Stepping out from the Visitor Center into the Oregon Garden After endless rain all week I awoke to a bright blue sky and sunshine on Monday morning. I decided to enjoy this beautiful day at the Oregon Garden. This Amazing Water Garden was created by […]
All posts filed under: Musings
Zunday Zen … Dazzling Dew Drops
Under gloomy skies summer’s fragrant last blossoms dazzle in first fall rain.
Hummingbird Magic!
Despite fewer blossoms to nourish the visiting hummers now, they still visit daily. I watch them sip nectar and defend their territory against other birds and me. The butterfly bushes, a hummingbird favorite, will continue to flower until the first frost. Once the last flowers wilt, these […]
Up Close & Personal … The Backyard Meet-up, Part 2
The flicker kept munching away … … when suddenly a rare visitor to our garden peeked out from the beautyberry bush. A Western Scrub Jay hopped out of the bushes … … looked around … … and then jumped over onto the suet feeder pole. […]
Up Close & Personal … The Backyard Meet-up, Part 1
The Northern Flicker checking out the backyard before coming down from the tree … … where he encounters a Stellar’s Jay at the suet feeder. They thoroughly check each other out … … when the jay starts to clown around and then hops onto the […]
Hummingbird Magic!
This magical moment lasted at most about a minute or two! I was sitting near the dahlias thinking “wouldn’t it be nice if the hummingbird would come by these beautiful flowers before they fade. Suddenly this male Anna’s Hummingbird appeared and fulfilled my wish! These […]
Tasty Tuesday … Golden Autumn Vegetable Chowder
Fall has arrived here with rain, cooler temperatures and beautiful cool season vegetables. There are of course still vine-ripened tomatoes and colorful sweet peppers for sale at the farm market, but cauliflower, broccoli and various cabbages are showing up there as well. Cauliflower is one […]
Zunday Zen … Summer’s Gone
Autumn sun sparkles while summer’s drifting away … one leaf at a time. Summer seems to have come to a sudden end here in the Pacific Northwest! We’ve had quite a few rainy days already and the nights are getting cooler. Slowly the leaves are […]
Tasty Tuesday … Delectable Vegetable Tagine
Without question, the best couscous and tagine I’ve ever eaten was back in 1984 in Paris. We had gotten lost in the area near the famous Père Lachaise Cemetery where we visited Jim Morrison’s grave, when we came upon a tiny restaurant from which the […]
Up Close & Personal … The Northern Flicker
There’s been a seemingly endless stream of bird parents bringing their fledglings to our garden this summer, teaching them how to feed themselves. Northern Flickers are in the tree climber/woodpecker family. They are shy birds and easily spooked by people. They also always announce their […]
California Road Trip 2019 … The Laguna de Santa Rosa Revisited!
Looking north towards the Mayacamas Mountains! I last came here four years ago with my friend Christine. This time, it was hot, dry and slightly breezy. Last winter the area received record rains which created a lot of serious flooding. The Meadow Lark Field Pink grass!!! […]
Up Close & Personal … The Pileated Woodpecker
It’s been a while since I saw a pileated woodpecker in the garden! Well technically he landed high up on one of the Doug firs just behind the fence. I look at the forest as an extension, a space that attracts an enormous number of […]
Hummingbird Magic!
Years ago I planted a “Cotton Candy” white butterfly bush right outside our bedroom window. During the summer months we leave the windows open and many mornings I wake up to the sound of hummingbird wings whirring by. I open my eyes and am treated […]
Exploring the Oregon Coast … Siletz Bay Part 3
A large group of harbor seals hanging out … … along with this Great Blue Heron, who was keeping an eye on everything! Here the heron reminds me a bit of the Road Runner from the old cartoons. Coming in for a landing! After watching […]
Exploring the Oregon Coast … Siletz Bay Part 2
This was new to me! The fishing for crabs this way! This little guy was the lucky one to escape the dinner plate! He, or she, measured half an inch too small to be taken. The crab scampered sideways towards the water’s edge and then […]
Exploring the Oregon Coast … Siletz Bay Part 1
Spending a couple of days at the coast always recharges my batteries! The rhythmic sound of the waves crashing onto the shore is calming. And calm is what I’ve been needing lately. It seems like there is never break from all the bad stuff happening […]
Up Close & Personal … The Cooper’s Hawk returns
Imagine my surprise when I got another visit from the Cooper’s hawk Saturday afternoon! He came swooshing through the shrubs and landed right in front of me on the birdbath. There he sat still for a few moments, then hopped onto the ground behind the […]
Zunday Zen … Ensō
Open hearts and minds trump ignorance, hatred, fear. One’s character matters! When I discovered these incredible pieces of art on display in an office I’ve been to a number of times, it surprised even me that I had never noticed them before. I came […]
in cahoots with muddy boots 