Last week I spotted a rare visitor to my garden! Golden-crowned sparrows spend winters along the Pacific coast. By mid-May they migrate to Western Canada and Alaska where they nest. They feed on seeds and insects below feeders and in underbrush. Moments later a second […]
All posts filed under: Up Close & Personal …
Zunday Zen … Love, Peace and Support …
for all the Mother’s in this World Motherhood is not for the faint of heart! As a new mom we often feel lost and always tired. Back then “Google” and “Alexa” did not come to the rescue. It was mostly on-the job training. Which mom […]
Hummingbird Magic!
Just hanging out and enjoying the view. Oops! Everybody poops! 😉 And then … it’s off to the next flower!
Meditation in Moments … Low Tide Special
Right side up … … upside down … … one greedy gull going to town. Early February we had a delightful break with the rain. It gave us a chance to visit the beach for a couple of days and recharge our batteries. It was […]
Hummingbird Magic!
These tiny flying helicopters are so much fun to watch! And photograph! Especially when they sit still for a moment or two. 😉
Hummingbird Magic!
Here’s a moment of Hummingbird Magic! Ever since putting out the flying saucer style feeders I’ve gotten more visitors. Our local bird store recommends mixing the nectar 1 part sugar and 3 parts water. This makes it more concentrated and nourishing during really cold weather. […]
Up Close & Personal … A Leucistic Chickadee
The chestnut-backed chickadee is the type of chickadee we usually get in our area. They always visit in small flocks and are quite “chatty” and animated. Last September I noticed a different looking bird in the garden. This mostly white bird behaved like a […]
Up Close & Personal … Hairy Woodpecker Fledglings
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 […]
Tidepooling at Haystack Rock
A 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 […]
in cahoots with muddy boots 