2024

The neighbor sets out a variety of nuts, and we get a family of Steller Jays who come for them. Steller Jays are more shy than our other corvids, so I'm always happy if I can just get them in the frame! ha.

I walk thru a neighborhood, on my way to Hidden Trail. And I enjoy several front yards and happy hell strips on the way!

I get to the hiking trail, and it looks about the same with the trees and branches still down and not cleared. This trail is on privately owned land and I doubt they have a volunteer group to maintain the area.

oh foo. A Red Breasted Sapsucker being uncooperative with the photography!

Here's that house that the tree had fallen down on.

And then I hike it all the way up to the Acorn Woodpeckers territory... and find nobody... ?

All the birds are quiet, no sparrows bouncing around in the brambles next to the sidewalk.

And I'm looking and looking at the top of all the snags. And I don't see a single Acorn Woodpecker, and I don't hear any either.

They have to guard their hoard. They HAVE TO. Where are they?

I am getting ever more upset.

Finally I see some Starlings... but the Acorn Woodpeckers *should* be driving them away.

I don't know what has happened. Could the ice storm have killed everyone? That's what I'm worried about. Or did something terrible happen in December when I was away? Because there's always at least one Acorn Woodpecker guarding, and I usually see two or three others hanging out as well.

I don't see any. And I'm in tears as I hike back down the hill.

Sighs. Gotta let it go.

These tiny irises are about six inches tall. Dwarf Irises, which blooms way earlier than the regular irises.

And they've chopped up the trees that had fallen across the side street next to our home.

I am a coffee drinker. I'm pretty serious about it.

But I've decided to teach myself to drink tea!

You know... Afternoon Tea! just sounds like something nice. And I think I'm the type of person who should be doing something nice like Afternoon Tea!

To that end, I've gotten myself some herbal teas that looked good...

I tried out the Berry one today. It's kind of... meh.

Probably it needs some crumpets or something to go along with it?

*laughs*

Well. This morning I got some sun again, for my walk.

oh, hey. The field behind the Events Center is getting a new, cute fence. I wonder why.

The clouds are moving around a lot and being pretty!

They have been working hard at the parks, but there is still much to do, from the mid-January ice storm. They'll probably cut this tree down.

It's another blue sky day. I'm starting to miss the rain!

Oh! This is different! There are Coots up on the bank!

With their cute red eyes!

And their adorable feet!

Huh. Someone has gathered some rocks and put them into a pretty pile, right outside on the sidewalk.

This is a vent or something in a building at the end of the street. A few years ago, some swallows used it as a nesting area. And then the House Sparrows stole it, and they've had it ever since.

It's way too early for nests, but perhaps the sunshine has the birds thinking about it!

These are pretty things. heh, I should have dead headed the plant for them, before I took the pic! :)

It's still really muddy, walking thru the forest part of Stewart Pond Park. And, Hey! The tripping hazard board I laid down is gone. I put down a new one!

Why there are so many of these little boards right next to the hiking path? Really couldn't tell ya! *laughs*

Yay, the rain is back. And it is raining all day!

Hello!

And Goodbye!

*laughs*

Oh, and it's the other Merganser as well!

So delightfully dreary!

They are still working on the new fence at the Events Center, and dang, it probably sucks to work in the rain.

My Leaning Tree fell over during the ice storm of mid-January... It's three trunks are now leaning on the ground in three different directions.

Today, I found it had been turned into an art installation!

[Oak trees hold] Onto their leaves so long in fall

And watching people go by

Hug trees, Love trees, Climb trees, Plant trees

Teaching us to look up. I Loved...

Dearest Amazing Tree.
I am so thankful for you!!!
Held in love
♥

Okay. That one made me cry. *sad smile*

I will miss this tree so much.

But this beautiful memorial from the community really is heart-warming.

Still visible progress made here with the ice storm damage, even tho I was here just a couple days ago!

These bouncy birds amused me!

Today I'm heading across the road to the Delta Ponds Park.

And yes, the Riverbank path goes thru the Delta Ponds as well... And I really really wish we could maybe name all the different ponds so that people can figure out what you're saying when you say Something Delta Ponds or Something Else Delta Ponds!! *laughs*

There actually aren't many trees down from the ice storm here. Tho it's obvious that they've cleaned up the trails.

There's an Osprey platform nest here and haha! Got a lawn going on up there! I wonder if the Ospreys will mow it when they get back from their winter vacation.

Turtles! Unfortunately, they are the very invasive Red Ear Sliders. But they are cute!

Oh hey! When I get past the main parking lot, there's a sign!

Well. The dates are incorrect... the Construction Schedule def did not begin last summer and def did not end in late fall.

But it will be so awesome when they actually finish the loop around the Ponds!! I mean, look at how close they got the first time (and then they ran out of money!)...

Oh! They have started on the work! Yay!

Wow! There's a path started! Nice! Too bad I can't see very far because of the hill. But how exciting!

Ha. Yep, a week of February has already gone by, and I've suddenly decided to login at LetterMo... It's okay tho, since I have sent some postcards every day so far! :)

They have ported into a new design again this year, and consequentially, I've lost my extensive friends list. This is a bummer. And additionally, they still don't have DMs or any kind of private messaging.

The lack of functionality on the LetterMo website is what drove me away in the past.

On top of that... I hate that font!

But it is what it is. And I've updated my profile. And I've sent out a few friend requests.

There's a family of crows gathered and eating something again today.

Heh. Does that look a bit like a Cheez-It?

Well, that's certainly some crappy human food. It's not good for you!

It's Angle's Friend, the Common Merganser. Still no sign of Angle, tho I keep looking. But I'm seeing this one often enough, I guess Angle's Friend is going to stick as a name for him!

I guess they've finished the new fence at the Events Center... I still don't know what the point of it is, but at least it looks nice!

Oh funny! They've put a fence around the fallen Leaning Tree as well!

I walk around the end of the fence and spend some quality time with my friend the Tree.

The Oaks take so long to wake up in the spring.

This tree is loved.

I loved you and I love you

This is a special place. A landmark. A focal [point.]

Oh! This is nice! They've left some extra streamers and some sharpies to write your own tribute to the tree!

*laughs* I don't know what to write! Everything I think of seems inadequate to the moment!

Sighs.

Oh my gosh! It looks like...

Suspish is getting married!! Awww! Little Fishies In LOVE!

Congratulations, Suspish!

Yeah, so today I'm going up to the Acorn Woodpeckers territory to confirm if they're dead or not. Last time I went up, there were zero.

Good Morning, My Dear.

And first I go past the Little Free Pantry, and oh jeez... someone repainted it...

oh, gah. Green is my favorite colour... but this? This ... is kind of ... cringe.

In fact. I kind of feel like this is vandalism! The artwork here before was beautiful, and that Crow on the side was awesome! And this is just... blah. ARG!

And Look! Not only did they not clean up the inside... It is completely Empty! Because who wants to have food on those muddy, gross shelves. GAH! Painting the outside was SO misguided and stupid! GAH. Why are people so stupid??!

*Deep Breath*

It takes me a while to get over my annoyance! In fact, I'm halfway up the hill before I get out of my screaming brain! heh.

And then I'm at the top. And coming around the corner, there's a hawk up here again.

Red Tail Hawk... and what are you doing with your feathers??

It's not rained or anything, maybe she's drying out from a bath.

And then I see an Acorn Woodpecker!

Yay!

Oh, Yay!

oh my gosh. I was so worried!

But here we all are!

There are Acorn Woodpeckers guarding the hoard. And I can hear some talking their Wika-wika-wika contact call in the trees to the north. Oh, I am so glad to see them!

And, I'm thinking. There are hawks up here all the time.

I wonder... the last time I came up here... I wonder if a hawk had just murdered some little bird or somebody for breakfast, just before I showed up?

The hawk might have been on the ground eating, and I wouldn't have noticed. I'm not looking at the ground when I'm up here.

But all the other birds would have been laying low, and shocked that their friend had just been killed.

And then I come along. And don't see or hear anyone. And freak out and assume everyone is dead.

well. I'm glad that not everyone is dead!

Here's a woodpecker working on a new hole... the chips are flying!

Whoa! That little hole is way deeper than you'd think!

I am just so relieved that this Acorn Woodpecker family is still here!

I'm going around the corner to get back to the hiking trail down the hill. And I see this one, a Steller Jay, just minding his own business...

What the heck??!

A Scrub Jay?

???

And the nice perch goes to the victor!

*laughs* So very odd!

And then I'm coming back down the hill, and here's a little deer!

Her winter coat is looking decidedly scruffy!

And people are still getting fallen trees removed.

It's been three weeks since the ice storm, and there's still so much tree damage that needs to be taken care of in the city.

There's a steady sprinkle coming down for the entire walk today. But I keep having to point the camera up... and I keep having to wipe the lens!

I wander into the Community Garden... and notice one of the Lesser Celandines I tried to murder the other day in the neighboring plot, is trying to make a comeback. This is inevitable of course. I break off the leaves, and contemplate the pointlessness of it all. *laughs*

A Crocus is coming up in our plot!

Moving on. Here's someone I've not seen before.

A very pretty boy who def should stay inside.

Another pretty boy, I have to look up for. *wipes the lens* Again!

Oh! A Varied Thrush!! Aw... is there ANY chance at this?

Well... ?

Yay!

*laughs* Thank You!

Out to the Leaning Tree...

I keep wondering when they will get around to removing this tree. Will this be the last time I get to see this beautiful tree?

It's a good day for flowers!

Still working at cleaning up the parks.

Pardon me? Your shoulder feathers are sticking out weirdly... could you just fix that please?! :)

Huh. I wonder what happened here!

I did not photo the jerks walking in the forest, *Right* *Under* *This* *Sign*!! Jerks.

Still much work to be done.

I wander into the Community Garden to check on my blooming Crocus...

More on the way!

Good Morning, Lovey!

Oh. I've interrupted your morning calisthenics?

Oh yeah! I can tell that feels good!

Oh my gosh, look at them all!

Unfortunately, being straight up from the path is not a great angle! *laughs*

They like to be cozy, right next to each other!

Bye!

There's a partnered pair of Downy Woodpeckers, but they were both bouncing around to fast for me.

Oh hey! Instead of openly mocking me, my friend the Belted Kingfisher has decided to sit for a moment!

This pair always flies up and down the creek, this time of year, looking for a good place for a nest. Kingfishers dig a tunnel in the bank for their nest, but I've never actually seen them do that... so I don't know if they nest here or not!

heh. She notices me and flies off.

And Falkor Part 2, again.

Such an awesome variety of birds today! It makes me happy!

These are pretty, but I don't know what they are. [They are Primroses!]

um, what the heck is going on?!

Ha. This bun-bun must have escaped? And now we are having second thoughts because it's really scary out here in the real world! I think she is wishing she could get in with the hens!

I arrive at the ponds, and Yay! There are ducks here! Teals all over the place, and this little group was talking to each other.

They are so little and cute.

huh. They are called Green Wing Teals... I wonder if it's just how the light falls, that some of them have blue?

Okay! We are all paired off now! ha!

There are a couple handfuls of Norther Shovelers here as well!

In the little forest, I have to replace my Hazard board again! The root that sticks up here is so hard to see, I def don't want anyone else tripping over it!

ooh, careful! Don't get a splinter in your foot!
And what is that on your face?

*laughs*

Delightfully dreary today, and it's been raining all morning!

Ha, I had to look up what these are again... ah, Flowering Quince!

Haha! Feeling a bit stabby!

I have been meaning to check out Wild Iris Ridge for a while now. There was an article in the Eugene Weekly about the park and it looks like a nice little hike... the park is 255 acres and the loop trail is 3.7 miles long.

The problem is, the park is just over 2miles from home. All together, with the hike, that would be a pretty long walk for me... and if there's any kind of hills to go up and down on the trail, that's going to be a tough walk home!

So it might be better to drive over there. But before I get the car out for a ridiculously short trip, I want to make sure it's worth it by walking to the trail head and checking it out!

And I've been putting this off for months...

I've never been up that road, and since it connects with 11th -- a major thoroughfare -- I figured it would be nothing but strip malls and businesses, and I'd have to be avoiding cars coming in and out of parking lots. And blah, right? Boring!

But then, today. The sun was out, there was blue sky all the way across. Except for that bit in the west.

I thought I was going to walk up Hidden Trail. But I got outside, and that bit of grey cloud in the west had completely taken over! It started sprinkling, and then raining. And it wasn't going to let up at all!

So, yeah. I don't want to bother going up Hidden in the rain. And I decided to go find Wild Iris Ridge instead!

I walk thru part of the same neighborhood...
(These are some dwarf irises in someone's front yard. This variety pops up way earlier than normal irises which bloom in May or so!)

And then cut thru to get to the road that leads to the park.

And it turns out, the road is really nice...

I come up the hill to what looks like a city park, with grass and a line of fir trees. It turns out to be a sprawling middle school. And there's neighborhood and community buildings all along the way. I don't have to dodge a single car, even on the streets I cross! So nice!

And then I find the park!

Yay! But the parking lot is tiny. And full of cars. hmm. That could be a problem.

I check out the map at the kiosk and then go up the trail to see what the park looks like. It's not terribly inviting from here...

um? The trail follows the power line clearing? Okay, this is kind of terrible.

But I keep going... Okay! This is more like it!!

I go a little bit further, just to make sure. And yep, there's a split in the trail and you can go up the hill thru the forest, and avoid the stupid power lines!

I think we have a winner!

The Varied Thrush has been singing somewhere outside the bedroom window this morning. Really going at it! I wish I could see him!

Cloudy today and not too chilly. It's a nice day for a walk.

Hmm. I don't know why the tree has a ribbon, either.

At the Community Garden, I look down the path to the street and see a squirrel getting into a food wrapper. And a Crow patiently waiting for a turn.

Oh my gosh! Look! That Squirrel is Very pregnant!!

The Crow must realize the situation. Crows def have the upper hand with squirrels, and could easily just walk up and take the food wrapper! Instead, she's practically guarding the squirrel.

Yep, definitely Prego! :) Heh... Probably Squirrels get cravings when they're pregnant too!

Keeping an eye out.

And Squirrel is paying attention to her Guardian Crow, if nothing else!

I can't tell what was in the wrapper. Candy bar? Energy bar?

Her roundness is just too cute.

And the Guardian Crow is too awesome.

Good luck, Little One. Hope everything goes smoothly!

Someone has left some art!

Escaping thru the Lilly [sic?] fields,
I came upon an empty space..
It trembled and exploded,
Left a bus stop in its place.

And the Leaning Tree and it's art remain.

There was web site contact info on the back of the poetry pieces, but I will spare you from having to look at it. Crazy guy, deep in the conspiracy theories, probably needs meds.

But his poems are nice.

Fare thee well now.
Let your life proceed by your own design.

I'm starting at the Rose Garden today, and the Magnolia tree is well on it's way to spring!

I hear some Crows cawing and far away I see them mobbing a Red Tail Hawk.

Oh, wow! There's a Turkey Vulture!

Vultures are my favorite!

And look at her face! You see how the tip of her beak is mostly dark grey? She's a juvenile! Her beak will change to bright white, and her face will get red as she gets older!

She is so beautiful! She flies over to a nearby tree and I hope she'll pause there while I walk over.

Just carefully walking this tightrope! haha!

Thank you so much for your time! You are so sweet!

Autzen Walking Bridge is my turn around point. I go across to make a loop and come back on the other side of the river.

But I always pause here to listen to the river.

I love it here and wish I could stay longer.

But I've got other things to do today, and eventually I move on.

Still no sign of Angle, and I've mostly given up looking for her. Did the ice storm kill her?

Well. Ducks don't live forever. But I'm going to pretend Angle has just found a nicer place to hang out, downstream.

I'm doing science today!

The internet tells me there are seven steps to the scientific method...

Question How many men, compared to how many women, use the bike path?

Research I've been walking the bike path, lo these many years. *laughs*

Hypothesis A lot more men use the bike path.

My observations: Almost all bikers are men. Most homeless people are men. Dog walkers... hm this might be closer to 50-50. Walkers and Joggers, probably mostly men, maybe around 60-40.

But what does it all come out to?

Experiment Count up the people I see on the bike path!

Data Analysis Today I walked just over 4 miles and I was out for about 1h35m. I counted 19 men and 8 women. 27 people total is 70.37% men, 29.63% women.

Conclusion Twice as many men are using the bike path today.

Communication *waves at you reading this!*

It makes me sad that there is this disparity.

The inequality probably has many reasons... the extra (unpaid) labor that women still must do: they simply don't have time to walk on the bike path. And as well, not feeling safe in a place which is clearly dominated by men.

A Crow cawed in an alarmed way and the ducks I was looking at in the creek, flushed! What's going on? You're not freaking out about me, are you??

I look up. Ah!

The fallen Leaning Tree still remains... it's been over a month since the ice storm in mid-January.

The trunks are broken off from their roots.

I just love this Camellia bush!

That Red Shoulder is at the Garden again!

I am walking west today and I am counting humans again.

Hypothesis I think there's going to be even more men using the bike path, going this way.

Experiment Count up the people I see on the bike path.

Data Analysis 24 men, 7 women. 31 total makes it 77.4% men and 22.6% women.

Conclusion Wow. More than three times as many men!

Going this way, there are industrial type warehouses along the bike path.

Yesterday, I went east on the bike path, towards downtown. The bike path goes thru neighborhoods and parks. There are grocery stores, and shops and restaurants as you approach the edges of downtown. And there are apartments and houses all along the way.

It is more beautiful going east. And with nearby stores, there are places to walk to and from. Also, being near homes makes it feel safer for women.

To the west, there's none of that. So fewer women are here.

Oh my gosh! It's bath time!

*Laughs*

Cedar Waxwings like to be right next to each other. But lordy, does everyone need to be RIGHT THERE? Don't we need some space to splash?

Their cute little mask across their eyes.

Aw. A Cackling Goose all by herself, just hanging out with a couple of Mallards. Where are your people, my dear?

There are Northern Shovelers and Teals here as well, and some Canada Geese further on. It's good to see the ponds in use!

I finally get to the little forest, but it's pretty quiet here today.

It started pouring down rain today as soon as I got out the door. And I was pretty sure it would screw up my numbers for my science experiment today.

Yep, while it rained, all the way up past the Community Garden, the count was 100% men!

But then the rain quit and more people came out. The numbers are still a bit skewed tho.

Data Analysis 29 men, 11 women == 40 total, which is 72.5% men and 27.5% women.

Conclusion Almost three times as many men today, with the rain. (The other day, walking this way was twice as many men.)

Just one of the reason why I love it here:

Not sure that there is actually weekly work that needs to happen this time of year. Probably it's just people gathering for a happy time! :)

Let's see. There's usually a Song Sparrow here to greet me? Ah, here we are. Too bad she didn't give me time to get a decent picture!

Couple different Camellias blooming at the Rhododendron Garden.

Osoberry blooming in the forest!

Many of the fallen trees from the ice storm just look like normal forest. But some don't.

I decide to go up on the Ribbon Trail... and oh hey! New gravel?

Oh! That's right, they were working on the trail here, in October!

oh wow, this is so much nicer now! Parts of the trail were literally sloughing off the hill, and one section was actually getting dangerous. All nice and leveled and reinforced!

Oop, a place they haven't cleared the trail... but it's relatively easy to step over the couple of heavy branches across the trail.

Oh, these are pretty little things!

Let's see... not Candy Flower. Candy Flower has five petals and the petals are notched. Not Herb Roberts either, which also has five petals and is pink. Okay, Google...

Oh Cool! A native wildflower! It's Coast Toothwort!

Okay!

Yes, I've been counting humans today at the park. My hypothesis is that there's going to be a lot more women here... The park is not big, and it's entirely contained within wealthy neighborhoods. Rich women have a lot more time to walk.

Also, there's rarely any homeless people out on the trails.

So I counted differently today... I kept track of WHO people were walking with.

5 Pairs = 10 people
3 walking dogs
7 walking alone

Total = 20 people, 7 of whom were men and 13 women.

Wow: 65% women and 35% men. Almost twice as many women is a complete turnaround from the bike path numbers, where there are two or three times as many men!

I started counting humans on the bike path again today... But then I got to the Events Center.

There's heavy machinery taking up all the space in the Events Center parking lot. And the back parking lot is full, and there's trucks parked along the neighborhood streets, for blocks around.

And there are men walking from their pickups to the Events Center. Technically, they are _on_ the path... but they are not _using_ the path in the way that I want to count.

Also, it's 100% men, and that's really going to screw up my count.

When I got home, I looked up to see what was happening...

It's the Oregon Logging Conference and oh my gosh, the irony. The fallen Leaning Tree is right there... They could have done the city a favor AND could have provided a demonstration of their big stupid machines by chopping up and cleaning up the Leaning Tree.

Did they? no, of course not. And of course I'm glad that the Leaning Tree remains in place. But it's still a ridiculous situation!

This stuff is called Winter Heath. It's a low growing plant, native to the mountains of Europe and used here as an early blooming landscaping plant. Normally, it has pink flowers, so this white one caught my eye!

Oh, aren't these Lovely! I think I will make this a postcard!

Oh, gah, the sun is so stinkin' bright! And a few days without rain, and look, there's just a trickle coming over the spillover, into the ponds.

Ha! My new little friend! She's bouncing around barely six feet away, and isn't bothered at all when I move around like a strange human with a camera!

Such cute little birds. I will miss them when they go back up to Canada and Alaska for their nesting season.

Oh, cool! There are turtles Everywhere! A little bit of sunshine and everyone wants to come out and soak up some rays!

It's hard to tell the invasive Red Ear Sliders from our native Western Pond Turtles... especially when I'm pointing the camera into the sun! ha.

But here's a native!

The Cackling Geese like to hang out in huge flocks, and someone has disturbed this flock at the school fields... Suddenly there are hundreds of geese in the sky!

The flock was flying in my direction, and when they turned, as a flock in a beautifully coordinated liquid-like movement, the WHOOSH sound of their wings on the air was surprisingly loud and awe inspiring!

In less than five minutes, they are all gone, can't even hear anyone honking.

Can you imagine a flock of Passenger Pigeons... blackening the sky for days on end??

Looking northwest from the Owosso Walking Bridge.

Aw, is it going to be one of Those days?

Some trees coming to life with spring green and cherry blossom pink!

Yep.

Okay, that's better!

whoa! Usually the teals are shy and paddling away! But this pair is close and sticking around for some decent photography! Thank You!

Yeah, some of the big logging machines are still here from the Logging Conference. It's funny how useless they are!

The new fence looks picturesque!

Oh! There's a pair of Bluebirds at the Community Garden!

She is so cute!

YES! Check it out! Do you want to raise some little Bluebird babies in there?!

Aw. They are a cute couple! It would be nice to have a family at the Community Garden again. There are several nesting boxes here to choose from. Last year we had House Sparrows in one, but the others were unoccupied.

There's a little bit of a lot of weather today! *laughs*

I set out under a grey cloudy sky, but the sun broke out before too long. Under my warm, heavy shirt and my black rain jacket, I was getting way too hot. ugh.

The clouds came back and soon it was sprinkling. And then raining. And then pouring! When I turned around, I was walking into the wind. The jeans got soaked and I was getting rather chilly!

And then the rain clouds broke up and the sun came out again. But this time the chilly wind kept me cool. And that's how I prefer it...

I'd rather be slightly cold, rather than slightly hot. I can just walk a little faster if I get cold. But walking slower when I'm hot, is not an option! Haha!

Here's Henrietta. It's always nice to see him!

This willow tree came down in the ice storm... but spring time is bringing it to life!

The broken willow past Blazey's spot is coming to life as well.

*laughs* The camera lens has fogged up! It's 86% humidity, probably even more than that here in the forest next to the waterfall. And it's been sprinkling.

Aw, there's a deer up there too? And of course, no one is cooperating! heh.

More trees getting chopped up.

Oh nice! I think this is the same little bachelor band that I couldn't get pics of on the way up!

That's sweet of them to stick around for me!

There's a gusty breeze today and I get all the way to the Community Garden and I haven't taken any photos of anyone! So I decide to go in and look at the flowers.

The Crocuses in our plot are already looking pathetic.

But the Daffodils in the back corner plot are cheerful!

Back to the bike path. It's kind of a sleepy day, today... :)

And it's started sprinkling.

It rained all thru the night and it's dark and dreary this morning! But the breeze has continued as well and 37°F is feeling like 30° with the wind chill. Brr!

I put on extra layers, and tuck the camera under the rain jacket and head out like usual!

Aw, look at how precious she is!

That's a Golden Crown Sparrow, our winter visitors from Alaska and Canada. The yellow is Oregon Grape blooms, our state flower!

With raindrops on her head!

All this rain means the creek has come up and the bike path is flooded under the bridges.

And the rain is filling up the wet prairie puddles again!

I walk up into the neighborhoods at the edges of downtown. This is Wayside Park, a micro park in an awkward corner of an intersection. They've chopped up the big Mimosa Tree that had fallen in the ice storm and it feels empty without the canopy.

*laughs* I just can't get enough of these pink flowers!

Okay, here's something odd...

I had walked past the Community Garden, and I saw this bird, way far away getting dive bombed by Starlings... And I assumed she was that Red Shoulder Hawk, who has been hanging out in the area.

But I was surprised when I looked at the photos!

*laughs* That's a Corvid. She was far away, but I knew she was big. And I'm wondering if this is actually a Raven!

We rarely see Ravens here in the city... occasionally, very very occasionally -- like once every other year -- I might hear a Raven's croaking caw as they fly over. But that's it. You have to go out into the wilderness to meet a Raven!

So yeah. I'm not sure. But that makes a pretty cool Leap Day! :)