View from the garden entrance The Zendog and I finally ventured out to explore the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden here in Portland. It’s located on SE 28th Avenue in the Westmoreland neighborhood. This garden got its start in the 1950 as a test garden and […]
All posts filed under: North America
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!!! […]
Hummingbird Magic!
This rufous hummingbird is usually keeps his distance when I’m in the garden. All hummingbirds love salvia! After the hummers battle each other in the air, the winner always seems to return to the plant where the battle first began. 🙂 Charging me! This is when […]
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 […]
Happy Friday from Downtown Portland!
Check out this view! Gorgeous, isn’t it? Happy Friday from the 30th floor terrace in Downtown Portland! A view of Pioneer Courthouse Square and the Pioneer Courthouse with the Willamette River, SE Portland and the Cascade Range in the background. Mount Hood was hidden behind the clouds. Have […]
Zunday Zen … The Magical Redwood Forest
Sequoia sempervirens the world’s tallest, living trees. There’s not much one can say about these incredibly beautiful, long-lived, resilient, fire-resistant and evergreen sky scraping giants! Even on a warm day the air within the forest stays reasonably cool. There’s really nothing else quite like it! […]
Bienvenue à Quebec! La Deuxième Partie!
While we were visiting Quebec, we also took a bus out towards the St. Lawrence Estuary where we got on a boat for a whale watching excursion. There were lots of Beluga whales, and also a fair number of Mink whales. The boat was a […]
Friendly Friday Photo Challenge … Time flies …
… when you’re having fun! A little late, but here is my combined contribution to the last two Friendly Friday Photo Challenges. First came Amanda’s prompt, “Alleys”, and then this past Friday, Snow picked “Chairs” for the prompt. While sorting my digital photo library I […]
Meditation in Moment … Earth Day
Phoenix Rising from the Ashes, Sonoma County Fair 2018 Sunday night, October 8, 2017, I went to bed excited because the next morning I was going to leave for my annual road trip to California. I had packed my car and was ready. This trip […]
Up Close & Personal … The Townsend’s Chipmunk
The arrival of spring always brings with it the Townsend’s Chipmunk. These adorable tiny rodents are related to squirrels and every bit as agile and acrobatic as their much larger relatives. They mostly scavenge on the ground, picking up sunflower seeds and bits of suet […]
Bienvenue à Quebec!
It’s been almost almost 8 years since we visited Quebec City in Canada. What I remember most about this city are the parks, the architecture, the flower boxes in the windows and the delicious cafe mochas we had. It very much reminded me of Europe in […]
California Road Trip 2018 … Tales of Gravensteins, the West County and a Political Babe
Sonoma County is a unique place. On the westside, Highway 12 and Occidental Road run parallel to each other between Santa Rosa and Sebastopol, with peaceful countryside in between the two roads: grassy pastures dotted with gnarly old oaks and grazing cattle, egrets and herons […]
A Stroll through Old Town Olympia
We’ve visited Olympia several times. The people are friendly, the city easy to navigate, and if you stay in, or near Old Town, everything is within easy walking distance. Some of our favorite things to there are looking at the many incredible murals, grab […]
Think! Before you Drink!
On this rainy stormy all hallow’s night the upcoming election gives me great fright this toxic bubbling witches brew it’s a really nasty hate-filled swampy stew Let’s flush the hate and vitriol down before our cherished democracy completely drowns Simply worded, I’ll say it out […]
California Road Trip 2018 … Hiking Howarth Park
One morning during my visit to Santa Rosa I met my friend Trish for breakfast at the East West Restaurant across from Howarth Park. I remember when they were located at the corner of Sonoma Avenue and Farmers Lane. The menu hasn’t changed much since […]
California Road Trip 2018 … “Good Grief Charlie Brown”, Part 2
Snoopy’s Home Ice has a bit of an alpine chalet look. The flower boxes remind me of Europe! The area around the entrance. Come on in! Welcome to Santa Rosa! Welcome to Snoopy’s Home Ice! I spent many an afternoon watching our boys learn to […]
