Partner's Mom passed away early this morning.

It was 33° when I got up this morning, gah! The sun is warming things up tho. And the wind isn't as bad as it was yesterday.

heh, the new light poles along the bike path are interfering with my view! I wonder how long before they put the actual lights on the poles!

Unfortunately, it's one of THOSE days... Blurry birds. Or they just fly away before the camera can get organized.

Oh well. How about some flowers instead!

Tag: october 2024

It's just 37° when I leave the house, but the weather page said decreasing clouds and zero wind. I was all That sounds Lovely and head out.

Well. It would have been lovely. Except the clouds were definitely _increasing_ and the breeze was pretty brisk for zero miles per hour! *laughs*

I was freezing! Not only did I wish for a thicker layer of clothing, I also wanted gloves and a scarf!

I was going to go to the garden, but it's just too cold to do work. But also I had somehow managaed to load up the backpack wrong, and it was lumpy and uncomfortable. When I finally stopped to fix it, I realized I had taken out the bag of Fava seeds when I was refilling the water bottle... and then had not put the seeds back in.

So. Oh well. Def not going to the garden, now! I WALK! Five miles! It's good!

The light poles they put in yesterday have all been straightened and tamped down in this section... but Dang it! They are kind of ruining my view of the autumn trees. Bummer!

Hmm. Looks like it's going to be a bad bird pic day! Ha. Here's a blurry Downy Woodpecker.

That's okay. I can take pictures of the trees instead!

*laughs* these colours don't even look real! It's not translating to digital very well.

There was a bird running around as I walked by, and I went over to see if I could find her in the bush she was hiding under. Oh cool! A Wilson Snipe!

She's migrating. Did you get separated from your people?

I had walked by this house the other day...

But I didn't notice the dead body! Ha!

Pretty creepy! I think I prefer skeletons and ghosts.

∞ A Thousand Miles Center for Rerproductive Rights

Sighs. Abortion is Healthcare!

Tag: october 2024

I walked straight to the garden today, for some work, and discovered I had the place to myself!

This vine is in a front garden plot, and I think it's Purple Hyacinth Beans.

It's def a pretty plant, big and lots of blooms! Looks like you can cook and eat the young pods. But the mature beans are poisonous, probably in the same manner that kidney beans are, where you have to cook them all to heck to remove the toxins.

This is an abandoned plot on my row, a couple plots down. At the beginning of summer, they had to cut down tall grass and then they covered it with this landscaping cloth.

Is this some kind of mint plant?? Lemon Balm? Pretty impressive to grow through the tarp! ha! Not something I want anywhere near my garden plot!!

Okay! Here I am at my plot, and this is the back of the front Garden Square. I had cleared the Lemon Cucumbers from here and planted Fava as a winter cover crop. And then I cleared some more and did a second planting.

Today, I'm going to clear a bit more for a third planting! It's such a small area, I'm not going to mix the fava beans. I'm just going to plant these older, store bought beans.

I'm looking at the Sunchokes again... Just crazy, I don't know what to think about the exposed roots! I mean, that's the part you eat, right. So is it still good to eat like that?

I'm gathering a few Tomatillos to take home... oh bummer! I've never seen a Tomatillo crack!

Too much water, probably. I'm not watering the plant specifically, but it's close to the Zucchinis which I am still watering occasionally.

I kept hearing Creeak Towhee's contact call, and of course she went silent every time I tried looking for her! Ha. But finally, she flew across the garden path and let me take a few pics!

Heading home... and the bike path is getting some lighting! Or... some poles, at least! *laughs*

One crew of workers was removing the hole covers and dropping the pole into it. And then a second crew is getting the pole straightened out and situated with gravel and concrete and whatever.

I don't ever walk at night, but it's probably really dark here, with the trees blocking the light from the road on the side. So it's great that we are getting some lights!

Tag: october 2024

Heavy fog this morning. It's mostly burned off down here in the valley, but there are low clouds still engulfing the hills.

foo. A very blurry female Hooded Merganser... There were three of them here, but they were feeling shy and they quickly paddled behind some bushes!

The Sweet Peas are still blooming in the wild. And I don't know what this fruit? or nut? tree is.

Okay. Here I am at the jungle that is my garden plot.

I'm assessing. I could clear out more of the front garden square, and there's a spot I missed when I was planting Fava seeds that I could re-seed. I'd like to seed the Tofu Patch with Fava as well, but the Giant Marigolds are still alive and blooming. I want to enjoy them for as long as they'll give me!

Also gathering food!

Hi Squirrely! Glad to see you've gotten a little pudgy!

Oh, hey! It's my little Gentleman Friend, the juvenile Anna Hummingbird!

Last time he let me move around for a better shot... Yep! No problem!

He is the Cutest!!

Aaannnd, he's noticed someone invading and now he needs to go chase them away! Guarding his territory is hard work!

There's a squirrel in the neighboring plot... haha! The branch didn't support him and he flipped! This is his embarrassed look!

*struggles to right himself* I meant to do that! *laughs*

I'm heading out, but I notice these birds, who have been singing at the Garden today...

First time I've seen Red Wing Blackbirds at the Garden. I hope they are just passing thru, Red Wings tend to take over when they arrive.

Tag: october 2024

Was raining when I went to bed last night, and it rained most of the night!! I listened to it thru my open window and it was SOOO nice!

The sun came out this morning, but the clouds are moving around a lot and it's sprinkling again when I leave the house.

It's a little bit too warm to be wearing the rain jacket, but there's nothing for it. Have to keep the camera mostly protected from the wet.

With the rain, I don't feel the need to visit the garden... altho I do have the backpack, and I walked in that direction! *laughs* Just habit!

And I'm walking in the downtown neighborhoods.

Oh, this is an interesting variety of Sunchoke!! The stalks are as droopy as mine is, but look at the long rows of flowers on each stalk!!

*laughs*

ha, what in the world??!

And back at home and Mr Unnamed is hanging out! Always nice to see him.

The other day I heard him yelling, yelling. I looked out the window and saw him in the branches of the tree, and a grey cat was lounging at the base of the tree. The cat was paying him zero attention, but Mr Unnamed kept yelling.

And yelling and yelling!

The cat left. And yep, Mr Unnamed kept yelling!

It was probably a good ten or fifteen minutes before he got over his anger and moved on to the next project!

*laughs*

Tag: october 2024

I was able to keep my bedroom window open last night after yesterday's nice warm day. And today looks like another sunshiny and bright day!

Too busy to show her face!

I'm at my garden plot, and I'm looking at the Sunchokes. As their tall stalks have tipped over, it's kind of levering their roots out of the ground and exposing them.

Is that normal? I don't know!

A pretty good harvest today! I've been eating the Wax Beans, but freezing the Sungolds... without their sweetness, they don't taste good. But they'll be great in a future soup or something!

Tag: october 2024

A special visitor in the parking lot this morning! A Black Tail Doe!

And I'm heading out thru the neighborhoods. I like the T-Rex!

And the shadows amuse me!

Oh my gosh! Two woodpeckers! ha!

Sapsuckers live here year round, but I rarely get to see them. Downy Woodpeckers are more common.

I get to the top of the hiking path, and I'm just on the edge of the Acorn Woodpeckers territory. I'm looking up at the sky, looking for woodpeckers flying by...

What in the world??!

They're not geese! They are flying in formation, but they aren't honking.

I'm taking photos, trying to figure out what I'm looking at.

And eventually, I just have to zoom into one of my pics.

Oh My GOSH!

Pelicans!! White Pelicans!!

How cool is that!!

They are flying approximately south...

But they wheel around. Maybe they're looking for a place to rest for the day.

They soon drop below the tree line, and I can't see them any more.

I look it up when I get home. We are in an area, a little bit outside the Pelican's normal migrating route! So it's super lucky that I got to see them!!

Meantime, I've been walking back and forth thru the Acorn Woodpeckers territory...

I can hear them tapping on their trees. They say Wikka Wikka. I see them flying here and there, between their trees.

But Photography. arg. Not so much.

*laughs*

Here's someone willing to cooperate! A male Spotted Towhee.

Back down the hill. It really is a lovely day!

And back to enjoying the Halloween decorations!

Oh, wow! My favorite!

Tag: october 2024

Yep, it's chilly this morning, but it didn't freeze. It got down to 37° but it's already warmed up to 46°... but I turned on the heat in the house, briefly and I'm switching my cutoff shorts for long jeans today!

Neighborhood zig zag.

These Amaranths in someones hell strip are just amazing!

No one at the Community Garden! So I wander around looking at the other plots!

Canna Lilies and some Red Kuri in the background.

The Bird Bath art installation still has good colour!

Okay! Here I am at my plot. I'm checking on the zucs, and fortunately they lived thru the cold night! All three Zucchini plants have several squashes growing on them... But they are going to slow down if the nights continue to be chilly. So I decide to leave them today and let them all get bigger!

Aw, the leaves on the big Tomatillo plant are turning yellow.

But it's perfect weather for the winter cover crop! This is the second planting of Favas... the first planting is about 6inches tall!

I'm really impressed with the effort the Straightneck is making, so late in the season!

Oh! My little Gentleman Friend is here!!

I wonder when his adult plummage will come in... He currently looks like a female: That tiny section of black on his chin is supposed to cover his whole head! Will I even recognize him after he molts?

Oh my gosh! I move around and he lets me get closer!

Yay! I'm so glad he's trusting me today!!

oh my gosh, he is just so stinkin' CUTE!

I have extra time after I leave the Community Garden, and I make an extra loop on my walk home.

In the news, this afternoon...

∞ Lighting on some Eugene walking and biking paths damaged by wire theft

Oh man, major bummer. I don't ever walk after dark, but the cost of repairing this is a drain on our resources. Very unfortunate!

But here's something to cheer me up!

∞ Strange 'Star Trek' sounds are echoing through Madagascar's remote rainforests. Scientists just found what's causing them

Oh my gosh! Newly discovered tree frogs are named after seven legendary captains: Kirk, Picard, Sisko, Janeway, Archer, Burnham and Pike!!!

... huh. I wonder who Burnham is. *laughs* Silly me, not keeping up with the Star Trek shows!

Tag: october 2024

Good Morning Mama!

The sun shines today, but there's a frost advisory for tonight. The forecast says it'll get down to 38°, well above freezing, but there will be some frost in the hills perhaps.

I arrive at the Community Garden, but I can't seem to make the photography work!

Yeesh.

Srsly.

My Gentleman Friend won't even help me out!

Oh well. I guess I'm to stick to flowers. The Sunchoke in the back is waning.

The Zucchinis are still going strong... tho I guess we'll see what happens with a colder night.

I thought I was going to have to stick with flowers...

But Yay!

Lesser Goldfinches!

They are eating the Cosmos seeds!

How cool is that!

I'm heading home. These fluffy clouds are building up quickly...

And before long it's overcast and sprinkling!

Here's the Soybeans I picked yesterday...

I've spread them out, and put a fan on them to dry!

When they are good and dry, I'll shell them and add them to the Soybeans I got last year... Yeah, I never got around to making tofu like I wanted! ha.

Tag: october 2024

Some sprinkles over night and this morning is so dark and dreary. It's 55° when I leave the house, zero wind and 90% rain and this is my kind of day!

Oh, ouch! Your poor ear. You've been fighting?

I arrive at the garden and there's a Flicker saying Que their contact call. It's too dreary for bird photos today, tho... she's a bit blurry!

No other humans at the Community Garden. That's nice. I have a walk about!

I'm at my plot and I stop to admire the front Sunchoke.

Oops, I was letting that one zuc squash get a little bit bigger. But it's gotten huge! haha!

Okay! Today, before the rain starts up again, I'm picking the Soybeans.

The plants are very stunted... around a foot tall, some of them not even that! So Pathetic! Last years plants -- growing on the other side of the plot -- were 3 and 4 feet tall, and each plant had several tall branches.

There's just 14 little plants, when I planted probably over 100, in three separate plantings. Gah. I think there's about 100 soybean pods here.

*shakes head* Last year, I got 60 to 70 pods off a single plant!

It would be nice to find out what's wrong with the dirt here, so I could fix it. But I'm too lazy for that!

Well. On the other side of the garden plot...

Nothing stops the Sungolds! *laughs*

The volunteer squashes, growing out of the compost are still alive. As is the volunteer clover that I found under the Snap Peas.

And a Mystery Squash! This must be a cross between a Zucchini and a Straightneck? Ha! Not sure how that happened, but I'm going to harvest it today.

A pretty good haul today!!

Oh!! My little gentleman friend is back!!

Yay! I wondered if that older male who came thru here the other day had chased this one off permanently. So glad to see him again!

Okay, heading out. But first, I'm looking at the flowers in other people's plots!

Oh, hey! It's Mr Unnamed!

Glad to see him, even when he doesn't stick around for the photography!

Tag: october 2024

We're screwed. In so many different ways. And each and every way overwhelms me, individually.

So how do we face all the different ways Trump is going to kill us? I don't know. ... I don't know.

Goodbye Science.

Mass deportations. Families can be deported together. 14th Amendment, birthright citizenship, gone. The Department of Education, gone. The National Institute of Health, corrupted. and ivermectin instead of vaccines. ACA repealed, and not replaced. EPA was already getting corrupted from Trump's first time round and SCOTUS rulings. He'll be making Climate Change worse. A national abortion ban will kill a lot of us and maternal mortality will skyrocket. Mifepristone access removed. Because the FDA will be corrupted. Rolling back safety regulations... on food even. Climate disasters will be worse and FEMA support will occasionally go to red states, but it won't be long before someone starts lining their pockets with that money.

Each of these things is utterly terrifying!

And that's just the goals for the first month or so. Democracy will not survive four years of Trump.

A lot of us will not survive four years of Trump.

∞ PoliticsGirl: What's Next America?

∞ Will the American project survive the anger of white men? by Carol Anderson
At key moments throughout US history, white male anger has been privileged over national security, progress or basic welfare

Tag: november 2024

When I woke up and came downstairs this morning, the rice cooker is sitting on the floor next to the recycling bin. I ask about it and partner says It's done.

He says it loses power, randomly, and last night he had to finish the rice on the stove.

oh foo. I love that thing, it's so cute. what a bummer.

Cloudy and nice this morning, it didn't get cold last night and it's 61° when I set out for my walk. 30% rain today, so I've got my rain jacket even tho it's a bit too warm to wear it.

Just past the garden, I find this one stalking some prey!

Ha.

Yeah, I don't think so, Kitty. I took this photo and then I stepped between them...

The squirrel goes across the path and up a tree and I gave pets to the kitty.

Oh my gosh!

A Wood Duck! In eclipse plummage! Look how red his eyes are!

See ya around? No? Probably not?

Oh wow, all the crows!

And more crows over here!

Heading back.

I stop at the garden. Wondering if this thing will have time to ripen.

And here's standing at the back of the plot, looking over the Squash Square, at the Wax Bean trellis.

Oh nice! It looks like I'll get a couple more Straightnecks!

The poor Seascape Strawberries.

Here's my friend, hunting at the garden again!

Yeah, it's beyond time to giver her a name!

I think it should be something to indicate she's a Red Shoulder Hawk, but Scarlet and Garnett don't really work. I go looking for other red names.

ooh, how about Rudra?!

In Hindu mythology, Rudra is a deity associated with storms and wildness.

Tag: october 2024

Looks like this might be the last warm day of sunshine. The forecast says the rain starts tonight or tomorrow.

Canada Geese? or Cackling Geese?!

Yay! More Tomatillos!

Tomatillos are crisp and taste like a lime! I don't really like them on their own, but if you add them to anything with tomato in it... oh yeah! That punches up the flavor profile, big time! Yum!

The Fava cover crop is continuing to do well!

Walking home.

Last couple days, there's been a homeless person's tent, right on the corner where I live. We do have camper trailers and RVs parked on our street, regularly, but it's pretty unusual to have a tent set up here. The hell strip is narrow and the tent sprawls over part of the sidewalk.

As I was coming home today, there were two cop cars parked in front of the tent.

One of the homeless guys was moving around. They were being kicked out, so he was gathering stuff together.

The other homeless guy is just sitting. And as I got closer. oh no.

He's sitting and staring at a dead dog. A black mutt.

My heart breaks.

Tag: october 2024

The day started with heavy fog, fun to look at. But it's completely burned off by the time I get out the door.

I am mostly walking today, but I stop by the garden to give the baby Favas a quick watering. The first planting...

And the Second planting...

And Yay! A couple Tomatillos came off the bush with a little tug!

It'll be nice to start getting Tomatillos on a regular basis!

Aw, a Ladybug resting on a Sunchoke bloom...

A precious lil Seven Spot Ladybug!

Nom, nom. Stuffing our face!

Heading home... oh, nice! There's a little group of Lesser Goldfinches flitting around.

The Lessers will stay bright yellow thru the winter and are easy to distinguish from the American Goldfinches, who are much duller!

American Goldfinches love the Sunflower seeds, but Lessers prefer smaller seeds, and Dandelion seeds are their favorite!

Thank You!

Tag: october 2024

This is how it's going to go today!

*laughs* But here's the first photo of the season, crappy as it is, of a Golden Crown Sparrow! I heard the first one singing the other day... they are migrating down from Alaska and northern Canada and they'll stay here for the winter!

Yeah, fly away little bird!

Her friend stayed, but she's standing in the shadows of some sticks. Stick shadows! Sheesh!

Well. At least I can take decent pictures of the leaves!

And then this one. I was so excited to see a Nuthatch!

But this is what I get! Bahahaha!

Perfectly situated behind a perfect ball of moss!

I can just imagine Sir David Attenborough's voice: And this is the rare Moss Headed Nuthatch performing her extraordinary courtship display...

*Laughs*

Okay. I'm at the garden, and ready to put my failures as a photographer behind me!

The neighbor's pretty Hollyhocks.

I've gathered some food, including a second Aubergine that doesn't have any holes.

And the Happy Favas at the front of the plot.

Okay. Let's try, try again with the little birds!

Tag: october 2024

Wearing my rain jacket, but it's not as chilly today and it's not long before I am sweating and uncomfortable! I have to stop and take off my jacket and stuff it in my backpack.

I've walked the neighborhood zig zag today.

And then I come to the mess that is my garden plot! *laughs*

The front Sunchoke is all lovely, but starting to lean a bit.

And the back Sunchoke has fallen over into the neighbor's plot. Arg. They haven't been around since that disaster over the summer, but I don't want to be encroaching on their plot!

I'm going to pick one of the aubergines today... but check this one out.

haha, an entrance and an exit? I find one without any holes. I have no idea how to cook Aubergines, so I will have to do research about that.

Tag: october 2024

Well, that was fast. The emboldened threats of violence have begun. Trump made this.

∞ [They] Are Trying To Terrorize Our Daughters And Children 'Your body, my choice' is the newest rallying cry

And.

∞ Racist text messages referencing slavery raise alarms in multiple states and prompt investigations

Disgusting.

I don't know how to make men have empathy.

Our job is to LOVE and SUPPORT each other!

Not all of us are going to live thru this... we've just got to do the best we can to live.

Tag: november 2024

Partner's Dad lives down in Florida, and landfall for the second hurricane, Milton, happened at 9pm last night. Dad lost power at 10pm. He's got rain and some gusts of wind but might go in to town for some starbuck's internet! Haha!

For Hurricane Helene, he lost power for a couple days, from Sept26 Thursday night to Sept28 Saturday lunch time. [Milton isn't so bad... Power came back on in about 24 hours, this time.]

On my side of the country, we had a cold night, it was 40° (4°C) when I got up this morning. BRR! It's warmed up a little but I'm wearing the rain jacket for warmth on my walk today!

There's a little park across the street with ½ a disc golf course, and I decide to walk over there today. I admire the trees.

Oh awesome... they have planted more trees!!

There's some Oak tree saplings, and I'm not sure what this is. I'm happy to see a variety of tree species!

Oh, nice! They've replaced the kiosk, too! It had gotten vandalized last year.

I stop off at the Garden on my way back. Oh! Bluebirds!!

She is so cute!

oop! And then the Red Shoulder Hawk flies over the Garden, and scares all the little birds away. I haven't named her yet and it's starting to bug me! *laughs*

And this one too? Hey! Walking thru my baby Favas! You better not step on any, You! *laughs*

I am studying the veggies a little bit closer today, because of the cold night...

But I think everything is still okay. Well. You know. Everything that didn't die after the cold snap in August. But the big tomato plants did die... and this is the LAST Old German, which has ripened on the dead plant. SIGHS.

But the Zucs continue to live, and the Sungold is still mostly happy.

And the Wax Bean plants are okay and the Tomatillos are hanging on too!

At some point I'll need to pick the Soybeans... they need to dry out some more, tho. They should all turn from the yellowish ones to the darker brown.

The volunteer squash plants growing out of the compost... might be a Crookneck or a Straightneck. It seems to be vining rather than making a zucchini nest.

The one Seascape Strawberry is setting up some tiny new leaves. And I love the random Wood Sorrel that happened to come with it too!

And the bigger clump of Seascapes.

More and more of the second planting of Favas are coming up!

On the way out, I stop and admire a neighbor's Zinnias.

Tag: october 2024

Last night I accidently dipped my toes into Maga land.

There was a video I watched. A person who was worried about physical violence, happening to them personally. And their family was organizing to leave the country. They talked about their projects which wouldn't be finished. They spoke calmly and they reiterated several times that they don't hate Trump supporters, they just don't understand why.

The Maga comments fell into two categories. The first one was along the lines of Suck it up, Buttercup. One comment near the top really caught my attention, You need to toughen up, it's the only way.

*shakes head*

The other category of Maga comments was Oh, you'll be fiiine, and rolling eyes at the unnecessary drama.

The utter cluelessness of the Magas is just ... stunning.

Cis/het white males. They will be fine.

But when will they look around and notice that the rest of us are really not fine??? How many people have to die before they pay attention?

Tag: november 2024

The house was stuffy when I was going to bed last night, so I opened up the kitchen window. And this morning it was still so nice in the house, not cold. I can handle more of this kind of weather! It's nice to keep the house open!

On the way out to the garden, I heard a bird and thought... I should know who sings that.

The song was three notes, descending. The bird kept singing, and I kept walking tho I slowed down to listen and let my brain work.

Other birds chimed in. I heard Que! the contact call of a Flicker. Closer, a Chickadee sang, and then Dee-ed once.

Still those three notes that I felt I should know. And then I remembered!

Nooo. Gold. Here.

Ahh! Golden Crown Sparrow!

They are winter visitors here. They spend the summer in northern Canada and thru Alaska. They must be just arriving. And they are one of my favorite sparrows!! I can't wait to see them!

I'm at the Garden and I've got some work in mind, but first I notice that the second planting of Fava is coming up! Yay!

Let's see. Planted this on Sep27, they have taken 12 days to come up. The cooler weather slowed them down... the first planting came up in a week!

Okay! I'm going to murder some Horseradish today!

I know: UGH! I've been so lazy thru the summer, and now I have to deal with this mess. Stupid Horseradish.

Most of this is actually in the Pissant Pot People's plot. And, as usual I am slightly annoyed that I have to take care of other people's invasives. But whatever.

After...

The White Crown Sparrows are also winter visitors, like the Golden Crowns... but the White Crowns have been here for a while. I saw the first one at the end of August.

Dang they are cute!

The hot peppers in the back neighbor's plot catch my eye!

Nine Goldfinches? oop! Ten!

I'm heading out of the garden, but looking back in I catch a glimpse of this guy.

I've been seeing him around, and know where he lives. Outdoor cats are a bummer at the garden... I prefer the birds.

But this one was scaring the little birds away as well!

This Red Shoulder Hawk... I am def going to have to give her a name!

She even lets me get a little bit closer!!

Stretch!

*laughs* and then she's off.

And so am I. But before I get home... A Steller Jay!

Ha! She's looking for bugs in the bark, tossing litter out of the way.

Tag: october 2024

America voted for hate.

The rest of us need to grieve, do what it takes to take care of ourselves...

And then we need to get back to spreading LOVE!

It's going to be bad, folks. People are going to die. A lot of people.

And we need to love and comfort them in all the time we've got left!

We needed to do something drastic for climate change fairly quickly. And with Trump, that is not going to happen.

But honestly, we should have been doing something drastic 20 years ago. heck, 50 years ago. Democrats have failed us by being too moderate this entire time.

And now we've blown it. Climate change will get worse, our bugs will continue to die, ecosystems will collapse.

We can witness. We can grieve. And we can live our lives with love and empathy.

That will kill us too.

Wild Iris Ridge was closed yesterday morning, someone had died on the trail. They choose a beautiful place to go out.

If you're heading that way... please call or text the 988 Lifeline if you're in the US. You can also chat on the website. Give them a minute... they're busy.

Tag: november 2024

Oh, Mr Unnamed! Ouch! That's a bad scratch!

Be careful out there!

The sun shines and it's already overly warm this morning, to be 79° (26°C) today.

And I happened to catch another bird flying by as I take the photo of the hills...

I hardly have to zoom in, she's unmistakable: a Scrub Jay carrying a peanut in the shell, to be buried somewhere! *laughs*

I go up around the dead Leaning Tree again... and dang, I just can't get enough of these trees!

The fence they put in certainly makes things picturesque!

Hello? (Nope. She flies away! Ha.)

I stop at the garden on the way back. Just going to water a bit and see what I can harvest. But ...

Oh my gosh! I meet this guy!

Ha! I think my young Gentleman Friend got kicked out of the Garden today by this male Anna, who definitely has all his mature plummage!

When he turns away, the feathers look black.

He flies to a new perch... haha, he looks like a cartoon!

So Cute! Do you think you'll stay, or are you just passing thru?

*laughs* I do feel bad for the youngster who was trying to make this his territory! He doesn't stand a chance with this older fellow. We'll see how it goes!

Okay. I'm at my plot!

This is the Sunchoke in the front... most of those flowers are around 6feet, and then the two main stalks go up to maybe 8feet!

I'm glad the Sunchokes grew this year... This one came in late, but it's so pretty. And the one in the back is a volunteer, I'll have to dig it all up this winter since it's right on the border and I don't want to be messing with the new neighbors next year!

Ha, this is funny... Right above the Sunchoke bloom in the center of this pic, that leaning branch...

Just a curvy Green Zuc today.

Here's the volunteer Squashes growing from the compost.

And the poor Seascape Strawberry plant, still trying to come back alive after randomly dying.

The first planting of Fava, the winter cover crop...

There's still little sign of the second planting. I am waiting impatiently!! So I focus on how happy these baby plants are!

I'm out! Heading home.

Are those nuts? acorns? foo. I can't tell. But that takes talent to carry them both!!

And here's Knotty! It's good to see her again!

Tag: october 2024

Trump won. I'm surprised. I really thought we had learned our lesson.

Stay and Fight?

There's nothing to fight for. All of our neighbors are Maga. This is what they want.

Climate change will accelerate. If you don't understand what that means, well, ignorance is bliss. I envy you. But we're going to die. We are going to destroy nature and we will all die.

Women and many others can't get healthcare in 22 states... as a result of the first Trump presidency. It's just a matter of time before we lose the right to vote, as well.

Having a president who is a traitor and a rapist is going to embolden violent tendancies. Open mysogeny and racism will become normal. We will all suffer.

America is dead. Apparently it's been dead for a while, we just didn't notice.

Tag: november 2024

Sunshine and blue sky.

Huh. That bird in the distance? They are white!!

Oh my gosh! That silhouette is exactly what a White Tail Kite looks like!

Look at the map! Why does the purple spot fit perfectly in the left side of Oregon? weird.

I hear Crreeeak, a Towhee's contact call. I don't even know how I found her, buried in this tree!

The Leaning Tree.

After the Leaning Tree came down in the January ice storm, I kept wondering about the last time I would see it. They did cut down and remove it's two other trunks, but they left this one to see if it would live.

But it's dead, and I'm wondering again when I will see it for the last time.

Okay. I'm at the garden. I'm just going to water and gather today. The last Straightneck, I suppose...

I had to dump several of those Sungolds, I hadn't noticed that they were cracked!

Haha, it's deja vue from yesterday!

Her tongue!! ha!

Back at home, I've been freezing the Sungolds. And today I also halved and cored the very small, regular tomatoes. I've got 2 Brandywines and 1 Old German in the right bag.

For the Sungolds, I just remove the stem, load a couple handfuls in a ziplock and toss them in the freezer. Easy Peasy!

How they will turn out, in a soup or whatever in the future? That I don't know! It's the first time I've frozen tomatoes!

Tag: october 2024

Yay! I voted!

Since Oregon has mail-in ballots, I didn't get a sticker.

But! On the back of the paper with the list of Ballot Box loctions ... is the inaugural I Voted colouring page by Keri Fountain, Election Specialist of Lane County Elections! How delightful!

The mountainous skyline is the Three Sisters, to the east. That's Heceta Head Lighthouse, out at the coast. Douglas Fir and an acorn for our Oak trees. Salmon and Mushrooms and a Bumblebee. The Ducks are the local college sports team, here in town.

Not sure about the covered bridge and the blueberries. Are those a thing here? Asking the internets. Oh! Oregon grows the second most blueberries out of any state in the country. Wow! I had no idea!

And the covered bridges? Yep, Lane County has more covered bridges than any other county west of the Mississippi River. Wikipedia, List of covered bridges in Oregon None close by, tho. That's a bummer.

But how fun and good to learn these things!!

Back to the art... the generic flowers are a miss!

I would have put in some Rhododendrons... very recognizable and very Eugene. Also some Oregon Grapes, our state flower.

But other than that, I love the art! And what a good idea, in place of the I Voted stickers that most everyone else gets.

Tag: november 2024

The sun shines again today and it makes me notice that the temperatures have been all over the place:

Oct1, Tues: 82/40
Oct2, Wed: 70/45
Oct3, Thur: 74/36
Oct4,  Fri: 62/42
Oct5, Sat: 67/47

And today we are back up to 78°. I guess that just means it's Fall! But normal for this time of year is 70/44.

Aww, cute! Are we still feeding the kids?

Yum, sunflower seeds! Nom, nom, nom!

A surprising harvest! The Wax Beans are gearing up again!

The Sungolds don't taste very good, but I'm freezing them. They'll be good, cooked with something else later!

The Squash seedlings emerging from the compost are still growing.

The first planting of Favas are looking good.

But nothing yet in the second area. Let's see, I planted them a week ago Friday, on the 27th. That's 9 days. Maybe the cooler nights are slowing them down. (The first planting was making a good showing after just a week!)

The Sunchoke in the front is looking lovely!

Tag: october 2024

It's a dark and dreary morning, but the heavy fog seems to be lifting as I head out.

The landscaping crew at the apartments has been clearing acorns from the sidewalks and parking lots...

Do the squirrels look at this pile and think WHAT are the humans doing with all that FOOD??? *laughs*

Snowberries!

Oh Wow! I get to the top of the trail... and the hill is still in the clouds!!!

*laughs*

The fog makes me notice how many of the Douglas Firs are dying here. Climate change.

I head back to the trail... and suddenly there's colour in the world again!

Red Flowering Currants...

I ate some!!

I've never tried them before, so this was a first experience!

Pulling off the flower end, made the insides squish out. The one that didn't squish had a tiny bitterness... not quite ripe. But they all need some sugar. Or something. The flavor is very, very mild.

And here's my soapbox! Never NEVER eat things in the wild, unless... You are 100% sure what it is. AND! You know what all the look-alikes are.

Tag: october 2024

Good Morning My Dear!

Oh my Gosh, the Sky!!

And I'm still looking up when this Great Blue Heron flies over me... haha, she looks like a Skeksis from The Dark Crystal!

The first Hooded Mergansers of the season! Ha, the female is still waiting for head feathers!!

The Hooded Mergansers actually live here all year, but they disperse in the fall and that's when I get to see them at the creek!

I swing around thru the neighborhood, and the first Halloween decorations are up...

The mist has turned to sprinkles, and the quality of the photography has gone down... but I suppose this is a giant mouse?

They always include the ears on the animal skeletons, which is weird, but I guess it helps identify the creature. I'll have to come back to get a better pic!

Oh Nice! Someone has planted Chrysanthemums at the dog park!

So bright and cheerful! I assume the neighborhood association did this... they are awesome! I wish my neighborhood assoc was active with projects like this!

I stop off at the Garden, on my way back.

Nevermind the stupid Comfrey coming up around the Green Zuc... Since production has slowed down, I don't want to disturb my precious Zucchini plant by murdering the invasive Comfrey right now. I want as many zucs as possible!

The Columbine is doing much better this year because it got incidentally watered by being under one of the Yellow Zucchini plants!

That's good! The flowers are nice, in the spring... but the leaves are very pretty too!

Oh shoot! This Anna Hummingbird was flying around in a neighboring plot... but there's no telling, from this angle, if this is my new Gentleman Friend or someone else.

Oh, hey! Here's a Fava bean that didn't get buried properly... and it's starting to germinate! Yay!

Grow, grow, grow!

And here's some of the seedlings from the first planting. Happy baby Favas!

Tag: october 2024

I was walking towards two women who I regularly run into: the lady on the recumbant bike always says hi, and the lady who walks Tessa the Border Collie.

They were chatting together and I heard part of the conversation as I go by.

Dog Walker: So you have to ride home after dark?

Recumbant Biker: Yeah. I've got lights and everything. I've been riding on the road tho. Because... (pause)... You know.

Dog Walker: (sighs) Yeah.

That You know is referring to the rapes that have occurred on the paths here in August and September. They did catch the one guy, and he's a real piece of shit. Beat up two girlfriends who went to the police, which means there's probably a bunch more he hit, who did not go to the police. Pos.

So.

A woman chooses the bear instead of the man.

Or, in this case, she chooses to get squished by a car who doesn't see her riding in the dark, instead of riding on the bike path with the possibility of violence from a pos man.

The world we live in. *shakes head*

Tag: october 2024

I'm walking past the garden today. I'll go in, on my way back. But look who's here now!

This Red Shoulder Hawk has been hanging around the Community Garden for a while!

I don't think the hawk I saw here in August was her. But I do think the hawk I saw on Sept20 and Sept23 are her!

So maybe I could think about giving her a name.

She flies over to her preferred branch, just outside the Garden...

Oh my gosh! Is that my little Gentleman Friend?? What the HECK! (Look at the branch, far left!)

Bahaha!! Wow, he has some guts! The hawk probably isn't going to bother about hunting a hummingbird, but still! That's brave! (... or possibly just naive. *laughs* He is just a kid, after all.)

I keep walking. Here's the fallen and dead Leaning Tree.

Autumn leaves are starting to catch my attention.

I'm back at the garden... and the Red Shoulder is still here! Except now she's begging like a baby! haha, I guess she's just a kid, too!

Oh, there's something wrong with your foot? I'm sorry! But you made it thru migration!

Painted Lady Butterfly! Flew away before I could get closer.

I watered the Zucs and the Favas... but I didn't harvest anything from the garden today. Unlike this guy!

Oh, hey! No Patches!

How goes it?

Shhh. Be vewy vewy quiet, I'm hunting wabbits.

...

*laughs* Oh well!

∞ Not Losing You: a two minute PSA micro-movie supporting trans youth during the election #vote

Aww! Wholesome!!

Or: How to make rift cry in less than two minutes!! *Laughs*

Trans rights are human rights!

Tag: october 2024

The wind is blowing today, the weather page says breezy and 19mph.

I'm walking the neighborhood zig zag before getting to the garden.

There are no other humans at the Community Garden, so I'm doing a walk about. A plot on the west side, where I don't usually visit, has caught my eye!

The flowers are a bit past their prime, but so bright and cheerful!

Okay! I'm at my plot and I'm gonna run the stirrup hoe since things have dried out again.

Aubergines!

My cute little Favas. Nothing coming up in the second area that I planted, yet.

Yep, I got some Sungolds... I haven't been picking them because they lost their sweetness after the cold snap in August.

But apparently you can just throw cherry tomatoes into the freezer without any prep. I should have been doing that!

My little Gentleman Friend, the juvenile Anna Hummingbird, makes an appearance... but zooms off when I get the camera.

Trying to get pics of Goldfinches up on the tall Sunchokes... haha, the wind is flapping all the branches around. Not great photography conditions!

And plus, I wonder if the birds ever get dizzy, trying to hang on to their snack while it's being blown all over the stupid place!

In other news... They caught one of the bastards...

∞ Suspect arrested in connection with Fern Ridge Trail rape investigation

Turns out the guy was a real pos, with a couple domestic abuse assults on women. And when two women have come forward, you know there's more.

No word about the other rape that happened at Wild Iris.

Tag: october 2024

The forecast says sun and upper70s for all of this week... The warm temperatures are good for the germinating Fava I've planted at the garden but guess I'm heading there every day to water the little things.

Neighborhood Zig Zag.

Hi Kitty! I'm not sure your hoomans are going to approve of this activity... You're down in the mud!!

You know what? I think I'm gonna grab this hybrid thing, if if pulls off easily. Stripetti = Spaghetti Squash x Delicata.

The Butternut growing up the back of the Wax Bean trellis!

And look at this cute thing! And another one, ripe on the ground!

Butternuts make me happy.

This is the single volunteer Fava plant, behind the strawberries. The Seascape freebies are mostly dead, these are the strawberries I bought in the spring.

And here's the volunteer Squashes, growing out of the compost!

Oh good! The Sunchoke in the front finally has some buds!

And so happy to see more of the first planting of Fava, coming up!

∞ Since Roe fell, hundreds of pregnancies have become crimes

∞ RNC nepo baby dismisses Trump's deadly abortion bans as 'niche' issue

∞ GOP Senate nominee still can't grasp why women care about abortion

Yep. Single Issue Voter, here!

Abortion, Abortion, Abortion!!!

Tag: october 2024

The sun is shining again today and it will warm up to a very pleasant 75°... Normal for this time of year is 73° (23°C) and with all the crazy flucuations I've been trying to ignore lately -- last tuesday the high was 93° and the next day the high was 67° -- yeah, I'll take some normal!

I'm walking the neighborhood zig zag today.

oh! Haha! Here's a House Finch with yellow feathers instead of red!

The colour of the feathers depends on what they eat! And they need a variety of carotenoids to add up to the usual red-orange colour! Maybe this one has been binging on a favorite food that's full of beta-carotene!

Monday's are now my compost run days.

This used to be Partner's chore to handle. When we accumulated a full bag of kitchen scraps, he would drive it to the Garden and dump it on the Community compost heap.

But in August, the car broke down and was in the shop for a month. And I started taking care of our bags of compost... A week's worth of kitchen scraps fits almost perfectly into my small backpack with my water bottle.

And since I've been clearing some areas, where stuff has been dying, I've been able to put the scraps into our own garden plot. I'm just spreading it out a bit on the surface, sometimes I cover it with a pulled up Borage plant.

Over the winter, with the rain we get, it will all break down to nothing! I might find a bit of avocado shell, later... not to mention some volunteers growing like the Squash seedlings and the carrot tops! But that's all good.

And ever more Favas coming up in the first area that I seeded!

The cute little Fava bunny ears!

And, of course, Borage comes up whenever you disturb the soil! That's fine, it will die off when it gets cold.

I happened to come across this article in my internet wanderings, and I want to contribute a few of my own thoughts!

∞ Not every public mention of religion is 'creeping Christian nationalism' Magazine editor Clara Jeffery saw backlash after complaining about a flight attendant who wished her a 'blessed' night

I was walking on the bike path the other day, and there's a guy going the other way. I smile at him in greeting and he says, Have a blessed morning!

And, yeah. Like the complaining person in the above article, I was a bit disgusted. This guy was NOT wishing me a happy morning. He was just broadcasting his religiosity. ugh.

It ruined a chunk of my nature time as I thought about all the different ways that religion has screwed people up.

But when I went to rant about it here... yeah, it just sounded kind of petty! *laughs* I deleted my original rant... But, with the article, I'm glad I'm not the only one who has the impulse to complain about how people greet me!

And I got good ideas from reading the comments, too!

I can respond with the very Wiccan, Blessed Be! Just to remind the jesus freaks that there are other religions out there!

Or, if I'm feeling especially spicy I could just say, Hail Satan! *giggles*

Tag: september 2024

The sun is shining and I saw Mr Unnamed, our Western Grey Squirrel neighbor... but he was too quick for me to get photos. Next time, Buddy!

*laughs* I love my Sunchokes!

So while I was all focused on the front of the plot, clearing the Garden Square and planting Fava... the new Seascape Strawberries just kind of ... died?

what the heck? Why? I've been watering them. Were the nights too cold? The lows have mostly been in the 50s but it had gotten down to 43° a week ago. But that hardly seems like something to die over.

Well, I don't know. But there is a tiny new leaf in there, so maybe it will live.

The volunteer Squashes, growing out of the compost are still alive... and you'd think they would be more delicate than strawberries with cooler nights.

Well, anyway. On the way out, I stop to look at the section of Favas I planted last week! Yay Baby Favas!

Tag: september 2024

I need to visit the garden today, to water the Fava seeds I put down yesterday. But I'm going for a good walk first!

The fallen Leaning Tree.

Oh nice. Someone has Sunchoke growing in their hell strip!

And there's a cute lil Hoverfly!

Oh foo.

Huh, this is interesting! This Sunchoke bloom hasn't opened yet and it won't have any seeds made...

Maybe they are going after whatever bits will become seeds?

At my plot, I've watered everything pretty heavily. Especially the new Fava seeds in front. Not much to pick today, but there's more Wax Beans coming on, so that's nice!

I had gotten so sick of eating stupid Wax Beans, and I froze a bunch of bags. But now I could eat them again. In moderation, you know! ha.

∞ A Call For Men to Engage

*nods*

Tag: september 2024

So the 2025 Community Garden Manual came out, and I'm scanning it over to see about the stupid Autumn Compliance Check they they just made up this year.

Yep, sure enough. It's there and we've now got four checks per year, instead of three.

Which is amusing because they can't employ enough people for all the work there was already... they use the volunteers Extensively! So I don't understand why they want to give themselves more work with a fourth, completely unnecessary compliance check.

But then I notice a new section...

I am shocked and DISMAYED that Borage is on the list of Prohibited Plants.

Borage is NOT an invasive plant!!! It is easy to identify and it is easy to kill by simply pulling it up. It's a naturalized plant, and in my opinion probably the most perfect summer cover crop AND companion plant.

So that's going to be a major problem for me next year. I'm almost surprised that they didn't ding me on their illicit Compliance Check this month, for all my precious Borage.

*** Oh, and I checked that link for City of Eugene, Prohibited Plant List and Borage is not on it. What a surprise.

But now that I'm over my initial outrage... well, not really. I'm still extremely outraged!

But I'm looking a bit closer at the list.

Marsh Marigold?

What the hell. Who wrote this ridiculous list???

As far as I know, we don't even have Marsh Marigold here... and it's a native wildflower, not aggressive. What kind of moron puts that on an invasive species list??

It IS a look-alike to Lesser Celandine, tho. Which is horrifyingly invasive. And, seriously, who's going to plant it, knowing how horrible the Lesser Celandine is? But regardless, Marsh Marigold has no business being on that list!

And then they snuck in GRAPES there under Large Woody Perennials?! oh my god. People have to... what? just cut down their grape plants. This is ... GAH!

The Community Garden at the river has a whole row of glorious, OLD grape vines! The thought of pulling those out, killing them, oh gah it's tragic.

Dang it, I hope someone objects.

And finally, at the bottom... Yes, mint should always be in a pot. But Raspberries and Marionberries? There are a few gardeners who grow berries, including my friend Roz. What's he supposed to do? Dig them up to put in a damn pot? He said he loved his berry harvest so much this year. Sticking the raspberries in a pot is going to disrupt production, and shrink it to hardly anything.

Grr! *Grumble, Grumble*

It's just terrible and I'm ready to revolt!

Tag: september 2024

Cloudy but nice this morning, it was 61° when I left the house, to be 71° (22°C) today. But there are warmer and sunny days in the forecast, and I'm going to put down more Fava seeds to take advantage of the warmth!

I'm not having much luck with the birds today...

I've brought two bags of Fava today: one I bought a couple years ago and one I collected from the garden last year... and here's a surprise!

They are different colours?! That's so odd!

And does that mean I hadn't planted any of the lighter coloured Favas when I was collecting the darker beans? And, why? Did none of the lighter bean plants survive? Or did they survive and just not produce any beans?

So that's a mystery. But I'm still going to plant a mix of both, here in the spot I cleared yesterday!

And then I have plenty of time to relax!

One of the Sunchoke branches is drooping, so I get to have a different view of the flowers.

Ha! I didn't notice the house fly! My little pollinator friend!

I'm walking out of the Garden... but a flock of Goldfinches distracts me.

They seem to love this plant! I must find out what it is and plant some in my plot next year!

Just look at them all!

At home... here is the state of the kitchen!

Haha! Need to eat faster! The tomatoes are starting to go. The zucs are fine yet, they last longer on the counter rather than in the fridge!

Tag: september 2024

Chillier this morning, just 54° when I left the house and the high today is only 70° (21°C).

I'm walking straight to the Garden today, to get some work done!

Okay. I've decided to clear the way for more Fava to be planted... in amongst all that Borage behind the wild Amaranth is a Spaghetti Squash, the secondary Sungold, and the very dead Brandywine.

Bummer... I only found two, very small Spaghetti Squashes! Maybe I shouldn't have let the Borage overrun everything! And I got the last small Brandywines before I hauled the plant to the compost pile.

I couldn't bear to pull out the Sungold... it's still very much alive with fruits and flowers! heh. So the spot isn't as clear as I envisioned it!

But there's a bit of room for planting.

The damn Comfrey has cozied up to the Green Zucchini... and it's too much trouble to try to murder it under all the Zuc branches.

All three Zucchinis have good sized, harvestable squashes... but all that is not going to fit into my small backpack with the two Spag Squashes!

The Sunchoke is just over 7 feet tall.

Okay. Heading out!

On the walk home, I notice this...

Most of the dogwoods along the creek are Red Oiser Dogwoods, which have white berries. I forgot there's a couple of Silky Dogwoods, here too, with lovely pale blue berries!

Tag: september 2024

The clouds are moving around a lot this morning, and even the forecast can't figure out what the weather wants to do... the chance of rain is 50%. *laughs*

I have to bring the rain jacket to possibly protect the camera... but it's already 63° when I leave the house, too warm to wear the jacket! I stuff it in my backpack and head out for the Neighborhood Zig Zag.

There's clouds covering the sun when I happen to pass over the bike path... So I don't get to photo my shadow.

Here's a pretty kitty sitting outside their home...

And Look! They are polydactyl! Cool!

And that amazing hell strip flower bed. I just can't get enough of the colours.

I arrive at the Community Garden and the big family group of crows is here!

I'm at my plot. Since I'm not sure what 50% rain is going to do, I decide to water a bit.

Here's the back of the Wax Bean trellis... As I mentioned, there's some yellow leaves but it's gamely trying to make more beans!

The funny little volunteer Squashes growing from the compost!

And the rest of the Squash Square is just a happy jumble! ... Altho, I probably should have pulled out all that Smartweed. *laughs* Oh well.

Yep, I found TWO Wax Beans that were long enough to harvest!

The first Sunchoke blooms.

I'm trying to take photos of the Goldfinches...

But the clouds are getting heavier... and the Goldfinches aren't very cooperative anyway!

Heading out, I notice the blooms on the other stunted Sunflower, in the front, have extra, weird petals...

Must be a genetic thing?

Haha! One of Pot People's Sunflowers is leaning into the Garden path!

Heading home, and Oh Wow! Look at what the clouds are doing!!

I left just in time... when I get home it starts to sprinkle! We don't get much, but I'm bummed that I spent time watering the garden!! Ha!

This is something fun from the news...

∞ How a catchy tune became the soundtrack to TikTok's silliest videos Monkeys Spinning Monkeys!

*laughs* This is super awesome!!

Yesterday I was so mad about idiot republicans, I decided to get another round of Vote Forward addresses...

They give you addresses and letters to print, and you write your own thing on the letter. Just encouraging people to vote. And then I decorate the envelope to have some fun.

When I went to get the addresses, they had a new thing... you could sign up for your own display page! That sounds cool!

But re-reading the info about it, I had to temper my excitment. I think this is just a basic page, and it doesn't look like people will even be able to add an intro or anything personal.

And I got my page today... and yep, it's a bummer that I cannot do a single thing with it. :(

But there I am! An overly boring page with my letter writing progress. ha.

∞ https://votefwd.org/goal-page/riftvegan

Tag: september 2024

∞ GOP Senate candidate says women are 'crazy' to care about abortion

Yeah. You know what?

I am a single issue voter this year, and my single issue is abortion.

(well. okay. Maybe climate change, too. But it's absolutely abortion first!)

As a female type person, who is over 50, in a state with zero abortion restrictions... ZERO! ... Yes, abortion bans are an issue for me!

First... there's this little thing called Empathy.

I know that guy in the news article doesn't understand Empathy at all. But most people do.

And then there's the very importanat fact that abortion is health care. When women and people with uteruses can't get health care in certain parts of the country, it affects ALL OF US!

Honestly, abortion bans terrify me!

Denying health care to women, means that we are less than. We don't have bodily autonomy... which means we are no longer full citizens!

You remember our supposed unalienable rights in the Declaration of Independence? Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness? We cannot pursue Happiness if we are Dead because of abortion bans!!

Be sure to dig into the comments on the article above... good stuff there!

Tag: september 2024

Hot today. It was already 64° when I left the house and the sun is heating stuff up quickly. To be 93° (34°C) today... but hopefully this will be the last of the ninety degree days this year!

I'm doing the neighborhood zig zag... I don't know why this view cracks me up so much!

At the garden, I was just going to water like crazy... but there's no one here! So I walk around and look at the other plots!

These things are interesting!

Okay! Here I am at my plot! The back Sunchoke is just starting to bloom.

And there's a squirrel going after the Pot People's Sunflower heads!

*laughs*

The Wax Beans have a few yellow leaves... but they also have some blooms and some pods growing!

The Sungold is gearing up as well!

Unfortunately, the Sungolds lost their sweetness after the couple of cold nights at the end of August. So I've not been picking any.

The last two Black Tomatoes. Sighs. There's still several Old Germans left on the vine, but that plant is dead as well.

The blooms on the stunted Sunflowers at the front of the plot didn't last very long.

But the Giant Marigolds have bloomed forever!

Tag: september 2024

One last run of warm weather, here... 82° and 83° (28°C) yesterday and today, and low-90s for tomorrow. After that it looks like more normal temperatures in the mid-70s.

But, really, after the two cool weeks in August... I've been so discombobulated about the weather, I'm mostly just trying to ignore it! ha.

I'm walking the Neighborhood Zig Zag again. Since the sun is shining, I am amused to photo my own shadow.

This glorious tree, again.

And the amazing hell strip flower bed...

Oh my gosh! I come across a flock of Cedar Waxwings!!

But the sun is so stinkin' bright, I can't see the screen on the camera. So I'm just pointing and clicking!

Lots of juveniles in this group... they are the ones with stripes down their front.

This Hawthorn tree looks like it's dying rather than shutting down for winter. I wonder what's wrong with it.

The Hawthorn berries are all dried and shriveled, but apparently still good to eat!

Since I can't really see what I'm doing, it seems like the cutest birds are always right at the edge of the frame! Haha!

Or they are tucked behind someone else!

See ya!

I've zig-zagged for almost an hour, and now I'm at the garden. I water and gather.

It looks like the Wax Beans are going to start another round!

And the Sunchoke...

Is finally getting some blooms!

Hello, My Dear!

Oh! and Foo! She flew away before I could get closer! Red Shoulder Hawk... same as the other day?

Tag: september 2024

I am so sick and tired of men making me feel not safe!

Today, I was walking down the sidewalk of a major street, going across the driveway to a diner. A car surprised me... wanting to drive in, but no signal and wasn't even in the damn turn lane!

He saw me and stopped, thank goodness. But with the back end of the car stopping traffic behind him, since he wasn't in the turn lane.

I hurried on across, grateful that I didn't get squished.

But as he pulled into the parking lot he screamed at me thru his open window. F bomb and calling me a few names.

...

Going across that street is the worst. And now I can't even be safe from attack on the damn sidewalk.

Men... you suck!

And do NOT whine to me about Not All Men!

That's bullshit, and you know it!

Because that guy's friend, in the passenger seat? He didn't chide the drivers inexcusable behavior. You know he didn't.

The passenger might have laughed nervously. Or he may even have contributed a few cuss words himself.

And that's the thing, right? All of these maladaptive men have friends who make NO effort to correct bad behavior when they witness it!

So Not All Men? It IS ALL MEN!

And if you are a man, and you don't think so... then you need to step up!

How about using your male privilage for good instead of evil for once?

How about making the world a better place?

Tag: september 2024

Magnolias fascinate me! They've been on Planet Earth for 95 million years! They've lived with dinosaurs!

I am walking the Neighborhood Zig Zag to the garden again today.

The novelty of this walk is starting to wear off... I'm walking on the sidewalks along streets, and there's just not much to look at after I've stared at everyone's yards! *laughs*

I get to the garden and I water. But decide the big tomatoes could ripen a bit more. And the Zucs could get a bit bigger. So I don't harvest a single thing today.

But of course, I take a few pictures!

I try to get Artsy with the Pot Peoples Sunflowers that are leaning down into my plot.

Heading home, someone isn't sticking around for decent photography! *laughs*

Hm... Great Blue Heron... but that's quite a bit of cinnamon colour on their shoulder patch. This is someone new!

At home, I'm reading last week's alternative newspaper, the Eugene Weekly... and I notice my Garden Friend Roz wrote a letter to the editor! Ha! That's awesome!

Tag: september 2024

The sun shines bright this morning, and it's the first time in a few days that it's warm enough to leave the rain jacket behind!

This is blurry pic of a Goldfinch, but the colours and the shapes are kind of captivating.

Oh awesome!

That tail! She must have just taken a bath in the creek, a couple feet below!

And also: That tail! Cooper Hawks are distinctive with that long tail, and this is a juvenile who doesn't have the adult colours on her head yet.

Shake it off!

She's moving to a new branch.

Wow.

Heh! Checking out the nail job on your talons?

Okay. Moving on! And there's another hawk, just outside the Community Garden! A Red Shoulder Hawk!

She flies away. But the Community Garden would be a great place for her to hunt... plenty of mice here, maybe some snakes -- Red Shoulders Love snakes!

But she has scared away all the little birds in the garden. ha. Oh well.

I'm just gathering at the garden today. The cooler weather is slowing down the veggies, but they're still coming!

I have got to get some Nasturtiums next year. They usually mostly re-seed themselves, but I don't have any this year.

Oh! Haha!

Pretty cozy in there!

And then I hear my Young Gentleman Friend!

He's still so nervous around me, and I knew I wouldn't be able to walk around to get a good pic... So I stayed where I was and hoped the camera could pick up the correct focus...

Isn't he adorable!

He's kind of wagging his head in a weird way that I've never seen before...

Ha! I think he's trying to flash his little gorget at me!

He'll need to practice that some more, in order to show off to the girls.

I wonder when he'll get his adult feathers? Those shiny ones should cover his entire head and throat!

Tag: september 2024

Morning clouds eventually broke up for a beautiful Autumn day. It's not summer anymore.

*laughs* I don't know about the vaguely cute green creature, but Sí se puede means Yes You Can! That's a nice sentiment!

This tall thing is interesting...

This is Common Mullein, naturalized from Europe and northern Africa and Asia. It is easily managed, and makes all kinds of pollinators happy. And some seed eaters as well! So it's a friendly plant to have around!

Mullein is pronounced mull, like Mull it over, and linn, like the name.

There's a couple House Finches spending time with the Goldfinches, but I guess they are less interested in the photography.

Okay! I'm at my garden plot and I'm going to plant a little bit of winter cover crop today!

These are Fava beans that I collected in 2023 from a cover crop that lived thru the winter. (This past winter's Favas were all killed in the ice storm of January, long before they could make beans.) The holes in the beans are from Broadbean Weevils...

The internets say the holes will affect productivity by about 15%. Might be a problem on big operations, but it's negligible for me! I won't even notice the difference, and I'm happy to support bugs!

I'm putting them down in the Lemon Cucumber area that I cleared the other day. I've moved the trellis, but I'm keeping the wild Amaranth.

I've given the planted beans a good water and now I can goof off. I love it when the garden is a big happy family...

That's a Tomatillo and a Soybean, and the red stalks on the left are some wild type Amaranth!

The volunteer Sunflower in the Tofu Patch is winding down.

Oh hey! There's some Heal All growing in the Tofu Patch as well!

And that blue flower is Creeping Speedwell, another little wildflower that I love.

I got tomatoes off all three big tomato plants: 3 Old Germans, a Black Tomato and a Brandywine!

I was fixin' to leave, and I turned to take in the garden plot... and I noticed the sunflower leaning over from the Pot People's plot! Haha, how did I miss that??!

Sheesh... this is a good 2meters inside my plot. Rude.

But maybe some of the seeds will fall here... I do love the lemon coloured Sunflowers!

Okay, this time I'm leaving for real... Here's some of our native Milkweed in someone else's plot!

It's Showy Milkweed! Good Luck, little seeds!

Tag: september 2024

Neighborhood Zig Zag again, in a different way. Isn't this tree glorious?!

And this is someones hell strip! Just stunning!

Never mind that Road Work sign! haha, just part of the landscape!

At the Community Garden. There are a couple gardeners who have Canna Lilies in their plot...

The leaves are very lovely, but overall not really my thing.

This, behind the Cannas, I had to look up. Red Kuri.

Not sure what these orange ones are.

I'm at my plot, aw, one of the stunted Sunflowers in the front is all droopy, poor thing.

And I notice the Spaghetti Squash vines are quite dead. Great! I grab two... but my goodness they are small. Are they even 1 pound?

And a couple more Tomatillos that came off in my hand!! And the last Crookneck. sighs.

A neighbor has cut down their Red Amaranth... and I decide to do some seed gathering!

Are they mature enough for seeds? I rub a portion of a seed head stalk in my hands. Oh yeah! Tiny black seeds come out!

Heading out, but first I must admire the Hollyhocks!

And some Chrysanthemums!

Tag: september 2024

Looks like today's rain won't get going until this afternoon, the forecast says 70% after 4pm. And I'm glad... that gives me the chance to run the hoe for the Surprise Garden Compliance check. *grumble*

You can see, there's a little bit of grass coming up in the pathway. I know they obsess about that, for whatever stupid reason. (Just MY grass, tho... they don't care about anyone else's grass.) *grumble* some more.

One of the plants in the Squash Square has climbed up the back of the Wax Bean Trellis. Butternut! I hope there's enough time left in the season for it to grow to full size and ripen!

Oh, nice! There's a couple more, hidden under the leaves!

heh, the Cosmos are leaning over from the Pot People's garden plot... I have to step over them when I walk along the right side of my plot! Well. I step over their Cosmos, and I duck under their Sunflowers. Annoying.

It would be nice if the Garden Director, with all her surprise compliance checks, would make the Pot People follow the rules. You aren't supposed to have tall plants on the border of your plot, and your plants def shouldn't be intruding past your borders.

But the Director only hates me. Nothing will be done about others who don't follow the rules.

Okay. Back to the things that make me happy.

Like the cute little volunteer Fava, behind the Strawberries! Plenty of Borage seedlings coming up, too. But they will die back once the nights get chillier.

And the other volunteers, the Squashes growing out of the compost! Unfortunately, they will die back with the cold as well. But they are cute right now!

The Soybeans are terribly stunted, but there are a few pods!

The First Tomatillo!!

I've been checking the fruits on the plants... Tomatillos will fall off once they are ripe, so I give each of the big fruits a little tug. Nope, nope, nope.

But today, one has fallen to the ground! Yay!

Tomatillos are crisp and have a lime taste. You can add them to anything with tomatoes to elevate your meal with contrasting flavors!

Okay, the grass has been murdered, and running the hoe was a good work out for me!

Back at home, in the news...

∞ Scientific American backs Harris, slams Trump: It's only the second time SA has endorsed a candidate

Oh, Heck Yeah! Proud to be a subscriber of Scientific American!

I like Daily Kos for the comments, but here's a direct link to the article at SciAm:

∞ Vote for Kamala Harris to Support Science, Health and the Environment Kamala Harris has plans to improve health, boost the economy and mitigate climate change. Donald Trump has threats and a dangerous record

Tag: september 2024

I'm heading straight to the garden today. There's rain in the forecast and I want to get some work done before that happens!

On the way, there's a little flock of our Lesser Goldfinches bouncing around!

And then I get to the Community Garden, and I have it all to myself! So I have a little Walk About!

The flowers around our Bird Bath Art Installation are still lovely.

Okay. Here I am at my plot, and this is the front right corner I'm working on today...

The trellis was for the Lemon Cucumbers, which died after the two weeks of cool weather we got in stupid August. So Disappointing! This was not the year that I got sick of eating Lemon Cucumbers... and I really thought I could do it because I had 12 plants!! Twelve! Stupid Climate Change.

Well anyway.

I left the wild Amaranth for the birds. And I left a couple over ripe Lemon Cucs for the soil. And I thought about leaving a couple Borage plants, but no... if the rain starts and it gets cooler, the Borage will all die off anyway.

Behind all that is the Eggplant.

I still haven't picked any.

And in the back Squash Square... huh. What the heck is this??! Another mutant? *Laughs* It looks a bit like a Straightneck, except Straightnecks are yellow. and it's kind of furry, that's weird!

When I was clearing the front, I noticed how dry the dirt was. So I quickly watered the rest of the garden... I felt pretty weird about it too, ha, it's cloudy and there's 100% rain tomorrow!

So many tomatoes! I love how the Sungold has sprawled all over the Old German and Black tomato plants!

I thought this was a volunteer Snap Pea, coming up behind the Strawberries. But now that it's gotten bigger, I recognize it! It's not a pea... It's a Fava! The first of the winter cover crop!

Ha. I noticed someone has been taking apart the Marigold seed heads. A bunch of the seeds have just fallen...

Messy bird! I wonder if the seeds weren't yummy enough.

Heading home.

At home, Partner tells me he got an email about a Compliance Check at the Community Garden.

Which is... Interesting.

I double checked the Comm Garden Manual. There are compliance checks in late May, late July, and mid-December. Just the three checks and there isn't a fall or September compliance check... and I'm not sure what the point is, or what they are looking for?

I guess I will run the hoe again soon, since I know they don't like grass in the pathways. But Gah. What do they want??!

*grumble*

Tag: september 2024

I'm heading to the Dahlia Show at the Events Center today... I've been looking forward to it!

I have no idea what to expect! But I assume there will be roots for sale, so I make sure I have some cash with me.

I walk out... oh foo, the back gate is locked.

That's where I want to be! I keep walking... and the other walking gate is locked as well. Okay, I have to go all the way around to the back...

And then the museum gate is shut. And the big, main driveway gate is shut!

Seriously? I had to circle ALL the way around the Events Center and then to the other driveway... And then I had to walk thru the CAR gate, because the people gates on the sidewalks are closed as well!

Sheesh. Just say you don't want humans walking to your stupid event, will ya?! GAH.

I try to release my annoyance as I walk over, because I really am curious about the show!

I walk into the building... Well! This is a Complete Surprise!!!

This is a cut flower competition?! Ha!

So. Okay! I start walking up and down the aisles.

The light in here is terrible, and I don't want to use the flash on the camera. So I jam the exposure up and try to steady my hands to take photos.

Some of the cut flowers have ribbons... They must have awarded them yesterday.

Okay. So! My Expectations have been adjusted and I settle down to do some photography!!!

There are hundreds... Thousands? of cut flowers in here!

I get around to the other side of the building... and there are arrangements here! I love these!

This one says Best in Show, Water Feature.

But this little one is my favorite!

Ha! It has Tomatillos in it!

And Dill flowers! Oh! And some Sungolds are tucked in there as well!!

And some Kale! And some kind of fancy cabbage! And I don't know what the tiny white flowers are, but they are cool too!

*Laughs* Yep, that one definitely gets my vote!

Okay. Back to walking the aisles. I think I like the squiggly Dahlias the best!

But the variety of blooms is really astonishing!

It is just crazy that these are ALL Dahlias! The Artificial Selection on display here just fascinates me!

I've made my way around to the Flower Arrangements again...

This one is so simple, but the colours are amazing!

I really like this one too.

So, that was awesome! I'm so glad I went!

This is a place holder... I really want to talk about this video as well.

∞ Margaret Atwood on the truth in The Handmaid's Tale

Tag: september 2024

I am walking the Neighborhood Zig Zag again today and here is the story of Death Wish Squirrel.

I needed to cross the street, but could see a car coming so I turned onto the sidewalk instead. Mr Death Wish Squirrel was just standing in the middle of the damn road. He was in the middle turn lane, but just sitting there.

And the car is getting closer, and I'm all, Dude! What are you doing?! And the car comes up, and they have slowed down a little, but I'm still frozen in terror!

The squirrel doesn't move from the turn lane and the car goes on by without squishing him dead!

Phew! I can breathe again!

And then the guy walking his long hair chihuahua on the other side of the street says, He's almost gotten run over TWICE.

And I'm all: Oh sheesh! He heard me talking to the wildlife!

Bahaha!

I walk around Gudu-Kut Natural Area again. I don't hear any frogs this time, but I do find this...

Ha, I think it's Basil! Never thought I'd see Basil in the wild!

I didn't attempt any Basil in my garden this year. The slugs like to munch the baby plants to death, and it's just really hard to keep alive in the spring. I should try planting it later!

I keep walking, out past the dead Leaning Tree.

And then I come back on the bike path... The cute little minnows are still hanging around in the creek near where the 2nd Barn Swallow family had their nest.

And then I'm back at the garden. Ha! I've walked 3½ miles just to get here!

The sunshine and blue sky makes everything look all cheerful.

But when I come around the corner... AWW, the end of the big Yellow Zucchini plant has wilted to death! WHY!

The dirt around it is not dry, so maybe it was the cold nights?

The good news is that this plant actually started fruiting at it's other end! I'm not sure why, and I've never seen a zucchini make fruit at two ends... but here we are. And I assume it will keep making squashes at it's other end!

The Compost Squashes are still okay!

And while the Squash Square doesn't look great with the big Crookneck mostly dead, the smaller squash plants there are still fine.

The abundance of life here makes me happy... the blue flowers are Borage, and the pink things are Smartweed.

All making the bugs happy... but uh... guys? Are you just sitting there, drinking up the nectar?? That's NOT how this is supposed to work! You're not pollinating anything!

*laughs* That's a Spotted Cucumber Beetle, and the other one you can't really see is a Striped Cucumber Beetle.

Here's the bean trellis Sunflower... prob 7 or 8 feet tall!

And the top of the Sunchoke... it's well over 7 feet tall too.

And I'm still fascinated by the neighbor's flower explosion.

*laughs*

Okay. Heading out. But first...

See Ya!

Tag: september 2024

Oh my gosh, too cute!

heh, overexposed. Let's see if I can get the camera settings corrected!

These are American Goldfinches munching on a Red Amaranth!

And the lovely Cosmos in the Pot People's flower explosion.

The Hollyhocks are drooped over, but still blooming!

On the walk home, I run into a flock of Bushtits. They bounce around way too fast, and the focus on the camera cannot keep up. But I decide to click a few times in their general direction!

Most of the photos look like this...

Bahaha! But it makes me appreciate the ... uh ... Less Imperfect pics!

They are on a Poison Hemlock plant... and definitely eating the seeds.

Stupid stick!

But dang, they are cute!

But... yeah.

Tag: september 2024

It's so chilly this morning, I'm wearing my rain jacket for warmth. But the clouds are moving around and the sun will warm things up to 78° today.

Normal for this time of year is 79° (26°C) but the Autumn temperatures started a month ago, and I'm nostalgic for summer already.

The humidity is up tho... 93% and I'm happy to see some Roly Polies out. They have gills, so they can only walk free when the air is humid.

I am walking the Neighborhood Zig Zag again, looking at interesting things. This? I have no idea!

I go around the front of the Events Center...

That sign between the tree trunks says Dahlia Show This Weekend. Well, that sounds interesting! When I look it up online, the hours on Saturday are in the afternoon. But it opens at 10am on Sunday, and there's no entrance fee!

The wild Chicory still has a few blooms.

A Downy Woodpecker up in the dead Leaning Tree.

And who's this?

Oh cool! Juvenile White Crown Sparrow. A winter visitor, they are flying down from Canada!

The American Goldfinches are winter visitors as well, but they didn't have far to fly. Short distance migrant.

The Goldfinches are happily chowing down on Sunflower seeds!

In my garden plot, the volunteer Sunflower in the Tofu Patch is looking pathetic...

The branches are all drooping and Squirrels have taken the bigger flowers, for the seeds. Mostly just tiny blooms are left. That's fine, tho I do hope some seeds have gotten to the ground so another Sunflower grows next year!

A big branch from the bean trellis Tomatillo has also drooped to the ground. I should have put it in a tomato cage.

The new Seascape Strawberries are doing okay. That single leaf strawberry in the lower left has some kind of wood sorrel? growing with it and that makes me happy!

And the cute lil volunteer Squashes growing out of the compost.

I saved this clump of clover when I cleared out the Snap Pea Patch. It was shocked by the removal of all it's shade and sun protection, but has recovered nicely!

And I think that's a Carrot leaf, also growing from the compost!

To be continued!

Tag: september 2024

I am walking the zig-zag along the bike path again today, and I decide to walk around Gudu-Kut Natural Area. They have mowed a big swath around the edges, and I think I can just walk a U-shape around the park.

They've left the middle of the park in it's natural state. Since this is home to Pacific Chorus Frogs, it's undoubtedly wet prairie... and in the winter this will all be a big puddle or maybe even a pond. I will have to check it out!

I get to the back of the park and here's the creek... The bike path is on the other side, but when I see the fence I realize... That Willow tree in the photo above? Ha, I've been looking at it from the bike path for years! I never realized it was in a park!

It's good to get a different perspective sometimes!! :)

What a cool little natural area! And as I was walking back to the sidewalk, thru this mowed area... I heard a frog!!!

I get back around to the garden.

I'm gathering the days Wax Beans but the Zucs coming on are still on the small side, and I don't feel like messing with the tomatoes.

I notice the peppers in Kevin's plot. Aren't they pretty!!

I don't grow any kind of peppers, myself. I don't like them. And haha, I know! I'm a weird vegan who doesn't like peppers!

And the cute little volunteer Squash plants growing from the compost!

As I leave, I crouch down to show the stunted sunflowers to advantage! Barely a meter tall, but so many blooms!

At home, I'm assessing the veggie situation.

I've currently got 13 zucs... That's a lot, and I'm eating them like crazy. So far I haven't had to throw any out, except for the few that went bad in the fridge at the beginning of this adventure. I didn't realize how quickly the Yellow Zucchinis go bad in the fridge!

Since then, I'm storing all the summer squashes on the counter. They last a lot longer that way!

The tomatoes are a thing of beauty. *laughs*

The colour combinations with the big, orange Old Germans, and the darker Black Tomatoes, and the single red Brandywine. I don't know. It's just nice to look at! :)

Tag: september 2024

There's just all kinds of happy news today!

∞ Sarah McBride just won her primary and is likely to become the first trans member of Congress It was a landslide election, with McBride winning nearly 80% of the vote.

Wow! This is so cool and I'm so pleased!

I enjoyed her book Tomorrow Will Be Different. I read it a few years ago and it's stuck with me. So of course, I just love her! :)

AND THEN...

∞ Short, Paul going crazy that Tim Walz, future vice president... mentioned his books?

*laughs* Paul is so sweet! But I would assume everyone thinks of And Tango Makes Three, the very delightful banned book about a penguin family.

But it's true, Paul's book is about penguins as well!!

His book is a bit expensive, but you can watch him reading it here...

∞ The Pengrooms, Read Aloud by Paul Castle (and background music is played by his partner, Matthew!)

Tag: september 2024

Mr Unnamed...

It rained from about 3am to 6am. Maybe. I wasn't very awake. heh.

I'm wearing my rain jacket for my walk today. Mostly because it's chilly and I hoped I wouldn't need it for actual rain.

Spoiler: I got poured on! haha!

I walked on past the garden. I kept seeing wildlife... But with the clouds and the dreary and everybody is just a bit too far away anyway. Well. Blurry, blurry photos!

Well. Nevermind!

Here's a cute and clueless fledgling!

I love seeing all the fledglings this time of year!

And just after my turn around point is when the rain starts pouring down! The ducks are happy, I suppose.

A couple of the males are still in eclipse plummage! The duck on the far left is a male, as well the middle Mallard on the water. And, of course, the duck at the bottom is close to his normal plummage.

The rain is still heavy when I reach the Community Garden.

But the front left of the plot is as cheerful as ever!

I don't think I've EVER gathered zucs and tomatoes in the pouring rain! Our rainy season doesn't start until October, so all of these rain showers we've gotten in the last month or so, are highly unusual! Climate Change.

On my way out, I crouch down to get the full effect from the Stunted Sunflowers!

Okay. As I said! The tide has turned.

I didn't actually watch the debate with Harris and Felon 45 last night... I think the previous debate with Biden kind of tramatized me, and I was content to read about other people's reactions, after the fact!

And pretty much everyone's reactions are about the same!

∞ Kamala Harris absolutely killed it at the debate by Kos

∞ Days in politics don't get much better than this for Democrats by Mark Sumner

∞ Tonight was a victory for journalism and democracy. David Muir, Linsey Davis, thanks for your part. (About the real time, fact checking that happened.)

So this is great.

When Biden first dropped out, I felt betrayed. Biden was our nomination. The people nominated Biden!

And I didn't know much about Harris. But I've learned more. And her prosecuting attorney skills were out and shining for this debate.

And I'm excited. We are going to have our first woman president, and I almost have hope that the USA is going to continue get better now.

Yeah. Almost. Hope is a dangerous emotion... Especially for American politics.

We shouldn't get ahead of ourselves. Because there is a lot of MAGA evil to clear out. With Trump out of the picture, that will be easier, I think. But it won't be smooth sailing.

Tag: september 2024

We've got 100% rain tomorrow, and I've decided to not water today at the garden. I still need to go get the day's harvest, but I'm going for a good Walk first!

I'm walking thru the neighborhoods, kind of zig zagging across the bike path. Seeing new things!

This is a city park called Gudu-Kut Natural Area...

It must be a wet prairie because Gudu-Kut is a Kalapuya word for Frog! The city website says this natural area is home to the Pacific Chorus Frog. The creek runs at the back of the park, and the bike path is on the other side... So I never even knew this place existed!

One of my zigs takes me over a bridge that I would normally be walking under.

Haha!!

I walk a little bit further... and some flying and motion on the ground catches my attention...

Some Yellow Jackets are taking down some prey!

Adult Yellow Jackets are vegetarian. They only eat nectar.

But their babies need meat to eat! So Yellow Jackets bring them bugs or whatever.

And that's why they show up at your picnic... it's perfect for them! The adults sip at your coke, and then cut off a bit of your burger or hot dog to bring home to the kids!

Ha!

At first I can only see that the prey is a dark colour and I think they've gotten a Roly Poly.

But no! Oh my gosh, they're taking down a Devil's Coach Horse!!

Wow! This is so amazing! The Coach Horse has been subdued and other Yellow Jackets move in.

I am being watched! Both from the ground...

And by others, flying around.

But they understand that I am being utterly respectful.

I love Yellow Jackets. They are awesome little creatures!

Well. I leave them to it, and head back to the garden.

And I've decided to water the new Seascape Strawberries, after all!

The volunteer Squash seedlings coming out of the compost! I watered them too!

And then I gather the veggies! All the tomatoes today are Black Toms.

And, yeah. Those are some dried up Elephant Garlics!

I accidentally brushed by the clump, and they just pulled out of the ground! ha, okay.

You've got a peanut in the shell? Haha, are you going to bury it in the Community Garden?

So the debate tonight is between Harris and Felon #45...

*giggles* Oh how the tide has turned!

Tag: september 2024

Tag: september 2024

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Tag: september 2024

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Tag: september 2024

January 2024 (partial)

February 2024

March 2024

April 2024

May 2024

June 2024

July 2024

August 2024

February 2023 (partial)

March 2023

April 2023

May 2023 (partial)

June 2023 (partial)

July 2023

August 2023

September 2023

October 2023

November 2023

December 2023

So I've looked at a map, and I hope I get around the new Downtown Riverfront Park without getting lost this time. It's closed because they are using it for the World Athletics Championships, which started yesterday and runs until the 25th.

This amazing mural just outside the Rose Garden was finished just in time for the Championships.

And, of course, you can't go by the Rose Garden without obsessively taking photos of the roses.

And then we gotta check the Osprey nest on the other side of the river. There's one child there today, and she takes off ... only to make a loop and come back to the nest.

XXX... Goal: Finish this post!

Tag: xxx 2022

I'm archiving the 2022 posts...

∞ January 2022

∞ February 2022

∞ March 2022
Story of nesting Anna Hummingbird begins here!

∞ April 2022
... And the nesting Hummer story continues here, until the babies fly away in mid-April!

∞ May 2022

∞ June 2022

∞ July 2022

(completed 28 May 2023...)

January thru July 2021 Archive

August 2021 Archive

September 2021 Archive

October 2021 Archive

(No entries for November 2021)

December 2021 Archive

Goal: revisit August 2021... Road Trip to Utah!

And then keep filling in posts from there thru the end of 2021.

Tag: 2021

(completed 27 Dec 2020 thru 5 Jan 2021...)

2020 Archive... January thru July

(posted 21 Apr 2023...)

2020 Archive... Aug thru Dec

GOAL...

Revisit the Aug thru Dec archive page and add photos and clear out the xxx!

Tag: 2020

(Posted 22 Dec 2020...)

The new archive is HTML5, and completely validated!

2019 journal entries

Tag: 2019

(Posted 18 Dec 2020...)

I have managed to move all of the 2018 journal entries into an archive page. I did not write very much in 2018, so I decided not to divide them up into months, like I usually do.

The new archive is HTML5, and completely validated!

2018 journal entries

Tag: 2018

(Posted 19 Dec 2020...)

I have managed to move all of the 2017 journal entries into an archive page. And again, I didn't write very much, so the posts for the entire year are on one page.

The new archive is HTML5, and completely validated!

2017 journal entries

Tag: 2017