Partner's Mom passed away early this morning.

ICE is working it's evil in Eugene.

∞ Questions around Eugene ICE enforcement stoke local concern

∞ Immigrants being arrested at routine ICE appointments in Eugene, attorneys say

Treating people like this -- just skipping the due process -- is straight up racism and completely despicable.

I'll see you at the protest!

Tag: june 2025

Partner is sleeping this morniing, so I have to drive myself to Saturday Market. That's a bit of a bummer... I won't get to walk at all.

At the Farmer's Market I handed over 30$ and got 7 plants.

I got another Strawberry plant to expand the patch behind the Tomatoes at the back of the plot.

The Half Dead Sungold is actually doing well, but I got a second Sungold today, anyway. There isn't really room for it in the Tomato area tho, so I've put it at the back of the Fallow Area, next to last years Leeks.

I was leaving this area fallow because everything that grows here is stunted. I've got some summer cover crops coming up, Fava and Buckwheat, but it's not been warm enough to bring them up and there isn't full coverage.

And it shouldn't be a big deal if the Sungold here is stunted, since it's a second one!

I got a replacement Sunflower... I thought I had grabbed a ProCut Plum but when I transplanted it, I realized the tag said ProCut Red. Well, foo.

I put it at the end of the small trellis, with the Lemon Cucumbers...

And I saw one had died.

weird. It's got one slug munched leaf, but it looks like it wilted to death. That's not how they die from slugs. But they had all survived the transplant shock...

hm. I wonder what's up. The other Lemon Cucs are fine.

Well. I'm done here. I grab the rest of the veggie starts I bought, and drive home.

Tag: may 2025

I've been seeing a pair? Or maybe it's two pairs, of Scrub Jays at the beginning of my walks.

They don't always pause for photography, but I hope they are getting used to me looking at them.

Because look!

This one's grey head is really distinctive! She's easily identifiable from any other Scrub Jay! I hope they all stick around!

Quiet at the Flicker nest.

Okay! I have brought the other three Lemon Cucumber starts to the garden and got them transplanted into the other side of the small trellis. And the first three are looking good!

I planted more Lemon Cuc seeds on the other side of the trellis as well.

And I planted some Crookneck seeds at the front of the plot.

I don't know about all these seeds. But maybe the Volunteer Squash patch has given me some hope about seeds. ha.

As I left the plot, I noticed that all the Lettuces I had transplanted were gone. Munched to nothing by the slugs. Even the one that was standing up. Sighs.

I'm out. As I walk around the garden, ha, here's another Scrub Jay.

This one has a more ordinary blue head.

oh, ugh! These kids are just curious, but jeez, this is terrible!

I'm sorry humans ruin everything. :(

Tag: may 2025

There's a parent coming in, just as I get to the Flicker nest!

It's the male, again, and he's taking out baby poo sacks!

I wait a few moments, but nothing else happens and the babies are quite.

Walking past the Community Garden... Are you eating someone's strawberry?! haha!

Today, I keep walking past the garden.

Another male Flicker! He drummed on that, just briefly!

A Point and Click and Hope, towards a Bewick Wren...

Oh, hey! It worked!

Our three new Leaning Tree saplings. It'll be years before they get to a majestic - or more photogenic - size! haha!

How about this angle?

Nah. Maybe I should stick with closeups!

ha. I watched her struggling with this long twig with leaves at the end. She really, really wants it for her nest!

Or maybe this way?

She's able to fly with it to a nearby tree. Her nest is a bit further on tho.

I go past the tree with the Honey Bee nest!

I love the colour of these Breadseed Poppies!

Birds Eye Gilia.

Wood Pewee!

On the way back, I decide to stop at the garden after all.

At least that squirrel wasn't eating any of my strawberries...

Ha, not that I would have objected, if I had any ripe ones. Squirrels gotta eat!

Aw, dangit. That's the end of the Spaghetti Squash.

But just a couple feet away, the slugs haven't bothered the Accidental Lemon Cucumber!

And the Lemon Cucs I planted yesterday are all good.

Oh. Are we going into eclipse plumage? Seems pretty early for that.

The battery on the camera is flashing red, so I don't linger here.

But over here... Newborns!!

Tag: may 2025

I'm going to the garden, but I pause at the Flicker nest, and I'm so happy to see Papa there again!

Yesterday my brain was catastrophizing because it seemed overly quiet at the nest. But I'm glad to see something is happening here, after all!

Okay! The Garden! I've brought the first of the Lemon Cucumber starts! And I've brought some Lemon Cucumber seeds as well!

The prices of the veggie starts have gone up again this year... and to save a bit of money, I'm going to try to get some seeds going.

I've never had success with seeds. But never mind that!

I love Lemon Cucumbers with a passion, and every year I try to grow more than I can eat. That's never happened, altho a couple years I have had to Share my Lemon Cucs! *laughs*

Anyway. I ususally aim to have 10 Lemon Cucumber plants. So far, this year, I've bought 7... and assuming the seven live, I will fill in the rest with seeds.

Maybe.

If they grow.

So, the three I've brought today are planted under the small trellis. And I've put seeds all around! I will plant the other three, tomorrow, on the other side of the trellis.

We've got rain in the forecast tonight, so that will make these guys happy. And then the temps should be warming up as well... to be 70° on friday and even warmer over the weekend!

Here's the new sprayer.

I really like it! But all that plastic is not going to last out here for years like the old metal sprayer we had before. I will have to remember to bring it home for the winter.

Precious little Seven Spot!

The Spaghetti Squash is getting munched to death...

But on the other side of the big trellis the accidental Lemon Cucumber is just fine!

The patch of volunteer squashes really fascinates me. They are currently holding their own against the slugs! I see a couple true leaves being made!

The big strawberry plant...

Is doing it's thing!!

Okay. Done here and heading out.

I get back to the Flicker nest... Oh My GOSH! There's a parent here, on the outside!!

*laughs* Okay, calm down! Hit the zoom...

and sheesh, take a breath and steady yourself!!

But the parent has gone inside the nest by the time I get my act together. *snort*

But I'm standing here, looking up to see what happens next...

And Oh! Wow! I can HEAR babies!!!

Hear them! We have Babies!!!

I listen carefully. They are not Peeping like normal bird babies.

It's like a soft Whirrrr sound.
Right? Hard to describe!

Papa!

*laughs* Yeah, he spots me right away.

No worries! I'm harmless! :)

I've found a video of Flicker babies begging...

∞ Baby Flickers at Wildlife Resource Center

Those are the eastern race... Yellow Shaft Flickers, with black moustaches. Our western race is Red Shaft, with red moustaches. But I'd assume the babies of both make basically the same sound.

I am just thrilled to bits! I'm a little concerned that I've still only seen the papa. But he's obviously doing his job, getting the little ones fed. So, hopefully it will be okay.

Off he goes!

And one more baby before I get home... a single teenager duckling.

Is she by herself? Nope! I hear her siblings Peeping, peeping further upstream. She's heading towards them!

Tag: may 2025

Partner is driving us to the Community Garden today because he got us a new hose!

I've been dealing with the two leaks in the old hose for most of a week, and sheesh, it's irritating.

The new sprayer is really nice... different settings and you can adjust the flow from full to off! So that will be helpful, I think.

Partner hauls the old hose to the car to throw away and I get to work! I am planting seeds today!

The Wax Beans look like pills.

I also planted Beet seeds and a Lettuce mix of seeds, all around the starts...

The Beets are doing great. The one Lettuce I thought would live... is looking a little rough.

I've never had any success planting seeds at the garden, except for Peas, Beans and Favas. Lettuces, especially, just don't even come up. Probably the slugs get them on day one! I don't remember how beet seeds have done in the past.

I water in the new seeds with the new hose and sprayer... and hope for the best!

There are some more seedlings popping up in the Fallow Area: Favas and Buckwheats.

And the Volunteer Squash patch seems to be staying ahead of the slugs.

The new Spaghetti Squash, on the other hand... not looking like it's going to live.

The wind-blown Ring of Fire Sunflower is down to one leaf. If the slugs would just leave it alone, it could probably recover by making new branches. But is that actually going to happen?

The green thing in the background is the Lemon Cucumber I accidentally planted. It's actually mostly undisturbed by the slugs. So that's hopeful.

There are two Sugar Snap Peas left of the six I transplanted, but they don't look so good.

But Look! A beautiful line of Snap Pea seedlings!!

So, that's awesome!

And, with that happy thought, I'm heading out.

You know... a Columbine in my plot survived the winter. I wonder when it is going to bloom.

Since I got driven to the garden, I've got plenty of time for a walk before going home! I stop to watch the Minnows.

This duckling is at that awkward teenager stage... Adult feathers coming in, but still has some baby fluff!

Song Sparrow says Madge, Madge, Madge. Put on your tea kettle -ettle -ettle.

His tiny tongue!!

Oh, sir. You have a bit of a thing on your beak?

It doesn't matter? Oh. Okay.

All is quiet at the Flicker nest. Too Quiet???

I finally look up the incubation time for Northern Flickers.

Um. 11 to 13 days.

oh crap. Eleven to thirteen days has come and gone TWICE over since the parents finished this nest!

Shoot. But I have seen Papa here a couple times.

hmm. Not sure what to think, but my brain automatically goes to Doom.

Tag: may 2025

It's drizzling off and on this morning as I leave the house. Which is crazy for May... the rainy season goes from October to April. April! The rain is supposed to END in April! *laughs*

Oh, hey. A whole family of Turkey Vultures!

One of the Vultures lands in a tree on the other side of the creek. A crow was mobbing them, and she lands in the tree as well. But there's so many sticks!

Haha! I didn't realize I had been spotted!

I love Turkey Vultures! They are the coolest!!

I'm dropping off compost at the garden, and then I look around a little.

Crum. The slugs have found the Spaghetti Squash.

Are slugs eating the cute little Buckwheat seedlings, too. gah.

Well. The Volunteer Squashes are enjoying the damp day.

and the one Lettuce is still alive too.

And the cute black and white blooms on the one Fava plant!

I am studying my plot neighbor on the right. Last year, they were new, and I called them the Pot People... they had dozens and dozens of potted plants all over their plot!

And look at them now... they've not showed up once this year and the plot is a grassy disaster!

And then the sky opens up and it starts pouring! ha. I guess I will worry about their plot - and the next Community Garden Compliance Check at the end of May - another time!

But as I head out, I have to stop to admire these hot house Cosmos.

Cosmos don't bloom until mid summer and later. So these have been forced in a greenhouse. They are pretty and I'm surprised they are standing up to the cooler temperatures of the real world!

Okay. I am walking towards the downtown neighborhoods!

I've come to look at this ridiculous skeleton again!

Oh, haha!

I suppose those wires mean that the skeleton is lit up at night! ha. too funny!

I don't know what these purple flowers are, in front of a sea of California Poppies.

I just adore this little patch of wildflowers in this hell strip!! Above is Coreopsis, below is Birds Eye Gilias...

Baby Blue Eyes and Fivespots...

Okay! Heading back home... some native Mallows.

hmm. There's a homeless person sleeping right where I need to stand to look thru the tree leaves to see the Flicker nest. I glance up as I walk by... AHH! Papa is there again!!

I walk a few more steps... it's a harder angle, but I can see him!!

I am a little bit... concerned. Except for the very first day, when the parents completed the nest (Apr27), I've only seen the male.

Where is Mama? Is she okay? Or is it just coincidence that I've only seen Papa??

Tag: may 2025

Next weekend is the big No Kings Protest on Flag Day!!

I have already signed up at the website...

∞ NoKings.org

And I am happy to see a few videos, encouraging more people to join us!

∞ Parkrose Permaculture: 3 Reasons You Need to Join the Biggest Protest in US History and Help Spoil Tr*mp's BDay on 6/14

Will you be there?

Tag: june 2025

Well, this is a cute little thing. And they've helpfully left the ID tag with it! Tuberous Begonia.

Duckling!

Quiet at the Flicker nest...

*laughs* I was trying to get a photo of all three Flicker holes in this dead tree truck! But the wind kept blowing leaves and roses, and blocking the view of the other two holes.

The hole that's showing is the active nest. And aren't the climbing roses pretty?!

I'm at the garden, and no other humans! Yay, I have a walk about! I've not walked by the plots on the west side in a while.

Comfrey is another plant the Powers That Be have decided is illegal in the Community Garden...

It's such a pretty plant, and it evolved with the European Honey Bees... so those flowers are a perfect fit for the bee's bodies!

Unlike Borage, tho, it truely and actually is an annoying invasive. I let one get big in my garden plot... I loved it, but it was taking up room. (The footprint was probably over six feet square! a very big plant!) and I've been trying to kill it since Autumn 2023, and it still sends up leaves!

What The Fur??!

Whose fur is this?

...

Hm. Those colours remind me of the Alpacas who live in my parent's neighborhood.

But seriously, this is... really weird! And not vegan, using somebody's fur like this. bleh. I suppose it keeps the slugs from eating the strawberry fruits? but, just... bleh.

This plot has new decorations.

I like the Meerkat. I do not like the Angel... Weeping Angels are scary!

Okay! I'm at my plot, and oh foo... the top of the Sunflower has died. Well, maybe it can make new branches at the leaves.

But the Spaghetti Squash I planted yesterday is happy.

And the Lemon Cucumber I accidentally planted on Friday is good as well. Maybe it was okay to put it out, after all!

I've brought my hand tools today. And, as I mentioned... this is that Comfrey that I've been trying to kill since 2023!

Oh, good... some Fava is coming up in the Fallow Area!

And the cute little Green Zebra that I just planted is doing well.

While I've been looking around, this lovely Starling has been singing for me from Kevin's plot.

Hello! Will you let me walk around to get a better view? Oh, Thank You!

And as I left, I realized this is a parent!! Both parents were feeding a squawking brown fledgling. No pics, I only saw the family for a moment before they all flew away.

Outside the Community Garden, I'm thinking this is another Black Locust, like the tree near my home.

I decide to check it out.

The wind makes catching the flowers a challenge. But it's definitely a Black Locust.

It's a pretty thing... but HOLY!

Good god, those thorns are huge! And on the trucks of the trees! The tree in my neighborhood doesn't have thorns! Wow. Thank goodness! Just imagine. Yikes.

One more duckling on the way home.

About a million years ago, I temp'ed for an art company that was going out of business. And on the way out, I nabbed a box of markers that they had set out for people to take (any not taken were heading for the landfill).

My Tiny Cleans have finally reached that box in the porch room today.

These are just cheap markers, and I wasn't going to worry if I had to throw out the whole box.

But! I opened a pack, and only a couple markers were dry! Ironically it's the green and the purple markers that are dry, out of the eight colours... my favorites.

But still. I'll be happy to use some of the other colours for notes or whatever!

Also in the pic above... the Monstera! and books on the shelf. Towels on the drying rack! and the Dumb Cane in the lower left corner.

(I actually call the Dumb Cane by it's more beautiful name, Dieffenbachia. But I have to look up the stupid spelling every time, and that's so much work!) *laughs*

Tag: may 2025

Partner drove us to Saturday Market to buy more veggie starts. That's always nice because he can drop me off at the Garden and I get get a little bit planted and still have a little bit of a walk to get home!

I found this year's experimental tomato flavor... Green Zebra!

Ha! Isn't that fun! The Internets say it's a small salad tomato with a zing / spicy flavor.

So that sounds like a good compliment to the super sweet Sungolds. I can't wait!

I also planted the first Spaghetti Squash.

The plant on the left there is the Lemon Cucumber I planted yesterday. And middle is the poor stupid wind blown Sunflower. I don't think it's going to live, but it's trying.

The average wind speed in Eugene is 2.5 mph.

Historically, that is. The last couple of years we've been getting ever more wind. And especially this year.

I hate it. Very often the wind is blowing 8 to 14 mph when I go out walking, with bigger gusts. It's impossible to find birds in the trees, so the photography has suffered.

And now the garden suffers as well. sighs.

There's more Buckwheats coming up in the Fallow Area!

And Yay! The first Sugar Snap Pea is germinating!!

But the Lettuces aren't recovering. And they're starting to get munched.

Sighs. This one might live!

And the tomato cage on the right is holding up a couple Sugar Snap Pea transplants who are trying to live past the slugs.

And all the Beets are good as well... even the two smallest ones are perking up now!

This is the patch of Volunteer Squash... Will any survive the slugs?

I hope a couple live, it would be nice to see what they are!

There's a slight chance they could be Green or Yellow Zucs, but I'm thinking they are Spaghetti Squash or Butternut.

Kevin's plot has Breadseed Poppies!

And the plot next to him has these pretty things.

Some kind of Geranium.

And on the way home, it's quiet at the Flicker nest again.

Tag: may 2025

I've brought a couple more veggie starts to plant at the garden... but first, some weeding. It would be nice if I kept on top of the grass, so the powers that be don't ding me on the Compliance Checks... We've got the first one coming up at the last week of May.

I intend to keep my Borage, which is now an illegal plant at the Comm Garden. *rolls eyes* So I need to be toeing the line with all the other rules!

It's still too wet, and I was mostly just breaking off the grass at the surface instead of pulling out the roots.

I had grabbed the biggest veggie start from the porch room, thinking it was a squash. But when I planted it and looked at the tag, ha, it was one of the Lemon Cucumbers!

Hmm. Cucumbers love heat almost as much as tomatoes. We've still got some chilly nights, but maybe it will be okay?

I also brought the Old German...

and the Tomato Patch at the back of the plot is starting to shape up!

The slugs are doing a job on this little patch of volunteer Squashes. But they are so cute, I've decided to try to keep them...

I'm watering them a little and I put a tomato cage over them to keep from accidentally stepping on them since they are close to the middle pathway.

And speaking of watering...

Haha, the hose now has two leaks! And the first leak has gotten bigger and is spraying all over the place!

I've still got good water pressure coming out of the end, tho. So I keep watering and try to aim the two leaks at the Fallow Area. It's pretty awkward, tho!

The Small Strawberry has New Growth! There's a new leaf growing there on the right!

I had put out fertilizer on Sunday! And it's started a new leaf in just five days! Awesome!

And the Big Strawberry has loads of fruits coming on.

I think I need more Strawberries!

And there's some Buckwheat seedlings in the Fallow Area! Yay!

Okay. I'm done here.

Out of the Garden, I decide to walk up to the next bridge to check on the Barn Swallow nest there.

Last year, the Barn Swallows started re-using their nests under the bridges around May10.

But I see no sign of activity, yet. At either of the bridges. So that's a bummer. Is it still too chilly for them?

Coming back past the Flicker nest, tho... Oh My GOSH!

Yay! I'm so excited to see one of the parents here!

This is the Papa Flicker. He's spotted me! *laughs*

So cute!

Oh, hahaha! Is that a Squash Beetle?

The bug is re-evaluating his life choices and makes a run for it.

But Flickers would rather eat ants, so Papa lets the beetle live another day!

This is the view, without any zoom, from the bike path...

That climbing rose is really going to town with all it's blooms! (You can just barely see the Flicker nest hole in that middle tree trunk.)

Tag: may 2025

Damnit! The stupid wind!! This was the Ring of Fire Sunflower that I bought, and oh, dangit, I am SO disappointed!

sighs. I try to cheer myself up by looking at the plants that are going to live. Like the Big Strawberry plant is pretty happy, little fruits in the making!

And the Half-Dead Sungold still looks pathetic on first glance... but you can see it's recovering and making new branches!

And the Brandywine is just fine!

Okay. I have brought the Lettuces to plant today. I put them in behind the Beets in the front garden square... But, ugh, they look really really pathetic.

I'm sure they will perk up. And I'm sure they will be slug food shortly after that.

Sighs.

I don't know why I even bother with lettuce. Some years a couple live tho, so let's keep our fingers crossed!

And there are just two Sugar Snap Peas left with leaves. SIGHS! But that's what I expected.

And that's why I planted seeds here. It'll be a little drier once they start popping up and hopefully they'll be able to grow faster than the slugs can eat them!

And then I looked over and saw the single Fava that survived is flowering!

That's great! Hopefully I'll get some beans so I can re-plant in the Autumn.

I use Fava as a winter cover crop. You can eat the beans, but I've heard they taste like Lima Beans... yuck! *Laughs*

I'm heading out, but stop to admire the Columbines in the plot at the end of my row!

Oh god.

∞ The Reason Murderbot's Tone Feels Off Martha Wells' book series uses wry humor to tell a story about artificial intelligence, humanity, and free will. The Apple TV+ adaptation tries to do the same - with mixed results.
(Don't bother clicking... Wired has a paywall.)

I am a HUGE HUGE fan of Martha Wells Murderbot Diaries series. I've read the 7 book series countless times. Literally countless!

I was kind of anticipating the show... with excitement ... and dread! *laughs*

And now that it's out... um. I am not sure if I actually want to watch it.

∞ Apple TV: Murderbot

Tag: may 2025

Just another stupid example that when this regime does anti-DEI stuff it's obviously just white male supremacy.

∞ Domestic Violence Services Have Been Absolutely Decimated By Trump Nonsense Guess preventing violence against women is DEI!
It's not remotely surprising that they want to pretend domestic violence is not a systemic issue, but rather an issue of individual criminality, as it seems they want to pretend there is no such thing as a systemic issue across the board.

Remember when that fucking traitor and RAPIST trump said he was going to protect women, whether they like it or not? Yeah, so gross.

The regime hates women and it's just a matter of time before we lose all our rights. America will NEVER recover from this disaster.

We are well on our way to being a third world country.

... Ugh. I am just so angry. At everything this regime is doing. And I'm so disappoing that Checks and Balances are not happening, and the regime is literally getting away with murder, once removed.

How many people have already died from the lack of USAID? Tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands.

And how many people will die from this?

Tag: june 2025

From the front corner of the Rhododendron Garden, there's a steep trail that goes up to the forest trails. It's so steep, I call it the exercise trail! I huff and puff going up!

And I was very amused that this crow is walking up the trail in front of me! You can fly up the trail, you know! *laughs*

Last year, volunteers cleared the invasives from a good section of the forest. English Ivy and Himalayan Blackberry and English Holly. And I assume all these flags are where they've planted new, native plants!

I forgot how many happy Song Sparrows live here!

Thimbleberries on the way!

I should have put my hand down to indicate how big this Banana Slug is! She-he is a good six inches (15cm)!

(Slugs are hermaphrodites, thus the she-he pronoun! They are both!) We mostly only have these brownish Banana Slugs. Very occasionally I'll see one decorated with pretty, dark brown patterning. But I've never seen a yellow one here, like they have up in Portland.

Oh my gosh!

Two birds are having an argument! One flies away with a squawk! And when I try to see where the other one has gone...

They are sitting in a nest!!!

Wow! The nest is only 10feet from the path, maybe. But it's hidden well. I would not have noticed it except that the parents were being loud right when I walked by!

Ha. I wonder if one parent was out too long, and when they came back the other was all... I'm tired of sitting here! I was worried about you! Don't do that to me!

There's all kinds of birds here... singing up a storm. But I barely catch glimpses.

There's a Cherry tree amongst the White Oaks on the knoll.

Coming back down. I find the Robin nest again, but this time I can see I'm making her nervous. So I don't stay.

Good Luck, my dear! I hope everything goes well, and you find many bugs to feed your babies!

oh! Ha! This one was coming up the trail. She calmly stepped off when she saw me.

um. Excuse me? ... Hello? ... Could you just give me a few seconds of your time?

Oh! Hey! Thank You so much! *laughs*

Oh, Wow! This is somebody new!

A Black Head Grosbeak.

And I've been saying it wrong! It's pronounced grows beek.

And... what in the world?

Did... YOU roll up this leaf? Why? What is going on??!

Okay. The Internets to the rescue! A website I found was paywalled but the snippet said When feeding on lepidoptera larvae rolled in leaves of plum tree (Prunus virens), plucks leaf and deftly removes larva, then subdues it by ...

Okay! So there's a bug in there! I love learning these things!

well, shoot. I didn't get pics of him getting the bug.

And no non-blurry photos, either.

That's okay. It's been an awesome day!

Tag: may 2025

The Rhododendron Garden is a lovely destination for Mother's Day, so it's been on my mind. I decided to visit today!

The blossoms have fallen off the tree!

This is a Clematis vine, draped over an Oak tree... but you kinda just have to be there to see how majestic... and huge! the whole thing is!

There aren't any flowers down low, so this is a photo from a distance!

Tag: may 2025

After all the crazy rain we got yesterday -- over ½ an inch!! In May!! Today is looking like a nice day! The clouds are moving around a good bit, it's to be a bit cooler than the normal of 68° and the wind on the ground isn't too terrible at 4mph.

Oh! Duckling!

It's not just the one. I can hear other babies peeping from the bushes behind them. Hurry up and get out of the nest, Babies! :)

Walking right by the Community Garden today. But this one greets me as I go by!

Aw! An older duckling!

So thrilled that this one has lived past baby-hood and probably survived H5N1!

*Laughs* Everybody is so friendly and cute today!

The Leaning Tree Saplings.

This grass is pretty. I wonder if it's an escaped ornamental.

Ha! Well, that's weird!

Oh my, the colours on these Columbines!

The pink Irises are so amazing!

The older duckling is still hanging out in the same place... but now sitting with Mama!

Oh My Gosh! A parent Flicker flew out just as I arrived!! Confirmation that this is still an active nest!! Yay!

Sheesh, that was a lot of photos today! But the cuteness just kept coming! *laughs*

Tag: may 2025

A bit after midnight I woke up to water battering at the window. It's raining and the gutter must have a leafy clog... instead of going down the pipe, the water is overflowing and hitting the window on the way down.

It's loud, tho intermittant and it keeps me awake for a good while.

I love the rain... but the only thing I'm thinking today is that the garden is NEVER going to dry out! ha!

The clouds break up a few hours after dawn. But the next rain clouds roll on in and it is pouring again as I head out the door!

oh foo! There was a whole pile of ducklings, keeping warm on the bank. And when they saw I was looking at them, they just unbundled themselves and popped down into the water where I couldn't see them.

I didn't get a count, but this is definitely the largest group of babies I've seen this spring... five? maybe six?

All the very small families of 1 to 3 ducklings is probably a response to H5N1 Avian Flu which has killed many, many babies in the last few years. I think it was 2023 that was the worst, where almost all the babies died. It was a little better last year.

It's still raining hard when I get to the park... but isn't it lovely!

There's still ponds on the south side!

Or maybe the main ponds are still there, too, just disguised with the taller grass.

I am happy to walk thru the little bit of forest. But I don't see any birds today.

Heading home thru the city. I suppose these will be the next trees that they chop down. sighs. Climate change is killing our Douglas Firs.

Tag: may 2025

Very dreary today and the chances of rain tonight have been bumped up to 100%. Crazy. Apparently the weather didn't get the memo that the rainy season is over in April! *laughs*

There's lots of wind today too. The weather page says 8mph but it seems faster than that.

The wind this year has been so much more annoying than it has been in the past. Am I getting used to it?

I don't know, but it really puts a crimp in the photography... I can't find birds sitting in the trees when the whole stupid tree is waving around randomly in the wind. bah.

There's humans walking by the Flicker nest. I try to kill some time, looking at the Poison Hemlock thats coming up.

The leaves are pretty, but this is the stuff that killed Socrates! It is very poisonous.

The humans aren't getting out of the way, and there's nothing happening at the Flicker nest anyway. So I go on to the garden.

I'm putting down some fertilizer today and I'm not waiting for the rain tonight, but watering it in right now!

But oh shoot! The hose has sprung a leek!

Well that's annoying. But this is the hose I bought at the very beginninig of the gardening adventure! I spent a lot of money to get this heavy duty thing and it's pretty unbelievable that it's lasted this long. Especially since it sits out here even thru the winter!

I will have to look it up and see if I can buy the same hose again!

All the plants today are fine, and even the Sugar Snap Peas are strangely un-munched! Are the slugs giving me a break??!

Plus I found this Fava bean germinating in the Fallow Area! Yay!

Happy Sunflower!

Okay, I'm out. The plot on the end of the row is shining with orange. Calendulas, and I think the white flowers are spent Wallflowers?

And some California Poppies.

And heaading home, the quiet Flicker nest.

Ha... Yesterday when I was running errands, I apparently got fairly close to this mess.

∞ Eugene hotel standoff ends in arrest of burglary suspects

Some theives had stolen some electronics and stuff, which had trackers on them! The police closed down the road and there was a bit of a armed standoff with one of the bad guys. But it ended peacefully after they bashed in the door and flew in a drone. No one was hurt!

I got within less than a block, and never even noticed! Which is fine with me!

Tag: may 2025

I've got the car today, and I'm on my own with the all the places I need to go... So I'm rearranging the usual Saturday order and driving to the Community Garden first. The seeds I planted need to be watered.

Some of the Snap Peas I put in yesterday have perked up. And some have wilted to death and one was munched.

And the two smallest Beets haven't situated themselves, but they are still alive.

Hello Bug!

This is a Spotted Cucumber Beetle. I've never had any trouble with them and they are super cute! Their cousins, the Striped Cucumber Beetles, on the other hand, have killed some plants... but I've not seen any in several years.

This is the Small Strawberry plant... while it does have some strawberries coming on, it's just not growing. The dirt here is kind of dry and hard, so I watered the heck out of it!

Okay, I'm done here. But I glance around and it looks like the other people who were here have left! Having the Garden to myself on a Saturday is not an opportunity to be wasted, and I go wandering!!

Somebody's Chives are looking all pretty.

I've tried several times to get Chives growing in my garden plot, to no avail.

Oh, wow! These Irises are gorgeous!

Against the sky, they are just stunning!

Okay! Next errand is Saturday Market.

I park in one of the parking gargages, on the orange level today and it's such a lovely view.

That's St Mary's and I think that's the one that has bells that chime out the hours. You can hear them for miles.

Mountain View Farm is my favorite farmer, where I buy all my veggie starts.

Today I am beyond thrilled to find an Old German tomato... that was my experimental tomato last year and it was SO GOOD! I didn't see it last time, and this time, there's just two left!

I spend my twenty bucks and more and then it's off to the next errand.

A treat from Sweet Life!

oh yeah!

This is their vegan Chocolate Strawberry Cake and it is Yummy!

Tag: may 2025

Hello, my dear!

Good stuff? :)

I'm walking past the wet prairie... no longer ponds any more and drying out and getting on with the prairie stage. Camas Lilies are still blooming as well as the Western Buttercups.

And there are crickets singing!

I love to hear them. I worry so much about our precious bugs. But here at least there's a few happy bugs left in the world!

Haha! There's been a slug or snail wandering around the Flicker nest!!

Okay! I'm at the garden and I've brought some of the veggie starts I bought back in April to finally plant.

Last year the front garden square had tomatoes on the left and the Lemon Cucumbers on the right. And this year it will be Sugar Snap Peas on the left and Beets (and maybe Lettuce?) on the right.

The Sugar Snap Peas have unfortunately gotten tall in the weeks they've sat in the porch room. They are so delicate I'm surprised they made the trip in my backpack without snapping off and I have trouble untangling them. Maybe I should have just dumped the whole pot of them in one hole.

All around, I plant seeds! The slugs will probably munch the veggie starts to death, but it'll be drier once the seeds get sprouted and fewer slugs around. Hopefully some will live, but at the moment these are looking pretty pathetic!

The Beets, on the other hand are looking great.

This was also a tray of six veggie starts. A couple of the six were terribly small and might not live thru the transplanting. That's a bummer, but I'm wondering if I can plant some beet seeds as well.

I always forget how much I LOVE fresh beets and in the past I plant them as an after thought, or not at all. Last year, I only had a couple volunteers! But right now I remember eating them, and yum, so good!

So, yeah. I'm going to look for some beet seeds!

Oh look! Someone has already discovered the poor pathetic peas!

My cute little friend!

And on the way home, Ducklings!

They paddle away with their mama before I can get decent pics. Oh well, I'll catch up with them next time.

Tag: may 2025

Uh oh! There's a fire!

I can hear sirens of emergency vehicles coming from several directions but it seems like it takes them so long to get there! But I see a firetruck go past at the next street... and really it's just been a few minutes.

I hope everyone is safe.

Another quiet day at the Flicker nest.

And we had another colder night... but not down to freezing again, thank goodness. It was 39° last night, chilly but the Brandywine is still fine...

And the Half Dead Sungold is probably wondering why life is so freaking difficult here. But it'll be fine, I'm sure.

And the Sunflower is fine as well!

Okay. Today I'm going to spread out the compost dirt in the front garden square.

I had to move the small trellis a little, it was sitting right on the Sunchoke roots.

I thought I wanted to keep the Sunchoke... it's a pretty plant and keeps loads of birds and bugs happy throughout it's life. But when I looked at the roots, oh ugh! They were mostly slug eaten! And when I dug down a litte to see if any of it was still alive... bleh!

Major Slug Factory!

I took what was left of the roots AND the slugs to the compost heap, where they can happily live out the rest of their days. And maybe it's just as well that the Sunchoke was mostly dead, anyway. It's a huge plant, not just tall but wide as well. And I want the Lemon Cucumbers growing here on the small trellis!

Well. Compost is spread out and that looks pretty good!

The big bit of green is the volunteer Elephant Garlics. Most of the smaller green bits are Dandelions, which I never dig up anymore. They are good for the soil and usually have some bugs on them too. Gotta keep the bugs happy!

And then the two plants at the bottom are a volunteer clover that started growing last year, and the single cover crop Fava that survived the winter. I have high hopes for it to bloom and make more beans for me!

Good work done today, and I'm liking how the garden is shaping up!

On the way home, I look at the climbing roses instead of just the boring, quiet Flicker nest! *laughs*

And there's no more smoke coming from that spot to the south.

Tag: may 2025

*laughs*

That's my shadow! I'm taking the Sunflower and Brandywine to the garden today... and the Sunflower is too tall to fit in the backpack! So I've left it unzipped with the top of the plant looking over my shoulder as I walk!

And the Oak catkins are starting to fall.

As I'm passing a tree on the corner...

It suddenly strikes me that these flowers look exactly like the Wisteria flowers I photoed yesterday!

Except they are white instead of the Wisterias purples... and this is a tree instead of the vine of the Wisteria.

I look it up when I get home. Black Locust!

And yep, it's related to Wisteria. And in fact has the same rather invasive style of life! ha! This Black Locust is under power lines and they just cut it down to the ground every couple years. And it just keeps coming back!

I'm glad I learned something today!!

Okay, let's get this show on the road!

This is the back right corner of the plot. Last year it was the Squash Square, and this year it's going to be the Tomato area.

I moved the trellises and scooped leaves out of the way and then spread the compost dirt... I put it out pretty thin, but it went farther than I thought!!

I planted the Brandywine a good ways away from the poor almost-killed Sungold. And made sure the strawberries got a good amount of compost dirt too.

The Brandywine looks happy.

And the Sungold looks pathetic from it's adventures with near freezing temperatures... but it's def going to live!

And the big Strawberry plant is looking awesome. I'm watering it along with the seeds I threw down in the new Fallow Area. The dirt is really hard here.

I've moved the big trellis into the place where I want it... it's a few feet closer to the front of the plot from where I had it last year. Just want to give the Tomatoes behind it some extra room so i can walk around everything.

And I put the Ring of Fire Sunflower just under the trellis!

And then I placed the smaller green trellis for the Lemon Cucs.

And now that I'm looking at it... it seems a bit crowded! I might have to put some zucs in the Fallow Area after all.

And speaking of Zucs... Yeah, this one is dead.

Oh well. It served it's purpose, I guess.

I hope the new leaves coming in don't get totally in the way of my view of the Flicker nest!

And I still haven't looked up the incubation time!

As I'm looking up, I realize this climbing rose vine is almost exactly in front of the Flickers' tree.

I could tell any passers-by that I'm taking pics of the roses, instead of mentioning the Flickers!

Then again, it's not like I can stand here for any length of time... Birds get nervous when you're staring at the place where their babies are!

Tag: may 2025

I look up at the Flicker nest... all quiet.

... And since I'm thinking about nests, I also look up at the Barn Swallows nests.

It's empty... Last year the parents returned on May10 and built up that beautiful top half of the nest. I'm looking forward to seeing them again!

I spend a few minutes with the new Leaning Tree Saplings.

The west tree isn't as healthy as the other two, it's got some dead branches.

I hope it lives!

And I wonder if they knew they were planting the saplings in the exact configuration as the original Leaning Tree... One trunk to the west and the other two trunks pointing north and south.

They must have known. Why else have three trees here.

So that's nice... someone who cared about the Leaning Tree got these little ones in it's memory!

Ducklings!

Just the two. And here's proud Mama, watching out for them.

I go by the wisteria, on the way home. It's got some blooms above the fence now.

Tag: may 2025

∞ Oregon governor declines to extradite woman accused of embezzling from Eugene Weekly

∞ Extradition Denied Gov. Tina Kotek's office turned down Lane County's request for extradition funding in the EW embezzlement case, freeing the alleged embezzler from jail despite five felony charges

*Screaming*

I have had it with our worthless governor...

I voted for her, and at the time I was excited to see what all she was going to do. I really thought she would be a boon to Oregon.

But since she's been in office, she's done NOTHING.

I am outraged at Traitor Trump's bullshit everyday, but Governor Kotek has done nothing to stand up to the fascism.

And last week, she did do something...

∞ Oregon governor testifies for controversial bill focusing on foster kids The legislation would allow the state to send children in foster care out of state again, a practice Oregon stopped because of abuse
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek threw her weight behind a controversial bill that would allow the state to send children in foster care to facilities in other states and change the definitions around restraints and seclusions.

So this is super disturbing. This is just throwing these poor kids away. And I hate that Gov Kotek is trying to push it thru.

So this thing with denying justice for the Eugene Weekly is the last straw for me.

I am absolutely disgusted at our Governor!

Translation: Gov Kotek,
I am so disappointed and angry that you refused to extradite the person who embezzled from the Eugene Weekly! You don't want to serve justice? On top of that you are not standing up to Trump's fascist regime! I regret voting for you - you are a worthless governor!
DO BETTER!!
Sincerely, rift

I have gotten out of the habit of writing these spontaneous postcards... strongly worded or otherwise. It feels good to get back to it!

Tag: may 2025

The quiet Flicker nest.

At the Community Garden, I have a quick stroll up and down the aisles. Oh good! Someone has finally covered up the Lesser Celandine plot again.

Probably too little, too late. Stupid Lesser Celandine.

I'm at my plot and... Aw, Dang it... How cold was that night??

I planted this zuc with the assumption that it would be munched to death by the slugs. And that is slug munchings on the right leaf.

But the true leaves have been killed by cold. I look it up...

omg, it was 33° on sunday morning! oh... no...

WAILS!!

Aw, my Sungold! oh. The bottom is still alive, but damnit! This is a terrible beginning to the gardening season!

Well. The poor thing will probably live. I'm glad I didn't pull off those bottom suckers when I planted it on Saturday!! And the main stem is still green and might be able to make some new branches.

But... just... Dangit. The forecast said 39° (4°C)! Thirty-nine would have been FINE! Why?! Why did the weather forecast have to lie to me?! Six degrees colder than they said it would be! SIX! GAH!

Sighs. Okay. Well, I've got work to do today.

I'm going to spread out the piles of compost dirt on the left side of the plot.

This is last year's Tofu Patch where everything I planted was stunted and pathetic. So I'm going to kind of leave this fallow...

I've kept the leaves in place. Since I'm watering it now, they will continue to break down and add organic goodness to the dirt.

And I've thrown down some wildflowers and a variety of cover crops. I don't expect much to come up, but meanwhile I'm also going to be throwing down fertilizer as well.

Hopefully I can get the dirt back up to normal so I can grow stuff here next year!

And the work I've done here has adjusted my attitude... Not everything in the garden is dying! I can focus on what's living in the garden!

One Fava plant got thru the winter. It's a little bit slug munched, but it's regrowing and there's a chance it will flower and make some seeds.

And the big Strawberry plant is making flowers.

Someone has some hothouse Dahlias. That's nice and cheerful!

And heading home.

oh! haha!

He's so close, I could reach out and touch him. And for a second, that's what I really want to do! But, haha... look at him!

He's thinking about jumping on me! And that's not going to end well! *laughs* So I take a step back so that we have an understanding!

He runs off, and I realize someone else was watching that play out...

Remember Falkor? This crow and their partner, up a little bit to the left... they are both staring at me so hard that I'm absolutely positive that's who they are!!

But then this third crow flies right at the partner crow who is out of frame!

The partner screams ACK! in surprise and flies off!

But the third... who is this? A child who's living with the parents? Maybe jealous that the pair were staring down at me?

*Laughs* Our child is still angry! They go to stand on a branch and are mad for a moment... Look at those fluffed up feathers!

They slowly calm down. Feathers settle.

And everyone flies away.

Tag: may 2025

Last night I had the bedroom window cracked a bit to let in fresh air. Rain woke me, pretty early in the morning and I had to close the window because of the chill.

You'd think that by May I'd be able to keep the window open all night. But nope.

I got the camera out while I was fiddling with my Tiny Clean in the porch corner. Unfortunately, these Before photos are too hideous to show! *laughs* It's a good thing I've finally figured out how to clean!

But all the veggie starts I've bought at last weekend's Saturday Farmers Market are here in the porch room as well. Soaking up the little bit of mid morning sun we get...

*** Why, yes. That _is_ a clean porch door! ***

That's a Ring of Fire Sunflower, and clockwise from there is some mixed Lettuces, Sugar Snap Peas and Beets, that you can't see much in the back.

Except for the sunflower, these are all cool season crops that I can't plant yet because it's so wet. The slugs own the garden when it's wet and nothing would live past their munching!

But it's Saturday yet again, and today I'm going to buy more and start planting!

Partner drives, and it's nice to walk with him thru Saturday Market. We get our plants and he drops me off at the garden with a couple of them.

I start my work in the back, by putting some of the compost dirt around the Strawberries that survived the winter.

That's Kevin's potatoes in the raised beds. Someone had offered free seed potatoes a while ago, but I wasn't interested.

I've brought a Sungold to plant... The slugs won't bother a tomato plant! We do have a couple of chilly nights in the forecast before the overnight temps get more reasonable, but Sungolds are tough. I think he'll be fine!

And then I've got a Green Zuc. This thing is NOT going to live. I know that! But I really, really want to get the garden started!

I usually start planting at the beginning of April! And here it is, the beginning of May and I want a garden, damnit! *laughs*

Yeah. There's much to be done!

As I look around, I'm noticing that the squirrels have missed a LOT of nuts!

Ha! I pull up a couple baby trees that have started growing!

As I'm heading out, oooh! This black thing!

Aw, it's the Wood Ducks again!

It would be so nice to see baby Wood Ducks at the creek! Only having Mallard ducklings... is not every exciting. heh!

Oh, oh, oh!! DANGIT!

Foo! The female Flicker was poking her head out of their hole but the stupid wind was moving the leaves all over the stupid place... and I completely missed the shot.

I'm bummed I missed her! But after so many days of quiet here, I'm glad to know there's still something happening up there!

Tag: may 2025

I did not sleep well and feel pretty blah this morning.

And I guess to try to force myself to feel better, by doing an extensive Tiny Clean. I worked in the porch corner for about 15minutes straight.

Yeah, that's not a normal 3 to 5 minute Tiny Clean. And it didn't make me feel better, it just made me annoyed.

*laughs*

Well. A walk will def make me feel better, so let's head out!

The sun is shining and it's 61° (16°C) already... a little bit too warm for me, even with the breeze that's turning into a wind.

There's no humans around today, and I take a moment to study the Flicker's dead tree carefully! I want to make sure I'm looking at the right hole for sure this time! Bahaha!

Oh hey, Mama!

You want to show off your beautiful baby?

What a Cutie!!

Haha... the refections make it look like the baby is breathing fire! *giggles*

*laughs* Okay, they are super cute, and I am moving on now!

Huh. Okay...

∞ May is Bike Month

Well that's fun!

But I like to walk. :)

Oh hey!

I thought this was No Patches for a second, but I think this is someone new, again.

I think just about all the Herons at the creek this year are new. ... Or maybe they've molted into new feather configurations that I don't recognize!

I'm swinging around to see the Honey Bee nest!

Definitely not so busy and frantic now! :) The Bees are just getting to work!

Oh wow. These Columbines are delightful!

And another glance up at the quiet Flicker nest on the way home!

Tag: may 2025

Wow! A Frolic of Pink!

Ever more dying Douglas Firs up here. It's depressing. Climate change and the summers are too hot.

The Acorn Woodpeckers are a little too far away.

Oh well.

Tag: may 2025

Oh sheesh! I am looking at the wrong Flicker hole again!

I know. I am such a sucker for the Camas Lilies!

Here's a couple of artsy ones for you.

I am visiting the new sapling Leaning Trees.

The information tags say they were planted by Friends of Trees and they are Oregon White Oaks.

A new wildflower has popped up at this hell strip!

Birds-Eye Gilia!

I'm back at the creek, and I'm happy to see ducklings!

There's three babies here... Looks like the same family I saw on Monday.

Tag: april 2025

I stop by the Flicker nest...

And I make sure I'm looking at the correct hole this time! haha!

Oh, hey! No wonder the Bluebirds didn't use this nest box!

I was just thinking about all the humans walking by, but the squirrels would be a problem for a nest here as well.

We think of squirrels as just vegetarian, eating all their nuts... but like a lot of others, they will take advantage if they find a nest. Eating eggs or babies probably upsets their tummy, but the extra calories would be worth it.

bleh. I'm glad I'm vegan!

Okay. I'm at the Garden and I am going to do some weeding on the right side of the plot, in the back corner... The right side neighbor isn't around yet and I'm going to be proactive with the grass that's growing on the border. And I'll murder some of that invasive Horseradish as well, as I don't want it spreading to my plot.

The diagonal plot has been tilled and supposedly there's new gardeners there. Last year, that was the plot of the crazy lady who destroyed her daughter's plot, who was my left side neighbor.

The Drama! Hopefully the new people are less crazy.

It's too wet to do real weeding. I just yanked up what I could.

But my goal this year is to stay on top of the grass so I don't get any complaints from the Compliance Checks. I will be breaking the rules with my Borage, I will see how far I can push that, so everything else needs to be up to code.

The Drama, right? Sighs. I love Borage. And the new rules are stupid.

When I dumped the grass at the compost heap, I saw that someone had dumped their clover there! What? Why? It should be tilled in!! That's good nutrients that you've wasted!

Ha, I grabbed it for myself!

This is the the stunted tofu patch of last year! I plan to spread out that good compost dirt and then just leave this area fallow for the season while I throw as much fertilizer on it as I can!

Yeah. I'm too lazy to get the soil tested to see what it actually needs! (Yep, and I'm too lazy to till it in, too! ha.)

I briefly admire the Strawberries coming on.

And I still have time for a longer walk, so I head out of the Garden!

Haha! Testing for a new colour! But those are huge colour swatches!

Tag: april 2025

Oh! The first ducklings at this end of the creek!

But arg, I don't get any good pics. SIGHS.

There's three babies here... more interested in exploring the world than getting their photo taken!

Well. This is just the beginning of ducklings, so I will get many more chances to get cute pics!

I desperately want to check on the Flicker nest that I found yesterday... but as I'm walking by, suddenly there are stupid humans all over the place. Gah! Go Away!

*laughs* I do manage this one photo, in between the invasive humans...

But, haha! This is not the nest! This is an old hole on the same trunk!

I didn't realize it at the time, but there are actually three Flicker holes on this same dead tree trunk! The new and active hole is the middle one.

But I can tell, even with all the humans walking by, that it's all quiet today. As it should be, if the parents have laid some eggs!!

Walking on. I've got some kitchen scraps that I'm dropping off in the garden plot to compost, and have a quick look around.

The big Strawberry plant has survived the winter, but the volunteer Fava that was growing over it, is just a dead stick now.

I'm really disappointed that most all of the cover crop Fava has died. And I move the leaves around, but it looks like ALL the freebie Strawberries that I planted in the fall, have died as well. Wai!

But the one Strawberry that I bought seems to be strong. There's a little Strawberry in the making!

So I guess I must content myself with that.

I get back to my walk along the creek... The minnows are back!

ha. I should get a filter for the camera to make it easier to see them! They are so cute and I love to watch them!

I'm making my way at the back of the Events Center... hmm, what's going on?

OH MY GOSH!!! They are planting trees!! Right where the Leaning Tree used to be!!

I walk past, but can't help having a little cry...

I'm mourning the Leaning Tree in a new way with these replacement trees and I am so devastated.

...

But I'm also excited ... thrilled! To start my relationship with these three newbies! I love them already! Three little sapling baby trees!

Their tiny trunks are straight up right now... but maybe they will lean in the future. Maybe. :)

I hope they will outlive me.

Despite climate change, I hope they will live.

But this makes me mourn again.

Sighs.

And when I come around the corner I'm so distracted thinking about the trees I walk right on by the Bees! Ha! I come back to look at them!

We've got a new flower in the little wildflower Hell Strip... I think it's some kind of Coreopsis!

They've got Sweet Peas blooming at the Solidarity Garden... which is a bad idea, in my opinion. I'm not sure everyone understands that Sweet Peas are toxic!

I walk past the Events Center again on the way back. Before, they had been placing posts around the saplings, and now they are wrapped with fencing to protect them from beavers, deers and the lawn mower!!

Tag: april 2025

Oh, your poor ragged fur!

I hope he's just shedding out his coat, rather than mange or something! Must be uncomfortably cold in the meantime.

*laughs* Their white eyelids amuse me.

Oh wow... a big dent has been taken out of the compost pile at the Community Garden. I had gotten the first loads on Friday, and now two days later...

Salsify! (Pronounced Sal-suh-Fee... sal like sally, NOT like salsa!)

You can eat the root of these flowers, and I'm always vaguely interested in growing some in the garden plot. Maybe later I will gather some seeds!

Haha! I went around this way to get photos of the Wisteria blooms... but they are all on the other side of the fence. Oh well. But isn't the trunk of the vine interesting!

Yeah, Wisteria gets pretty invasive here!

I'm heading home, but I stop when I hear some very excited Wika, Wika, Wika! I look up and search the branches... Oh My GOSH!!

This is a female Northern Flicker, and she's shouting her joy with her mate! They must have just finished carving out their nest!!

The hole looks pretty snug...

but look how perfectly it fits her body!!

And the male is bouncing around so quickly, I can hardly catch him!

Totally Exciting!! I can't wait to see what happens next! *grins*

Tag: april 2025

Okay, this time I've got the car and I'm definitely going to Saturday Market!

I go to my farmer's stall and pick out some veggie starts: Sugar Snap Peas, Lettuce, Beets and a Ring of Fire Sunflower.

They've raised their prices again this year and now the bigger pots are 4.50$. Yikes, it adds up quickly! But I am happy to support a local business and awesome people!!

I wander thru the Farmers Market and Saturday Market. It's fun to see all the offerings. I get back to the car and I won't be going to the Community Garden to plant anything today... especially not Snap Peas or Lettuce! The slugs would eat them right up.

The day is overcast and cool and the veggie starts will be okay in the car for a while. I'm heading for the river for a walk!

I've parked at the Rose Garden. It's too early for most of the roses, tho there are these pink ones blooming in the heritage section. The petals are unfurling in a cool way!

No Ospreys at the platform nest.

Oh, this is cool! A Pacific Dogwood!

The Pacific Dogwood is of course native to the Pacific Northwest of the US and Canada, and you can tell it's closely related to Flowering Dogwood which is native on the eastern side of the US... But Pacific Dogwood has 4 to 8 bracts on their flowers, mostly six but it seems to be kind of random, where Flowering Dogwood just have four.

And here is one of the ends of the green 420 line that goes thru Eugene. This is RiverPlay and the trees in the background are part of Skinner Butte.

The Downtown Riverfront Park.

A Bald Eagle was yelling from this nest, having returned for another year!

There was a guy with a long lens, but he was just waiting for a potiential shot... I looked from all the angles and the Bald Eagle could not be seen! haha!

I'm getting back to the Rose Garden.

I don't know what these pink flowers are.

I live in such a beautiful place and I'm so happy that we invest so much love and money into our local parks!!

Tag: april 2025

I am tackling the Porch Room for my Tiny Cleans. and today I moved the plant shelf so that I can get to the blinds and the floor and the wall and all.

The new configuration makes me feel a little overwhelmed. The plant shelf is blocking the porch door and there's just so much to be done.

But the Tiny Cleans keep getting done and building up!

It's cloudy today and the forecast says 30% rain after 3pm. Hm. Can I trust that?

Nope. With the camera, if there's even the tiniest chance of rain I take the rain jacket to protect it.

But it's too warm to actually wear it, so I stuff it in the small backpack and take that. It's kind of a pain... but it turns out it was a good thing!

The Seven Spot Ladybugs love Camas Lilies, I'm not sure why. And they're never very cooperative with the photography either! *laughs*

And the yellow flowers are our native Western Buttercups.

Okay! Moving on!

And when I pass the Community Garden...

Ah! The free compost from Love Food Not Waste has arrived! There's enough for each plot to get four wheelbarrow loads.

I walk on by... but I'm thinking!

It's Friday... so there are going to be a ton of gardeners there tomorrow. Ugh. Maybe even so many gardeners that it will be difficult to get a wheelbarrow and shovel. There are only so many.

But right now, there's just a handful of people!

And I'm pretty sure the garden gloves are in the backpack, under the rain jacket. That's all I need to haul my four wheelbarrow loads. Lucky thing I brought the backpack!!

Yeah. Let's get this done! I make a loop and head back to the Community Garden!

When I get inside, I drop off my bag at my plot and dig out the gloves. Kevin, our volunteer Site Coordinator is wandering around and I chat with him for a moment.

I ask him if he thinks I can handle a full wheelbarrow load of the compost. He gives me a look that says Huh? and I clarify, how heavy is it going to be.

He gets it and tells me the compost is surprisingly dry. But if I need to, I can estimate with half wheelbarrow loads.

Nods. I get to work!

This is heavy. A full wheelbarrow is right on the edge of my capability... I don't have far to push it, but going thru the lumpy grass along the path takes some serious work!

I get my fair share of four loads. And I'm glad it's not 5 or 6 loads!

By the time I'm done, there's fewer people in the garden and I walk a couple aisles to look at stuff.

Here's a Seven Spot who is more cooperative with the photography! Thank you, my dear!

And these Pansies are unusual with the green on their petals!

Tag: april 2025

oh foo. Little bird didn't stick around for decent photography.

oh foo some more.

Hello? Excuse me? Any chance you could look at the camera?

You're busy?

Oh. sighs. Okay.

The ponds are starting to dry out and the only bird I see today is a single Killdeer.

There is a huge patch of Camas Lilies blooming!

The native people here, Kalapuyans, cultivated Camas Lilies for the super sweet bulb.

Aw! This is nice! Article at NPR.

∞ The delightfully analog art of letter-writing

The book looks interesting as well... Syme's Letter Writer: A Guide to Modern Correspondence About (Almost) Every Imaginable Subject of Daily Life

Tag: april 2025

I was able to keep the bedroom window cracked about one inch last night, all thru the night. *laughs* Chilly, but it's so nice to have to cold air streaming down while I am tucked under the winter quilts!

And the sun shines and it's warmed up to 54° (12°C) by the time I get going... The forecast says the high will be 69°, which is uncomfortably over the normal of 63°.

Ha! I stop to talk to this pair and the sweet girl is just calmly walking toward me.

*laughs* I have no treats for you, my dear!

Such a pretty little patch of wildflowers. But Look! The Green Line has been repainted!

This is the contour line that is at 420feet above sea level! Just a fun, quirky Eugene Thing!

It meanders thru downtown Eugene. I know where it begins and ends but haven't ever followed the middle of the line.

My brain said: The wind made that bit of trash look like a mouse!

*laughs*

Tag: april 2025

It's a lovely day. And the ornamental Cherry blossoms are starting to fall apart... the petals gather in drifts like pink snow.

This flower bed isn't as bright as it was the other day, but it still has beauty.

Oh... the photos don't do justice to these tangerine coloured Poppies.

With a mention of orange opium poppies google found this interesting post for me to read!

∞ Bleeding a Poppy

First ducklings at the creek! But, aw foo, I only caught a glimpse thru a thicket of Willows and they paddled after Mama too quickly.

There are still some big puddles at the Ponds... it's been ten days since the last rain. Apr11 we had 0.08 inch.

And there are Swallows swooping above, going after the bugs! I don't get any photos, sadly, and I'm not sure if they are Violet Green Swallows or Tree Swallows.

Still plenty of water in the ponds on the south side of the street!

But eventually this will all dry out to the summer prairie phase of Wet Prairie.

It really is so beautiful out here.

I get into the little patch of forest, and I'm listening to the birds singing... and I totally trip over the damn root in the path AGAIN!

*laughs* I mark it with a stick, again. sheesh!

At the back of the park, there's a mixed flock of sparrows. White Crowns and Golden Crowns.

But they don't let me get close enough for decent pictures. Oh well.

They are doing construction on the other side of the creek.

how sad.

Tag: april 2025

It's chilly. I had to close the windows yesterday afternoon, and they stayed closed all night. I think about wearing a heavy shirt for my walk today.

I'm just taking kitchen scraps out to the garden to dump as compost in my plot. And when I get here, ah! No other humans! So I have a walk about!

There's signs that humans have been working, all over the place.

Looks fancy, huh? But it makes me *roll my eyes* big time! And that black plastic is so cringe.

And here's my boring old plot! Volunteer Elephant Garlics.

Oh NO YOU DON'T!!

That grassy stuff is what's left of the Crocuses. But those other leaves are Comfrey, which I've been trying to murder for a while. Since Fall 2023, to be precise.

I dug them up, but I couldn't get deep enough to find the root that they are springing from.

I walk a bit after leaving the garden and find a new patch of Camas Lilies!

I know. I'm such a sucker for the flowers!

The Unknown Fruit...

This angle makes it look plumper than it actually is... but it's very flat. I wonder if there's a seed in it. Or a pit, I guess?

There are definitely not so many fruits on the tree now, so it's being eaten by the wildlife. And it's been a week since I sent an email to the extension office asking about it. They've not replied.

IDK, maybe they don't take questions from the public. That's a bummer. Because I keep asking google, and I keep finding nothing!

I know, more stupid Camas Lilies... :)

Most of the yellow flowers in this wet prairie are our native Western Buttercup. But this is a patch of some kind of invasive, it looks like dill.

Okay. I got kind of carried away with all the photography today! *laughs*

Tag: april 2025

This resonated with me.

∞ Short: Parkrose Permaculture... How do I tell certain people My House Is Safe?

Tag: may 2025

With the usual flowers!

Aren't they all lovely! But these are lovely in a different way!

Tag: april 2025

I was going to drive out to Saturday Market and buy some veggie starts for the garden.

I usually start the garden with the first Saturday Market of the year. Which was Apr5. But there's been so much rain over the winter and spring, the garden is still mud.

I can't plant anything in that. The slugs will just eat it!

And thinking about it, as I head out the door with the car keys... I spontaneously decide to drive out to the river instead. I'll worry about the garden another time.

Ah. It's been ages since I've been out here.

I haven't wanted to drive the car, and it's almost an hour by bus to get here. So I've not been coming out.

I've missed it terribly, tho.

I wasn't expecting the goslings!

And here's another Canada Goose family!

They are so cute!

And their little feet!

And so fluffy!

Moving on. At the other end of the ponds there's birds twittering in the bit of forest, a robin in the distance saying Cheery! Cheerily!. A Downy Woodpecker taps at the top of a snag. A Scrub Jay turns over leaves, looking for a snack on the forest floor. A Turkey Vulture soars overhead. And a Stellar Jay bounces around with their partner.

Past the ponds, I'm at the river again. Some domesticated geese are preening happily... escaped from their terrible fate with humans and free in the wild.

This beautiful place on the river is my turn around point today.

And back at the ponds, three species on a log...

A tiny Turtle and a Damselfly!

The three baby family has moved up to the bank.

As I go back across the walking bridge, there are swallows swooping.

In the past, Tree Swallows swoop here... but these birds are a dull brown colour, not the blue of Tree Swallows.

Oh! That flash of white from the forehead... They are Cliff Swallows!

And it looks like they've got a place to hang out under the bridge.

I wonder if they will nest there!

Tag: april 2025

oops... that stupid car in my shot is actually the owner backing into their driveway. ha.

I run away :) and look for the next set of tulips to photo!

Rude!

Also Rude!

I gave up with the Towhee and I realized a lady with a dog was waiting for me! When I turned she asked, Can we go by? Oh, yes! I figured you saw something.

I laughed and said, There is a Towhee in there, I pause and note the Towhee is still singing, but there's branches in the way! She replies, Damn Trees! BAHAHA!!

Here's the fourth!

They make their way across the street and head up the hill. And I continue on my way down the hill.

Tag: april 2025

*laughs* This one was right outside my bedroom window...

I don't think he's Mr Unnamed, I think this is someone new.

I head out the door for my walk...

But as I'm looking at the trees on the hill, I also see the camera battery is flashing red! Oh crud! I didn't notice the power was getting low!

And then one of my bike path people stops to chat with me! ha, she wonders what I'm taking photos of... Oh, just the trees in the distance, all their spring colours!

She went on to say there used to be Quails who lived here. They used to not mow the berm and you could hear them in the grass, with their cute Quail voices, talking to each other.

It's a little sad to learn of the wildlifes who don't live here anymore. Just like the lady who told me about the Green Herons who nested near one of the bridges along the bike path. Until they built the medical clinic that's there now.

Sighs.

And then I just kept running into more of my bike path people... The lady with the black pug, who used to also have a little white dog. Then Eric waved as he went by on his bike. The lady on the recumbant bike. And then the dog Petunia and her human.

*laughs*

I guess these two are still thinking about using this nesting box at the Community Garden. It's not a great place... Humans will be here in droves before too long, working their garden plots.

Tho of course _I_ would Love for them to nest here! Bluebird fledglings are the cutest!

But back to the camera that's running out of energy. There's usually about four or five minutes left, once the icon starts flashing. And I think if I can snap a few photos quickly so the camera doesn't warm up too much, I can maybe get some more shots before it dies.

And I really should save the energy for any birds who I run into or other unexpected wildlife... I shouldn't waste energy on these flowers which will still be here tomorrow!

*Laughs* I can't help it!

Oh, Hello!

A red columbine! I am just too much of a sucker for the pretty flowers!

And the camera keeps going!

Tag: april 2025

oh, dang it! That blur is the Bluebird who must still be thinking about using this nesting box!

Roly Poly, not a bug! They are crustaceans! They have gills! When they roll up, it's called Conglobation! ha! Fun little creatures! I love them!

More of these weird fruits...

I've not heard back from my email to the local extension office, yet. I figure I will give them a week and then try again.

Aw! There's a pair of Golden Crown Sparrows bouncing around!

They have a ways to fly before they get a nest going... Golden Crowns migrate north to Canada and Alaska! But it's sweet to see them pair up here!

Tag: april 2025

There's a wet prairie pond on the other side of the street, just before the park parking lot... It's looking lovely today as well!

There's a pair of Canada Geese here, and that's a Northern Shoveler. There's other smaller ducks back there, too, but I can't tell who they are.

As I walk into the little patch of forest, I hear Wika, wika, wika of woodpeckers talking to each other! That's exciting! Who could it be?

The pair are bouncing around like crazy birds, and finally I get a glimpse.

Ha! Acorn Woodpeckers! Here?

Yep, definitely!

Here's the male.

And the female.

Unfortunately they stay a bit too far away for decent photography.

That's okay, it's awesome to see them here!

They are obviously looking for a place to raise a family. And Acorn Woodpecker's families are big and complicated!! They are just a pair right now, but a family group can have up to three females, seven males, plus possibly the kids from last year! All taking care of babies in a single nest!

They are fascinating creatures!!

But this pair won't be staying here. There are lots of oak trees making acorns for them here. But Acorn Woodpeckers use dead Douglas Fir trees as their granery trees. And there are no fir trees at all here, let alone nice soft dead ones.

I'm definitely wishing them luck on their search for a territory!

Oh, you found somebody to eat?

And I've spotted more flowers on the way home!

Tag: april 2025

Aw, look at this cute little glade! Doesn't it look peaceful and lovely.

The purple is Spanish Bluebells.

Wow, I caught this flower bed at it's most colourful!

And here's another beautiful display!

Just making sure everyone knows that I LOVE bright colours!! *laughs*

Okay... moving on! Hello My Dear!

*laughs* oops!

Finally arrived at the ponds!

I don't see Herons out here very often, but this one found someone to eat as I was watching! I missed the catch, unfortunately.

There was someone else hunting here today...

I don't see shore birds very often and I'm terrible at identifying them. I studied this helpful page: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife: Shore Birds and I think this might be a Long Billed Dowitcher still in their winter feathers.

But don't quote me on that! ha!

I'm heading for the little patch of forest, but stop to admire the view before going on.

Tag: april 2025

Oh! Female Anna Hummingbird!!

I hardly get to see the girls, since they are quieter and don't draw attention to themselves like the males do!

And Look! I've found another Not Cherry Tree with the weird fruits. Exactly like the other one, these flat, bright red, leathery looking things.

Google is still not helping... maybe some kind of Plum? But there's nothing with these flattened fruits!

So maybe both trees have a disease that's deforming their fruits? The two trees are a bit more than a mile apart.

I'm just not figuring it out... and I kind of wonder if I'm missing something obvious! *laughs*

... I wonder who I can ask. Maybe the University Extension Office.

Yep! I've sent an email with these two photos of the weird fruits to the local University Extension Office! Let's see what they say!!

Anyway! Back to my walk!

The Honey Bees are still here and I'm glad!

There's fewer Bees flying around now. They are settling into their new home!

Oh, these are different!

They are called Five Spot Flowers and they are native to California!

I love it when the name is so descriptive!! :)

aw, bummer. Someone planted Lettuce at the Solidarity Garden and the stupid hot sun has wilted them!

There's some Beets there too. Will they live? It's not looking good.

Here's another fruit tree that I don't know... It's right outside the dog park near the Solidarity Garden, and growing with, entwined in an Apple tree.

(Or I assume they are separate trees... It is entirely possible that this could be another grafted tree! haha! I will have to look more closely at the branches and trunks!)

I think last year I got to look at the fruits but never got around to IDing them.

Keeping a variety of Bees happy!

Walking by the Community Garden... are we thinking about using this nesting box? :)

You're not sure?

You're not sure, either?

hmm.

And the Apple Tree right outside the Garden.

Well. That was a lot of photography for the day! But everything is so beautiful!

Tag: april 2025

Partner saw the ad in the Eugene Weekly last week and really wanted to take me to the very first Eugene VeganFest!

I looked it up and I wasn't sure... 10$/person just to get in the door, was too spendy for me. What if it was too crowded and I wanted to leave right away?

But Partner was saying, oh they just want to make sure the bills are paid! And if this one is successful, the VeganFest will be bigger next year, and maybe it'll only be 5$. And yeah, it's important to support good things like this!

So we went. I didn't take the camera, I get so self-conscious taking photos around humans and I just didn't want to deal with it. But I missed having the camera, once I was there! ha.

It was fun. Pretty crowded, mostly you could move around but sometimes it was about the same as a Saturday Market.

We went thru the building and looked at all the different Vendors. There was some art, some sanctuaries, some places giving out food samples. Just all kinds of stuff.

Out back there were some food trucks. We should have gotten some lunch, but the line was long on the one that Partner said was the best.

And then they also had some presentations as well, in the other building, which we didn't check out.

One of the vendors was Cottage Crafts by Erika who had cute little amigurumis... Crocheted stuffed animals. I loved her little Triceratops, but Loved her adorable Axolotls even more! I nabbed a green and purple one!! (I'll post a photo at some point!)

And Partner bought a chocolate bar! They had samples... very very tasty!!

So it was good. And I'm glad we went!

Tag: may 2025

This is the third time I've walked this way... and the first time with sunshine!

I think these almost light blue ones are my favorite.

But all the colours together is delightful!

And then there's a little quiet spot, right before going thru the neighborhood.

And this is that grafted Cherry tree that I was talking about the other day...

The tree is the ornamental pink, double petal Cherry blossoms on the left. And then the white Sweet Cherry blossoms are on a branch that's grafted onto the pink!

Ordinarily, the white Cherry blossoms bloom very early and are quite done by the time the pink, double petal blossoms come along! But these bloom together!

Tag: april 2025

Oh yeah! I'm heading to the Events Center for the annual Friends of the Library Book Sale!

Books are just 2$ and I'm taking my small backpack so I don't go overboard!

Plus the fact that I'm walking to the Events Center which is two miles away... I HAVE gotten used to carrying a heavy pack, since I've been hauling mud and invasives home from the Community Garden...

But no! That is not the attitude I am going with! Just a FEW books! Not a lot!

*Laughs*

It is a lovely day! Last year, it was sprinkling.

Okay! I can't get stuck here, looking at Cherry Blossoms! I've got stuff to do!

oh!

The very first Camas Lilies!

Okay, I am allowed to get stuck here! *laughs*

I've arrived at the book sale! I get a map at the door and head straight to the two aisles of science fiction books!

I've arrived quite a bit later in the morning than I did last year, and I'm a bit shocked at the lack of books. Last year, the books were stacked on their edge so you could only read the spine. But today there's enough space to lay some of them out flat!

I nabbed that Flight in Yiktor book by Andre Norton! I already own it, but it's packed away in a box. It would be nice to read it again!

I got a couple other books and then wandered around aimlessly. And then I got in line to pay... Last year the line wound around the entire room, snaking in on itself! But today there were just a dozen or so people in front of me.

The guy ahead of me looked at the little pile I was holding and smiled and said, That's it? Yep. He had a backpack too, and I assumed his was full. You've got restraint! *laughs* He got distracted and I wasn't able to tell him I needed to be able to carry what I bought for two miles!

The line moved fast. 8$ and I shoved the extra 2$ into the tip jar.

And... heading home. But this thing catches my eye... I thought this was a Cherry Tree!!

What is that thing? Is it deformed? But all the fruits on this tree look like that.

That is really weird! So weird. And google tells me nothing about it. Weird!!

And a Heron, hunting past the trash. Sighs.

Tag: april 2025

It's sprinkling this morning and I wonder if I can get into the Community Garden to dig up some more invasives. So I've got my backpack with me again... but nope. There are several people wandering around the garden.

Oh well. I walk on by.

Ha! It looks like she's up there, standing on air!

She's eating the new leaves. A yummy salad!

Oh Nice! This is a Golden Crown Sparrow with breeding plummage! Smart black feathers!

And of course, I have to continue to be a sucker for the ornamental, double petal Cherry blossoms!

I'm making a loop in a different direction... and this tree catches my eye!

I'm not sure... but I think this is a Cherry Tree, with a graft from a Apple Tree, which is currently blooming!

Haha! The Parks People do that every once in a while. There's a Ornamental Cherry Tree, with the pink blossoms near my house that has a grafted branch of Sweet Cherry, with the white blossoms. They bloom at the same time, instead of being separated in time like the normal ones!

I get back to the creek.

Are we thinking about taking a bath?

A sunny day would be nicer for that? Yeah, I hear ya!

And the Apple tree outside the Community Garden.

Tag: april 2025

Hi Henrietta!

Standing on litter, sighs. I wonder how much plastic he has to eat every day. Like humans have about a credit card of plastic, in our bodies... how much does he have?

I've got the backpack and stuff, just in case I can go into the Community Garden for more volunteer work... But nope. The sun is shining and people are gardening!

That's okay. I've now got just over 5 hours of volunteer work. Well over the 4 that's required!

And really, I should be gardening too. It's Late! I usually get started at the beginning of April.

It's just so stinkin' wet! There's still puddles! It's pointless to plant anything... the slugs are right there and will gobble everything up!

So I walk. I wonder how long it will take to dry out.

Ha! The Honey Bee swarm is still here!

I'm glad!

I wonder how much room they have in there. This tree is alive, that hole can't be that big, can it?

I should walk along this street more often!

As I walk home, the clouds are rolling in.

The wind builds from 6mph to 12mph... and I wonder if I'll get rained on. There was 60% chance of rain after 4pm. It's only noon, and I don't have my rain jacket. I suppose I can put the camera in the backpack, wrapped in a trash bag?

But no. Not even a drop of rain falls. The wind continues to pick up and it's 20mph in the evening. And still no rain.

Tag: april 2025

Mmmm! Apple blossoms!

This tree is a bit further along than the Apple tree outside the Community Garden!

I get to the Garden and I am momentarily distracted by the flowers!

Okay! There's a couple clumps of Lesser Celandine in this front plot... their little greenhouse has fallen apart!

Probably the 19mph wind of this week. It was hiding their against the rules Olive Tree, so I suppose they will rebuild it.

And then I move back to the flooded plot that I started the other day. There's still some puddles here, but it's a bit better.

I fill up my bag with Lesser Celandine, but there's still some left growing here.

There's nice weather on the way, and I think this will probably be my last day of wandering around other people's plots to murder their invasives.

I head out. This yard, in the Garden neighborhood, delights me with all the colours!

Those layered spikes of purple are Heal All!

Tag: april 2025

I'm at the Community Garden again today. Yesterday, in my wanderings I saw that a plot close to my friend Roz's, had some Lesser Celandine growing in it. There's several blooming clumps in the front, and then hiding behind this... is it Chives?

Shoot. It's really well established. I should have been more on the look out.

Got that dug up, and there's a bit more room in the bag. So I return to the plot that is diagonal across the path from mine. There's raised beds in the front, someone has planted some Marigolds...

... but they are ignoring the infestation at the back of the plot.

There are dozens of invasives coming up all over the damn place. I dig until my little trash bag is full.

And then I just go around, hacking at the leaves of the rest. I don't know if I'll be able to do this again tomorrow... I was lucky that the bit of extra rain is keeping people away from the garden for me today.

Sighs. Fighting off the inevitable invasives is starting to feel a little bit hopeless.

But then I look up! There's a pair of Bluebirds!

Sprinkles have turned to rain, and the camera lens is getting wet. But oh my gosh they are so cute!

They are so interested in this thing!

I think it's supposed to be a bat house but no one lives here. A Flicker made that hole, but once they could see in, they realized it was inappropriate for a nest!

Sorry! Ya'll need to keep looking for a nesting spot!

They fly away and I load up my bag of invasives into my backpack to haul home.

Tag: april 2025

I'm unfortunately heading to the garden for more volunteer work, murdering invasives...

It's puddle-y wet. And digging invasives out of puddles is not my idea of fun.

But I'm running out of time to kill Lesser Celandine!

Not only are they going to die back soon, I'm also fighting against the wave of humans who want to start gardening...

I would rather do my work by myself. Especially since I am working in other people's plots. I just don't want to have to explain myself. It wouldn't be a problem... people would understand immediately.

I just don't want to talk to anyone!

And when I add up my time, I've got 3h 50m of volunteer work so far. The requirement is for 4hours but I want to go well over that.

So, I'm going to work in puddles today because of all that.

But first, I have to get there. The Ornamental Cherries are looking lovely.

And one of my Common Merganser friends sped right by.

I thought I had just missed the others... or is she alone today? hm.

Okay, I am going to dig at the far edge of Plot 15 today. ugh, you can see how puddle-y it is. Part of the tarp is underwater, even.

Someone has come along and thrown some leaves on top of the Lesser Celandine. Yeah, that didn't even slow them down!

I moved the one wood plank, so I can get under the tarp, because the tarp didn't slow them down either.

I'm digging in water, and I hate it. I just want to get it over with, and so I go as fast as I can. I'm just filling the bag with water instead of taking the time to squeeze any out.

Which is kind of dumb, now that I think about it... If I had taken the time to get the water out, that would have added to my volunteer time! ha. oh well.

I double bag it before putting it in my small backpack. Wow, that is heavy! It'll be a good workout walking that home. But first I go around and look at the flowers!

Oh! These are an exciting colour!

I love them so much! And I'm crouching down here, then moving over to there, to get all the different shots I want...

Basically doing squats. With my heavy, water filled backpack! I'm starting to wish I had left it somewhere.

... And then, suddenly, I can't get up! Bahaha!

My leg muscles simply refuse!

*laughs* I'm a bit embarrassed, but I have to put my hand down in the mud to brace myself to get up!

So, okay! I guess I'm done getting down with the flowers! ... Looking down at the daffodils...

Well, that's no fun. I guess it's time to leave.

I don't have to crouch down for the Apple tree right outside the Community Garden!

I love the tree branches going every which way!

Tag: april 2025

It was sprinkling when I woke up this morning. I had kept the window open all night, so I was able to listen to the rain for a while before I got up. It's a lovely way to start the day!

And it makes yesterday's beautiful weather for the protest, all the more amazing! I'm still very excited that I went.

Too dreary for photography today.

And it continues to sprinkle off and on.

I am walking the same route I did last Sunday, with the Pansies and then the neighborhood flowers.

The bed frame at the end of their flower bed cracks me up!

When I got home, I discovered it had rained into my room thru the open window! GAH! Stupid Wind!

I close the window and try to soak up rain from the blankets and beanbag on my bed. And it gets stuffy in the house almost immediately.

Sighs. Remember the good old days before climate change when I never had to think about the damn wind!

Tag: april 2025

You have to put your nose in the shadow?

It doesn't make for good photography, you know.
*humph* ... Some people! They just don't care! *Laughs*

The Red Maples are making seeds.

Well, sheesh. I guess nobody wants to show their whole face today!

I come around the corner from the Events Center and Oh My Gosh!

Wow! This is so cool!

The air is just filled with Honey Bees, flying all around! And this tree where they are swarming is right here, my head is maybe six feet (1.8meters) away from their hole!

I don't get any closer, but I'm not concerned at all, altho one Bee accidentally bumps into me... Ha! They are obviously preoccupied!

I walk on, but I wonder if the swarm will be removed. It's not a great place, right next to the sidewalk. But I'm thrilled that I got to see them!

I'm back at the creek and Wood Duck!

haha, he gets one look at me and he's outta there!

And his girlfriend, too!

Oh well. Maybe next time.

Tag: april 2025

Foo. But this is an American Goldfinch, who has gotten his bright colour back for the spring!

The ornamental cherries are just starting to bloom.

But most of them haven't opened up yet.

Yep, I am such a sucker for the flowers! Even when they haven't quite arrived! :)

Tag: april 2025

Tag: april 2025

Tag: april 2025

Not a rant! Yay!

*laughs*

This is what I've been watching the last couple days...

∞ Great Gray Owl nest cam, on Explore.org

So cool and amazing!

The web cam is on tribal land... Confederated Salish Tribe and Kootenai Tribe!! Thank You!

Tag: april 2025

Tag: april 2025

∞ Democrats meet with students abducted by Trump administration

What happened to Mahmoud Khalil pisses me off to no end. He was the first student to be kidnapped by the government, and is imprisoned in Louisiana.

This is not a due process thing. This guy is in the US legally, he did nothing wrong and there are no charges against him.

The thing that is happening here: pure evil.

And exactly the same thing is happening to students all over the States... Here's what we are dealing with in Oregon.

∞ Federal judge temporarily blocks deportation of UO student

Four students at the University of Oregon and 13 students at Oregon State University, have had their Student Visas revoked.

And at least 1,000 other students at 150 universities across the nation have had their Student Visas revoked.

Just... why? To be cruel? Is that it?

Seems to be.

I feel for these kids. I remember university. It was a wonderful learning experience for me especially since I had grown up a bit sheltered. My time at college made me a better person.

And these 1,000+ kids, too. They want to broaden their horizons. They want to learn!

Instead they get to learn about discrimination and racism and the State's new xenophobic policies.

They get to unwillingly participate in the fall of democracy as our dictator kills America.

Tag: april 2025

Just Sighs.

∞ Hundreds of scholars say US is swiftly heading toward authoritarianism

∞ Al Gore draws parallels between Trump 2.0 and early Nazi Germany in speech Former VP said the administration was creating its 'own preferred reality' and slammed it for green energy U-turn

∞ Don't believe the doubters: protest still has power Demonstrations rarely lead to immediate policy change. But they are essential to building community and long-term resistance

Tag: april 2025

This is so utterly horrifing and it makes me sick to my stomach.

What the hell is wrong with people?

If this doesn't cause you to panic at the state of fascism in America... Well, let me just break this down for you.

This is an official White House social media post. They are making a joke about human rights violations that they caused.

This is government sanctioned kidnapping. Zero due process.

...

I just can't. I will finish my thoughts another time.

...

More commentary here:

∞ Let's unpack this social media post. It's from the White House. So you know it's crap.

Tag: april 2025

So much for checks and balances, huh.

∞ PoliticsGirl: Emergency Announcement Fascism is here.

∞ Parkrose Permacuture: This is extremely bad. It's a red alert.

Tag: april 2025

It's 11:20 when I finally get out the door. I had meant to leave earlier but I'm so nervous, I had trouble getting a move on! haha.

And this one was right outside.

And I was able to take a breath and have a moment to center myself with a friend.

I headed down to the bus stop and got a ticket and waited a few minutes. I spontaneously wave at the bus driver as he pulls up, and he waves back! :) I get a seat, but there's quite a few people riding today. And more people get on at most every stop.

There are a couple people with protest signs who get off a couple stops before I do... and I wonder what they are up to!

I get off at my stop, and go to wait for the light to cross the street. Two older women are waiting with me and they strike up conversation. Are you going to the protest?
I am!

What's your message? ha. I pause for a moment because my brain is all, oh... where to begin? *laughs*

Finally, I just wave my hand and say, We just need to get rid of them!

They laughed and agreed, Dump Trump! and the one lady had a small cardboard sign with an American flag stickered to it. We need to take back the American flag as OUR symbol!

We went across the street, and I kinda wanted to walk with them for a while. But they were going slow, and I was excited to get there. So I bid adieu and told them to Have Fun Today! and I raced ahead!

I get to the Riverbank Path, and oh my gosh! There's an Osprey up in the platform nest, yelling!!

How cool is that!!

I really miss coming out here... The bus ride is so long tho. I wish I had a car!

Okay! Focus! There's a protest to get to!!

There are a good number of people coming up the bike path, some holding signs. I pause for a moment at the Downtown Riverfront art pavilion.

I can see people going across at the walking bridge down stream. And I can hear people cheering at the city hall. It's a few minutes after noon, now... which is the time the protest is to officially start.

And there are a LOT of people here.

We are blocking the bike path... there's a few bikers coming thru, they have to walk their bikes tho to get thru all the people.

I've found a place to hang out where I am comfortable, at the edge of things. Behind me, there's a steady stream of people coming in! I have no idea where all these extra people will fit, but the crowd is moving around constantly and somehow ever more people make their way in!

Speakers started at 12:20pm.

The first person to speak said there were 2,100 people registered to be here on the MoveOn website alone. And this protest was the combined efforts of ... I'm not sure how many different groups!

We've got 50501, Indivisible, MoveOn, Womens March, and more.

The next speaker was Stan Taylor, with ACES, Activists Coalition of Eugene Springfield.

He reminded us to take care of each other. And to remember your de-escalating training!

I stayed for a few more speakers. I couldn't hear their names when they were introduced, tho. I've not found a list of speakers, online, yet. I'll add that later, if I find it.

Around 1pm I decided to walk around to the front of the building to see what was going on over there... There was no way I was going to attempt to walk thru the crowd, so I backed up the way I had come in and went the long way around.

And wow. There's a LOT of people up here too. I couldn't find a higher vantage point here, so the photos I did take don't do justice to the crowd.

All the groups were tabling here, but I didn't stop to look at them all.

The protest was set to run until 3pm, but I'm heading out.

The protest estimate is 3,500 people!

∞ Eugene Weekly: Hands Off! Thousands in Eugene Protest Donald Trump and his administration
Brilliant photos here!!!

∞ KEZI, Eugene ABC news station: Anti Trump 'Hands Off' protests in Eugene see thousands in attendance

∞ The Register-Guard, the corporate Eugene newspaper: Eugene crowds join national day of protest against Trump policies
Gallery of photos and some videos here, as well as the write up.

∞ Oregon Public Broadcasting: Protesters across Oregon stand against public services cuts under Trump and Musk
(They didn't have any reporters in Eugene, but they covered quite a few other cities across Oregon!)

Tag: april 2025

Yep, I'm heading to the protest today!!

∞ Hands Off 2025

Tag: april 2025

This is a good article at the National Parks Conservation Association, which is a non-profit that works to be the voice of America's National Parks.

(I have donated to them in the past, and they do good work!)

∞ The Unsung Heroines of Stonewall

LGBTQ history is American history...

In February, the National Park Service removed all references to transgender and queer people from Stonewall's website. As a result, we are facing the literal erasure of history at the site where the modern LGBTQ rights movement was born. This sets a dangerous precedent for American history. If we pretend queer and transgender Americans have not and do not play a critical role in shaping this country, whose stories will we erase next?

The write up about Stormé DeLarverie was fun to read! But all the people here are interesting!

Tag: april 2025

Tag: april 2025

January 2025

February 2025

March 2025

January 2024 (partial)

February 2024

March 2024

April 2024

May 2024

June 2024

July 2024

August 2024

September 2024

October 2024

November 2024

December 2024

February 2023 (partial)

March 2023

April 2023

May 2023 (partial)

June 2023 (partial)

July 2023

August 2023

September 2023

October 2023

November 2023

December 2023

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

I'm archiving the 2022 posts...

∞ January 2022

∞ February 2022

∞ March 2022
Story of nesting Anna Hummingbird begins here!

∞ April 2022
... And the nesting Hummer story continues here, until the babies fly away in mid-April!

∞ May 2022

∞ June 2022

∞ July 2022

(completed 28 May 2023...)

January thru July 2021 Archive

August 2021 Archive

September 2021 Archive

October 2021 Archive

(No entries for November 2021)

December 2021 Archive

Goal: revisit August 2021... Road Trip to Utah!

And then keep filling in posts from there thru the end of 2021.

Tag: 2021

(completed 27 Dec 2020 thru 5 Jan 2021...)

2020 Archive... January thru July

(posted 21 Apr 2023...)

2020 Archive... Aug thru Dec

GOAL...

Revisit the Aug thru Dec archive page and add photos and clear out the xxx!

Tag: 2020

(Posted 22 Dec 2020...)

The new archive is HTML5, and completely validated!

2019 journal entries

Tag: 2019

(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

(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

Sat, 08 Jul 2023
Partner's Mom passed away
early this morning.