2025

A Sunday Stroll.

Green Heron!!

Hi Baby!

Oh my gosh!

Papa Flicker has brought food.

Heh, I think Baby is getting poked from underneath!!

Yep...

Three babies trying to get a meal!

Aww! Her tongue!!! *giggles*

Okay, who's next?? Rearrange yourselves, Babies!

Oh my gosh! The Mama has come as well!!!

And... Of Course, the stupid climate change wind does the wrong thing with the leaves. ARG!

Papa flies away.

And Mama steps in.

Everybody is starving! *laughs*

So demanding!

oh foo.

She runs out of food, and flies away to get more.

Okay. Moving on!

Duckling! A singleton. Mama is on the next rock over.

And it's normal for babies to do weird things like that with their legs!!

Okay! I'm at the garden and oh sheesh. Look how badly the slugs are munching the Volunteer Squashes! Nothing but stumps left on most of those!

But the ones at the edge are still untouched and happy!

I just can't get over how cute the small Strawberry plant is with it's pet Nasturtium!

The replacement Spaghetti Squash is not looking good. I don't think it's going to make it. SIGHS.

But Look! There's some Beet seedlings!!!

I hope the slugs let some of them live!

Well. As usual, it's good and bad at the garden plot. I try not to be too upset about the damn Spaghetti Squash.

I guess I could try to plant some seeds, I've saved lots from years past.

On the walk home, I just glance up at the Flicker nest.

The Southern Magnolias on my street are blooming.

There's one low enough to look into!

When I get on the bike path, a pair of Green Herons fly past me. They are too fast for photography, and I am happily surprised at all the Green Herons I've been seeing lately!

Flicker baby looking out of the nest.

But nothing exciting is happening so I go on to the garden.

Where the Spaghetti Squash is almost wilted to death.

I didn't water yesterday, but I don't think that's the cause of all these wilting deaths that have been happening.

But then I get distracted because I turn on the water and nothing comes out.

Kevin is conveniently working in his plot and I go ask him about it. The water is turned off?

He looked over at the taps that were leaking on Sunday, there was a big discussion about it, that I overheard but did not get involved in. I could see his wheels turning, ha. Except I thought it was resolved that it was a hose problem?

Kevin looks over at me and says, Oh, that's weird... I definitely saw other people watering today! He comes back and turns on his water which is working.

I turn on mine, nothing happens again ... and OH! Hang on!

I pick up the new sprayer. Yep, it's been turned off! I switch it on and water comes out!

I laugh at myself and am embarrassed and say Thanks for helping me to Kevin.

But I don't ever turn the sprayer off... and it's also on a different setting than I use. So that's weird... Was Partner here over the weekend? Or who is messing with the hose??? And why would someone mess with my hose??! Each plot has their own faucet, and there's hoses attached to all four in this corner. There's no reason for anyone to fiddle with the hose!

I worry about it while I water the garden.

When I'm done, the hose has twisted, and I think about straightening it out. And then I realize... that's what happened! haha!

The last time I watered, the hose had twisted up and I unkinked it by unwinding the loops. The sprayer must have hit the ground just right to flip the switch all the way off. And probably the turning thing that controls the spray pattern got moved as well, to a different setting.

So that was entirely my fault! Haha!

I eat another strawberry to console myself!

And the Beets are definitely growing and looking pretty!

That's good... even if all the squashes die miserable deaths, at least I'll have Beets!

I head out for more walking.

I go past the Leaning Tree saplings.

Oh, this side yard is amazing with the foxgloves!

And this yard has a patch of our native, Showy Milkweed!

I've never seen a Monarch Butterfly here, but there is a western population on this side of the Rocky Mountains!

Back at the creek... Oh!

dang it.

I walk around to the other side.

Wow! Thank you!

I'm back at the Flicker nest.

I notice I can see her spots thru this crack...

I wonder if the crack goes all the way down to the main part of the nest.

Leaves keep blowing in the way, and frustrating me.

So I move on and meet up with one of the pairs of Scrub Jays... One of them was on the ground, not moving, and I could not figure out what I was looking at!!

At first I assumed it was trash on the ground. I kept staring and when I got close, the Scrub Jay rousted and flew to a tree... OH! She had been sunning!

And I disturbed her. Oops! Sorry!

*Blink* :)

I arrive at my garden plot and notice a couple little leaves of the invasive Comfrey. I've been trying to kill it since Autumn 2023. Die, Comfrey, Die!

I forgot to take a Before picture, but this is the work I did today... pulling out the encroaching grass in the front left side of the plot.

It's super important to keep the front of the plot tidy this year since I am breaking the No Borage rule.

Excited to see one of the Crookneck seeds germinating!!

But actually, the last Crookneck start I transplanted is looking really good... no slug damage at all!

On the other side of the plot, the Yellow Zucchini is basically dead. The slugs have munched out it's core.

and the Spaghetti Squash on the big trellis is all but dead, between the slugs and the wind breaking the stems.

I try to focus on the good things. The Primary Green Zuc has lost a couple leaves, but seems to be establishing itself.

I think about taking off it's supports in stages.

The couple of volunteer squashes are still evading the slugs, somehow. I wish I knew what the trick is for doing that!

And the big Strawberry plant is sending out runners as well. Fabulous!

This is the small Strawberry, the new Seascape Strawberry and on the right is the Half Dead Sungold... looking short but recovering well.

All of the Tomatoes are growing and doing well. So that's nice. I guess after all the squashes die, at least I will have Beetroots and Tomatoes!

And the Accidental Lemon Cucumber keeps hanging on. I've kind of dismissed it, but it's still green so I keep watering it!

I'm heading out and stop to admire the hot house Cosmos.

Huh. That's weird. No one peering out?

There is a couple of humans nearby, chatting in their back yard. I can't see them, for the fence, and they aren't being loud or anything. Just a normal couple, enjoying the day. Maybe they are drinking tea on their back porch.

Doesn't seem like this would make the babies hide deeper in the nest. After all, they've lived next to the bike path their entire lives!

odd.

But then I get distracted!

Western Tiger Swallowtail!!

These butterflies hardly ever sit for photography! So this is exciting!

I know the butterfly will fly away in a couple of seconds... so I have to be fast! Most of the pictures look like this...

haha!

well. Thanks Butterfly!!

Just another stupid example that when this regime does anti-DEI stuff it's obviously just white male supremacy.

∞ Domestic Violence Services Have Been Absolutely Decimated By Trump Nonsense Guess preventing violence against women is DEI!
It's not remotely surprising that they want to pretend domestic violence is not a systemic issue, but rather an issue of individual criminality, as it seems they want to pretend there is no such thing as a systemic issue across the board.

Remember when that fucking traitor and RAPIST trump said he was going to protect women, whether they like it or not? Yeah, so gross.

The regime hates women and it's just a matter of time before we lose all our rights. America will NEVER recover from this disaster.

We are well on our way to being a third world country.

... Ugh. I am just so angry. At everything this regime is doing. And I'm so disappointed that Checks and Balances are not happening, and the regime is literally getting away with murder, once removed.

How many people have already died from the lack of USAID? Tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands.

And how many people will die from this?

Some nice cloud cover this morning and it's a pleasant 61° when I leave the house, to be 74° today.

A bit warmer than the normal of 71°, but I will take it... there's a heat wave on the way for this weekend. blah.

I'm carrying the last of the squash starts to the garden in my backpack. The second Green Zucchini has gotten so big, growing in the porch room, there are many leaves poking out and bobbing over my shoulder as I walk!

I get a few comments as I pass people on the way. My favorite is a lady on a bike, with her precious dog running along beside her. It's very Oregon to see a lady on the bike path with a hitchhiking plant! Bahaha!! Yes it is!!

At the Flicker nest... nothing?

I pause here for a while, waiting for something to happen. Have the babies fledged? There's no sounds coming from the nest, and no begging babies in the nearby trees.

Arg. I think they are gone! I think they started flying without me! I totally missed it!

Now I'll never know how many babies were in there! *laughs*

Bummer.

I get to the garden, determined to only look at the good things, to cheer myself up... and Look! A couple more Crookneck seeds have germinated!

And Look! Something new and unidentified is growing in the Fallow Area...

On the right is a munched Buckwheat and a also munched Fava. I had also thrown down a really old wildflower seed mix here. So I'm excited to see what this will turn out to be!

I get the two plants I brought, into the ground... I put the Butternut at the end of the big trellis and the secondary Green Zuc in the Fallow Area. It's so big, it's funny to call it secondary!

I've decided to pull the branches out of the protection grid of the primary Green Zuc...

The three remaining Lemon Cucumbers (of the six I planted at the small trellis) are looking good. Two on this side...

And one over here...

And, oh my gosh! I think this is a Lemon Cucumber seed germinating!!

This has never happened before, so I am thrilled!

The tiny Beet seedlings are still there... And there's a Spotted Cucumber Beetle. hmm.

While the Striped Cucumber Beetles have murdered many veggies in the past, the Spotted ones have never caused any trouble. I think they are cute! But, seriously, Little Dude, you better not be messing with my baby beets!!

I get momentarily distracted by Kevin's Breadseed Poppies, making the Bees happy.

And then I notice the right side neighbor has some beautiful Garden Pinks.

They have not thinned out the Horseradish thats in the back corner, yet. *grumble*

I spontaneously decide to cut some of the Elephant Garlic scapes to take home!

The first harvest! Well, except for the 3 or 4 Strawberries I've eaten.

Garlic scapes are super mild. I can even eat them raw. The only trouble is, figuring out where the tough part begins.

No ripe strawberries today, tho.

Right before I leave, I check in with the one Fava that survived the winter...

Awesome! The flowers are turning into beans! I will have replacements to plant for this year's winter cover crop!

This is cool! This looks like Columbia Clubtail, but this would be well out of its range.

He's hard to identify because amateurs like me really need a side view of their body!

And then on the bike path curve, I meet up with the grey headed Scrub Jay again...

I'm pretty sure they are so grey because they are a fledgling. No gape, tho. How quickly do the kids lose their gape?

Happy to see my blue friends at the bike path curve.

Unhappy to see the Flicker nest where the babies flew away without my permission! *laughs*

There's surprisingly no one around, so I go to the back of the Community Garden to check out our bird bath art installation.

Volunteers make this all pretty and the purple vine is new!

Clematis!

Hi Cute Bug!

And then I go down the back pathway, some of my favorite garden plots are here!

You see why it's my favorite! Bug Lovers!

I'm at my plot and I check on the squash plants I put in yesterday. The secondary Green Zuc has wind damage that broke one of it's stems. SIGHS.

And the Butternut... Oh No! It's wilting to death!

And all of a sudden I realize what's been going on...

Striped Cucumber Beetles. A few of these beetles carry a disease, and the first bite into a plant transfers this bacterial wilt. Death ensues. (Death for the plant, that is. The Beetle lives on to murder some more.)

So that's what happened to my poor stupid Lemon Cucumbers that died so quickly. And the other squashes.

And... this is just... not good. I've not seen the Striped Cuc Beetles in years. But when I did see them, they were an out of control infestation. Not only killing stuff with the wilt disease, but causing so much physical damage with their hungry munchings that adult plants were killed as well.

And I don't even have any adult plants yet! There's no way baby plants are going to survive.

ARG!

On top of that, the slugs are still active and are murdering the Wax Beans as they come up.

Just. ARG!

Okay. Take a breath! Focus on the good things! The Crookneck seedlings are so cute!

I've got other seeds I could plant. I could try planting some Spaghetti Squash seeds.

And the Mystery Volunteer Squashes living outside the boundary of the slug munched seedlings are still good.

And the pet Nasturtium that the small Strawberry plant is cultivating makes me happy.

And, oh my gosh! Some Lettuces have come up from the seeds I planted!!

Wow! That's so cool!

Those other seedlings above are Amaranths. I'll need to pull those out so they don't compete.

I'm excited about the Lettuces and def feeling better as I gather my things to leave. At the back of the plot, this...

This is Sunchoke, returning from last year. (Even tho I dug it up and pulled out four buckets of roots! ha, I guess I missed some!)

It is decidedly in my plot, well over a foot from the left side border. And I will need to figure out what I'm going to do about it.

It's a big plant. Very tall. And you really shouldn't have big plants on the border, since it can block the sun for a few hours during the day.

Except. The new neighbor on the left... is not friendly. He completely ignored me when he was puttering in his plot the other day. So I'm not really motivated to try to help him in his gardening journey.

heh. Yeah. I will probably let the Sunchokes live.

Okay, on my way! As I'm heading to the gate, I stop to admire these Columbines.

And back at the creek, a couple of older ducklings!

The baby fluff on their back is so adorable.

Proud Mama!

And a little further on, aww!

It's the first truly hot day of the year. It's been mid and upper 70s the past ten days or so... definitely warmer than it should be, normal is 72° (22°C).

Today will be 87° and it's already 73° when I leave the house.

And that heat wave is still in the forecast for the rest of the weekend.

I fill up my water bottle, and try not to be too bothered!

The family of Scrub Jays at the bike path curve. I wonder if they are getting used to me looking at them!

That doesn't look very comfortable, my dear...

You're just trying to stay in the shade? Oh, okay!

At the garden... Yeah, the Butternut couldn't even put up a fight.

And now the Primary Green Zucchini has a wilted leaf as well.

It's well established, so it might last longer than the poor Butternut.

And the Lemon Cucumbers have Striped Cucumber Beetles on them, too.

Yesterday, I had transplanted three more Lemon Cucumber starts. The black circles...

But here is the state of two of the new Lemon Cuc transplants...

The one on the right can't even stand up. I think it's already got the wilt disease.

The other Lemon Cuc I planted yesterday is a little more mature, but...

*groans*

And I can't help but look at the slug munched volunteer squashes... the middle of the patch is pretty much munched to death.

And they've found this bigger one on the edge of the patch.

It's not going to live. But maybe... just maybe. This one at the other edge?

The Accidental Lemon Cucumber is still hanging on... but I cannot invest any hope in it, with the wilt disease so rampant.

I check on the Surprising Lettuces...

Wait a minute! There were three yesterday! Aw, dang it!!

Any chance you can help?

Not really? sighs. okay.

So it's death and destruction at the garden. I try to remind myself that I WILL have tomatoes! I've got five plants in four varieties, and nothing ever bothers them.

But it's a long time to wait for tomatoes, and I have to face that fact that it's quite possible that none of the squashes will live.

Sighs.

Next weekend is the big No Kings Protest on Flag Day!!

I have already signed up at the website...

∞ NoKings.org

And I am happy to see a few videos, encouraging more people to join us!

∞ Parkrose Permaculture: 3 Reasons You Need to Join the Biggest Protest in US History and Help Spoil Tr*mp's BDay on 6/14

Will you be there?

Heat Advisory starting today through Monday.

But the suddenness of the change... Thursday night I needed All the winter quilts, sleeping under the open window... and last night I didn't even need a sheet!

In fact, the house didn't hardly cool down at all... it's still 75° in the upstairs this morning. My House Temperature Regulation skills haven't kicked in yet!! So this round of heat will probably be miserable. Fortunately, it won't last very long.

But death and destruction continues at the garden. I think the heat has super charged the Striped Cucumber Beetles.

Those little holes in the leaves are the typical damage of the Striped Cucumber Beetles.

And here's the result of the Wilt Disease that some of them carry...

Sighs. My precious Lemon Cucumbers. Why garden at all if I don't get to eat Lemon Cucumbers? Sighs some more.

Partner had taken me to the Farmers Market this morning. I was hoping to get some more strawberry plants to add to my collection at the back of the plot. But it's too late in the season, they had sold out.

I did get another Butternut, and it looks pretty now, but I can't hold any hope for it.

The Primary Green Zucchini is still alive, surprisingly after it's wilted leaf of yesterday. But the beetles are chewing it to death and I doubt it will last.

I've taken the grid off because I want to use it to protect these guys from the wind...

Tomatillos!!

I've never had to buy Tomatillos before because they always self-seed. But I had laid the winter mulch on so thick that none have come up this year. That's a bummer, but the thick mulch also kept the grass in check as well. And that's a definite plus!

Anyway, I found these at my Farmer's stand this morning and I'm happy to have them. There were two growing in the pot, and I didn't want to separate them since they are kind of tall.

They are pretty shocked from the transplant, anyway. I meant for the grids to protect them from the wind, but they are actually holding them up. I really hope they live.

I check on the Surprising Lettuces... I'm down to one today. The little purple lettuce has disappeared.

Most of those other seedlings are Amaranth. But that one at the bottom, with the slightly bigger leaf, is a beet!

I guess even if everything else dies, I will get to eat some beetroots!

I admire Kevin's Breadseed Poppies.

I'm out. On the walk home I stop at the Flicker nest.

The babies were born in the middle one.

There's no reason to stop here anymore. The kids will not return to the nest. But it was so amazing seeing them! :)

The heat advisory says 94° today and mid-90s again tomorrow and then it will get back down to 80s and upper 70s.

Normal for today is 72 and the record is 93 in 2015... Yes, we broke that record.

Well. At 75° when I leave the house, it's already well past the normal high! I try not to let it bother me, but sudden hot temps like this don't let the body acclimate and I am sweating and uncomfortable.

I'm at the garden to give it a good watering. The Tomatillos are recovering from the transplant shock!

That's good. But look at the poor Crookneck seedlings. Dangit, they didn't even have a chance.

I was excited to see another Crookneck has germinated... But then I looked closely. ARG!

Squash Beetle. And that's who's apparently munching the other Crookneck seedlings, as well.

And the Wax Beans are coming up, only to have their leaves munched by the slugs. Lots of those leafless stems.

It's too bad I don't like Sunchokes, since that plant is so determined to live!

But it's a pretty thing, and the bugs and birds will certainly appreciate it!

And the little Lettuce has lived thru another day.

Heading home, but overly sad about the garden dying, bit by bit.

But here's some Babies! to cheer me up!

Wow... There's eight babies all together! That's the biggest group this year!

Thank you, Mama!

To be even hotter today, and we'll be rocketing past the old record high of 91° in 2015.

It will be 96° (35°C) today. The house only got down to 74° over night and when I get up it feels uncomfortable and humid from the make shift swamp cooler I set up. Sighs.

We've got windows in the east and west, and when the wind is from the north, it's just not helpful. meh.

It's already 79° when I leave the house... and my blue friend is not singing, she's panting!

But the dragonflies Love the heat!

Female Eight Spot Skimmer... *laughs* I had to get artsy with the pic because she wasn't close enough to get a good portrait. Blurry... but Artsy is good!

I'm at the garden to give it a good watering. As I look at the very dead Butternut...

I realize unless the Spaghetti Squash seeds do something, I've got zero winter squashes! Major Bummer!

And on top of that... this was the one year that I decided not to have any Sweet Potatoes. They never do very well, and they taste so much like Butternut, I didn't want to bother with them! So now I have neither. sheesh.

And yeah, that's a cute little Wax Bean, trying to make a come back after the slugs ate it's first leaves.

But the slugs are eating the tiny second leaves too. So I need to focus on something more hopeful...

There's one healthy Lemon Cucumber. Will it stay healthy?

The seedling next to it... hm. Seems to be stuck.

The Lemon Cucumber on this side of the trellis is taking some Cucumber Beetle damage... but look! That might be another little Lemon Cuc seed germinating!!

And the Tomatillos are still okay.

The Crookneck seedlings are about done for.

But the Crookneck over here is still intact!

(That's a sad little Buckwheat seedling next to the Crookneck. It really wants to grow, but I keep spraying him too hard with the water. ha. You gotta be tough to live in my garden!)

Okay! Don't get stuck on the Poppies! Let's get out of here and go for a walk!

Just past the bridge, wow, there are Dragonflies and Damselflies all over the place!!

And getting it on! haha!

I think they are Tule Bluets.

And a Cardinal Meadowhawk...

But, the Tule Bluets are everywhere!

That's a good pic to tell the difference between dragonflies and damselflies...

Dragonflies are much bigger than damselflies. AND Dragonflies hold their wings out, while damselflies hold their wings back, over their body.

I was vaguely distracted by this thing floating by...

But then this thing went by as well, and I was just Aw, man. What the heck.

Humans. *shakes head*

I stop to look at the minnows before I go.

I get some good pics today! So Cute!!

On the way home... Mama...

And four kids!

They look pretty grown up, but they don't have their flight feathers yet.

And further on, I notice the Salsify has gone to seed.

You can eat the root, tho I'm not sure when you're supposed to dig it up.

I am gathering some of the seeds from the seed heads! Maybe I'll plant them in the garden next year!

Heat Advisory is over but it's still to be 88° (31°C) today... but last night was much better and the house has cooled down a good bit. It's not ideal but better than yesterday.

And, of course, I'm heading to the garden to water.

With all the plants dying, I'm calling it the Grim Garden!

As I'm heading out the door, Partner says: Are you going to the Grim Garden today? *Nods*

Are you just going to get depressed? *Nods*

Maybe you shouldn't go?

Ha! But the things that are trying to live, need water to live thru the hot day! *Okay, okay.*

Well, there's one good thing at the garden... This Strawberry that I picked to eat? Had ZERO slug munchings that I had to eat around!! The first complete Strawberry! *laughs*

The other tomato plants are okay, but the Old German has some curled leaves. Did the Old German last year need lots of extra water? I don't remember.

A Crow lands in the plot on the left side, and I'm trying to get her photo... yeah, no love. But then I noticed that guy has a tomato ripening already!

Dang it. I am completely offended that his pathetic looking plants are doing better than mine! hahaha! (just kidding!)

Okay... here is the list of today's Grimness...

This is the last Wax Bean that still has leaves.

Yep, that's it. The slugs have killed them ALL.

This is the Primary Green Zucchini, that used to be under the metal grid. It is not to live since it's got it's core munched out.

There are only three Lemon Cucumber plants left. (well, three and a half, I guess with the Accidental Lemon Cuc which is technically still green with life!)

But this Lemon Cuc is taking heavy damage from the Striped Cucumber Beetles, and I fear for it's life.

There are also two Lemon Cucumber seedlings coming up... but this one seems to be stuck in this position. Why are you taking so long to grow??!

Okay. That's all the Grimness I can bear.

I'm in the Beet patch, looking at a couple seedlings that have come up. A couple have actually grown some bigger leaves, maybe to survive. So that's good, I'm really glad I threw down some extra seeds!

And then I see these lovely creatures!

Oh my gosh!! This is SO Awesome!!

That's a Seven Spot Ladybug. and that... is not their child! Ha.

It is a ladybug larvae, but the Seven Spot larvaes are a dark grey colour. Google isn't helping me at all with the species of this light tan larvae. But she's definitely some kind of ladybug!

I LOVE that the ladybugs like the Beets so much!!

And Look! Sugar Snap Peas on the way!!

I don't know who these bugs are. But they are fine, all the Snap Pea plants are healthy and growing well.

*laughs* Can you see the tiny spider just above the unknown bug?

Okay. I'm out and going for a longer walk...

When I get to the next bridge, there are Swallows chattering and swooping excitedly. Hmm. I wonder... I check the nest under the bridge.

But nope. The Barn Swallows have been returning to this nest for the last few years. But there's no new improvements here.

Lots of dragonflies enjoying the hot day! This is an Eight Spot Skimmer.

My turn around spot is at the Leaning Tree Saplings.

I really need to find a happier angle to show off these guys! It will be years or decades before they get to a majestic stage, where they look good from any angle! *laughs*

Huh. I've never noticed this woodpecker hole before. It's right on the bike path!

Very small. It must have been made by a Downy Woodpecker. I wonder if the nest was used or abandoned.

I stop to admire the minnows.

I love to watch them!

Clouds this morning and the heat wave is definitely over. It's practically chilly when I head out at 57° with the wind. And the high today is a very pleasant 77° (25°C)... tho the normal for this time of year, 74° would be even nicer.

The clouds are breaking up and the sun is shining by the time I get to the garden.

At the garden, I'm replanting the Wax Beans.

But first, I've decided to sweep away all the leaves. It's leftover mulch from the winter when we are required to cover the ground. But I had also been leaving our kitchen scraps under the leaves to compost...

And I think that has turned it into a little slug factory!

So, leaves swept away, and piled up along the right side border. I do find a couple of un-composted avocado pits, and one scrap of coffee filter, but other than some unidentifiable chunks, this is turning into good dirt!

Now if we could just get it to be minus the slug party!

The second round of Wax Beans is planted, and there's not many left in the seed packet for next year. I'll have to remember to buy more.

That's the ProCut Plum Sunflower on the left side of the trellis. The bit of red violet at the top is the right side neighbors Garden Pinks. They have finally cleared out most of the grass that was getting tall in their plot, so they must be trying to get back in compliance... except they've not done anything with the stupid Horseradish. *grumbles* Which means I will have to continue to dig up roots that get too close to my plot thru another year. *grumbles more*

The Accidental Lemon Cucumber is also under the big trellis. It's still trying to live... and you know what? It may!

It's a little deformed, but that new growth is very hopeful!

Tho with the Striped Cucumber Beetles killing most everything, I really can't invest any actual hope.

At the small trellis, where the Non-Accidental Lemon Cucumbers are... This seedling is definitely stuck. I don't know what to think. It's like it doesn't have the energy to stand up?

But I've thrown down some fertilizer here, before. So it should have everything it needs? Poor thing.

But the other seedling is getting along fine, and is acting like a younger sibling to the transplant Lemon Cucumber standing over it!

On my way out, I stop to look at the beets, and notice I need to weed a bit. But I'm so thrilled to see another Ladybug larvae!!

Ha, I thought that other thing was a speck of dirt, but actually that's another bug!!

I should have stuck around to see if they are friends, or if the larvae is going to eat the little one.

Or, actually I'm glad I didn't... because that little one is so cute looking. I don't want to see her eaten!

On the way home, a Mama Mallard and her five kids!

When I arrive and walk thru the garden plot to drop my backpack at the back...

Yay! These are Spaghetti Squash seedlings, planted just a week ago, last friday!

But NO! Do not get excited! Do not get hopeful! Remember this is the Grim Garden! Plants are dying!

Dang it. I can't help it. I have hope. And look at how cute the baby squash is!

I don't know what that other seedling is, coming up behind it. I think I will leave it and see!

And look how well the Volunteer Squashes are doing!

These are the ones at the edges. The slugs and bugs completely decimated the center clump of squashes. But these three that were on the edges have survived!

I'm thinking they might be Crooknecks. But I don't have high confidence about that.

And I still have three and a half Lemon Cucumbers, not including the two seedlings.

I'm so pleased about that one healthy Lemon Cuc! Grow, Grow, Grow!!

And never mind the little seedling that COULDN'T.

Haha! And a worm! I replanted some more Lemon Cucumber seeds here today because I'm disappointed that only two seedlings appeared with all the seeds I threw down the first time. I must have stirred up worm's home. Sorry, Worm!

AND, I'm burying some more Crookneck seeds, as well, since the ones in the front are actually doing pretty well! I had planted three spots, and there's seedlings in two of the spots. These up front are very happy.

And this other spot was getting munched, but the one bigger one seems to want to live!

And this is the Secondary Green Zucchini, in the Fallow Area.

I guess technically this is the third Green Zuc I planted. It's also the only one that might survive.

Tomatillos that I bought are doing well.

And I should probably take that grid off before they get too tangled up in it. But I'm not sure if a regular tomato cage will be good enough to protect them from the wind. hm.

Okay. Heading out.

ICE is working it's evil in Eugene.

∞ Questions around Eugene ICE enforcement stoke local concern

∞ Immigrants being arrested at routine ICE appointments in Eugene, attorneys say

Treating people like this -- just skipping the due process -- is straight up racism and completely despicable.

I'll see you at the protest!

It's blissfully cloudy this morning!

The forecast says 71° but the clouds never lift and the actual high today is 62°!!! Normal for this time of year is 73°.

On the way to the garden... I've discovered a family of Chickadees.

The babies have just fledged and everyone is bouncing around and twittering like crazy!

I don't know how many kids there are, several on the other side of the tree! But I see one of the parents coming in to feed one of them.

I doing my Point and Click and Hope with the camera.

One of the youngsters... you can see a tiny bit of gape!

Okay. At the garden and my work today is getting this side of the front tidy!

Well. It looks marginally better.

There is some Bermuda Grass in that corner... and dang that stuff is annoying!

Not quite ripe...

This is the current state of the Tomato patch.

Clockwise from the lower left: the Half Dead Sungold, Old German, Brandywine. Top right is where the Green Zebra lives, but most of that green is a big Dandelion and there's some clover too. And then the three Strawberries: the big, the new Seascape, and the small with it's pet Nasturtium.

The ProCut Red Sunflower next to the small trellis with the Lemon Cucumbers.

You know what? I bought that Red Sunflower by accident, I thought I had grabbed a ProCut Plum. But it's so healthy and happy, I'm really glad I got it!

The Sugar Snap Peas that I put down as seeds are growing well! They just need to grow UP now!

Of the three transplants that survived, a second one is starting to make some peas!!

On the big trellis, I decided to set up some bricks to keep the hose from running over the Spaghetti Squash seedlings that are coming up!

In the middle of that pic is the ProCut Plum, and on the right is another big Dandelion. I love the Dandelions and I don't pull them up anymore. When you have a zillion Dandelions, that's an indication that there is something really wrong with your soil. But when you've got just a couple, like I do, that's a good thing. Their deep tap roots bring up good nutrients from underground. Plus, they are technically edible, tho I don't like them. :)

On my way out, I check on the single Fava that survived the winter. oh, wow... look how productive it is!!

That's great... I'll gather those once they dry out to plant this fall. That's some good DNA that I want to keep!

A squirrel bounces from one of the plots and runs ahead of me on the path.

Haha! He's just grooming, but it looks like he's saying Could you fix my arm, please?

Yeah, he's fine!

On the way home, this magnificent tree catches my eye.

I have no idea what it is!

But those colours, with the Douglas Fir in the back and the Purple Leaf Plum... just wow!

∞ LAPD Officers Shoot Journalists, Trample Protesters The violence is coming from inside the house!

Down in LA, the police have intentionally targeted reporters.

Sighs.

My town hasn't gotten to this point. Or so I assume.

But I still have ... some concerns about my own safety.

Carrying the camera around, I have been mistaken for the media or a newspaper photographer. Multiple times.

And I'm definitely going to be carrying the camera around at tomorrow's protest.

I will be very disappointed if somebody shoots me.

I'm walking out to the garden to water the seeds and seedlings before going to the No Kings protest.

I think I'm prepared... In my backpack I've got some Clif bars as snacks and I've got ice water in both my water bottles and I've charged up the camera battery.

I've also cleared out everything from the camera SD memory card... I use it as a daily backup for photos, but I want as much space as possible in case I need to record a video! Now everything is backed up on an external drive.

Before I go, I double check the bus stops. I'll be getting on the EMX at the closest stop to the Comm Garden. And I wanted to see which stop I'll be using to get home.

Oh crud! The EMX route is changed to avoid the protest and the march. The buses won't go past the closest stops, which I was going to use!

Well. Good thing I happened to look it up. I'll have to get off at the hub and do a bit of walking to get out to the protest at the federal building. That'll add some time to my day out, but it's workable!

I'm walking out on the bike path and oh my gosh, it's a lovely day! Not too hot, and the wind is cooling things down. A perfect day for a protest!

One of my blue friends of the Scrub Jay family I've been meeting up with, is bouncing around happily...

Well. That would have been a nice photo with the Sweet Pea blooms. IF SOMEBODY had been looking at the CAMERA instead of goofing off!!

Bahaha!

At the garden, I do a quick watering. But I have a little time to look around. Here's somebody new!!

This is our native Convergent Lady Beetle!!

It's so great to see them. The most abundant ladybug here is the Seven Spot. Not native but they don't cause any harm. I've not seen any of the Asian ladybugs this year... they are invasive and can out compete the native species.

The Spaghetti Squash seedlings are good. And that little unknown thing is getting some real leaves.

The poor Lemon Cucumber seedling is still stuck.

But the Lemon Cucumber sibling over here is growing up!

And never mind the poor Crookneck seedlings that are getting munched to death by the Squash Beetles and the Striped Cucumber Beetles.

Look at the happy ones, just a couple feet away!

And the Sugar Snap Pea pod is getting bigger by the day!

Okay! I'm out and heading to the Protest!!

I'm heading to the bus stop, and there's an amazing butterfly fluttering in this hell strip!

Oh my gosh! I've been seeing these butterflies for a couple weeks now, but they never sit for me.

Lorquin Admiral!!

Well now! I'm taking that as a sign of good luck! I get to the EMX stop and after I buy the ticket, I've got just two minutes to wait.

Because of the protest, the buses are on a different route to avoid traffic. We go thru a couple quiet neighborhoods, and the streets aren't wide enough! The bus takes up most of the two lanes! Yikes!!

I bet the drivers hate this! But there's nothing for it, the car drivers just have to wait!

And the different route has confused my sense of direction! When we get to the station, I just start walking. I have to walk all the way around the station in order to get my bearings! haha!

I find the street I want, but I'm still unsure about direction. There's several other people walking this way, tho. And then I find a lady with a small American Flag! Okay! I follow her.

When we go past the streets that Saturday Market is on, I've got the map straight in my head again. As we go by the parking garage that's free for the weekend, I hear a lady tell one of the drivers trying to get in that he shouldn't bother, it's full. Ha! That's crazy!

It's 11:40 -- the protest started at 11 -- and I'm a block away from the federal courthouse... but there's too many people! As I draw closer, I realize I am not even going to be able to get close!

I hem and haw, walking back and forth at the edge of the crowd.

There's a group of cops here. I'm amused to see they are being entertained by a little old lady!

But I get my courage up and wade into the crowd!!

So many people! So Many Signs!!

The above is a child holding the Democracy sign... I'm blurring out kids faces. The rest of us do not have an expectation of privacy! Which is fine by me. There were many, MANY people recording on their phone! and a few people like me with cameras.

The protest at the courthouse was from 11 to noon and then the march would go from noon to 2pm and would be lead by the drummers... the Samba Ja percussion ensemble!

So I was making my way towards them, right at noon and got to see the march get moving.

Stay tuned for Part 2! (I just want to get this uploaded!!)

I had been walking with the march, and occasionally stepping aside on the sidewalk to watch people go by. But it's time for me to take a break!

I find a nice shady tree and put my backpack on the ground to pull out one of my water bottles. There's still ice, and it's shockingly cold!

I've loaded the backpack with lots of snacks... Clif Bars and fig breakfast bars. I don't know why I bothered, I'm not going to eat any of that! *laughs*

The march has come around the corner from Mill St and is going down Broadway.

Haha... An Amazon truck got caught in the march. The driver is at the back, cheering us on and waving her little flag!

As I went by, the driver went up to the front of the truck and honked the horn! Everyone cheered!!

There were a couple places where the march had to pause at red lights for cross traffic to go by. There were volunteers here, making sure marchers stopped for the lights and that everyone was safe and organized! And the drivers honked and waved joyfully as they drove by!

So many brilliant signs! :)

I am starting to lose steam here and I decide to turn around and head for the bus station to get home. I have a ways to walk, tho and I just back track along the marchers.

There were a few dogs!

Haha! Ending Fascism is on the Gay Agenda Brilliant!!

So many people, I wasn't sure if I would ever hit the end of the marchers! But here I am at the back, a truck bringing up the rear.

So much fun!

And how many people??? I had no way of estimating, there were people everywhere!! I'm thinking well over 5,000 and wonder if there was actually 10,000.

And yep, a few others were approximating 10,000 as well!

∞ No Kings protest draws 10,000 demonstrators to downtown Eugene

Another thought I had as I was walking home...

There were no counter protesters! Zero!

And I'm glad! Those lame-o Magas can stay home while the rest of us fix democracy!!

Ducklings!

ha, unfortunately the camera couldn't figure out where to focus and then Mama lead the babies behind the bushes. I didn't even get the chance to count them!

Stopping by the garden, just to water. The Sungold in the Fallow Area has a first tiny tomato growing!!

It takes a good month or more from the time the first fruits come on, to ripen. Such a long time! So, go forward in time and see if I can eat the first Sungold on July15!

I threw down a bunch of different seeds to try to grow in the Fallow Area. Not much has come up, I'm surprised that none of the clover has grown. Just a handful of Favas and Buckwheats. And one of the Buckwheats is flowering! Such a pretty little plant!

The Green Zuc in the Fallow Area looks like it might live.

I am trying not to think about all the squash plants I've put out here that have bit the dust. Especially since they are so spendy this year!

Seeds are cheaper, but...

That's the Spaghetti Squash seedlings. Sighs.

So it's looking like I won't have any winter squash. That's a major bummer. And not many of the summer squashes have survived. But maybe the little patch of Volunteer Squashes will make up for that.

And I'm glad the bugs have left me one healthy Lemon Cucumber.

The other Lemon Cucumber plants are all smaller, tho growing. Hopefully they will get to grow up and make me some Cucs!

And in the meantime, there will definitely be Sugar Snap Peas!

That one is not quite big enough, yet. Maybe I'll eat it in a couple days!

Good Morning My Dear!

I get to the garden and check on the Spaghetti Squash seedlings that were getting munched by bugs yesterday. aw, dangit.

Just a stump. humph!

But look... the Little Lemon Cuc that Couldn't has a new leaf...

But I don't have a good feeling about that. I think I am not going to invest any hope.

But the new core of the Accidental Lemon Cucumber is growing, and I think I will invest hope in that!

And here's a Wax Bean that's trying to make a comeback... It got it's leaves munched off by the slugs, and now it's made some new leaves.

The new leaves are very pretty. but the slugs are still around. And this one can't have my hope either.

I thought for a minute that this little seedling was a Lemon Cucumber...

I've planted Lemon Cucumber seeds here twice over!

But no. I'm pretty sure it's a Borage. SIGHS.

For all the Lemon Cucumber seeds I've planted, only this one, the little Sibling, is healthy.

It's funny. All the gardening videos I've watched say that Cucumbers are so easy to grow! Haha! Just more proof that I am a terrible gardener! :)

I've taken the grid off the Tomatillos that I bought. I don't know. Was that a mistake? The wind is 10mph today.

On the way out, I stop to admire the Volunteer Elephant Garlics... they are blooming!

And I'm out and going for a walk!

Aww! Siblings, not long out of the nest!

Above the new Leaning Tree saplings... oh cool!

This is a Violet Green Swallow. You can't quite see the Violet part, the sun needs to hit the feathers just right.

And back at the creek...

And then going by the Garden again... hello?

No? You don't care about the photography? You've got better things to do?

*Laughs*

I purposefully avoided all the news and videos about that Traitor's military parade in Washington DC. But apparently, it was pretty lame.

And this totally cracks me up.

∞ Donnie's DooDah Parade, & now we know what military thinks of Secretary of Jagermeister

A little bit of malicious compliance from the soldiers with sloppy marching. Along with some trolling in the music choices?!! *giggles* Awesome!

I had bought this Basil a while ago, at Saturday Market on May24.

The plant then was maybe 4inches tall. It's in a bigger pot than the other veggie starts, so I hoped it would survive for a while at home. It's big enough now that I probably should take it to the garden.

Trouble is, slugs really like Basil. And since the plant has been sitting here on the kitchen window sill for three weeks now... I've gotten to enjoy its presence. I don't want to send it to its death at the garden!

I arrive at the garden, and I'm looking around. Here's the survivors of the Volunteer Squashes.

And I'm starting to wonder if things might actually live. You know? Except for the Spaghetti Squash seedlings, nothing else has been dying for the last couple of days.

The bugs are still around, for sure...

But their damage seems to be lessening?

Or maybe the first sign of the Second Sowing of Wax Beans has turned on my hope again.

*sighs* Stupid hope.

The green at the bottom of this pic is the Patty Pan, the sole squash survivor in this area...

The Primary Green Zuc was to the left, and it's long gone. On the other side of that, a Yellow Zuc died.

I've planted some more Crookneck seeds there on Jun12, so we'll see about that.

Straight up from the Patty Pan are some happy Borages and then you can see the bigger leaves of the ProCut Red Sunflower, which is at the end of the small trellis where the Lemon Cucumbers live. In the top left corner of the pic is the Sugar Snap Peas at the front of the plot and then the stalks of the Elephant Garlics.

There are three Lemon Cucumbers that have survived at the small trellis. Two are quite damaged and are small but growing.

Plus the Lemon Cuc seedling is still alive, next to it's sibling.

The Healthy Lemon Cuc... has a flower under it's leaves!!!

Well, foo... I should probably pull that flower off. The plant is really small and I would like for it to grow some more before thinking about fruit!! But I can't bear to do it, so I've left it alone.

At the back of the plot is the Tomato patch where I've got four different types growing... the Half Dead Sungold, Brandywine, Old German and the new Green Zebra. There's an Aubergine back there as well.

No pics of the Tomatoes today and I've gotten distracted by the right side neighbor's plot! None of my Borage is big enough to bloom, and the bees are happily dancing around this one just over the border.

That green in the background is their damn invasive Horseradish. *grumble*

Anyway!

The left side of the plot is the Fallow Area... but I've put down a few plants that have lived. At the front, there are two Crookneck seedlings! And that Buckwheat seedling is still trying to live as well!

Behind that is a Crookneck that I transplanted... it's actually the biggest and healthiest of all the summer squashes that are left. Which is surprising, usually the Green Zucs are the power houses.

On the right of that pic, there's another little Crookneck seedling that has survived. There must be something different about the Crooknecks, that the bugs don't like. I'm glad I had extra seeds to put down, since they are the ones to live this year.

The rest of the Fallow Area has some summer cover crops: Fava and Buckwheat, but they are few and far between. There's a couple of dying squashes, nevermind. The Green Zuc is here as well, but it's small. As well the backup Sungold... also on the small side.

But that was the reason why I wanted this area to be fallow. The plants don't grow great and they are mostly stunted here. meh.

At the back of the Fallow Area, last years Leeks are blooming!

They never got big enough to bother harvesting, and now the blossoms are interesting and making a variety of pollinators happy!

In the front of the garden, the Sugar Snap Peas are doing well... Still working on that very first pea pod!

And the Beets are there on the right.

I'm heading out, and I decide to go for a walk before going home.

heh, nevermind the crappiness of this photo... instead check out the artsy background! *laughs*

The three Leaning Tree saplings.

These little damselflies are all over the place in the grass next to the creek...

They are California Dancers, and they are quite a bit to the north of their usual range! Probably climate change bringing them up here.

Sweet Peas are blooming.

A Cabbage White on some Lavender.

And a happy Honey Bee!

I've hit a couple really good collections of photos! Enjoy!

∞ Pictures from the raucous downtown protest in Novato California

∞ No Kings Yas Queens: The best & gayest signs from the No Kings protests The people's anger has clearly spawned some creativity.

I am starting today's blog post the same way I started yesterday's blog post... with the Basil plant...

There were enough hopeful indications at the garden yesterday... or maybe I've just decided to throw caution to the wind! But I'm taking it to the garden.

I stuff it into my small backpack and off I go.

Good Morning My Dear!

It's cloudy today, tho the clouds are moving around a good bit and the sun shines thru now and then. There's rain in the forecast for the weekend! Crazy! We don't get rain in the summer! But the weather all this year has been... different.

At the garden, I check on the second round of Wax Beans. Yay, even more germinating!

And there are a couple more, from the first round, that are trying to recover.

I hem and haw about where to put the Basil plant! I thought I wanted it in the front...but there's lots of happy Borages growing behind the beets, and I want to keep all that.

I finally think about where the Spaghetti Squashes have died ... At one end of the big trellis, I transplanted two Spag Squashes, in succession and then planted seeds... one by one they've all died. And I didn't plant any new bean seeds there, in the meantime.

So, that space will be empty, and maybe the Basil will like it there!

Oh dear. The Basil is very shocked at being transplanted. The grid is there to hold it up, poor thing! Dangit. I hope it lives.

On the other side of the big trellis is the Accidental Lemon Cucumber, very warped.

But with a friendlier Spotted Cucumber Beetle, instead of the Striped Cucumber Beetles!

The ProCut Red Sunflower at the end of the small trellis with the Lemon Cucumbers makes me happy.

The Little Seedling the Couldn't has made a second leaf! Maybe it will live!

This is the Land of Deformed Lemon Cucumbers! haha!

First Sugar Snap Pea harvest!

I ate them! But Ha, they weren't sweet yet. You have to wait until they are nice and fat. oh well. There's more on the way!

As I was leaving the plot, this one came in... I turned back to see if I could catch her, but she's very bouncy!

*laughs* That's the Old German Tomato on the left, the Half Dead Sungold on the right, and Kevin's Potatoes in the raised bed.

Oh sure... NOW the camera wants to focus! ha!

Thank You Dear!

On the way home, I stop to admire this tree...

I have to look up it's name every time. But that's a pleasure because the Catalpa Tree is the first chapter in this book...

∞ World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil and Illustrated by Fumi Nakamura

This is an absolutely lovely little book! And I page thru it every time I have to think about this tree! :)

The flowers make me think of candy!

The clouds can't figure out what they want to do today. It was overcast when I got up, but then clouds cleared out and the sun was shining. And now I'm heading out for a walk and it's cloudy again, which is nice!

It's 61° as I leave, to be 73° today... and the weather forecast for tomorrow has hit 100% chance of rain! and 90% for Saturday! Crazy weather this year.

I arrive at the garden and LOOK! The second round of Wax Beans!

Those are actual Wax Bean Leaves that haven't been munched by slugs!

And the Basil that I planted here yesterday can stand up on it's own now! Survived the transplant shock!

I think I'm going to keep the grid there tho... to protect it from the wind!

And the Lemon Cucumbers under the small trellis are fine.

I know... I'm obsessing about the Lemon Cucumbers.

But Lemon Cucumbers are my absolute favorite, of everything in the garden! I try to have ten plants every year and I try to make myself sick of eating all the Lemon Cucs!

When there's only just Three and a Half plants, plus two little seedlings... ? and just one of those plants is actually healthy? I just really, really need them to live and make me some cucs!

well. Nothing else is dying yet again today. Up front, I need to do some weeding around the beet seedlings that have survived!

That's Borage at the top, and Amaranth at the bottom... Both good pollinator plants to have, except when they are choking the cute little beets!

I'm out for a walk, and for some random reason I decide to check the far Barn Swallow nest again.

Um? Is that movement??

OH MY GOSH!!!

Oh My Gosh!!!

I'm leaning well over the water wall and it's so awkward trying to see past that spider web anchor line, too.

I take a break... this damselfly is sitting on wall next to me!

I think he's a Western Forktail!

I go back to leaning over to see the nest... and a parent flies in!!

um? Why aren't the babies opening their mouths??

Okay, there we go!

So these babies must be very, very well fed! I wonder how many Barn Swallows are bringing them food!! (Sometimes children from previous broods will help with their new siblings!)

And this kinda looks like five baby beaks?

I look back at the damselfly... his thorax has kind of muddy colours, and I'm not so sure about the species identification now.

And a beautiful house fly has joined us!

One more glance at the Barn Swallow nest before I go... and dang it, I need to figure out where the exposure setting needs to be! *laughs*

The photos are all kind of crappy but it looks like the babies eyes are just starting to open. So they've been here for a few days at least! But not too long!

And I'm back to my walk!

Hang on... ha! I wonder if they can see each other!

I got an email saying a nursery had dropped off a bunch of veggie starts at the Community Garden, free for the taking! That sounds great and I'm eager to check it out!

But, dang... it is COLD! Dreary and cold this morning!

It's just 55° when I head out, but the wind is 14mph and I'm wearing the rain jacket for warmth!

The high today is 65° and 100% rain, tho it's not raining yet. Tomorrows forecast has bumped up to 100% rain as well with a high of 57°!

To which I say... It's JUNE! *laughs* The normal temperature for this time of year is 75/48.

I walk out to the garden, and here are the freebies on the picnic table!

Nice! The tags on them say they are from Log House Plants and this nursery is awesome. They have dropped off veggie starts in the past... and I have been an occasional reader of their blog, Green Gardening with Ann Lovejoy

It's mostly Tomato plants here... but since I've already got five tomato plants, doing quite well, I don't really need any more and I ignore them.

There is one squash, Baby Boo a small, white decorative pumpkin. Three plants in the pot and I'm thrilled to take it since the bugs have murdered ALL of the winter squashes.

I also briefly consider the corn plants. Peaches and Cream sounds yummy! But I've never grown corn before and they are wind pollinated, and you need to have a decent patch of corns for that to work.

And then there's this little thing...

No identification and no label on the pot, either. I assume it's a flower, but I don't recognize it. I nab it!

I take the Boo squashes and the unknown to my plot and then try to figure out where to plant them.

It was very difficult to separate the roots of the three squashes, and quit trying after I got one of the three separated. I put it here at the end of the big trellis, across from the Accidental Lemon Cucumber.

And yep! Those are Bean seedlings in the upper left corner of that pic!! WooHoo! Look at all of them!

There are a couple that are slug munched and missing their leaves... and I have concerns. The rain today and tomorrow. Will that bring out the slugs again? Undoubtedly. So really, I need to stop looking at these seedlings and stop having hope about them, because they are sure to die.

Sighs.

I've put the little unknown flower next to the Basil at the other side of the trellis, where all the Spaghetti Squashes have died. I hope it grows into something beautiful!

And the other two decorative pumpkins with intertwined roots are now behind the Elephant Garlics close to the right side border. This is a dry spot, and I'm hoping there aren't any slugs here to munch these guys to death.

Okay. I have other work to do... look at the state of the beautiful ProCut Red Sunflower! It leans!

Damn the stupid wind! I think for a while and then I get my biggest and sturdiest tomato cage...

That should do it!

I look at the rest of the Lemon Cucumbers before I go.

And then I head for the Barn Swallow nest!

And it starts to sprinkle as I walk. But here they are! Just four, the fifth -- and any more I don't know about? -- are probably hidden behind them.

It's raining pretty good now...

And the dreariness is not helping the photography at all! Bahaha!

A Parent has flown in to sit with the babies.

I suppose there's either no bugs to be found at the beginning of the rain, or maybe she's adding her warmth to the nest.

I decide to leave them to it... The parent def knows I'm here, and I've made her uncomfortable.

Ha... it's so dark and dreary and chill, a Nutria thinks it's okay to come out during the day!

I wonder if they are surprised about the crazy weather as well!

It's been sprinkling this morning, and as I was thinking about leaving the house, it starts to rain in earnest. I assumed it would quit before too long, and I continue my preparations to drive out to the river...

But, in fact, it rains ALL day!

In the Maurie Jacobs parking lot, I'm greeted by Western Grey siblings!

On the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path, I head across the walking bridge.

At the Delta Ponds, there's not much wildlife because of the rain. There is one Nutria frolicking by herself!

I look carefully, because there are Beavers here, too. But no... that white around her nose gives her away, even before her skinny tail does!

Today I'm heading for the Delta Ponds Park across the road... Last year they had been working in the park. It took so long! But in December they had finally finished the loop trail! And I had somehow missed the grand opening this spring. I am so excited to see what they've done!!

Walking up the connector path I see a Green Heron near the old Beaver lodge. She's a good distance away and I think I can get her pic... but nope, she sees me looking and flies away. foo.

I'm coming up the sidewalk and looking into the park. This place is just so beautiful... even in the pouring rain!

Oh! There's a Wood Duck family! But dang it, Mama takes her kids away before I can even count how many children she has!

At the big parking lot, I check the pond... This is where the otters hang out. But nope, not even any turtles today.

Before I go to the new trail, I walk out to the viewing platform.

If you look stright down from the platform, there's frogs in the water. But not today. It's probably too cold for them! The high today is 56° and with the rain it feels like March instead of June!

I turn to go back to the trail, and this beautiful one catches my eyes.

Wow! She's new to me, and I have to look her up in my book at home. Female Western Pondhawk, and that lime green is unique and so they are easily identifiable.

The males are powdery blue... and I assume that makes them a lot less identifiable! We have a lot of light blue dragonflies!

Okay! Back on the trail! Here's where the trail used to end. There was a tall barrier and fence here to keep people from going any further.

Around the corner...

A few steps further on and I can see the new bridge.

Wood Duck Babies!!

And Mama and Auntie are nearby.

The new bridge leads down to a boardwalk.

The boardwalk winds around and brings me to the other side of the pond. Looking back...

That was absolutely lovely. I'm so glad I live in a place that values parks!!

Coming back around to the other side of the established trail. This side has some viewing stations as well.

And Oh my gosh! There are Barn Swallows going back and forth... VERY low over the water, swooping for bugs.

They are skimming so close to the water... I wonder. And Yep... Look at that! Definitely touching!

So cool!

And over here, another Wood Duck family! This Mama has two babies.

So cute!

I leave the park and come back across the road to the Riverbank Trail. And coming back thru the Delta Ponds here...

A Red Ear Slider, the invasive turtle we have here. Her eyes are closed, taking a nap, but then... she Yawns!

and Big Stretch!!

Oh my gosh the CUTENESS! I LOVE TURTLES!! *laughs*

I'm coming back across the Greenway Bridge, and this group of Domestic Greylags...

There are a couple who have the colouring of Greylags, but are considerably smaller...

Oh! Hang on! This might be a White Fronted Goose! Cool! Learning all kinds of new species today!

Awesome, awesome walk in the rain today! I wish I could come out here more often.

We got so much rain yesterday, a ½inch, I won't have to water at the garden for probably a week!

So, I need to take advantage of this non-garden time and walk other places!

Altho... Altho! The Barn Swallow nest, just past the Community Garden, is definitely calling to me. But! They are babies, they aren't going to fly away any time soon. AND the clouds are lingering. On a dreary morning such as this, the photography there is not going to be any good.

So, after dithering a bit, I'm walking the neighborhood way that I discovered earlier this year. Those beautiful Pansies are long gone, of course, but I'm finding all kinds of new flowers to behold!

I head out on the bike path, and I see they are working on the road that I'm going to walk down. Construction started on Monday and will go thru August.

There's a Sheriff's work crew here as well, picking up trash along the bike path. I love these people and I always offer a friendly greeting and thank them for the work they are doing.

As I was walking up, I happened to hear one of the workers asking the cop what the construction was, and he said he didn't know. I said Seismic upgrades.

The cop replied, That means the big one is coming! *laughs* Yep!

The woman walked with me down the sidewalk and we chatted about photography and then she asked if I ever printed up my pictures to hang on the wall. I said Actually, I print them and send them as postcards! It must have surprised her, That's so cute! she said. Ha, she made me laugh!

No idea what these flowers are, but they are blooming all over the place. Some kind of Fuchsia maybe?

Oh, wow, this hell strip is amazing!

The Little Free Library is full!

And when I browse for a minute, I see some very interesting titles! Lots of Childrens Nature books, A is for Activist! Ha. Peter Rabbit, a ripped up copy of Are You My Mother.

Their Eyes Were Watching God... This is a classic, and I have this book but haven't read it yet.

Some Persimmons in the making!

I've not been to the garden in two whole days, *laughs* and I'm curious to see how the freebie veggie starts are doing.

Good Morning My Dear.

Ha! Mama is on the left and her children are paddling in formation!

The kids don't have their flight feathers yet, and look!

Their wings look like stubs! How Cute!

Okay! At the garden... aw, foo.

The Decorative Pumpkins have got the Wilt Disease.

And the other one on the trellis... alive, but... Apparently I'm just not meant to have any winter squash this year.

And the Wax Beans along the rest of the trellis... WAI! Major Disappointment.

As I suspected, the rain brought out the slugs again and they are decimating the second round of Wax Beans. I suppose I'll have to plant a third round?

And the cute Basil plant is taking damage to it's leaves as well. Arg.

Well, sheesh. Is there anything good here?

Yes...

This is the Mystery Flower that I got with the Decorative Pumpkins. It's going to live!

And I'm so glad I put the Sunflower into a tomato cage to protect it from the wind!

It's not looking good for the little Lemon Cucumber seedling that Couldn't...

But the other seedling with it's sibling is looking great!

The Volunteer Squashes look good too!

In the Fallow Area, one of the little Buckwheats is blooming. Such a pretty plant. Maybe I should plant some more.

The Green Zucchini is doing okay, but this Crookneck is bigger and healthier. It's got a little seedling sibling as well, there on the right.

And I hardly recognize the Crookneck seedlings in the front... Not sure about the right one, but the left one has had a growth spurt and is very happy!

Which... this is great. Because only three of the summer squashes I bought have lived: The good Crookneck, the rather pathetic Green Zuc, and there's a Patty Pan around the corner.

Three... out of however many I bought and planted and replanted. Sighs. I mean... three is better than the zero winter squash that I bought and planted and replanted and sowed seeds... but, gah.

Well, I'm not going to think about it! It's good that a couple seedlings are growing. Plus the Volunteer Squashes, whatever they turn out to be!

Okay. Let's go out to see the Barn Swallow nest... it's funny that I was more curious about the dying Decorative Pumpkins than about the babies in the nest!

There they are!

Five there... would be nice to confirm the five, or if there's a sixth one who's been hiding in the back.

Oh! um, are they reacting to the sound of the camera?

No, surely they can't hear it there under the car bridge. The sound of the traffic above and the water below must make the sound of the camera impossible to hear.

But they must be able to see me... leaning out from the water wall, over the creek! Silly Baby, thinking everyone who comes along will feed you! :)

Here's someone who will feed you!

Feeds the baby on the left and then... oops! *laughs* Hello!

Wait! Mom! I didn't get any food!

They settle to wait for the next round.

ha! The middle baby got a little caterpillar. Swallow that thing down, Baby!

yum.

more?

Okay. They are so very cute, but moving on! There's plenty of time left for a longer walk, and I walk east!

And this tiny little baby...

Where is your Mama? Baby stretches to look upstream...

And then paddles up to join her.

The three Leaning Tree saplings.

And back at the nest... Catching some shut eye!

They are moving around a little bit, and I think I can say with confidence there's five, and not six. I think this family had five last year as well.

On the way home, I happen to catch this Crow...

She's sunning, and panting with the heat. But the sun feels so good that pays me no mind at all... She stays there for a good 30seconds before rousting and flying off!

After I transplanted the Basil into the garden, I was kinda missing having a plant on the kitchen window sill. It had been there for almost a month.

So I moved my smallest houseplant from the porch room to the window sill... a blooming African Violet!

It sat there for a week or so. And then I discovered that Partner was watering it. Every Day!

Bahaha! African Violets like to be dry! Fortunately I rescued it while it still had blooms. It's back in the porch room, drying out! and I guess we have to keep it's blooms hidden.

But, knowing the constraints, I realized the Pothos would be a perfect fit for the window sill space...

The Tiny Cleans in the porch room are proceeding, and they include tidying up the houseplants... I'm removing the Pothos from the potted Angel Wing Begonia -- that relationship is def NOT working out! And these are cuttings in water... which Partner can add water to, any time!

I'm at the garden to witness the death of the Decorative Pumpkins. The two on the side caught the Wilt Disease from the Striped Cucumber Beetles, and were dead yesterday. And the third one under the trellis...

Has no leaves left. That's a Squash Beetle. But they probably had help from the slugs.

Whatever.

And speaking of the Basil... it's taking damage that's starting to be significant. Dangit. I hope it lives!

The Striped Cucumber Beetles are hanging around the one healthy Lemon Cucumber plant.

It makes me nervous, for sure. But they don't seem to be doing any real damage here, any more.

Well. Focus on good things. The Brandywine makes me very happy!

Brandywines are my favorite tomato tomatoes. You know? The Perfect Tomatoey tomato... not too sweet, a good hearty flavor with a bit of spice. Mmmm. I can't wait... and look at all those flowers! Brandywine plants aren't usually very productive, but I think this is going to be a very good year for this plant!!

I love that I can always find Ladybugs in the Beet patch!

Oh Cool!

Heading out, oh... I love the shade of these striped Nasturtiums...

I wish I could be bothered to plant some flowers! But I get so focused on the dying veggies, I don't have brain power for anything else.

Probably this is why I'm such a terrible gardener. I should learn to let go!

Okay. Let's look at some Barn Swallow babies!!

One of the babies needs to move around and the others are all, Dude! haha!

Huh. Are you eating those Dogwood berries?? They aren't even vaguely ripe yet!

I'm not sure which of the Dogwoods this is... It's either Red Osier or Silky. (We also have Yellow Twig elsewhere.)

Yep, def eating the berries. I look it up and... the fruit of Dogwoods is edible but not palatable, bitter but not poisonous. Interesting.

And on the way home, a new Heron...

I thought for a minute this was No Patches. But, no, this is someone new!

The clouds are lingering this morning and the forecast high has dropped from 78° to 71°!!

I will be sure to enjoy it. There's a heating trend and it says we will be at 90° (32°C) by Sunday.

Good Morning, Fledgling!!

I finally found the Nasturtium seeds that I had gathered last year from Kevin's plants...

I've been thinking about flowers. But what I'm actually doing is planting hope!

A bad idea, I know. I put some seeds at the small trellis... With just three Lemon Cucumber plants surviving, and one seedling, there's sadly lots of room for other plants.

And some more seeds planted on either side of the Crookneck seedlings at the front of the plot.

As I'm planting them... I don't have hope. In fact, my overall feeling is This isn't going to work! I decide to save the rest of the seeds and maybe plant them at home in pots.

But... there is actual new life in the garden plot...

There's a couple Crookneck seedlings coming up at the old Primary Green Zuc spot...

And here's a volunteer Tomatillo!!

It looks pretty rough... I wonder who is doing that damage. And also, it's in a terrible spot: right where I walk and drag the hose to get around the big trellis!

The Sugar Snap Peas have loads of blossoms!

And the Tomatillos I bought have a couple blooms under their leaves as well.

And the big Strawberry plant is branching out with runners!

And behind the Beets, the Borages are fixin' to bloom!

That makes me happy!

On my way out, I admire a neighbor's Nasturtiums with pretty variegated leaves.

And another neighbor's Columbine.

And then head upstream to the Barn Swallow nest!

Oh, arg! There's a homeless guy sleeping just a few meters from where I need to stand. I try to ignore him.

AND that spider web anchor line is catching the light!

I'm having to lean out farther than usual, to see past that anchor line, and it's just too awkward. I don't stay long, I'll catch up with them tomorrow!

Hmm...

This is a Flicker nest hole that got made last year. The Flicker parents had a nest failure due to cold weather. I wonder if the Starlings have raised a family here, this year.

Or are thinking about it?

Look away, Dear Reader, for I'm about to show you the murderous nature of our beloved kitties. Skip the murder...

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...

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I had just arrived at the bike path, and a Lovely Mallard family is here. Nine newborn ducklings!

Suddenly!

*explicative*

That black cat had been completely hidden in the shadows of the opposite bank. And he definitely got one of the babies...

Mama Mallard with eight newborn ducklings.

Poor baby. Damn cat.

So that was a rather shocking beginning to today's walk!

I'm discombobulated all the way to the garden.

...

...

...

Okay, well. I'm headed to the garden, but only to quickly water the seedlings, to make sure they live.

The small Strawberry plant still has it's pet Nasturtium, which is looking really good!

The Wax Bean seedlings aren't fairing very well.

The Beans on the other side of the trellis are better, tho.

I've not stepped on that volunteer Tomatillo yet! And the Accidental Lemon Cucumber... really is trying to live, even tho it's big leaf is all deformed!

One of the two Crookneck seedlings that had popped up yesterday... is gone. The other one is still alive, but I probably shouldn't keep hope for it.

As I leave, I ate two Sugar Snap Peas!!

They aren't very sweet... I need to let them get a little bit fatter before I pick them!

I arrive at the Barn Swallow nest and I don't even have the exposure turned up yet for the darkness under the bridge, but a parent flies in...

And they've got a bug!

The parent flies away for more food and the babies are really scooting around!

*laughs* I'm heading out... maybe they will be more photogenic when I come back this way!

The native Hard Hack is blooming.

This little Hawthorn tree is very productive!

The three Leaning Tree saplings.

The Cherry Tree over Blazey's old throne.

I pause a moment to remember Blazey.

I'm back at the Barn Swallow nest, and damn that spider web anchor line!

Babies are just piled in there!

It's really awkward and uncomfortable to lean over the water wall to see past that spider web. I have to pause for a moment, and I go look at the minnows!

Okay, heading home.

Lorquin Admiral!

I chase after them!

It's still to be overly hot on Sunday and Monday, but today will be a very pleasant 80° (26°C)... a little bit warmer than our normal of 78°. But really, I think 80 sounds like a perfect summer day!

There's just one car in the parking lot at the Community Garden, so I decide to walk about. My friend Roz has lovely flowers at the front of his plot.

And somebody else has Sweet Peas.

But okay, today I've decided I'm going to dig up this cute little Tomatillo that's really in the way, and transplant it under the big trellis!

I've never done this before... I hope it lives!

I'm doing a bit of hand weeding today. And I've brought some fertilizer as well!

The Elephant Garlics are blooming.

The big Crookneck has it's first fruit coming on!!

I won't be able to catch this view very much longer... the ProCut Red Sunflower is starting to get too tall!

And the heathy Lemon Cucumber plant under it, is thinking about doing things as well!!

I'm ready to go, but when I look around I realize I'm alone in the Community Garden! I can continue my walk about... and look at this gorgeous row of flowers!!

The blue looks like a type of Forget Me Not, the white flowers are Alyssums and I don't know what the purples ones are.

Some California Poppies in there as well.

Okay! I'm out to visit the Barn Swallow babies!!

I am still having to lean to look past the spider web anchor line.

When my back needs a break from the awkward position, there's plenty of other wildlife here to look at!!

A River Jewelwing, a damselfly. Isn't he amazing!!

Big Stretch!

The babies are being restless today.

And hungry!

I love to watch the Minnows as well!

Oh look! Here's a minnow who is brown instead of transparent! Is he a different species? Or do they get colour when they grow up?

Yay! Pride in Eugene!

Unfortunately and sadly the Pride Celebration is different this year. Some protesters last year disrupted the Celebration to the point where changes needed to be made.

Not to worry... those protesters will be going to Hell for making people upset at Pride. *smirk*

So instead of being held at Alton Baker Park in August, they've are holding it inside at the Events Center here in June.

I am bummed because I loved to walk thru the park on Pride day. Keeping things contained and indoors allows them more control over who comes in. But the venue must be paid for... You get to choose how much you pay to get in: Zero to 20$. But I won't be going in.

They are still holding the Pride March, tho! And I'm going to walk out to see if I can watch the end of the March, as they are coming to the Events Center!!

I will stop by the garden on the way back. The high today is 82° (28°C). Perfect for a March, and I'll just do a quick, light watering at the garden, since tomorrow is to be hot.

Walking past the Community Garden, ha, there's a Crow at our Bird Bath Art Installation!! (Those other bird shapes are part of the art!)

And of course I stop to watch the Barn Swallow babies for a while. ARG, the spider web!

They are really filling up the nest... it looks like they are trying to overflow from it! *laughs* But they are just looking forward to food!

Whoa!

Okay. I can't stand here all day looking at their cuteness...

Or, at least my back can't lean awkwardly here all day! *laughs*

I think I've timed it perfectly... it's about 10:45am and as I walk thru the field behind the Events Center, I can just barely hear the drums of the Pride March!

I walk past the Events Center. There's so many vendors, some of them are outside.

At the entrance... OH MY GOSH! There's an Axolotl!!!

I want a good picture of our mascot, but I'm too shy to go up and ask. Maybe they will still be here after the March.

I follow the sound of the drums. Oh awesome... Just as I walk by, this truck pulls out to block traffic for the March!!

Looking up the street, I can see cop cars with their lights on, and several cops on motorcycles, blocking traffic at the head of the March. My first glimpse...

And here they come around the corner!! Lead by the Roller Derby girls!

And here's our Slug Queen Sitara T. Slugshine!

Unicycle!

It must be hard work for the drummers... they've been playing and marching for two hours! I wonder how much those drums weigh!

The people in the pink teeshirts are the safety crew. Volunteers, and there's a lot of them!

And the March just kept going and going!!

Yeah, I get tired of taking photos of random people... *laughs* The end of the March isn't quite as dense with people...

And then their are cop trucks bringing up the rear.

I join the end of the March, to walk into the Events Center... The Safety Crew are happy! Good Job!!

At the entrance, I try one more time to catch the Axolotl mascot. *shakes head* *laughs* Oh well!

I pick a shade tree to pull out my water bottle for a drink and then head back.

I only stop for a minute to see the Barn Swallow babies again.

There are a lot of extra people on the bike path today! I LOVE that so many people have chosen to walk and bike to the Pride Celebration!!

And into the Garden! The Green Zebra is making some fruits! That's this year's experimental flavor of tomato.

And the little Tomatillo that I moved out of the pathway yesterday is... hm, still taking damage from whoever is doing that. But Still Alive!

On the way out of the garden, I stop to look at the flowers again.

What a fun day! But, dang, I am tired when I get home! I got too much sun, and I have a little bit of a headache.

But so glad I went!!

Here's the same Heron that I saw yesterday!

She or he is walking after this family...

Would probably like to eat a baby duckling... it seems that everyone wants to eat a baby duckling. But the Heron is walking slow, and not very serious about it.

I arrive at the Barn Swallow nest. Four faces and some wings and tail.

Plus the spider web! ha, it's really getting in my way today.

I take a break to look at the minnows!

The green reflections on the water almost look like little minnows as well!

There's our fifth face!

hmmm... Western Forktail damselfly again? Not sure!

*laughs* The parent is way too fast for the camera!

Okay, moving on! And on the other side of the bridge, a Green Heron is hanging out!!

At the Garden for another quick watering.

Oh. There's a squash seedling at the big trellis... I had planted some Spaghetti Squash seeds here. But there's no hope for it, the same as the Crookneck seedlings which have been murdered under the dead Green Zucchini.

The Accidental Lemon Cucumber is still trying! I hope it grows out of it's deformities soon! The poor warped thing!

The Tomatillo that I dug up out of the pathway to move under the big trellis isn't looking good at all. I don't know who is munching on it... You'd think it would be poisonous like the Tomato plants?

There are just four wax bean seedlings that still have leaves. *grumble* And this is of the 2nd planting! The first planting is completely gone.

I don't know... I am feeling rather hopeless about the beans.

I try to think happy thoughts. I do have 3.5 Lemon Cucumber plants... Here is the healthy one.

And look! Underneath!

Yay! That is the happiest thing ever!

Most of Kevin's Breadseed Poppies are quite done, but there's a few still blooming.

I walk out to the Barn Swallow nest before going to the garden today. The nest is getting so full now, I think the babies must fledge before too long!

And Wow... look at those flight feathers!!

Delayed reaction! You gotta open your mouths, Babies!

They are squirming around quite a bit today, trying to get comfortable.

Yeah, I'm sure they are going to fledge this week!

Giving my back a break. This is a Tule Bluet damselfly, rather over exposed...

*laughs* I have to push the exposure way up to get photos of the babies in the dark under the bridge... but when I look around in the sun, I have to push the exposure way down. I just didn't get the exposure down far enough before the damselfly flew away!

And here's my other challenge! *laughs*

well. Off to the garden.

Hmm. The Spaghetti Squash seedling is still alive. That's surprising.

That other stem is the last squash to die there, the decorative pumpkin. It only lasted a few days, and I can only assume the seedling will come to the same end. Don't Hope! ... There's no hope for winter squashes!

The biggest summer squash plant that's still alive is this Crookneck at the front of the Fallow Area...

And it's making a fruit!!

And the little seedling Crooknecks are growing happily...

That grid is there because I planted some Nasturtium seeds. I hope they live!

The Buckwheat blooms are tiny but so pretty!

and I'm so excited about the Lemon Cucumbers coming on!!

And this is the Sunchoke...

Let me tell you about this Sunchoke! *laughs*

Sunchoke. Or maybe Sunroot is a better word? But it's commonly called Jerusalem Artichoke, except that's a terrible name for it. It's not from Jerusalem, it's actually a relative of sunflowers and native here in the Americas. And it's edible bits are not Artichoke or even artichoke-like. It's the roots you eat.

And I don't particularly like them! And because this plant was too close to the border, I actually tried to kill it last year... I hauled out like THREE and A HALF bucket full of roots!

Yeah, you could feed an army with this plant... Except the roots don't keep once you pull them out: they go bad very quickly. And the sugars in the roots will give you a tummy ache if you eat more than the tiniest bit!

Ha. So the plant is next to useless for humans... but the flowers make all the pollinators happy and the birds will eat the seeds and that's happy as well!

And so, when I saw this was returning again this year, despite all the roots I had pulled up and thrown on the compost pile... yeah, I started watering it!

silly. Very Silly.

My borage is starting to bloom!

Oh wow! This is SO COOL!

That top Ladybug is a Seven Spot, the most common ladybug here. But the upside down one is a Convergent Ladybug, one of our natives!!

That's their wings, not quite tucked under the shell.

But I never realized there was such a size difference... The Convergent is so much smaller!