Buffleheads belong to the duck family. They are commonly spotted in woodland lakes, ponds and in sheltered coastal areas. Male buffleheads are easily identified by their dark black heads with large, white patches that reach from their eyes to the back of the crowns. White […]
Tasty Tuesday … Silky-Smooth Vegetable Miso Soup
Like in much of the country, last weekend was a weather mess here in Oregon. It’s been about ten days since the ice storm decended on us and unfortunately there are still thousands of homes without power. We had lost power a couple of times, […]
Up Close & Personal … The Marbled Godwit
Whenever visit Sonoma County, California, I stop by Bodega Head and Doran Beach. Most visits I’ll go there several times. The beaches there are simply spectacular! And rarely crowded. During my last visit, as I was driving along Westshore Road toward the town of Bodega Bay, […]
Happy Friday from my Climate Change Friendly Gardeners!
All of last summer we had this personalized gardening service! First I thought there were just two of them. A big one and a small one. Mostly they stayed in the grassy area where they’d nibble on what isn’t much of a lawn. They happily […]
Baby! It’s Cold Outside!
When the weather people announced snow for Portland last week, I got excited. “Lucky me”, I thought! “I’ll build a snowman!” 😉 Anticipating cold temps, I plugged in my hummer feeder heater to keep the nectar from freezing. Soon, snowflakes were falling, a frigid gorge […]
Tasty Tuesday … Tomato Sambal with Bok Choy and Tempeh
If you’ve ever been to Bali or any of the other Indonesian islands, you probably noticed tempeh on most of their restaurant menus. Tempeh, a traditional Indonesian food is made from fermented soybeans. It’s made using a special fungus to begin a natural culturing process […]
Hummingbird Magic!
When I looked out the window today I saw red! Brilliant, bright, shiny red! He looked like a red traffic signal! So I stopped what I was doing and ran outside with my camera. This male Anna’s hummingbird (and several others) have taken a liking […]
Tasty Tuesday … Marc Bittman’s Preserved Lemons
A little late this week, but this jar full of salty-tart preserved lemons will make you smile every time you use them! Winter here on the West-coast means beautifully fragrant and sweet-tart Meyer lemons! Last time I went to the store I procured a giant […]
Happy Friday from my Garden!
All summer long my garden gets visited by these beautiful Western Swallowtails. They very much love the butterfly bushes I planted, but really go crazy over Peruvian lilies. The swallowtails love basking in the hot afternoon sun and feed on the Alstroemeria’s nectar. Once they land […]
Sunday Zen … My Walking Meditation
my nature park … my walking meditation … always done without hesitation … sometimes fast … sometimes slow … since there’s no other place to go … watching squirrels … watching birds … I’ve become a nature nerd … 😉 Sure, I won’t win a […]
Up Close & Personal … White-Throated Sparrow
Last summer I encountered this white-throated sparrow sitting high up in a tree. This was my first time seeing one in person. These large sparrows are easily identified by their white or tan head stripes, white throat and and yellow spots above their eyes. Their […]
Tasty Tuesday … Vegetable Barley Soup
During my last trip to the grocery store I was finally able to get a bag of whole grain pearled barley to make this soup again. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s oh so good on a cold and rainy day. There are loads of veggies […]
Up Close & Personal … The Brown Creeper
“Can you see me now?” The brown creeper’s coloring helps them blend into their surroundings, which is why they can be challenging to spot. They creep upwards around tree trunks searching for insects in moss and bark crevices. Look at the beautiful plumage! Last week […]
Check it out … A Four Story Train Station
Here are some photos I took a few years ago when we changed trains in Antwerpen. We didn’t have time to look around since we only had a few moments to change trains. What I remember most was the incredible architecture, all the space and a guy […]
The Silence of Covid
The eerie silence of Covid compliance no sliding no riding no hiding and seeking no swinging and singing no climbing no bouncing no racing no boisterous dashing no playful splashing. Just Mousekin afloat without a boat. Just the eerie Covid silence. Every time I walk […]
Up Close & Personal … Cedar Waxwings
During my 15 years in Oregon I had never seen any cedar waxwings here until … … this autumn while I was walking along a patch of trees and shrubs at the park. It was mid day when I heard really loud bird chatter, followed by […]
Tasty Tuesday … Lemony Roasted Vegetables and Feta Cheese
This simple roasted vegetable dish will be on my menu regularly! When I noticed this recipe in the New York Times I thought “that looks really good”, and since I had all the ingredients I decided to make this on New Years Eve. It was […]
My First Muddy Boots Adventure of 2021!
Warning! If you are squeamish you might want to precede with caution! Raptors are eating lunch! It’s been nothing but raining here in our neck of the woods lately. This continuous rain has kept me from going to my favorite park for the last several says. However, […]
