose Garden without
obsessively taking photos of the roses.
And then we gotta check the Osprey nest on the other side
of the river. There's one child there today, and she
takes off ... only to make a loop and come back to the nest.
XXX... Goal: Finish this post!
Tag: xxx 2022
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2018... BLOG POSTS |
(Posted 18 Dec 2020...)
I have managed to move all of the 2018 journal entries
into an archive page. I did not write very much in 2018,
so I decided not to divide them up into months, like I usually do.
The new archive is HTML5, and completely validated!
2018 journal entries
Tag: 2018
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2017... BLOG POSTS |
(Posted 19 Dec 2020...)
I have managed to move all of the 2017 journal entries
into an archive page.
And again, I didn't write very much, so the posts for
the entire year are on one page.
The new archive is HTML5, and completely validated!
2017 journal entries
Tag: 2017
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I am rift vegan!
I live in the Pacific Northwest of the USA,
with my Partner in a tiny townhouse.
I am vegan for ethical and environmental reasons,
my love for animals and nature is
a very important part of my life.
This blog is currently a place
for the photos I take while out walking.
Topics include...
∞ Nature! Flora, Fauna, Funga and Phenomena.
∞ Clouds and the fog on the hill.
∞ Trees, native plants, blossoms and botanicals.
∞ Wildlife! Mostly birds and squirrels.
Occasionally other creatures, including bugs.
∞ Reading and Journaling.
∞ Veganic Gardening.
∞ Rants!
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2023
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