In my last post I highlighted the male black-headed grosbeak. Here are some photographs of a female black-headed grosbeak. Her overall appearance is much more plain than her male counterpart. Her body is buff colored and her wings have white markings. The white stripes on […]
All posts filed under: Musings
Up Close & Personal … The Black-headed Grosbeak
Every morning when I wake up I thank my lucky stars! When we moved to Portland almost 16 years ago I wasn’t sure I’d like it. But sometimes we don’t have a choice where life takes us. In the end it turned out to be […]
Happy Friday from my Birdwatching Granddogter!
Meet Dingo, our “granddogter”! One of our sons adopted her from a rescue organization nearly two years ago. She’ a bit of a mutt, including German Shepard, possibly some Shar Pei and a whole lot of lovable. Like all happy dogs, Dingo loves to search […]
Tasty Tuesday … Green Beans Almandine
Sometimes there’s nothing better than an old-fashioned, tried and true side dish like these green beans. When our kids were still at home I could always count on this dish to be eaten without any complaints. I still make them whenever they come over for […]
Up Close & Personal … Yellow Finches for Trish!
For many years we rarely got more than a handful of American Goldfinches in our garden. I’d buy some thistle seed, fill the feeder and wait … … until the thistle seeds finally got moldy. Since just about all birds love black oil sunflower seeds […]
Be Smart! And have a Heart!
Hard to believe that it’s been well over one year now since the onset of the pandemic. Life changed in ways most of us could have never imagined. Well, at least not I. Through all the ups and downs of Covid19, it was often difficult […]
Up Close & Personal … The Pineapple Lily
Many, many years ago I bought a small package of pineapple lily bulbs at Fred Meyer. They were half off, so I figured it was worth trying to grow them. They’ve done quite well and bloom year after year. They’ve even survived a few ice […]
Hummingbird Magic!
Hummers are resourceful when procuring their nectar. They are very agile and can fly in any direction, including upside! They weigh about 3 grams or approximately the weight of a penny. Look at her standing on the Rose of Sharon blossom! It’s just so much […]
Happy Friday from the Sharon Hite Rose Garden!
This beautiful little rose garden is tucked into a corner of my favorite park, the North Clackamas Park in Milwaukie, Oregon. Over the past year I walked through here many times to keep track of the roses blooming and to sometimes sit down and […]
Zunday Zen … The Cycle of Life
fallen pinecones decaying blooms prickly conifer needles springtime sunbeams a picturesque naturemade mess The Cycle of Life! 🙂
Oregon’s Nature Nooks … Justin Bieber Corner, Part 2
Some days, more’s happening above my head that at eye level. There almost always are a few crows in the trees across the creek. They are a noisy bunch and can be heard long before they come into one’s field of vision. This resident red-tailed […]
Up Close & Personal … One Glorious Daffodil
One sign that spring is springing in my garden is when the daffodils start blooming. The sun has been shining a little more, but it’s still quite cold some days. I look forward to spending more time outside in the sun. 🙂
Up Close & Personal … The Hermit Thrush
During the fall, as the various berries started to ripen, I spotted quite a few birds feasting on them! This hermit thrush was huge surprise when I noticed it at the Justin Bieber Lookout Point! Hermit thrushes are usually quite shy around humans, but not […]
Hummingbird Magic!
Yes, another hummingbird favorite growing in my garden! This red salvia is also loved by bees, bumblebees and butterflies. Whenever the hummers discover an especially tasty blossom … … they stay focused on the flower and stick their beaks all the way in. Until they […]
Oregon’s Nature Nooks … The Justin Bieber Corner! Part 1
For many years I’ve been coming to this suburban park not far from where I live. I love to walk, watch birds, observe the the changing seasons and the creek that abuts the park. During the pandemic I was even more grateful for this local […]
Hummingbird Magic!
If hummingbirds could talk, they’d probably say that they love salvias. This black and blue salvia is another hummingbird favorite. I love how the hummers never miss the flower openings, no matter how tiny or oddly shaped. My garden and the visiting creature always have […]
Tasty Tuesday … Vegan Black Bean & Mushroom Tortilla Soup
Last week I’d come across this recipe in the WaPo and since I had all the ingredients, I decided to give it a try. While the list of ingredients looks rather long, I can assure you that it comes together fairly quickly for such a […]
Hummingbird Magic!
Hummingbirds, just like butterflies, love Alstroemeria flowers! When these flowers start to bloom, this invasive patch of blossoms gets quite busy. My alstroemeria started out in a two inch pot and that has taken over a large flower bed. In moments I wish I hadn’t […]
