Last summer we had a large number of woodpecker parents bringing their fledglings to our suet feeders. This year not so much! I suspect that it has probably been too hot for the birds too around here. It certainly has been way too hot for […]
All posts filed under: Up Close & Personal …
Tidepooling at Haystack Rock
A Â minus tide last month had us back at the Oregon Coast. The weather again was just about perfect and the low water levels left much of the usually submerged rocks and sand accessible. We left Portland by 8 a.m. to arrive in Cannon Beach […]
Up Close & Personal … The Varied Thrush
I’ll always remember the first time I spotted one of these birds! It was on a very cold winter morning in our garden in Portland, Oregon. I had to get the bird field guide out since I’d never seen this bird before and learned they […]
Up Close & Personal … The Western Swallowtail Butterfly
It’s getting hot here in the Pacific Northwest! Much of the western United States is dealing with excessive heat right now. Yesterday, it was 125° Fahrenheit in Palm Springs!! While most people wilt under these brutal conditions, butterflies and hardy wildflowers come alive! Long ago […]
Happy Friday from my quiet Creative Space!
If it’s Friday, this is where you’ll find me! A few years ago I signed up for a watercolor class and fell in love with it. It took a lot of practice and patience to improve my paintings. For much of 2020 I didn’t paint […]
Sunday Zen … Our Newfound Freedom
… Space … … Sand … Sun … Surf … … to my left … … to my right … … high-up  in the sky … a kite … … some people quietly delight … … in all of nature’s might … … crashing waves […]
Happy Friday from my Plum Tree!
The year after planting this plum tree we got a bumper crop of fruit! But ever since, when the tree awakens in the spring there are lots of blossoms, but no fruit. Nontheless, I love this tree! It provides nectar for hummers and mason bees […]
Hummingbird Magic!
A little cleaning, a little preening, there really are moments when these very active birds sit still. 🙂
Happy Friday from my Garden!
This Western Swallowtail has taken a liking to my Korean lilac bush. It visits every day and always heads straight for these fragrant blossoms. Just take a look at the proboscis covered in pollen! I watched until it disappeared into the woods along with the […]
Up Close & Personal … The Pileated Woodpecker
A couple of days ago, as I was walking past a stand of trees at the park, I heard a rather loud and insistent hammering sound. “Woodpecker!” I told myself and slowed down as I quietly followed the sound. I peeked through some branches and […]
Happy Mother’s Day from my Garden!
Happy Mother’s Day from my Garden! What better place to be than outside on a lovely day. The garden is starting to show its most beautiful side during this time of spring. The heavenly fragrance of  lilac blossoms attracted the first western swallowtail of the season. […]
Up Close & Personal … The Female Black-Headed Grosbeak
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
