Partner's Mom passed away early this morning.

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.

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.

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

There's an email from the Community Garden when I get home... Oh, this is cool!

The Garden is getting a big shipment of free compost from Love Food Not Waste later this month!!

This is awesome!

This is a local trash pickup service where residents put their food waste into their yard debris bin. A local company composts it then offers it back to the community for free.

It's a brilliant thing, very important! But it's not vegan.

You should not put meat or dairy into ordinary compost, if you're doing that at home. But this is an industrial composting site and they make sure the temperature gets hot enough to kill pathogens.

For the most part, my plot at the Community Garden is veganic. Organic in that I would never, ever use any kind of pesticide or poison. And Vegan in that I don't use animal based fertilizers... No blood meal, no bone meal, no fish meal, no bat guano, no cow manure, etc.

Yeah, there's a lot of dead animals in fertilizers. It's sad.

The Love Food Not Waste compost does include dead animals, and I would never BUY it. But it's free. So I'm not paying to have the animals murdered.

And the dead animals will only make up a tiny portion of the compost. Most of it will be plants.

It's not a great excuse for going against my ethics. But no one can be a perfect vegan in the world we live in. Animal suffering is a part of civilization unfortunately, and it works itself into just about everything.

And, regardless: Composting is a good thing... Everyone should do it! And it's great that my city makes it relatively easy to do for most folks who live here.

Tag: april 2025

Loads of flowers!

Haha! Someone has a Frisbee Golf goal in their yard!

I like these!

Okay, yeah. That was a lot of flowers.

It's a bummer when I don't get to see the Turkeys or the Deers when I go up Hidden Trail. But there's so much beauty in the neighborhood and in the forest, I can hardly complain! *smiles*

And it starts to rain as I get home. Good timing!

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

Oh hey! Another girl has joined my Common Merganser friends!

Zig and Zag the Hooded Mergansers are here too!

At the Solidarity Garden, someone has planted lettuces!

oh, their Fava is blooming! I'm jealous... the Fava I planted is all dead.

And then I wander thru the downtown neighborhood.

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

On the way, I see my friends the Common Mergansers.

His girlfriend is here too, but the photography was crap. heh.

Oh my gosh! She is Right There! I could almost reach out and touch her!

She's breaking off twigs! She must want them for a nest!!

How cool is that!!

I'm at the garden and these are new!

It's a Mason Bee nesting house! There are a couple more houses on each side of the Community Garden.

It's too bad they are on the outside of the fence... will people steal the straws?

I find out later that this is an Eagle Scout project! Aimed at supporting Oregon's native species in our community garden spaces.

That's so awesome! THANK YOU Troop 152!!!

Anybody in there?

Okay! I go into the garden and settle in a plot on the west side that has several clumps of Lesser Celandine.

When I shake this bag down, I thought I could fit a bit more in. There's some more growing at the edge of the plot, in the pathway...

This thing was big! Very mature. And very satisfying to pop it out!

Kind of a pain to jam that into my small backpack, tho! I cussed a bit! *laughs*

And then I go round to my favorite Garden plot, to take pictures of their flowers!

And a precious little Lady Bug, who I didn't notice.

And the sky is so pretty I put the camera down in the grass to try that angle!

There is a single Daffodil here that's peach coloured... I love that!

Tag: march 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

Not sure what this is, but pretty!

Zag and Zig, the Hooded Merganser pair.

And then it started pouring down rain! And I decided to walk a different way. West on the bike path and then cross the street to the south. I'm familiar with the neighborhood, but coming this way makes it feel new and different!

The rain didn't keep the camera hidden under my jacket when I came across these colourful Pansies!

Oh My Gosh! They are so wonderful!

Wow. I think I will keep this Sunday route for a while!

Now that I know that this is Rosemary, I'm finding it everywhere!

Tag: march 2025

This is the Heron I've been calling Not Knotty.

And this is not Zag! *laughs*

And his girlfriend who is not Zig.

Haha! The dog noticed I was looking at her chickens and came to the fence to bark at me! Good Dogg-o!!

The chicken notices me too, but isn't interested enough to come much closer. oh well.

The padlock amuses me.

Oh foo. My friends the Common Mergansers were not interested in a visit today.

And Henrietta, so good to see him!

∞ JD Vance Visit Confined To Remote Greenland Space Base Because Everybody Hates Him. Threatening a NATO territory and expecting the wife to get invited to the dogsled race, classic JD!

*giggles* Hi World Leaders! This is how it's done. Just fucking ignore them until they go away!!

Tag: march 2025

The trees are showing the first tints of spring green! And the Wet Prairie ponds are still full.

The Common Merganser pair are still here!

∞ Parkrose Permaculture: The Wave of Resistance is Rising

Tag: march 2025

The day started out with sun, but clouds rolled in and it's overcast by the time I'm up and about. The wind is up too... 14mph when I leave the house.

But it becomes even more blustery as I walk and when I get back the weather page says 17mph with gusts as high as 33mph. Sheesh.

And the few warm and sunny days we've had, did not dry out the Wet Prairie ponds at all!

I'm dropping off kitchen scraps at the garden to compost under the leaf mulch. The Crocuses are quite done, but I still have a flower in the plot!

Back to my walk. Zig and Zag are hanging out with another Hooded Merganser couple, who declines the photography.

And a little bit further along... Oh my gosh! A pair of Common Mergansers!! That's different!

I'm remembering that boy-o last year who was hanging out with the female Mallard who had the messed up wing. I'm betting this is him!

And his new girlfriend is so cute!!

I hope to see ya'll around!

Hmmm. This is Not Knotty. with some stupid litter.

And I think this is the Heron I've named Henry.

*laughs* It's wonderful that there are so many Great Blue Herons hanging out here that I can't figure out who they are!!

Tag: march 2025

There's a Crane Fly standing on the path!

I used to call these creatures Skeeter Eaters... but they don't actually eat mosquitos. In fact, most Crane Flies don't eat at all and only live 10 to 15 days.

Wikipedia says Crane flies first appeared during the Middle Triassic, around 245 million years ago, making them one of the oldest known groups of flies. Wow, that's cool... there are over 15,000 species!

I scoot this one off the path before I move on.

Tag: march 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

It's another blue sky day, and I'm trying to capture something of the gorgeous trees... And I'm just not getting it!

The warm weather has brought out some Cabbage Whites! But they are not going to sit around for me, dangit!

*laughs*

WTFH. Oh. Oh No. They've murdered this beautiful Douglas Fir.

Well, that's depressing. This tree was always in the background when I would take pics of the Leaning Tree. And that one is long gone too.

I'm walking thru the neighborhood, making a big loop so I can walk around the murdered fir. Oh, there's smaller trees they are murdering as well.

And will they plant replacement trees? I have my doubts. Because Eugene has less than average urban canopy cover... which is ridiculous for a place that gets so much rain! So I think there's a long history of just murdering trees and not planting more.

Sighs.

I have to work to bring myself back to center. But it's a beauful day, and spring is springing. Nature works her healing magic.

And then I return to Looking Up.

The Red Maples are making seeds.

When I was a kid, Doctor Who came on at 10pm on PBS, was it friday night or saturday? They would show an entire story arc, which was ususally 4 or 6 of the half hour episodes... So it was midnight or 1am when it was over.

Pretty often I would accidentally fall asleep. And I'd awaken to the intro of the next show, which was this AWESOME little astronomy show. It was short, maybe 5 or 10 minutes long and I would watch it before going to bed.

At the end of his segment, the host would say,
Keep! Looking! Up!

So that always made me happy, even tho I had slept thru part of the show I actually wanted to watch! *laughs*

Let's see...

∞ Wikipedia... Jack Horkheimer: Star Hustler

Aww! They are still making this show! Jack Horkheimer died in 2010, but they kept going!! ♥!

∞ StarGazers

I thought this was Knotty... but now I'm not sure. I think there are new Great Blue Herons moving in this year and everyone is different! (Except Henrietta is still around, for sure.)

Tag: march 2025

Oh the sun. It's shining and warm, and I need to re-think my layers today! No rain jacket, that will be weird, I will feel naked without it! heh. But light shirt or heavy shirt?

I chose poorly: the heavy shirt was too hot! *laughs*

Hello Henry!

Ah, the beautiful trees with all their different Spring colours!

The apartments here are going to be awesome. It's a great neighborhood with the school on one side and a big church on another side. But, I just realized...

... the building is going to block the view of the hills here! That's a bummer. When it gets very cold, you can see the snow on the hills. And now I'll have to walk a good bit further to see that.

Oh well. A few people in the apartments will get to see that beautiful view every day!

The front yards along this street are just lovely!

Here's Stumpy the Willow Tree, from an angle that does not show his stump.

And back around to the same trees I started with!

What a lovely walk.

A lovely day and a lovely walk!

Tag: march 2025

∞ National Association of Letter Carriers: Fight Like Hell!
Hell No! to dismantling the Postal Service... Stand with Letter Carriers Rally to Save USPS... Protest at Noon at the Federal Courthouse in Eugene

oh, I am nervous! Having to deal with people is never fun. Crowds are terrible. And it's been ages since I've ridden the EMX.

But I get going. I leave the house at 11:20am. I get my ticket and the bus is a minute late at 11:30. And it's empty! Ha! I wonder if I should move up to the front and say hi to the bus driver. But, no. People get on at all the next stops and soon the bus is getting towards full.

I always shout Thank You! to the driver as I get off!

I double check the location of the bus stop to get me home, and then I'm walking a little ways down to the Federal Courthouse.

I had wondered why the protest wasn't at the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza in front of the county courthouse... but as I arrive, I understand why they choose this spot instead... This is a BUSY cross street! Lots of drivers will see us, it's very visible!

I'm early, it's 11:50am, and there aren't too many people here yet!

I cross the street and wander up the steps where they've set up a table. I ask if the tee-shirts are free and the guy pulls one out for me!

He asks if I am a current Postal worker or retired and I reply, Actually, I'm a happy Postal user!

I find a place along the back wall where I can sit and think about putting the shirt on. Most everyone else is wearing their shirts. But, nah. I stuff it into my small backpack with the waterbottle.

I am people watching. Lots more people have come, in the last few minutes. There are cars honking as they go by, the drivers waving, and everyone cheers and waves back!

It's even more exciting when a postal truck goes by!!

The crowd is getting bigger. Behind me, there are several guys carrying stacks of pizza! haha! The pizza is dispursed almost immediately to the protesters, and they go back for more!

Later, there's a lady going around giving out tea... so that's nice. Something for the vegans as well. :)

Around 12:10, the guy at the table starts talking.

And then he introduced Peter DeFazio, who was an Oregon Representative for over 30 years! He retired in 2023, but I think he did great work for Oregon in his time at the House.

They took a break so the protesters could cheer at the passing cars again. And then at 12:20 there were a couple more speakers.

At this point, there's probably 200 people here, or more.

I'm winding down. Not sure if there will be more speakers or not, but I'm ready to leave.

I left at 12:40 and was home at 1:05pm and I surprised Partner who thought I'd be gone all day. Haha, very unrealistic expectations about my tolerance for humans!

But this was fun! I had a good time, and will definitely go to another protest!

Tag: march 2025

The very first Trillium is blooming!

Always trying to capture the beauty of the waterfall here... but probably the beauty has something to do with the sound of water falling.

Osoberries are blooming too!

I get to the top and the frogs aren't singing today. That's disappointing. But I do hear a Mourning Dove cooing! That's somebody different!

He's a bit too far away for decent photography. And then he flies away.

But then I hear another one over here!

Ha. They are all over the place. Are they moving in? I wonder if they will make good neighbors with the Acorn Woodpeckers.

Who I don't see today. eh, that's okay. Heading back down the hill.

There are Fawn Lilies coming up!

hmm, I wonder what makes the dark ones.

Oh! The Black Tail Deers!!

Oh, hey... There's a fourth one hiding back there!

Their cute lil faces!

And their cute lil feet!

And their big ol' ears!

*laughs*

Teeny tiny wild Violets.

Heading home thru the neighborhood, I see this flyer...

Hm. That's tomorrow. I've never been to the Federal Courthouse, but I think that address is easy to get to from the EMX.

As I walk, I'm thinking... maybe I should go!

∞ National Association of Letter Carriers: Fight Like Hell!

Tag: march 2025

More sprinkles today. The annoying kind where I was constantly adjusting the rain jacket... hood up, hood down. Open zipper, camera out. Camera tucked back in, zipper up. Repeat! Sheesh!

*laughs*

Well, the wind is bugging me today, too.

Here's Zag and Zig, both working on their feathers!

Just past Stumpy the Willow Tree...

There's a little section of wet prairie. Almost all the green you see here, is not grass...

They are Camas Lily leaves!

It'll be a month or more before they start blooming. But on such a dreary day, I have to pause and imagine how lovely they will be!

Are you eating the leaf buds?

You just need some greens, after eating nuts all winter? Yeah, I hear ya!

Tag: march 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

Rained thru the afternoon yesterday, and thru the night as well, and off and on sprinkles this morning... the rain just keeps coming even after declaring a state of emergency for the floods.

And the wind is blustery and annoying again today, 19mph.

This Red Flowering Currant bush near Blazey's old spot on the bike path, is just so prolific!

I swing around past the dog park... and what the heck.

Aww... There used to be a big concrete planter here! There were five or six planters here and now they are gone...

They were blooming with Daffodils, and later there would have been day lilies. And someone put Mums in the other ones last year. They were so pretty!

And, just... WHY?! Why did they take them away??

We are supposed to leave the world a better place!

So sad and disappointed.

Sighs. well, here's Stumpy, trying to cheer me up.

Oh, ha... His greenery looks like baby corn cobs!

Zag and Zig paddle by.

Tag: march 2025

Hmm. I thought this was Knotty again... but now that I'm seeing her shoulder patches better, that's too big a patch of blue for it to be Knotty!

We'll call them Henry for now! :)

I'm at the garden again for more voluteer work. The Lesser Celandine growing in this plot is Very Healthy.

Much better!

I've decided to start chipping away at the huge patch over here. This is plot 15, and plot 16 is the black plastic.

Yeah, that is going to take some time to dig all that up!

I'll start at the pathway. Prepare to DIE!

Well. There were some little Comfreys growing here too. Thats another plant that's been banned from the Community Garden in the new 2025 rules. It's from Europe... related to Borage, but it gets established and can get huge and it's hard to kill because the tap root goes down to the center of the earth!

I started killing a couple of Comfreys in my plot starting in the fall of 2023. Dug them up, all thru 2024. And will probably contine to dig them up, all thru 2025! *laughs*

They will probably never die, and I am not interested in murdering someone else's Comfrey problem. The ones that were here, I just chop the root a couple inches down.

Walking along the bike path, the lady who rides the recumbant bike was gathering these and I'm all What'cha doing? and she replies Oh! I eat these!

What are they? They are Brassicas... She looks down, these are a type of mustard.

Huh! For salad? I ask. She shakes her head, no. I cook the leaves and put them in soup or whatever! She says she gathers them all thru the spring, and it's quite a bit of food!

So this is awesome. When I get home, I look it up. Mustard is an invasive here, there are no poisonous look alikes and easy to identify once they've flowered! Definately safe to forage!

Mustard you buy in the store is made by crushing the seeds. But the internets say you can make a mustard spread from the flowers as well. I guess if you have enough of them!

Here's a great article... it's so old, from 2011, there's a few broken image links. good info tho!

∞ Wild Mustard - Foraged Food

Here's another bright spot of yellow! Lesser Goldfinch!

We've had so much rain, all acros the state...

∞ Oregon Governor Kotek declares emergency for floods and landslides

One person has died.

Here in town, our flood controls have mostly held up. The only problem I've heard of was that West 11th Ave -- a major thoroughfare which is the only road going west out of town -- got flooded enough to make driving iffy for a few hours.

Tag: march 2025

Partly cloudy again today and the clouds are moving around a lot! It'll rain this afternoon, but at the moment the sun is making it a bit too warm.

Knotty? What's with the stick?

Maybe she's got an itch.

I am going to dig up more invasives again today. I get into the garden and... Gah! These dug up clumps of Lesser Celandines are still here.

So much for my hope that humans would pick up after themselves! Damn them anyway... they are starting to bloom!

Well. I guess I will pick that up today, since no one else can be bothered. But I'll go around and see where I want to start work today.

This... yikes.

That is way too much for me to deal with!

But I dig up some singular clumps in the pathways and all. That's where I can actually make a difference!

And now I'm wandering around. This is the current state of the Crocuses in my plot.

Ha. There is one little bloom left.

And the beautiful plot at the back, with their hyacinths!

On my way home, I see that Golden Crown Sparrow with leucism again... But she flies away even faster this time, and I don't get any photos of her. Sighs!

The trees showing off their spring colours are amazing.

Knotty is still in the same place... Good hunting?

Tag: march 2025

wow. Some sunshine today! That's different! *laughs*

I've decided to walk out to Steward Pond Park... and on the way...

A Pine Siskin, thinking about taking a bath... but he got shy when I showed up!

A Point and Shoot and Hope... and this Yellow Rump Warbler is technically in frame!

And here's another semi-successful Point and Click and Hope! Bushtit!

Oh humph... there's no one on the pond today!

But over here... a flock of hundreds of Cackling Geese!

Their cute little snub faces!

There are a few pairs of Canada Geese here as well.

I walk thru the little forest.

But it's the clouds today that keep my attention!

Tag: march 2025

Rained all night, yet again, and still sprinkling when I head out the door.

The creek is as full as I've ever seen it!

Some bright spots of a Yellow Rumped Warbler on a dreary day!

Oh, this must be that Golden Crown Sparrow I saw the other day with leucism!!!

But I Still can't get decent pics. arg.

The bike path is flooded big time, under the bridges!

I walk by the front of Gudu-Kut... but there's no frogs singing here today. bummer.

Zig and Zag are the two on the right! The pair on the left are unnamed because I can't tell them apart from the third pair of Hooded Mergansers who are currently hanging out at the creek.

The rain continues thru the day again... It's been raining almost solidly since Wednesday.

March IS part of our rainy season, but this is starting to get ridiculous! And nothing but more rain in the forecast!

Tag: march 2025

The house is chilly this morning, and I turn the heat back on for a few hours before I get moving!

It's sprinkling as I leave the house, but it turns to a good rain pretty quickly.

A flood watch starts tonight. The bike path here under the bridge is just minutes from going under water! Will I be able to walk back this way??

Oh cool! Downy Woodpecker!

He's a male. And he's busy trying to get bugs out of this little branch!

I visit the Solidarity Garden... they've got some Pansies going.

I wonder what that is, coming up on the right. I don't recognize it at all!

Their Lettuce looks really good... very non-munched by slugs. I'm jealous! *laughs*

I continue on and walk a bit thru the downtown neighborhood and look at front yards. Oh, this thing is cute!

Heading home... the creek has only risen a couple inches so far, and I am still able to walk under the bridge.

I can hear some frogs singing from the back of the Gudu-Kut nature area!

I love the willow trees over there... but it won't be long before I can't see past the willow trees along the creek!

Oh, this made me giggle!

∞ Oh This Poor Dumb Trump Lawyer Trying To Defend Military Trans Ban In Court! At least read your own filings next time maybe?

And just how many people are there serving in the military with gender dysphoria, anyway? Government lawyers did not know. Not only do you not have the data, you have no access to get the data because the military does not track people by gender identity, she noted. Yeah, it's kind of hard to find evidence that trans people are single-handedly bringing down the entire US military with their disruptive pronouns, when the government does not know how many of them there even are, or how they even define who they are.

And then the judge made the stupid Trump lawyers read the reports they had submitted, and then they all went thru them, line by line... Only to discover The government's own reports found that transgender individuals receiving gender-affirming care experience 'literally no regrets' and 'very high levels of satisfaction.'

Heh.

So maybe we could just let trans people live their lives, and get the health care they need... hmmm?

Tag: march 2025

Some sprinkles today and a bit of gusty wind that the weather page said was 9mph. But the last mile or so the wind picked up, like crazy. 25mph! Sheesh, I guess we live in Kansas now!

Blazey's old spot on the bike path... Red Flowering Currant, with the Cherry tree in the background!

ha, the wind is making the photography difficult... branches waving all over the place! So I give up pretty quickly here.

Oregon Grapes are starting to bloom.

It's Zig and Zag!

Zag barely wakes up from his nap when his partner paddles upstream a little.

Oof. There's an article in the newspaper today about an 80% surge in flu patients in the ER...

∞ Riverbend converts rooms into patient care space to keep up with surging emergency room demand

This is the same hospital that closed it's downtown hospital and Emergency Room in Dec 2023. I wonder if they regret that now.

And ever more upsetting stuff from the current regime.

∞ Arlington Cemetery website drops links for Black, Hispanic, and women veterans

No more DEI at Arlington Nat Cem! Which means we can't have women, Black people or Latinx here.

White men only. Because no one else contributes to our military or our defense.

Effing despicable.

Tag: march 2025

It's raining. And the wind is blowing and it's making me so cold until the walking warms me up. And then the wind dies down, and the day becomes more tolerable!

Huh. I've never seen a stray out this way. Cute face, tho!

Two nights and two days of rain, not to mention all the other extra rain we've gotten. This is a place where they let the creek spread out for flood control.

It can still handle a lot more water... but, as I suspected, the bike path is flooded under the bridge.

That's okay. I back track a bit, and go up to the road. There's a pedestrian light for the EMX stops, so I don't have to die when I cross the street! That's always nice!

There isn't a paved path to get back down to the bike path on the other side. But there's a muddy trail that goes between the railing and the fence.

And then I walk down to Stewart Ponds. Today there are Northern Shovelers on the main pond!

And some Canada Geese. The one goose is standing and you can see how shallow the temporary, Wet Prairie pond is, even with all the rain we've gotten.

I walk on up the road to the park. As I'm approaching the parking lot, I hear some raptors yelling. Oh my gosh!!

A pair of Kestrels!!

They've let me get a little bit closer, but I don't get any good photos. Oh well. It's awesome just to see them!!

The trail into the park starts out at the prairie. Up the hill are some huge old Oak Trees. But here, there's just grass... and a single shrubby spot where some Cherry trees have gotten established.

It's a haven for birds, and today there's a little flock of Golden Crown Sparrows here!

Too bad we can't have some blue sky with our Cherry Blossoms... but honestly, I'd just settle for no raindrops on the camera lens! Haha!

Um... oh? Are we eating the Cherry Blossoms?

Well, that's interesting! Do they taste good?

I move on and walk thru the little patch of forest. There are little birds twittering all around, but I don't see any close enough for photos.

But then I find some sparrows just above the trail.

Oh my gosh! White Throat Sparrows!!

They are winter visitors here, just like the Golden Crowns and the White Crowns. But I hardly ever get to see the White Throats for whatever reason.

So that's really cool! This has been a spectacular walk today!!

On the way home, I notice that one of the little shops I enjoyed window shopping at... has changed hands? I get closer, and yeah, it's not a shop anymore...

It's a painting studio!

ha!

Tag: march 2025

I'm not sure when the rain started last night, but rain during the night is always nice! Still sprinkling this morning, and then raining pretty good as I'm heading out for a walk!

I love to walk in the rain. It's peaceful.

Hello Zag and Zig!

This Nutria was running away, and I'm all Oh! Wait! Wait! and she did! Haha, she stopped in her tracks!

*laughs* Thank You Dear!

Yes, you are very cute!

Solar Baby? Is that you?

*laughs* Yep.

Tag: march 2025

Another dreary day! It was misting first thing this morning, but the clouds moved around a little and now we are settled into some solid, grey overcast!

oh, this Flowering Quince!

Okay! Back at the garden and oh, hey. Someone has traded the raised beds that were here yesterday for some tunnel hoops. good for them.

I dig up the Lesser Celandine, and then find a good bit more growing nearby. I've filled up my bag quickly today!

And going around to see the flowers! These Irises are such a pretty colour, but why are they all messed up like this? They didn't feel like growing a long stem? ha.

The Hooded Mergansers who aren't Zig and Zag! *laughs*

Oh Cute Squirrel? Hello? If you turn around, this would be a great portrait of you with the Cherry Blossoms?

Or not. ha!

Tag: march 2025

I head straight for the Community Garden. I'm digging up Lesser Celandine again today for my required volunteer work.

I'm kind of wandering, digging a couple clumps here in the pathway...

Another couple clumps here at the back of someone's plot.

When the bag is full, I wrap it up and stuff it in my backpack to haul home.

And now I'm looking at flowers!

Hmm. I wonder what the white tubes are for. Whatever they are, they are messing up my photos! ha.

There's some Crows here at the Garden with me... but they are not interested in photography.

They are busy doing other things... looking for treats in the leaves!

Before I leave the Garden, I glance around for more Lesser Celandine to dig up next time. There's some in a western plot, but the plants in the pathway there are going to be tough to get out... the grass is growing tall around it.

Oh, ugh. There's some blooming here at the front, right next to the tool shed. Maybe I'll work on this next.

Also, there's some free raised beds... If you install those in your garden plot, the Garden Director will let you get away with breaking ALL the Community Garden rules! *grumble, grumble*

What the...?

Goddamnit. Someone has dug up some Lesser Celandine and just left them here. *cussing* I suppose I have to clean up after everyone.

GAH! But it won't fit in my pack today. And hey, maybe they will come back and finish the work they started. Maybe??!

*laughs* Sometimes I wish I could take photos of Chickadees! *shakes head*

A pair of Green Wing Teals at the creek catch my eye on the walk home.

The day is too dreary for decent photography, but they are still cute!

Tag: march 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

Yellow Rump Warbler, buried in the sticks!

Bath time for this Ruby Crown Kinglet!

Their companions must be over that way.

Splish splash!

And then we are off to preen.

I'm coming back thru the park and almost home when I hear a ruckus from the sky!

There's a hawk being mobbed! The hawk comes in for a landing in a nearby Douglas Fir...

Hm. Juvenile Cooper Hawk.

But he's looking back the way he came.

Ah! He was waiting for his friend... There's another Cooper Hawk flying this way!

Oh... they are being mobbed by some Acorn Woodpeckers!! I'm so disappointed that I didn't get their pic... but I just saw a flash of them and then they turned around and flew back home.

The other hawk flies on by and this one picks up to follow.

Wow!

Tag: march 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

(Ha... I don't know who that is from this angle!! *laughs*)

Zag, the Hooded Merganser...

... and Zig!

Oh cool!

Red Shoulder Hawk, and not easy photography with all the sticks! Most of the photos look like this...

haha. Oh well.

I do love the stripy ones!

Tag: march 2025

I don't really read news articles any more. It's just too terrible.

I just look at the headline...

And then I watch another little section of my soul get darker.

And then I move on.

This morning's headlines (don't bother clicking, Wired has a paywall): The CDC Has Been Gutted And The DOGE Axe Comes for Libraries and Museums

America will never recover from DOGE. Kids are dying from the lack of USAID. The medical research that NIH funded will never get back on track. People will start dying of Bird Flu (or something worse!), but we won't know about it without the CDC. More than 100,000 federal workers fired so far, and all those people were important to keeping America as the leader of the free world.

And now we're tumbling into being a third world country, run by a filthy dictator who ignores the Constitution. And everybody just lets him and DOGE do whatever they want even tho all of it is FUCKING ILLEGAL!

It's disgusting. And I'm pretty upset about everything when I head out for my walk. It takes a while to get out of my head and let Nature do her healing.

...

On my way back down the hill, I come around a corner and see an older guy. He's stepped off the path, with his walking stick... not like a cane, but the kind that looks like a ski pole. He's staring intently at something on the ground.

I'm coming down steps, and when I look at him again, he's leaning over and reaching down for something on the ground.

As I pass him, I see that he is gently, gently picking up a skeletonized leaf.

I smile and my heart fills up with love.

This guy is noticing the beauty around him!

I want us all to be this affected by the wonders of Nature!

And, ya know. That is why I share my photography here. I want to share my experience of Nature with everyone.

There are beautiful things and there are sad things, and that's all okay. Empathy makes us better humans, and the rest of Nature will heal us.

Tag: april 2025

Dang it, Little Bird. Why you gotta be that way?

*laughs*

Okay! I'm digging up Lesser Celandine again today... this plot is right across the aisle from mine, ack!

I dig up those blooming invasives right on the border between plots. But then I realize there's a lot more coming up all around those raised beds.

Gah. I already have a lot of disdain for raised beds, and this one, spreading invasives so close to my plot... is def not helping my attitude!

Well. I finish up and load the bag of plants and dirt into my backpack to dispose of at home. And then I look to see what flowers we have today!

Some of my Crocuses are starting to die back, but this clump still looks lovely.

Hyacinths need a few more days.

*laughs* Daffodils with a garden pig!

Awww!

A cute little Seven Spot Ladybug on some Dead Nettle!

And the tiny little Speedwells.

Well. Heading home... but who's this??

Hmm. There's some European House Sparrows in this brush, could that be a female??

Hello Up There?

Oh! Haha! She's a Golden Crown Sparrow! When she looks over, I can see a bit of her Golden head...!

*laughs* You're funny, trying to trick me!

Tag: march 2025

Gonna murder me some invasive plants at the Community Garden today for my required volunteer time.

On the way...

I mentioned a while ago that I didn't want to give names to this pair of Hooded Mergansers because I couldn't specifically recognize them.

And since then, I've come to realize there are actually at least three pairs of Hooded Mergansers hanging out here!

But one of the pairs, I might be recognizing... not this pair, but there's one male who goes around with his hood not all they way up. So maybe I could name that pair!

Okay. I'm working at the garden! This is west of my plot, a few plots away. and I'm digging Lesser Celandine out of the grassy pathway.

This garden plot has Fava growing... and it looks a lot better than the mostly dead Fava in my plot!

When my bag is full and stuffed into the backpack, I relax with a garden walkabout! Here's the Crocuses in my plot.

I wander around to the Rosemary bush in the back... Aw, there's a Honey Bee here!

Ugh, the sun is so stinkin' bright! I can't see the screen so I'm not sure how my photos are coming out!

There's Speedwell blooming. Tiny, the flowers are less than a centimeter acros, but pretty!

And heading home!

Oh hey! Here's the Hooded Merganser pair I was talking about earlier. The male who doesn't hold his hood all the way up!

I think I will call them Zig and Zag! *smiles*

Tag: march 2025

I was heading for the Community Garden again today, with my backpack to murder some invasives. But when I got there, there was a car in the parking lot, and a human walking in the garden.

ugh. I don't feel like dealing with humans today. So I walked right on by!

The linear leaves in the background are Camas Lilies... they won't bloom until May or so, and the Daffodils will be long gone.

There's still a couple Snowdrops blooming...

... But most of them are trying to make seeds now.

I decide to walk by the Solidarity Garden. I like their signs! We've got some Raspberry canes, and the sapling says Italian Plum.

And over here, we've got Black Currant, Mulberry and Red Flowering Currant! The next bed down says Blueberry!

It'll be interesting to compare the Black Currant with the Red Flowering Currant, almost side by side.

Hmmm... Looking up info. The internets say Black Currant is not drought tolerant. I wonder how that's going to work out. It doesn't rain here in the summer at all... do they have access to water at this garden??

Back at home, my Tiny-Cleans are going Awesome!

When I finished the living room window, I moved on to the Porch Room. I've been cleaning 1 or 2 blind slats for a week. And now I've started working on the sliding glass door.

The houseplants are going to be an issue, once I get that far... I'll have to move them and the shelf they are on, and there's really no place to move them to! The porch room is pretty cramped.

I'll have to think about that. But I've got a while! 3 to 5 minutes of Tiny-Clean every day doesn't get much done!

But doing it every day makes it inexorable!!

And really, that's the awesome part...

If I had cleaned the living room window the usual way... with several hours at a time over one or two days?

You know how I would feel? I don't ever feel a sense of accomplishment after I clean things... that's part of the reason why I hate to clean so much.

So nope... I'd feel exhausted. I'd feel utterly disappointed because there's no way to make it perfect.

And I'd be done with cleaning for about 10 years!!

But my new Tiny-Cleans!! I just keep chugging along!

Everything is dirty enough that I can see actual progress in just 3 minutes. But 3 or 5 minutes doesn't overwhelm me, I can get it done every day!

And thus, the inexorable!

*laughs*

Tag: march 2025

Henrietta and the rubbish. Sighs.

The Creek really needs some clean up!

All the crap the wildlife has to deal with from humans. Ugh.

Oh, hey! Is that some nice soft moss for your drey?

Birds only build nests for their babies. But squirrels build their dreys to sleep in!

We are having some maintenance done in the house today... and the shower problem had befuddled the one guy so he called in the plumbing expert.

So now there's two guys, coming and going, all thru the afternoon! Pretty disruptive... Especially when our expert guy says they may have to break some tiles in the shower to get to the problem with the pipes! ACK!

But they got it done without breaking tiles. And plus we now have nicer faucets - that don't leak! - in both bathrooms and the kitchen.

And the water pressure in the shower is wonderful again! Yay!

Tag: march 2025

I'm at the Community Garden today, to murder some invasive Lesser Celandine for my required volunteer time!

But first I'm going to wander about and look at the flowers!

Hm. I don't know what this stuff is...

Ah ha! It's Rosemary! *laughs* another Rose that isn't a Rose. :)

It's a pretty plant, but this is another example of people, who aren't me, getting away with breaking the rules. We aren't supposed to have woody plants.

It is nice tho... I wonder if I should grow some. The internets say it will thrive in a Mediterranean climate, which is what we have here!

I've wandered around to my plot. The big clump of crocuses is still blooming!

And there are a couple more blooms here and there!

And my Columbine is peeking thru!

The leaves are so pretty!

What the heck?

Uh. Yeah, I have no idea??!

Seriously, what is that???

A little monster watching me from under the leaves! ha.

Okay. I have to get some work done here!

I dig up the couple more sprouts of Lesser Celandine from the west side neighbor's plot. And then I get started on some clumps in the pathway to the north of my plot.

It's a major pain to try to dig in the grass. But I get the small bag filled up.

I double bag it and stuff it into the small backpack to haul home. I'll toss it in the trash there.

As I'm walking around the garden, to get back to the bike path... A Bluebird of Happiness! He's preening...

um. Excuse me? Could you just look normal for a minute?

Oh! Thanks! You are so Floofy!

The female is over here on the apple tree, but she's not interested in photography and flies away!

Tag: march 2025

Ha. All the flowers called Roses that aren't Roses! Lenten Roses above, and here are Primroses!

And this guy, an Anna Hummingbird, who flew away before I could see about decent photography! ha.

Tag: march 2025

Knotty? and the rubbish. bleh.

Yep, I'm still being a sucker for the Crocuses!

Oh look! It's warm enough to wake up a Honey Bee!

Haha! Honey Bee doesn't appear to be quite awake! Needs Coffee! Um, Dearheart? Licking that petal will do nothing for you... You gotta lick somewhere else!

I stop to admire the Cherry Blossoms again.

Aw! There's a Bumblebee working these flowers too... and doing a better job of it! *laughs*

She's got a red butt... Makes her easy to identify!

She's a Red Form Black Tail Bumblebee and they are widely distributed across western North America, from the Pacific to the Rocky Mountains, and from Alaska to Baja California.

The Red Forms are found primarily in higher latitudes of Oregon and points north, and in the Mountain West whereas the Dark Colour Forms are most common in California and southern Oregon

Nice! I'm glad we get the more colourful variety! *laughs*

Oregon has 25 species of Bumblebees!!! We are awesome! Check this site:

∞ Bumble Bee Field Guide (for North America)

You can filter the bees by your own state or province, and if you mouse-over you can see the different forms!

So cute and precious!

Bye!

Tag: march 2025

∞ President Zelenskyy says Ukraine won't enter peace talks with Russia until it has security guarantees

The show Felon45 put on here is absolutely disgusting.

I am so pissed! Fuck Trump. You do NOT disrespect President Z. Ever!

President Zelenskyy did the right thing by walking out.

It's just gross. President Z should not have bothered coming to Washington DC to talk face to face with our stupid dictator... and honestly, I hope other world leaders pick up that lesson as well!

I was happy to see this, tho, at the end of the article:

European leaders were quick to reiterate their support for Zelenskyy and Ukraine. In a post on X, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Zelenskyy's dignity honors the bravery of the Ukrainian people. Be strong, be brave, be fearless, she added. You are never alone, dear President.

Good.

President Zelenskyy is a hero. The American people support President Zelenskyy and Ukraine, regardless of our idiot dictator.

And to try to set things right, I've donated directly to the Ukraine government here...

∞ United24, Ukraine

Tag: february 2025

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∞ Does the U.S. deserve the Statue of Liberty? Not anymore, one French politician says

oh. My heart. It's being ripped out.

∞ Majority of French, Germans and British think Trump is a 'dictator'

Yeah? Because he is.

Tag: march 2025

Tag: february 2025

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Not my most poetical moment, perhaps... but heartfelt!

And yeah, I wrote Dear Donald! Haha, it's just automatic, I didn't even think about it! That pos is definitely NOT dear to me, or anyone.

Oh well. Maybe I'll write some more this weekend.

Pretty cathartic.

Especially the I hate you one! Ha!

Altho, I don't actually hate him or his copresident Musk. I don't care enough about them to hate. But I'm not sure how else to convey my complete and utter loathing!

Tag: march 2025

Tag: february 2025

Oh. We're doing this again, huh?

Sounds good...

∞ We're working on a short schedule here BUT: Let's do postcards

Write a postcard to that Traitor and Rapist in the White House, and put it in the mail tomorrow, 15 March. The Ides of March.

Back in 2017, I made a free printable PDF... If you have a printer, please feel free to grab this:

∞ Free Printable PFD: Two-Up Postcards to send to the White House on March 15th

And seriously. I've been having trouble taking in all the political news here lately. And I'm really down about what I do read.

The USA is no longer the Leader of the Free World.

And it's becoming increasingly obvious that America will NEVER recover.

Unfortunately, it's not just the people in American who will suffer.

People have already died from the destruction of USAID.

Medical Science has been set back by decades with the destruction of the NIH.

And then, everything that Traitor does is accelerating climate change. With the destruction of FEMA, more people will die after climate disasters.

The Sixth Mass Extinction will continue apace, or accelerate. And at some point, Nature will just break. We won't be able to grow food enough for everyone on the planet.

And at the rate we are going, not even Cockroaches will survive. A runaway greenhouse effect and the oceans will boil. The Earth will be Venus Part 2.

But let's step back to reality here. We're not dead yet!

Download this thing. If you don't have a printer, that's the address you'll write on your own postcard.

∞ Free Printable PFD: Two-Up Postcards to send to the White House on March 15th

If you do have a printer, print that on cardstock. Cut it up. Write your thoughts on the back. Put a postcard stamp on the front.

Postcard stamps are currently 56¢. If you don't have a postcard stamp, a Forever stamp will work as well.

Then drop it in the mail on Saturday!

And now... Remember! We are NOT DEAD YET!

Go cuddle your pet. Hug your human family. Spend some time in nature...

or look at some nice nature pics here!

Tag: march 2025

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January 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.