Squirrelly, that’s how Friday turned out to be in my garden. The sun was out and so were the squirrels. Even the tiny chipmunks have returned from their winter hibernation. These Townsend’s Chipmunks visit every spring. At first we only see the parents, and later […]
The northern, or as it used be called, the red-shafted flicker, is one of my very favorite fine feathered friends to visit the bird feeders in my garden. They are very shy and spooked by the slightest of sounds or movements. I love the dotted […]
For just a moment a minute or five breathe in and delight delicate cherry blossoms flutter in the breeze. For just a moment a minute or five breathe in and delight it’s easy, it’s free I promise that the world will wait for you. Do […]
Last night I spotted a deer from the kitchen window. I grabbed my camera and went outside to take a closer look. Once I got to the back fence I discovered that there were actually four black-tailed deer moving slowly through the forest. They were […]
Spring has sprung where I live! The garden is beginning to awake from hibernation. We’ve had some sunshine, some rain showers, and even a day of 72° sunshine! I stopped everything that afternoon and went outside to bask in the warmth of the sun. These […]
This week I spent some time birdwatching in my garden. I made a makeshift “bird blind” using an old blanket, a beach chair and an outdoor plant shelf to sit behind/underneath to observe and photograph our backyard visitors. Many birds aren’t all that shy if […]
Yesterday after filling up my bird feeders, I went back outside to see if any birds would come by. It didn’t take more than a few minutes before the regulars flocked in, bringing with them this bright yellow Townsend’s Warbler. It was such a treat […]
When I got up Thursday morning and opened the blinds I was greeted by a magical winter scene right outside my living room window. It had snowed again over night! After drinking my morning java, I quickly got ready to go out for a walk. […]
Just a few days ago I sat outside in the sun enjoying a cup of coffee while daydreaming about spring. It didn’t seem that far away…. …. until it started to snow! We got a nice dusting over the weekend, then several inches more last […]
It’s been a warmer than usual winter here in Portland without much weather other than the usual rain. During a rain break the other day I went outside and took a closer look at raindrops through the lens of my camera. As I am writing […]
Earlier this afternoon I got caught in the flightpath of a delightful flock of bushtits. Dozens of these tiny birds suddenly appeared on the suet feeders in my garden. They chattered, ate and didn’t seem to mind me standing just about a meter from the […]
The sun peeked out a little from behind the clouds reflecting the daffodils on the kitchen table’s surface. That led me to play around with some inexpensive cellphone clip-on lenses. And since I enjoy looking at things up close, I thought I would mix it […]
This garlicky, citrusy olive oil condiment is incredibly good! I came across the recipe in my “Vegan Tacos” cookbook by Jason Wyrick. It’s a fantastic book with not only taco ideas for just about any taste, but also side dishes, condiments and beverages. It’s peak […]
Boston Harbor shrouded in mist, early morning silence. Moored boats, sleepy town mirrored perfectly in The Sound. Before the noisy day begins. A couple of weeks ago we zipped up to Olympia, WA for a couple of days. Early Sunday morning we drove down a winding […]
My Friday today was a productive one. I ran some errands, got a couple of care packages ready to go to the post office and cleaned up a little . I also baked some delicious blueberry-corn muffins while listening to some of my favorite music. […]
My tropical paradise all but a distant memory retrieved for reprieve from the cloud. It’s been almost a couple of years since our last trip to Hawaii. Taking our usual flight from Portland to Maui would have been a little quicker and slightly […]
We did a number of short road trips last summer. One of the places we explored was Bellingham, Washington. It’s about halfway between Seattle and the Canadian border. There were lots of city parks, a board game pub, colorful murals, donuts with enough sugar to […]
Hard to believe that I only just recently discovered this fantastic cornbread recipe. Hard to believe, because I’ve had the cookbook sitting on my shelf for more than a decade. The book, in case you’re wondering, is “How to Cook Everything Vegetarian” by Mark Bittman. […]
The sensory pleasures and earthy delights of gardening.
Always keeping it healthy and tasty....
Cindy Knoke
A trip through life with fingers crossed and eternal optimism.
Writing about Lifestyle, Travel and Traditional Art
She turned her can'ts into cans and her dreams into plans.
Food Photography & Recipes
inspired by ingredients, smells and Travels, vegan & vegetarian
REAL FOOD. REAL LIFE. HEALTHY BALANCE.
For the nth time, I wish I could put into words the thoughts burning in my mind. I do not know how you could take interest in reading all these muddled thoughts.
Happy things, tasty food and good design
Photo blog - stories and dreamy images
A genuine German growing on the greener grass. Expat adventures and advice.
