Partner's Mom passed away early this morning.

There's a Crane Fly standing on the path!

I used to call these creatures Skeeter Eaters... but they don't actually eat mosquitos. In fact, most Crane Flies don't eat at all and only live 10 to 15 days.

Wikipedia says Crane flies first appeared during the Middle Triassic, around 245 million years ago, making them one of the oldest known groups of flies. Wow, that's cool... there are over 15,000 species!

I scoot this one off the path before I move on.

Tag: march 2025

This is so utterly horrifing and it makes me sick to my stomach.

What the hell is wrong with people?

If this doesn't cause you to panic at the state of fascism in America... Well, let me just break this down for you.

This is an official White House social media post. They are making a joke about human rights violations that they caused.

This is state sanctioned kidnapping. Zero due process.

...

I just can't. I will finish my thoughts another time.

...

More commentary here:

∞ Let's unpack this social media post. It's from the White House. So you know it's crap.

Tag: april 2025

It's another blue sky day, and I'm trying to capture something of the gorgeous trees... And I'm just not getting it!

The warm weather has brought out some Cabbage Whites! But they are not going to sit around for me, dangit!

*laughs*

WTFH. Oh. Oh No. They've murdered this beautiful Douglas Fir.

Well, that's depressing. This tree was always in the background when I would take pics of the Leaning Tree. And that one is long gone too.

I'm walking thru the neighborhood, making a big loop so I can walk around the murdered fir. Oh, there's smaller trees they are murdering as well.

And will they plant replacement trees? I have my doubts. Because Eugene has less than average urban canopy cover... which is ridiculous for a place that gets so much rain! So I think there's a long history of just murdering trees and not planting more.

Sighs.

I have to work to bring myself back to center. But it's a beauful day, and spring is springing. Nature works her healing magic.

And then I return to Looking Up.

The Red Maples are making seeds.

When I was a kid, Doctor Who came on at 10pm on PBS, was it friday night or saturday? They would show an entire story arc, which was ususally 4 or 6 of the half hour episodes... So it was midnight or 1am when it was over.

Pretty often I would accidentally fall asleep. And I'd awaken to the intro of the next show, which was this AWESOME little astronomy show. It was short, maybe 5 or 10 minutes long and I would watch it before going to bed.

At the end of his segment, the host would say,
Keep! Looking! Up!

So that always made me happy, even tho I had slept thru part of the show I actually wanted to watch! *laughs*

Let's see...

∞ Wikipedia... Jack Horkheimer: Star Hustler

Aww! They are still making this show! Jack Horkheimer died in 2010, but they kept going!! ♥!

∞ StarGazers

I thought this was Knotty... but now I'm not sure. I think there are new Great Blue Herons moving in this year and everyone is different! (Except Henrietta is still around, for sure.)

Tag: march 2025

Oh the sun. It's shining and warm, and I need to re-think my layers today! No rain jacket, that will be weird, I will feel naked without it! heh. But light shirt or heavy shirt?

I chose poorly: the heavy shirt was too hot! *laughs*

Hello Henry!

Ah, the beautiful trees with all their different Spring colours!

The apartments here are going to be awesome. It's a great neighborhood with the school on one side and a big church on another side. But, I just realized...

... the building is going to block the view of the hills here! That's a bummer. When it gets very cold, you can see the snow on the hills. And now I'll have to walk a good bit further to see that.

Oh well. A few people in the apartments will get to see that beautiful view every day!

The front yards along this street are just lovely!

Here's Stumpy the Willow Tree, from an angle that does not show his stump.

And back around to the same trees I started with!

What a lovely walk.

A lovely day and a lovely walk!

Tag: march 2025

∞ National Association of Letter Carriers: Fight Like Hell!
Hell No! to dismantling the Postal Service... Stand with Letter Carriers Rally to Save USPS... Protest at Noon at the Federal Courthouse in Eugene

oh, I am nervous! Having to deal with people is never fun. Crowds are terrible. And it's been ages since I've ridden the EMX.

But I get going. I leave the house at 11:20am. I get my ticket and the bus is a minute late at 11:30. And it's empty! Ha! I wonder if I should move up to the front and say hi to the bus driver. But, no. People get on at all the next stops and soon the bus is getting towards full.

I always shout Thank You! to the driver as I get off!

I double check the location of the bus stop to get me home, and then I'm walking a little ways down to the Federal Courthouse.

I had wondered why the protest wasn't at the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza in front of the county courthouse... but as I arrive, I understand why they choose this spot instead... This is a BUSY cross street! Lots of drivers will see us, it's very visible!

I'm early, it's 11:50am, and there aren't too many people here yet!

I cross the street and wander up the steps where they've set up a table. I ask if the tee-shirts are free and the guy pulls one out for me!

He asks if I am a current Postal worker or retired and I reply, Actually, I'm a happy Postal user!

I find a place along the back wall where I can sit and think about putting the shirt on. Most everyone else is wearing their shirts. But, nah. I stuff it into my small backpack with the waterbottle.

I am people watching. Lots more people have come, in the last few minutes. There are cars honking as they go by, the drivers waving, and everyone cheers and waves back!

It's even more exciting when a postal truck goes by!!

The crowd is getting bigger. Behind me, there are several guys carrying stacks of pizza! haha! The pizza is dispursed almost immediately to the protesters, and they go back for more!

Later, there's a lady going around giving out tea... so that's nice. Something for the vegans as well. :)

Around 12:10, the guy at the table starts talking.

And then he introduced Peter DeFazio, who was an Oregon Representative for over 30 years! He retired in 2023, but I think he did great work for Oregon in his time at the House.

They took a break so the protesters could cheer at the passing cars again. And then at 12:20 there were a couple more speakers.

At this point, there's probably 200 people here, or more.

I'm winding down. Not sure if there will be more speakers or not, but I'm ready to leave.

I left at 12:40 and was home at 1:05pm and I surprised Partner who thought I'd be gone all day. Haha, very unrealistic expectations about my tolerance for humans!

But this was fun! I had a good time, and will definitely go to another protest!

Tag: march 2025

The very first Trillium is blooming!

Always trying to capture the beauty of the waterfall here... but probably the beauty has something to do with the sound of water falling.

Osoberries are blooming too!

I get to the top and the frogs aren't singing today. That's disappointing. But I do hear a Mourning Dove cooing! That's somebody different!

He's a bit too far away for decent photography. And then he flies away.

But then I hear another one over here!

Ha. They are all over the place. Are they moving in? I wonder if they will make good neighbors with the Acorn Woodpeckers.

Who I don't see today. eh, that's okay. Heading back down the hill.

There are Fawn Lilies coming up!

hmm, I wonder what makes the dark ones.

Oh! The Black Tail Deers!!

Oh, hey... There's a fourth one hiding back there!

Their cute lil faces!

And their cute lil feet!

And their big ol' ears!

*laughs*

Teeny tiny wild Violets.

Heading home thru the neighborhood, I see this flyer...

Hm. That's tomorrow. I've never been to the Federal Courthouse, but I think that address is easy to get to from the EMX.

As I walk, I'm thinking... maybe I should go!

∞ National Association of Letter Carriers: Fight Like Hell!

Tag: march 2025

More sprinkles today. The annoying kind where I was constantly adjusting the rain jacket... hood up, hood down. Open zipper, camera out. Camera tucked back in, zipper up. Repeat! Sheesh!

*laughs*

Well, the wind is bugging me today, too.

Here's Zag and Zig, both working on their feathers!

Just past Stumpy the Willow Tree...

There's a little section of wet prairie. Almost all the green you see here, is not grass...

They are Camas Lily leaves!

It'll be a month or more before they start blooming. But on such a dreary day, I have to pause and imagine how lovely they will be!

Are you eating the leaf buds?

You just need some greens, after eating nuts all winter? Yeah, I hear ya!

Tag: march 2025

So much for checks and balances, huh.

∞ PoliticsGirl: Emergency Announcement Fascism is here.

∞ Parkrose Permacuture: This is extremely bad. It's a red alert.

Tag: april 2025

Rained thru the afternoon yesterday, and thru the night as well, and off and on sprinkles this morning... the rain just keeps coming even after declaring a state of emergency for the floods.

And the wind is blustery and annoying again today, 19mph.

This Red Flowering Currant bush near Blazey's old spot on the bike path, is just so prolific!

I swing around past the dog park... and what the heck.

Aww... There used to be a big concrete planter here! There were five or six planters here and now they are gone...

They were blooming with Daffodils, and later there would have been day lilies. And someone put Mums in the other ones last year. They were so pretty!

And, just... WHY?! Why did they take them away??

We are supposed to leave the world a better place!

So sad and disappointed.

Sighs. well, here's Stumpy, trying to cheer me up.

Oh, ha... His greenery looks like baby corn cobs!

Zag and Zig paddle by.

Tag: march 2025

Hmm. I thought this was Knotty again... but now that I'm seeing her shoulder patches better, that's too big a patch of blue for it to be Knotty!

We'll call them Henry for now! :)

I'm at the garden again for more voluteer work. The Lesser Celandine growing in this plot is Very Healthy.

Much better!

I've decided to start chipping away at the huge patch over here. This is plot 15, and plot 16 is the black plastic.

Yeah, that is going to take some time to dig all that up!

I'll start at the pathway. Prepare to DIE!

Well. There were some little Comfreys growing here too. Thats another plant that's been banned from the Community Garden in the new 2025 rules. It's from Europe... related to Borage, but it gets established and can get huge and it's hard to kill because the tap root goes down to the center of the earth!

I started killing a couple of Comfreys in my plot starting in the fall of 2023. Dug them up, all thru 2024. And will probably contine to dig them up, all thru 2025! *laughs*

They will probably never die, and I am not interested in murdering someone else's Comfrey problem. The ones that were here, I just chop the root a couple inches down.

Walking along the bike path, the lady who rides the recumbant bike was gathering these and I'm all What'cha doing? and she replies Oh! I eat these!

What are they? They are Brassicas... She looks down, these are a type of mustard.

Huh! For salad? I ask. She shakes her head, no. I cook the leaves and put them in soup or whatever! She says she gathers them all thru the spring, and it's quite a bit of food!

So this is awesome. When I get home, I look it up. Mustard is an invasive here, there are no poisonous look alikes and easy to identify once they've flowered! Definately safe to forage!

Mustard you buy in the store is made by crushing the seeds. But the internets say you can make a mustard spread from the flowers as well. I guess if you have enough of them!

Here's a great article... it's so old, from 2011, there's a few broken image links. good info tho!

∞ Wild Mustard - Foraged Food

Here's another bright spot of yellow! Lesser Goldfinch!

We've had so much rain, all acros the state...

∞ Oregon Governor Kotek declares emergency for floods and landslides

One person has died.

Here in town, our flood controls have mostly held up. The only problem I've heard of was that West 11th Ave -- a major thoroughfare which is the only road going west out of town -- got flooded enough to make driving iffy for a few hours.

Tag: march 2025

Partly cloudy again today and the clouds are moving around a lot! It'll rain this afternoon, but at the moment the sun is making it a bit too warm.

Knotty? What's with the stick?

Maybe she's got an itch.

I am going to dig up more invasives again today. I get into the garden and... Gah! These dug up clumps of Lesser Celandines are still here.

So much for my hope that humans would pick up after themselves! Damn them anyway... they are starting to bloom!

Well. I guess I will pick that up today, since no one else can be bothered. But I'll go around and see where I want to start work today.

This... yikes.

That is way too much for me to deal with!

But I dig up some singular clumps in the pathways and all. That's where I can actually make a difference!

And now I'm wandering around. This is the current state of the Crocuses in my plot.

Ha. There is one little bloom left.

And the beautiful plot at the back, with their hyacinths!

On my way home, I see that Golden Crown Sparrow with leucism again... But she flies away even faster this time, and I don't get any photos of her. Sighs!

The trees showing off their spring colours are amazing.

Knotty is still in the same place... Good hunting?

Tag: march 2025

wow. Some sunshine today! That's different! *laughs*

I've decided to walk out to Steward Pond Park... and on the way...

A Pine Siskin, thinking about taking a bath... but he got shy when I showed up!

A Point and Shoot and Hope... and this Yellow Rump Warbler is technically in frame!

And here's another semi-successful Point and Click and Hope! Bushtit!

Oh humph... there's no one on the pond today!

But over here... a flock of hundreds of Cackling Geese!

Their cute little snub faces!

There are a few pairs of Canada Geese here as well.

I walk thru the little forest.

But it's the clouds today that keep my attention!

Tag: march 2025

Rained all night, yet again, and still sprinkling when I head out the door.

The creek is as full as I've ever seen it!

Some bright spots of a Yellow Rumped Warbler on a dreary day!

Oh, this must be that Golden Crown Sparrow I saw the other day with leucism!!!

But I Still can't get decent pics. arg.

The bike path is flooded big time, under the bridges!

I walk by the front of Gudu-Kut... but there's no frogs singing here today. bummer.

Zig and Zag are the two on the right! The pair on the left are unnamed because I can't tell them apart from the third pair of Hooded Mergansers who are currently hanging out at the creek.

The rain continues thru the day again... It's been raining almost solidly since Wednesday.

March IS part of our rainy season, but this is starting to get ridiculous! And nothing but more rain in the forecast!

Tag: march 2025

The house is chilly this morning, and I turn the heat back on for a few hours before I get moving!

It's sprinkling as I leave the house, but it turns to a good rain pretty quickly.

A flood watch starts tonight. The bike path here under the bridge is just minutes from going under water! Will I be able to walk back this way??

Oh cool! Downy Woodpecker!

He's a male. And he's busy trying to get bugs out of this little branch!

I visit the Solidarity Garden... they've got some Pansies going.

I wonder what that is, coming up on the right. I don't recognize it at all!

Their Lettuce looks really good... very non-munched by slugs. I'm jealous! *laughs*

I continue on and walk a bit thru the downtown neighborhood and look at front yards. Oh, this thing is cute!

Heading home... the creek has only risen a couple inches so far, and I am still able to walk under the bridge.

I can hear some frogs singing from the back of the Gudu-Kut nature area!

I love the willow trees over there... but it won't be long before I can't see past the willow trees along the creek!

Oh, this made me giggle!

∞ Oh This Poor Dumb Trump Lawyer Trying To Defend Military Trans Ban In Court! At least read your own filings next time maybe?

And just how many people are there serving in the military with gender dysphoria, anyway? Government lawyers did not know. Not only do you not have the data, you have no access to get the data because the military does not track people by gender identity, she noted. Yeah, it's kind of hard to find evidence that trans people are single-handedly bringing down the entire US military with their disruptive pronouns, when the government does not know how many of them there even are, or how they even define who they are.

And then the judge made the stupid Trump lawyers read the reports they had submitted, and then they all went thru them, line by line... Only to discover The government's own reports found that transgender individuals receiving gender-affirming care experience 'literally no regrets' and 'very high levels of satisfaction.'

Heh.

So maybe we could just let trans people live their lives, and get the health care they need... hmmm?

Tag: march 2025

Some sprinkles today and a bit of gusty wind that the weather page said was 9mph. But the last mile or so the wind picked up, like crazy. 25mph! Sheesh, I guess we live in Kansas now!

Blazey's old spot on the bike path... Red Flowering Currant, with the Cherry tree in the background!

ha, the wind is making the photography difficult... branches waving all over the place! So I give up pretty quickly here.

Oregon Grapes are starting to bloom.

It's Zig and Zag!

Zag barely wakes up from his nap when his partner paddles upstream a little.

Oof. There's an article in the newspaper today about an 80% surge in flu patients in the ER...

∞ Riverbend converts rooms into patient care space to keep up with surging emergency room demand

This is the same hospital that closed it's downtown hospital and Emergency Room in Dec 2023. I wonder if they regret that now.

And ever more upsetting stuff from the current regime.

∞ Arlington Cemetery website drops links for Black, Hispanic, and women veterans

No more DEI at Arlington Nat Cem! Which means we can't have women, Black people or Latinx here.

White men only. Because no one else contributes to our military or our defense.

Effing despicable.

Tag: march 2025

It's raining. And the wind is blowing and it's making me so cold until the walking warms me up. And then the wind dies down, and the day becomes more tolerable!

Huh. I've never seen a stray out this way. Cute face, tho!

Two nights and two days of rain, not to mention all the other extra rain we've gotten. This is a place where they let the creek spread out for flood control.

It can still handle a lot more water... but, as I suspected, the bike path is flooded under the bridge.

That's okay. I back track a bit, and go up to the road. There's a pedestrian light for the EMX stops, so I don't have to die when I cross the street! That's always nice!

There isn't a paved path to get back down to the bike path on the other side. But there's a muddy trail that goes between the railing and the fence.

And then I walk down to Stewart Ponds. Today there are Northern Shovelers on the main pond!

And some Canada Geese. The one goose is standing and you can see how shallow the temporary, Wet Prairie pond is, even with all the rain we've gotten.

I walk on up the road to the park. As I'm approaching the parking lot, I hear some raptors yelling. Oh my gosh!!

A pair of Kestrels!!

They've let me get a little bit closer, but I don't get any good photos. Oh well. It's awesome just to see them!!

The trail into the park starts out at the prairie. Up the hill are some huge old Oak Trees. But here, there's just grass... and a single shrubby spot where some Cherry trees have gotten established.

It's a haven for birds, and today there's a little flock of Golden Crown Sparrows here!

Too bad we can't have some blue sky with our Cherry Blossoms... but honestly, I'd just settle for no raindrops on the camera lens! Haha!

Um... oh? Are we eating the Cherry Blossoms?

Well, that's interesting! Do they taste good?

I move on and walk thru the little patch of forest. There are little birds twittering all around, but I don't see any close enough for photos.

But then I find some sparrows just above the trail.

Oh my gosh! White Throat Sparrows!!

They are winter visitors here, just like the Golden Crowns and the White Crowns. But I hardly ever get to see the White Throats for whatever reason.

So that's really cool! This has been a spectacular walk today!!

On the way home, I notice that one of the little shops I enjoyed window shopping at... has changed hands? I get closer, and yeah, it's not a shop anymore...

It's a painting studio!

ha!

Tag: march 2025

I'm not sure when the rain started last night, but rain during the night is always nice! Still sprinkling this morning, and then raining pretty good as I'm heading out for a walk!

I love to walk in the rain. It's peaceful.

Hello Zag and Zig!

This Nutria was running away, and I'm all Oh! Wait! Wait! and she did! Haha, she stopped in her tracks!

*laughs* Thank You Dear!

Yes, you are very cute!

Solar Baby? Is that you?

*laughs* Yep.

Tag: march 2025

Another dreary day! It was misting first thing this morning, but the clouds moved around a little and now we are settled into some solid, grey overcast!

oh, this Flowering Quince!

Okay! Back at the garden and oh, hey. Someone has traded the raised beds that were here yesterday for some tunnel hoops. good for them.

I dig up the Lesser Celandine, and then find a good bit more growing nearby. I've filled up my bag quickly today!

And going around to see the flowers! These Irises are such a pretty colour, but why are they all messed up like this? They didn't feel like growing a long stem? ha.

The Hooded Mergansers who aren't Zig and Zag! *laughs*

Oh Cute Squirrel? Hello? If you turn around, this would be a great portrait of you with the Cherry Blossoms?

Or not. ha!

Tag: march 2025

I head straight for the Community Garden. I'm digging up Lesser Celandine again today for my required volunteer work.

I'm kind of wandering, digging a couple clumps here in the pathway...

Another couple clumps here at the back of someone's plot.

When the bag is full, I wrap it up and stuff it in my backpack to haul home.

And now I'm looking at flowers!

Hmm. I wonder what the white tubes are for. Whatever they are, they are messing up my photos! ha.

There's some Crows here at the Garden with me... but they are not interested in photography.

They are busy doing other things... looking for treats in the leaves!

Before I leave the Garden, I glance around for more Lesser Celandine to dig up next time. There's some in a western plot, but the plants in the pathway there are going to be tough to get out... the grass is growing tall around it.

Oh, ugh. There's some blooming here at the front, right next to the tool shed. Maybe I'll work on this next.

Also, there's some free raised beds... If you install those in your garden plot, the Garden Director will let you get away with breaking ALL the Community Garden rules! *grumble, grumble*

What the...?

Goddamnit. Someone has dug up some Lesser Celandine and just left them here. *cussing* I suppose I have to clean up after everyone.

GAH! But it won't fit in my pack today. And hey, maybe they will come back and finish the work they started. Maybe??!

*laughs* Sometimes I wish I could take photos of Chickadees! *shakes head*

A pair of Green Wing Teals at the creek catch my eye on the walk home.

The day is too dreary for decent photography, but they are still cute!

Tag: march 2025

It's 11:20 when I finally get out the door. I had meant to leave earlier but I'm so nervous, I had trouble getting a move on! haha.

And this one was right outside.

And I was able to take a breath and have a moment to center myself with a friend.

I headed down to the bus stop and got a ticket and waited a few minutes. I spontaneously wave at the bus driver as he pulls up, and he waves back! :) I get a seat, but there's quite a few people riding today. And more people get on at most every stop.

There are a couple people with protest signs who get off a couple stops before I do... and I wonder what they are up to!

I get off at my stop, and go to wait for the light to cross the street. Two older women are waiting with me and they strike up conversation. Are you going to the protest?
I am!

What's your message? ha. I pause for a moment because my brain is all, oh... where to begin? *laughs*

Finally, I just wave my hand and say, We just need to get rid of them!

They laughed and agreed, Dump Trump! and the one lady had a small cardboard sign with an American flag stickered to it. We need to take back the American flag as OUR symbol!

We went across the street, and I kinda wanted to walk with them for a while. But they were going slow, and I was excited to get there. So I bid adieu and told them to Have Fun Today! and I raced ahead!

I get to the Riverbank Path, and oh my gosh! There's an Osprey up in the platform nest, yelling!!

How cool is that!!

I really miss coming out here... The bus ride is so long tho. I wish I had a car!

Okay! Focus! There's a protest to get to!!

There are a good number of people coming up the bike path, some holding signs. I pause for a moment at the Downtown Riverfront art pavilion.

I can see people going across at the walking bridge down stream. And I can hear people cheering at the city hall. It's a few minutes after noon, now... which is the time the protest is to officially start.

And there are a LOT of people here.

We are blocking the bike path... there's a few bikers coming thru, they have to walk their bikes tho to get thru all the people.

I've found a place to hang out where I am comfortable, at the edge of things. Behind me, there's a steady stream of people coming in! I have no idea where all these extra people will fit, but the crowd is moving around constantly and somehow ever more people make their way in!

Speakers started at 12:20pm.

The first person to speak said there were 2,100 people registered to be here on the MoveOn website alone. And this protest was the combined efforts of ... I'm not sure how many different groups!

We've got 50501, Indivisible, MoveOn, Womens March, and more.

The next speaker was Stan Taylor, with ACES, Activists Coalition of Eugene Springfield.

He reminded us to take care of each other. And to remember your de-escalating training!

I stayed for a few more speakers. I couldn't hear their names when they were introduced, tho. I've not found a list of speakers, online, yet. I'll add that later, if I find it.

Around 1pm I decided to walk around to the front of the building to see what was going on over there... There was no way I was going to attempt to walk thru the crowd, so I backed up the way I had come in and went the long way around.

And wow. There's a LOT of people up here too. I couldn't find a higher vantage point here, so the photos I did take don't do justice to the crowd.

All the groups were tabling here, but I didn't stop to look at them all.

The protest was set to run until 3pm, but I'm heading out.

The protest estimate is 3,500 people!

∞ Eugene Weekly: Hands Off! Thousands in Eugene Protest Donald Trump and his administration
Brilliant photos here!!!

∞ KEZI, Eugene ABC news station: Anti Trump 'Hands Off' protests in Eugene see thousands in attendance

∞ The Register-Guard, the corporate Eugene newspaper: Eugene crowds join national day of protest against Trump policies
Gallery of photos and some videos here, as well as the write up.

∞ Oregon Public Broadcasting: Protesters across Oregon stand against public services cuts under Trump and Musk
(They didn't have any reporters in Eugene, but they covered quite a few other cities across Oregon!)

Tag: april 2025

Yep, I'm heading to the protest today!!

∞ Hands Off 2025

Tag: april 2025

Yellow Rump Warbler, buried in the sticks!

Bath time for this Ruby Crown Kinglet!

Their companions must be over that way.

Splish splash!

And then we are off to preen.

I'm coming back thru the park and almost home when I hear a ruckus from the sky!

There's a hawk being mobbed! The hawk comes in for a landing in a nearby Douglas Fir...

Hm. Juvenile Cooper Hawk.

But he's looking back the way he came.

Ah! He was waiting for his friend... There's another Cooper Hawk flying this way!

Oh... they are being mobbed by some Acorn Woodpeckers!! I'm so disappointed that I didn't get their pic... but I just saw a flash of them and then they turned around and flew back home.

The other hawk flies on by and this one picks up to follow.

Wow!

Tag: march 2025

This is a good article at the National Parks Conservation Association, which is a non-profit that works to be the voice of America's National Parks.

(I have donated to them in the past, and they do good work!)

∞ The Unsung Heroines of Stonewall

LGBTQ history is American history...

In February, the National Park Service removed all references to transgender and queer people from Stonewall's website. As a result, we are facing the literal erasure of history at the site where the modern LGBTQ rights movement was born. This sets a dangerous precedent for American history. If we pretend queer and transgender Americans have not and do not play a critical role in shaping this country, whose stories will we erase next?

The write up about Stormé DeLarverie was fun to read! But all the people here are interesting!

Tag: april 2025

(Ha... I don't know who that is from this angle!! *laughs*)

Zag, the Hooded Merganser...

... and Zig!

Oh cool!

Red Shoulder Hawk, and not easy photography with all the sticks! Most of the photos look like this...

haha. Oh well.

I do love the stripy ones!

Tag: march 2025

I don't really read news articles any more. It's just too terrible.

I just look at the headline...

And then I watch another little section of my soul get darker.

And then I move on.

This morning's headlines (don't bother clicking, Wired has a paywall): The CDC Has Been Gutted And The DOGE Axe Comes for Libraries and Museums

America will never recover from DOGE. Kids are dying from the lack of USAID. The medical research that NIH funded will never get back on track. People will start dying of Bird Flu (or something worse!), but we won't know about it without the CDC. More than 100,000 federal workers fired so far, and all those people were important to keeping America as the leader of the free world.

And now we're tumbling into being a third world country, run by a filthy dictator who ignores the Constitution. And everybody just lets him and DOGE do whatever they want even tho all of it is FUCKING ILLEGAL!

It's disgusting. And I'm pretty upset about everything when I head out for my walk. It takes a while to get out of my head and let Nature do her healing.

...

On my way back down the hill, I come around a corner and see an older guy. He's stepped off the path, with his walking stick... not like a cane, but the kind that looks like a ski pole. He's staring intently at something on the ground.

I'm coming down steps, and when I look at him again, he's leaning over and reaching down for something on the ground.

As I pass him, I see that he is gently, gently picking up a skeletonized leaf.

I smile and my heart fills up with love.

This guy is noticing the beauty around him!

I want us all to be this affected by the wonders of Nature!

And, ya know. That is why I share my photography here. I want to share my experience of Nature with everyone.

There are beautiful things and there are sad things, and that's all okay. Empathy makes us better humans, and the rest of Nature will heal us.

Tag: april 2025

Dang it, Little Bird. Why you gotta be that way?

*laughs*

Okay! I'm digging up Lesser Celandine again today... this plot is right across the aisle from mine, ack!

I dig up those blooming invasives right on the border between plots. But then I realize there's a lot more coming up all around those raised beds.

Gah. I already have a lot of disdain for raised beds, and this one, spreading invasives so close to my plot... is def not helping my attitude!

Well. I finish up and load the bag of plants and dirt into my backpack to dispose of at home. And then I look to see what flowers we have today!

Some of my Crocuses are starting to die back, but this clump still looks lovely.

Hyacinths need a few more days.

*laughs* Daffodils with a garden pig!

Awww!

A cute little Seven Spot Ladybug on some Dead Nettle!

And the tiny little Speedwells.

Well. Heading home... but who's this??

Hmm. There's some European House Sparrows in this brush, could that be a female??

Hello Up There?

Oh! Haha! She's a Golden Crown Sparrow! When she looks over, I can see a bit of her Golden head...!

*laughs* You're funny, trying to trick me!

Tag: march 2025

Gonna murder me some invasive plants at the Community Garden today for my required volunteer time.

On the way...

I mentioned a while ago that I didn't want to give names to this pair of Hooded Mergansers because I couldn't specifically recognize them.

And since then, I've come to realize there are actually at least three pairs of Hooded Mergansers hanging out here!

But one of the pairs, I might be recognizing... not this pair, but there's one male who goes around with his hood not all they way up. So maybe I could name that pair!

Okay. I'm working at the garden! This is west of my plot, a few plots away. and I'm digging Lesser Celandine out of the grassy pathway.

This garden plot has Fava growing... and it looks a lot better than the mostly dead Fava in my plot!

When my bag is full and stuffed into the backpack, I relax with a garden walkabout! Here's the Crocuses in my plot.

I wander around to the Rosemary bush in the back... Aw, there's a Honey Bee here!

Ugh, the sun is so stinkin' bright! I can't see the screen so I'm not sure how my photos are coming out!

There's Speedwell blooming. Tiny, the flowers are less than a centimeter acros, but pretty!

And heading home!

Oh hey! Here's the Hooded Merganser pair I was talking about earlier. The male who doesn't hold his hood all the way up!

I think I will call them Zig and Zag! *smiles*

Tag: march 2025

I was heading for the Community Garden again today, with my backpack to murder some invasives. But when I got there, there was a car in the parking lot, and a human walking in the garden.

ugh. I don't feel like dealing with humans today. So I walked right on by!

The linear leaves in the background are Camas Lilies... they won't bloom until May or so, and the Daffodils will be long gone.

There's still a couple Snowdrops blooming...

... But most of them are trying to make seeds now.

I decide to walk by the Solidarity Garden. I like their signs! We've got some Raspberry canes, and the sapling says Italian Plum.

And over here, we've got Black Currant, Mulberry and Red Flowering Currant! The next bed down says Blueberry!

It'll be interesting to compare the Black Currant with the Red Flowering Currant, almost side by side.

Hmmm... Looking up info. The internets say Black Currant is not drought tolerant. I wonder how that's going to work out. It doesn't rain here in the summer at all... do they have access to water at this garden??

Back at home, my Tiny-Cleans are going Awesome!

When I finished the living room window, I moved on to the Porch Room. I've been cleaning 1 or 2 blind slats for a week. And now I've started working on the sliding glass door.

The houseplants are going to be an issue, once I get that far... I'll have to move them and the shelf they are on, and there's really no place to move them to! The porch room is pretty cramped.

I'll have to think about that. But I've got a while! 3 to 5 minutes of Tiny-Clean every day doesn't get much done!

But doing it every day makes it inexorable!!

And really, that's the awesome part...

If I had cleaned the living room window the usual way... with several hours at a time over one or two days?

You know how I would feel? I don't ever feel a sense of accomplishment after I clean things... that's part of the reason why I hate to clean so much.

So nope... I'd feel exhausted. I'd feel utterly disappointed because there's no way to make it perfect.

And I'd be done with cleaning for about 10 years!!

But my new Tiny-Cleans!! I just keep chugging along!

Everything is dirty enough that I can see actual progress in just 3 minutes. But 3 or 5 minutes doesn't overwhelm me, I can get it done every day!

And thus, the inexorable!

*laughs*

Tag: march 2025

Henrietta and the rubbish. Sighs.

The Creek really needs some clean up!

All the crap the wildlife has to deal with from humans. Ugh.

Oh, hey! Is that some nice soft moss for your drey?

Birds only build nests for their babies. But squirrels build their dreys to sleep in!

We are having some maintenance done in the house today... and the shower problem had befuddled the one guy so he called in the plumbing expert.

So now there's two guys, coming and going, all thru the afternoon! Pretty disruptive... Especially when our expert guy says they may have to break some tiles in the shower to get to the problem with the pipes! ACK!

But they got it done without breaking tiles. And plus we now have nicer faucets - that don't leak! - in both bathrooms and the kitchen.

And the water pressure in the shower is wonderful again! Yay!

Tag: march 2025

I'm at the Community Garden today, to murder some invasive Lesser Celandine for my required volunteer time!

But first I'm going to wander about and look at the flowers!

Hm. I don't know what this stuff is...

Ah ha! It's Rosemary! *laughs* another Rose that isn't a Rose. :)

It's a pretty plant, but this is another example of people, who aren't me, getting away with breaking the rules. We aren't supposed to have woody plants.

It is nice tho... I wonder if I should grow some. The internets say it will thrive in a Mediterranean climate, which is what we have here!

I've wandered around to my plot. The big clump of crocuses is still blooming!

And there are a couple more blooms here and there!

And my Columbine is peeking thru!

The leaves are so pretty!

What the heck?

Uh. Yeah, I have no idea??!

Seriously, what is that???

A little monster watching me from under the leaves! ha.

Okay. I have to get some work done here!

I dig up the couple more sprouts of Lesser Celandine from the west side neighbor's plot. And then I get started on some clumps in the pathway to the north of my plot.

It's a major pain to try to dig in the grass. But I get the small bag filled up.

I double bag it and stuff it into the small backpack to haul home. I'll toss it in the trash there.

As I'm walking around the garden, to get back to the bike path... A Bluebird of Happiness! He's preening...

um. Excuse me? Could you just look normal for a minute?

Oh! Thanks! You are so Floofy!

The female is over here on the apple tree, but she's not interested in photography and flies away!

Tag: march 2025

Ha. All the flowers called Roses that aren't Roses! Lenten Roses above, and here are Primroses!

And this guy, an Anna Hummingbird, who flew away before I could see about decent photography! ha.

Tag: march 2025

Knotty? and the rubbish. bleh.

Yep, I'm still being a sucker for the Crocuses!

Oh look! It's warm enough to wake up a Honey Bee!

Haha! Honey Bee doesn't appear to be quite awake! Needs Coffee! Um, Dearheart? Licking that petal will do nothing for you... You gotta lick somewhere else!

I stop to admire the Cherry Blossoms again.

Aw! There's a Bumblebee working these flowers too... and doing a better job of it! *laughs*

She's got a red butt... Makes her easy to identify!

She's a Red Form Black Tail Bumblebee and they are widely distributed across western North America, from the Pacific to the Rocky Mountains, and from Alaska to Baja California.

The Red Forms are found primarily in higher latitudes of Oregon and points north, and in the Mountain West whereas the Dark Colour Forms are most common in California and southern Oregon

Nice! I'm glad we get the more colourful variety! *laughs*

Oregon has 25 species of Bumblebees!!! We are awesome! Check this site:

∞ Bumble Bee Field Guide (for North America)

You can filter the bees by your own state or province, and if you mouse-over you can see the different forms!

So cute and precious!

Bye!

Tag: march 2025

∞ President Zelenskyy says Ukraine won't enter peace talks with Russia until it has security guarantees

The show Felon45 put on here is absolutely disgusting.

I am so pissed! Fuck Trump. You do NOT disrespect President Z. Ever!

President Zelenskyy did the right thing by walking out.

It's just gross. President Z should not have bothered coming to Washington DC to talk face to face with our stupid dictator... and honestly, I hope other world leaders pick up that lesson as well!

I was happy to see this, tho, at the end of the article:

European leaders were quick to reiterate their support for Zelenskyy and Ukraine. In a post on X, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Zelenskyy's dignity honors the bravery of the Ukrainian people. Be strong, be brave, be fearless, she added. You are never alone, dear President.

Good.

President Zelenskyy is a hero. The American people support President Zelenskyy and Ukraine, regardless of our idiot dictator.

And to try to set things right, I've donated directly to the Ukraine government here...

∞ United24, Ukraine

Tag: february 2025

Ha. I was preoccupied when I left the house this morning. I should have walked in a different direction, for something new... but since my brain was distracted, my feet just walked in the usual direction!

I didn't have very good aim for the point and click at this Ruby Crown Warbler! *laughs*

Am I getting tired of looking at Crocuses yet? No.

Okay! Here's something different! Cherry Blossoms!

I love the colour of that privacy fence!!

Moving on... to some Red Flowering Currants!!

Well, these flowers need a couple more days to open up before they get really pretty.

And then this freaked me out! I thought something was wrong!!

But I just happened to catch her sunning! Basking in the sun!!

She saw me, but it was a few long seconds before she did anything! Eventually she rousted her feathers back into position and then flew away!

Here's a Great video with a bunch of eastern birds doing this.

∞ Sunning Birds and Why They Do It

And the title image is a Blue Jay with the exact same feather floof at their lower back! Turns out birds have a gland right there which makes oils to be spread on their feathers! huh!

The sunning birds... look really weird! But it's perfectly normal and they are happy birds!

So I'm glad that I walked this way, after all! I did see something different, and now I've learned something!

Tag: february 2025

Another blue sky day, and I've got some extra walking time so I'm heading towards the downtown neighborhoods!

And check this out!! A bunch of new sapling have been planted in three neighbors yards!

That's awesome!

The signs say: Friends of Trees, Because Trees make this place, Find your tree at FriendsOfTrees.org.

All three yards have the same sign, and Friends of Trees is local to the Pacific Northwest, with offices in Portland and Eugene. A pretty active group, it looks like! That's great!

But then I get distracted by some Crocuses!

*laughs* I am such a sucker for the pretty flowers!

Okay. I'll stop! But they're so pretty!

Back to the bike path!

There's a Ruby Crown Kinglet bouncing around, and I try a few Point and Clicks to see if I can get him.

*laughs* AllAboutBirds says they are are restless, acrobatic birds Ha!

Oh, that female Kingfisher flew by me... I've not seen her in weeks. And she's still quiet, not announcing her territory.

I guess that means she's still not found a new mate. Sighs. Poor girl. I am so sad for her.

Tag: february 2025

After being all grumpy about the Tiny-Clean I'm doing on the living room window... yep, I've decided to move on. Today I started on the porch room by cleaning a single porch door blind. That took 5minutes and I'm done.

And when I came for the second cup of coffee, I looked over and noticed the kitchen window was a little bit dirty. So, I got my rag and got to work.

I wiped down the glass and started cleaning the frame. It's like I can't stop myself!!! Tiny-Cleans are SO AWESOME!!!

*laughs*

I head out for a walk... but foo. I have walked pretty far and I'm just not connecting with any birds. And such a nice, bright day! Humph.

Huh. I've not noticed this before...

I wonder how many years it's been here. The hole is big enough for a Flicker. Did someone raise a family here?

Hm. I wonder what caused the crinkling on the petals?

*laughs* So many unanswered questions today.

Tag: february 2025

I am a bit grumpy this morning about my new Tiny-Clean habit.

I am working on the living room window for 5minutes, and then when I go for the second cup of coffee, I work on the pantry door for 5minutes.

But I'm almost finished with the window, and it's harder to see the results when I'm down to the details. Maybe I should stop and move on to something else... the window looks a lot better, and it doesn't have to be perfect!

It can't be perfect, actually. The building is old and the paint job before we moved in was... excessively rushed.

...

Yeah, don't even get me started!

Like I said. Grumpy. So let's head out and get some happy nature time!

oh! A cute tiny fly! Hello Friend!

ha, she's been preening and has feather fluff on her beak!

This is a temporary wet prairie pond... and the prairie is thinking about taking over, even with all the rain we've gotten!! All the green grassy things are Camas Lily leaves!!

When I get home, I have renewed energy! I pull out my journal pages... ugh what a mess. And I get them organized.

All sorted and the pouches are neatly labeled!

And the place where I keep the journal pages, is suddenly much easier to deal with! Yay!

Tag: february 2025

I wasn't sure if I wanted to show this photo... It's pretty personal. But it amuses me and delights me so much!

This is part of my work space.

I'm listeing to the Bob Ross Remix, I love that song! and I decided to take a photo... Bob Ross is painting on my monitor and my Grandma's Bob Ross Style painting is hanging on the wall!

Tag: february 2025

Still with the rain, today. But now we've added some wind. The weather page said it was 5mph when I left... but the wind speed picked up dramatically while I was walking!

And now we've got a wind advisory. 25mph with 31mph gusts!

Bleh. Stupid wind. I have to wipe off the camera lens several times along the walk today.

When I walk by the back of Gudu-Kut, I can hear several frogs singing! Yay!

I'm dropping off compost at the garden... oh my gosh! My Crocuses!

I look around... oh crud... there's more Lesser Celandine coming up at the back of the west neighbor's plot.

And I find a couple more places where it's popping up.

bah. I want to murder it... but I don't want to do garden work in the rain and mud. I wonder when this mess will have the chance to dry out.

humph. But then I get distracted by this beautiful Beet plant!!

Tag: february 2025

Rained all night and still it rains.

That's fine, except I need to put a package in the blue mailbox at the Post Office... my backpack isn't waterproof and the package, a 9x12 flat rate, is larger than a ziplock. Ha, I have to put the package in a trash bag to make sure it stays dry!

Oh, Madam Flicker? Your shafts are showing!

*laughs* She must be molting. It's funny that our western Flickers are called Red Shafted, when that is clearly a shade of orange!

Yep... that's what I thought. The bike path is flooded here, under the bridge.

I'm zig zagging thru the neighborhoods on the way home, and go by Gudu-Kut Natural Area. Gudu-kut is the Kalapuyan name for frog... but I don't hear any singing today.

But there are some Mallards here, enjoying the wet prairie puddles.

Tag: february 2025

Heading out a different way today. It's been ages since I went out to Stewart Pond.

I'm walking thru the neighborhood, before getting out to the bike path.

There's a couple of Green Wing Teals at the creek.

And a group of them at the temporary wet prairie ponds at the park!

The males are doing thier courtship display, with their cute whistle quack.

The ducks here are always too far away for decent photography, especially on a dreary day.

But the place does have it's own beauty!

I head towards the little forest. There's a few guys playing Frisbee Golf... when I swing around to the forest, I'm dismayed to see some players at the back holes.

This is an ecological sensitive area, and there are signs saying players shouldn't go back there during the winter! Pacific Chorus Frogs live in the ponds in the forest, and it's their breeding time! They do not want to be disturbed because a frisbee has landed in their pond, and there's a stupid human wading in to retrieve it!!

When the guys see me approaching, they quit and take their packs of frisbees back to the front holes. Good. I wasn't going to yell at them or anything, but they've definitely ruined my walk.

There aren't any birds in the little forest. And no frogs singing either. Sighs.

On the way home, I stop to check out the Little Free Pantry.

I'm so glad they restored the original art on it! It's beautiful! I love the crow!

Tag: february 2025

Good Morning My Dear!

The rest of the wildlife is not cooperating today.

*laughs* That's okay. Look at the plants! They can't fly away!

The seed heads above are Hardhack, a native that wildlife uses for food and habitat! The blooms are a cheerful pink in the summer.

And then I decided to go down and try to get some photos of the Snowdrops again.

And the Willows are starting to bud out! They look so soft and furry!

Tag: february 2025

Oh! The Red Flowering Currants are starting to bud out!!

I get to the top of the trail and decide to walk on up to the Acorn Woodpecker's territory. Oh, nice... They've planted some saplings in the hell strips here!

And further up, they are paving more road and have started a new building. Sighs.

I hear the Acorn Woodpeckers, talking across their territory. And another one is gently hammering somewhere.

I also hear a ton of frogs singing! I walk across to get closer to the bioswale, and then realize there's a second bioswale a little further up, hidden behind a rise...

That's where all the frogs are, and the sound here is just incredible!

I don't want to get too close... I don't want the frogs to stop singing. But also, I don't want to accidentally step on anyone who might be in the grass.

There are just so many singing. And it's loud!

Major difference with the one or two frogs I hear occasionally along the creek.

Which makes me sad. Humans are destroying the frogs habitat along the creek... chemical run-off from lawns and roads, and the invasive Bullfrogs.

Humans have made this bioswale. But they are also making roads and houses up here as well. This will only be a temporary habitat for the Pacific Chorus Frogs... and then poisons from lawns and roads will get washed through here, too.

Sighs.

I made a video of the frogs singing. I need to figure out how to convert it so I can upload it here!

And then I'm heading back down the hill.

A Ruby Crown Kinglet... too bouncy to keep up with!

And at the bottom, going thru the neighborhood, there's a big group of female Wild Turkeys!

They've seen me of course, but they are not going to let me get in their way! They purposfully walk towards me, their destination is probably the forest at Hidden Trail!

As they walk by me, I notice how individual their faces are.

Most birds, you can't tell who's who just by looking! But these girls, you could get to know them more easily.

Well, except that there's just so many here! ha!

A good walk.

Tag: february 2025

OH NO!

This used to be a covered bus stop with a bench! Oh, I am so sad!

The Transit District had stopped running buses on this route during the first year of covid, in 2020. And I guess it's never coming back. They've removed all the bus stops from the street, this is the last one they are working on.

I am so disappointed. Removal of bus stops is the beginning of the Decline and Fall of Civilization, I'm pretty sure.

Sighs.

And then Nature conspires to cheer me up!

Hi Solar Baby!

Hi Little Birds!

I see one of my Hooded Merganser friends... Huh! I couldn't tell what he was holding at first.

He's going downstream, like me, and I follow to see what's happening!

Oh! He's got a Crawdad! And he's desperately trying to eat him!!

How is that poor thing going to fit in your mouth, dude??

My friend paddles behind a bush, and I walk ahead to see him on the other side...

Wait. Aw, crud! I didn't see what happened!!

Did he just drop the Crawdad??

He must have!

Yeah.

And his girlfriend is here, so I walk on and contemplate the terrifying day the Crawdad has had. But at least he gets to live another day.

Kinda like we get to live another day even after shutting down bus stops for good.

Back at home, ha! I was making my lunch and noticed how pretty the purple cabbage is!

Partner eats cabbage, now and then, and the other day I decided to try it as well.

I've been cooking it with my Big Bowl of food. Yeah, that's okay.

But I really like it raw!

It's got a good crunch, that's a little bit different than the crunch you get from celery.

And mmm! Just that subtle sweet taste! It's good!

I wonder if I can grow some in the garden?

Tag: february 2025

Okay! I've got my little hand spade in my backpack, and some plastic bags. I'm going to murder some invasive Lesser Celandine at the Community Garden today!

On my way there, I hear a single frog singing at the back of Gudu-Kut Natural Area.

I stop and listen to him for a few minutes. I love our precious Pacific Chorus frogs!

Lesser Celandine is a cute little swamp plant, very pretty yellow flowers! They bloom so early in the year, the little pop of colour is actually welcome!

Until you realize that next February, the one clump will now be five or ten plants. And the February after that, your entire plot is covered with these damn things!

*laughs* So I dig them up! I'm pretty sure I'm the only one around at this time of year, and I'm happy to do my part for the Community Garden!

I'm just going around, checking people's plots. If there's a single plant, or a little scattering, I dig it out and put it and the dirt in the plastic bag.

Lesser Celandines have very small rootlet balls under them... they are pretty impossible to find, so you have to dig up some of the dirt around them.

And because of those rootlet balls, you can't put Lesser Celandine in the compost pile. They will just regrow and take over!

So you have to bag up the plants and dirt and put it in the landfill trash.

This is a limiting factor for me, since I'm walking... (The Community Garden does not have trash pick-up!) I fill up a small bag, which will just barely fit into my small backpack. But since the dirt is muddy, it gets heavy quickly. Which is why I don't use my big backpack!

Okay! The plastic bag is full, and I've come around to my neighbor's plot. This is the one plant that I really need to murder, since it's so close to my plot!

When I push aside the leaf mulch... Dang it! It's already trying to spread itself!

The plastic bag is so full, I can't completely zip up my backpack around it! It's heavy and it's lumpy! Bleh, uncomfortable walk home.

Tag: february 2025

My New Years Resolution is to Declutter and Clean around the house. I was sickly with covid and resulting tiredness during January, but I've gotten my energy back and I've been trying to develop a new cleaning habit for myself!

I'm working for about 3 to 5 minutes every morning, before my coffee and right after my morning exercises. And I've decided to call this a Tiny-Clean!

I've started with the living room window.

Last year I had started cleaning the blinds. I've finished that up and now I'm cleaning the window frame and sills.

It's all absolutely gross...

Seriously... three minutes with the rag, and that's it! The rag is mostly black with guck and needs to be washed out! And my five minute Tiny-Clean is done!

And slowly but surely, every day, progress is made!

I am pretty happy with how this is going!!

I'm taking compost to the garden plot today. There's a bit of rain, but it's still nice and warm. 50° (10°C) when I leave the house.

Most of the cover crop Fava I planted in the front of the plot is starting to decompose.

The little Favas that survived the weeks of below freezing nights, are looking pretty rough. But hopefully I will get some seeds out of them in the spring.

I have a little walk about. Uh oh! I'm checking the west side neighbor for Lesser Celandine, and here's a bit growing.

In past years, there have been two clumps of Lesser Celandine growing on the far side of that plot. I don't know how many years I've been digging that up every Feb or March... but apparently I have finally murdered those clumps! Yay!

But now I'm bummed to find this new clump... still on the far side, but more towards the back of the plot. *grumble*

I will definitely need to bring my tools and get that thing murdered soon! I do NOT want Lesser Celandine in my plot, and this is a bit too close for comfort!

I double check the plot that was being rehabilitated from Lesser Celandine. Yeah, it's terrible... little plants coming back all over the place.

Why didn't they just put the tarp back on??? WHY??!

Well. Whatever. I'm heading back home.

Tag: february 2025

There was a little bit of rain this morning, but it didn't last long and when I head out for a walk it is a blissful 52° (11°C)!!

But when I get out on the path, oh sheesh! There's a lot of humans out here! *laughs* They are all enjoying the warm weather as well. And everyone I pass by has a sing-song Good Morning!

The birds are happy and singing as well.

Robins running around outside the Community Garden! The red dots in the background are rose hips of our native Nootka Roses, planted along the creek to stablize the banks!

Robins are not a sign of spring around here... They are here year round!

Pretty good bird day, for all the Humans wandering around! :)

Tag: february 2025

∞ Does the U.S. deserve the Statue of Liberty? Not anymore, one French politician says

oh. My heart. It's being ripped out.

∞ Majority of French, Germans and British think Trump is a 'dictator'

Yeah? Because he is.

Tag: march 2025

I head out for my walk and oh my gosh... it is such a pleasure to walk in the NOT COLD!!! *laughs*

Oh hey! Sir Shy?

*laughs* Yep, definitely! He's not letting me get close!

He's flown to the tall nest box in the Community Garden...

And then he flies to one of the path lamps.

Something has caught his attention, and I pause a moment to see what happens.

He swoops down and POUNCES on someone in the shrubs next to the creek!

And then he flies back...

Ha, dang it. The Community Garden fence is in the way. But I don't think he's carrying anyone.

He goes to a different perch in the Garden...

And, yeah. He's not eating. So that pounce was a definite miss! He'll have to try, try again for his lunch!

I walk on.

And I'm still not over the Lenten Roses!

Tag: february 2025

The forecast for a warmer afternoon yesterday was entire incorrect! The sun never made an appearance and it barely got a degree above freezing.

But today the sun shines and the snow melts! The dripping from the trees sounds like a heavy rain!

Oh wow...

I've noticed several small birds taking baths!

Ha. I was taking pics of this Flicker, but there's also a Starling, all but camoflagued!

Ha. Why do the birds have to be straight up? *laughs*

I was going to fix the colour on this House Finch, but I kind of like the stark blacks!

A pretty good bird day!!

Tag: february 2025

I woke up to a winter wonderland this morning! And I kinda wanted to go out right away to get photos of the snow! I was pretty sure the snow wasn't going to last, and it would be nothing but a few piles of slush by the time I got going for my regular walk.

But I've got stuff to do! I'm hosting a new swap series at Swap-Bot, and I want to make sure that's staying organzied. And I'm still sorting photos for the blog posts I'm working on, and that takes extra time.

So my morning was full. But it turns out, the weather has stayed cold... it's still cloudy and just 30° (-1°C) when I head out. And the snow remains.

I've got my boots on and my layers! And the snow on the bike path isn't slick at all and is nice to walk on.

Ha! The snow is coming off the solar panels in sheets!

Do NOT walk under these! The sheet of snow falls randomly, and that would be an unpleasant surprise! *laughs*

Oh, nice! Someone has brought treats for the Brewer Blackbirds!

Aw, their little footprints in the snow!

heh... it must be several degress warmer, down in the water!

And here comes the other Nutria, walking down the bank!

There are more Teals than usual on the creek today.

And I see my friends the Hooded Merganser pair as well.

On my way back, the Brewer Blackbirds are still hanging out in the same place.

The males are black with a sheen, while the females are brown with dark eyes.

Oh, haha! There's a Crow, coming in for a landing behind her! That's cool!

As I was getting back home, I realized I had not seen a single snowman, even tho the kids had a snow day from school.

And almost right as I had that thought, I saw one of my neighbors had a tiny snowperson right out front!

*laughs*

The snow will definitely melt this afternoon. The clouds will clear out and we've got a forecasted high of 39° (4°C).

Tag: february 2025

I'm going up Hidden Trail again because I don't want to traumatize myself by associating it with the dying Turkey I saw yesterday. Sighs.

Aw! Hello!

So Cute!

Bahaha! I like your sign!

Being so close to the deers makes me realize how tiny our native Black Tails are! The Internets say the females are about 100pounds, the males about 200pounds... These are all females. But those two smaller ones, in the first pic? I can't imagine they are over 75 or 80pounds.

Just interesting to think about.

The Deers move on and I keep going up the trail to meet the next group!

It's a bachelor band of Turkeys, and I look at them all carefully. None of them are injured. Good. I can relax.

I've noticed they've put up some new signs along the trail...

Haha, By Permission Only.

Tag: february 2025

The sky is blue and the sun is shining, but it's still a couple degrees below freezing when I leave the house. brr.

But I think I've got energy enough to go up Hidden Trail for the first time this year! Yay Energy!!

I meet a small group of Wild Turkeys on my way up.

Haha! He jumped up on the walking bridge railing!!

... And jumped down again!

I decide to not go up to the Acorn Woodpecker territory and turn around at the top of the trail.

*laughs* there's a group of Bushtits bouncing around right over my head!

As I come back down the hill, I meet up with another Turkey and at first I wonder if he was the one I saw before.

But no. There's something wrong with this guy. I can't tell what, exactly, but there's something wrong with his face.

I sit quietly with him for a little while. I don't know what's going on, but it seems like the right thing to do.

It's not til I get home and look at the photos, that I realize how devastating his injury is. Ugh. He'll be dead in a day or two.

I am so sorry, buddy. Nature is cruel.

Tag: february 2025

Not my most poetical moment, perhaps... but heartfelt!

And yeah, I wrote Dear Donald! Haha, it's just automatic, I didn't even think about it! That pos is definitely NOT dear to me, or anyone.

Oh well. Maybe I'll write some more this weekend.

Pretty cathartic.

Especially the I hate you one! Ha!

Altho, I don't actually hate him or his copresident Musk. I don't care enough about them to hate. But I'm not sure how else to convey my complete and utter loathing!

Tag: march 2025

I am feeling productive today, and I jam thru the blog post I'm working on, from December. I've not sorted the rest of those photos, yet, so that needs to be done as well. And then I figure I might have time to write a second blog post!

Look at me go! Ha! I've gotten a lot done this morning, and I feel good, heading out for my walk!

Not that anyone else cares about my accomplishments:

*laughs*

I'm dropping off compost at the garden today. Most of the cover crop Favas are deceased... we had almost two weeks of overnight lows in the 20s in January. A couple smaller Favas still have life, tho!

At the back of the plot, there's a little Strawberry leaf poking up thru the mulch... This is where the Strawberry Patch is, approximately, but I'm not sure I actually planted this one! Ha, maybe a runner, expanding their territory?

And LOOK! There's a teeny tiny... caterpillar? You are welcome to munch, Little One!

That's great how they have their eating area, and then their separate toilet area! ha!

I planted these Leeks last spring, but they are in the crappy dirt area at the end of the Tofu Patch where most everything was stunted... They never got big enough to bother taking home to eat.

Leeks have a two year lifecycle... Hopefully they will grow some more before they start bolting this spring.

And here are the volunteer Elephant Garlics. I don't know why the leave are so yellow. Too cold? Too much rain? Don't know.

I look at the Lesser Celandine plot that they are trying to rehabilitate. *shakes head* They chopped it all down at the end of January, but didn't put the tarp back on. And sure enough, the Lesser Celandine is coming back.

*rolls eyes* I don't know what the hell they expected.

Plus they didn't hit the borders, so that's a mess too.

I notice there's a few patches of Lesser Celandine in other areas of the Community Garden. Maybe I should put in some volunteer time and dig that up and haul it out.

The Community Garden requires 2 hours of volunteer work every year, and digging up Lesser Celandine is what I traditionally do... Since it comes up in the late winter, no one else is really paying attention. And it's nice to work alone! :)

On the way home, I see the Hooded Merganser pair again.

Lookin' Good, Girl!

Tag: february 2025

Oh. We're doing this again, huh?

Sounds good...

∞ We're working on a short schedule here BUT: Let's do postcards

Write a postcard to that Traitor and Rapist in the White House, and put it in the mail tomorrow, 15 March. The Ides of March.

Back in 2017, I made a free printable PDF... If you have a printer, please feel free to grab this:

∞ Free Printable PFD: Two-Up Postcards to send to the White House on March 15th

And seriously. I've been having trouble taking in all the political news here lately. And I'm really down about what I do read.

The USA is no longer the Leader of the Free World.

And it's becoming increasingly obvious that America will NEVER recover.

Unfortunately, it's not just the people in American who will suffer.

People have already died from the destruction of USAID.

Medical Science has been set back by decades with the destruction of the NIH.

And then, everything that Traitor does is accelerating climate change. With the destruction of FEMA, more people will die after climate disasters.

The Sixth Mass Extinction will continue apace, or accelerate. And at some point, Nature will just break. We won't be able to grow food enough for everyone on the planet.

And at the rate we are going, not even Cockroaches will survive. A runaway greenhouse effect and the oceans will boil. The Earth will be Venus Part 2.

But let's step back to reality here. We're not dead yet!

Download this thing. If you don't have a printer, that's the address you'll write on your own postcard.

∞ Free Printable PFD: Two-Up Postcards to send to the White House on March 15th

If you do have a printer, print that on cardstock. Cut it up. Write your thoughts on the back. Put a postcard stamp on the front.

Postcard stamps are currently 56¢. If you don't have a postcard stamp, a Forever stamp will work as well.

Then drop it in the mail on Saturday!

And now... Remember! We are NOT DEAD YET!

Go cuddle your pet. Hug your human family. Spend some time in nature...

or look at some nice nature pics here!

Tag: march 2025

These Primroses are looking a bit rough.

But the pop of colour is definitely welcome!

Um. Well, humph.

At least this cute Rock Dove was more accommodating!

Tag: february 2025

Aw. Seriously??!

*laughs* That is the butt of a Bushtit who did not stick around for proper photography!!

I'm walking past the Community Garden today, but I glance in and... for long minutes I try to figure out who this is!

oh, HAHA! It's just a Flicker, preening!

But check out the back of his head... those little bits of red on his nape actually belong to the eastern version of Northern Flickers, the Yellow Shafts!!

The males of our western race, Red Shafts, have a red mustache and no nape.

The males of the eastern race, Yellow Shafts, have a black mustache and a red nape.

So I wonder who this guy's parents were! Or maybe grandparents? Or maybe this is a recessive trait that just pops up now and again? So interesting!!

And, looking thru my pics, I realized I had just seen him the other day! Feb2 Flicker! ha.

A Ruby Crown Kinglet, but they are moving around too quickly for me and the camera... this is just a point and click and hope!

The "Point and Click and Hope" works out often enough that I keep doing it. And, really, what else am I gonna do? Just stand there and NOT take pictures?? Bahahaha!

Tag: february 2025

Looking this way, the cute puffy clouds are nice!

But over here, they are looking like they are going to do something!

Oh cute Squirrel, with your hand tucked under your chin!

Look at that! Daffodils have come up!

I don't know what this tree is... but it's coming to life!

I've come up to the Solidarity Garden and decide to look to see what they've got going! Some pretty, little Lettuces!

And what's this stuff??

Weird leaves!!

But pretty!

On the way back, I decide to get off the path in this wild area...

Snowdrops!!

And back at home, the quote at the end of today's A.Word.A.Day made me laugh out loud!

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
I used to think that the brain was the most wonderful organ in my body. Then I realized who was telling me this. -Emo Phillips, comedian, actor (b. 7 Feb 1956)

*laughs*

Tag: february 2025

I finally have a real project going for my 2025 Declutter and Clean Resolution!

The book I've got suggests cleaning in 20-10s... 20minutes of cleaning, and then a 10minute reward. But it's just a suggestion, you're to customize your times to whatever works in your life.

20minutes is way too long for me to contemplate. It's fine for regular chores, for instance it takes about 20minutes to vacuum the house. But for the Spring Cleaning type stuff that needs to happen, 20minutes is a hard NO!

*laughs*

So I've been experimenting this week. And it turns out that 3 to 5 minutes is doable for me. I've started cleaning the living room window.

And I feel good about it! ... I hate cleaning with all my being. But I can handle 3minutes of it!

It's cloudy and 36° (2°C) and that stupid wintery mix snow stuff is still in the forecast.

Aw. These two pairs of Green Wing Teals are courting!

They've got this cute little whistle sounding quack.

His courtship display:

So Cute!

And always nice to see a Hummingbird singing from his perch!

He's trying to show me his colours, but it's too dreary for much to show today.

And back at home, I'm so inspired by my new morning cleaning success, I get a couple other little things done as well!

Yay Me!

Tag: february 2025

It sounded like rain when I was waking up this morning, but when I sat up to look out the window it was big, heavy clumps of snow coming down! A wintery mix with rain and it's just melting on the ground!

Perfect. It looks nice coming down, but doesn't cause any issues!

The clouds snow and rain themselves out, and it's blue sky and dripping trees by the time I get out. 41° (5°C) but the wind is blowing and it was so cold I wondered if I would survive, even with my layers.

But walking warmed me up.

Oh Henrietta. Look at all the trash you have to deal with. Ugh, I'm Sorry!

The wind today makes photography tough... I don't find many birds, and I'm taking crappy pics.

OH!

Vulture!!

I love taking photos of the little birds. Ducks are fine if there's no one more interesting around. Hawks and other raptors are def cool. But my all time favorite birds are Vultures!

Supposedly our Turkey Vultures migrate down to Centeral America and South America. But the Christmas Bird Count says that we've got a little population who stay for the winter, out at the coast! So it's not unusual to see a Vulture flying here during the winter... It's just a day trip for them!

I've got a great Vulture book - Vulture, the Private Life of an Unloved Bird - and now I'm thinking about re-reading it...

I've had a great line of books that I've read this year! I finished That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America, And I re-read the brilliant book by Ursula K. LeGuin, The Dispossessed. And now I'm reading Somewhere Beyond the Sea. And next in line is the third Semiosis book Usurpation.

So maybe I could read the Vulture book after that?

I'm walking back home, and Henrietta is still in the same place with the trash.

Sighs.

Tag: february 2025

Great energy again today! I'm just doing some regular chores around the house, since I still don't really have a plan of attack for my Declutter and Clean Resolution.

Stuff is getting done, and the brain is ruminating!

Good Morning my cute little Pine Siskin!

No snow again, tho it's still on the forecast for the rest of the week. It is a bit colder: it's 34° (1°C) when I leave the house today.

All the pretty Rose hips!

well, and the bird in the middle of it!

Thank You! Very sweet to hang around with me for a minute!

Someone gave you an apple bit? Nice!

Aw, that's a cute little monster!

Rock Doves!

They are looking beautiful even on a dreary day!

Tag: february 2025

I am looking around the house, with my new found energy! There are some projects I can tackle, oh yes!

My New Years Resolution is to Declutter and Clean around here. Covid and the lack of energy has sidetracked me for January. But I'm ready now!

I don't actually have any organization yet, tho. But I wipe some baseboards clean. And then I scrubbed a perpetually dirty spot under the dishwasher.

That made a difference, with just a couple minutes of work! I can do this!

No snow this morning despite the forecast, thank goodness. It's 37° (3°C) when I head out for the walk, pretty chilly.

Oh! What happened to your poor tail feathers?

Maybe I should mind my own business? *laughs* Okay! Sorry!

I'm at the Community garden to drop off the compost. As I'm walking to my plot, this catches my attention!

It's unfortunately Impossible to see here... but this pile of wood chips has warmed my heart!

Someone has mulched this illegal grape vine growing in the fence.

*LAUGHING* in the face of Comm Garden directors and pissant rule makers!!!

The new rule for the 2025 season is that we are supposed to put grape vines and berry canes in pots!! Which is, of course, ridiculous. There are many gardeners here that have well established fruit vines and having to dig them up to put them in a stupid pot would just kill them.

So I applaud this act of civil disobedience!

Tag: february 2025

I'm coughing a bit this morning, and the pulled rib muscle still hurts, but is healing. But most important, I've still got energy!

I am becoming more sure that I've left the covid tiredness behind!!

It's 39° (4°C) when I leave the house, but I've noticed there are a lot of Snowflake Icons in the forecast. Ugh. Starting tonight with 40% chance of snow, and an increasing chance of wintery mix all thru the week. Ugh.

This is a Collard Dove, the invasive kind...

A few years ago, these birds were all over the place, and the only dove you'd hear cooing. But now, I hardly hear or see them at all.

Their coos are easy to distinguish from Mourning Doves coos. But I don't hear Mourning Doves very often, either.

Hello?

oh, Thanks!

See Ya!

This pair again!

These Lenten Roses have been blooming all winter!

Tag: february 2025

I have a bit of trouble with my projects this morning.

There's a couple issues at my TGIF group, which kind of sets me off my game. And then I had a rant going on in my head, and I need to find the news articles I was thinking about before they get totally lost. And then I've got a long blog post to work on, I think I need to split it into two posts. But I also haven't even sorted the photos for the post yet, so that's just a mess!

*laughs*

The weather is all over the place as well. Very suitable!

There's sun. And the clouds are moving around.

Then there's rain and stupid wind. And most of my walk, the camera is tucked under the rain jacket.

The sun comes out again as I'm heading home and I run into the Hooded Merganser pair again.

I keep thinking I should name them... But I just can't come up with any names. And it's just as well, really.

They'll be gone in the spring, to nest somewhere else.

And... I should only name people that I recognize! I can't tell this pair of Hooded Mergansers from any other pair. I just don't see Mergansers often enough to know how to tell them apart! I might be seeing a different pair every day, and I wouldn't know it! Ha!

My nature time has calmed me. But I feel bad about my disorganization this morning.

Especially since I actually have good energy again today. I need to get something done!

There are plenty of Spring Cleaning projects to do... And I get the canister vacuum out and vacuum the dust that gathers near the wall along the stairs.

I am mildly annoyed that it doesn't look any different! ha. But it's cleaner, even if it looks the same!

I go back to reading and then my friend shows up!

*laughs with delight* But we are both dorks and neither one of us knows what to say.

She has presents for me. A gorgeous journal with leaves on the cover! She knows me!

And a book, Zen Camera.

It looks like something I will definitely enjoy!

Tag: february 2025

I support local journalism. I subscribe to the paper version of the local (corporate) newspaper. And Eugene also has an alternative newspaper, the Eugene Weekly. The paper version is free. It's printed on Thursdays and I usually read it on Saturday because the regular newspaper is not delivered that day (to give the delivery drivers a break).

I open up this week's EW, looking forward to reading the Letters to the Editor (because the corporate newspaper discontinued this a while ago) (jerks).

I see the Letters, but on the opposite page, there's an article about 4J, our school district...

I am child-free by choice. But kids are important members of the community! So I try to read all the news about the local schools. There has been a thing about one of the principals resigning in the last month or so, and I assumed that's what this article is about.

Nope. This is something else...

∞ Our Children Are Our Common Ground

The blurb says "Eugene District 4J affirms its commitment to equity and belonging" and I decide to read this before the Letters...

By the 2nd paragraph, I'm hooked! In Eugene School District 4J, our answer is to reaffirm our commitment to providing a safe, welcoming and inclusive learning environment - one where every student is valued, supported and challenged to reach their full potential.

I love what this guy is saying, and tears have sprung to my eyes. About ⅔ into the article, I'm reading the school district resolutions he has included.

The first one is about welcoming students of all national origins without barriers related to immigration or documentation status. Yay!

And then the first resolution of 2025, affirms gender identity, expression and equity for transgender and gender-expansive students and staff.

... And now I need to pause to have a quiet cry.

I'm happy. This is happy crying. I'm relieved. I'm so glad that our community, our schools, will protect children - ALL children. Our trans kids are so important, and they need all the help they can get. And I love the city and state I live in!

Okay. It's mostly happy crying.

The reason why I'm so emotional, of course, is because Felon45 is threatening our children.

It's sad that school districts have to broadcast the fact that all students are entitled to a high-quality educational experience, free from discrimination or harassment. It seems like this should be just ... expected from our schools. But here we are.

And it's necessary to point out that we will protect them by all legal means available.

Hell Yeah!! We are a sanctuary state, so the Legal Means include not letting ICE into the schools. I'm not sure what it means, exactly, for trans kids but the resolution is reassuring.

Tag: february 2024

I was amused about a coincidence today...

I've been writing blog posts for the end of December, and so I'm referrencing my journal entries from that time.

This little nugget was in the journal entry I'm looking at today:

∞ The Democratic Party's relationship with its voters has turned spammy and abusive

>>> Yeah, seriously... I could write a blog post about this!!

And surfing the internets today, I hit upon this little nugget with the exact same core:

∞ So The DCCC Called Me Up For Money, And I Apply Jiu Jitsu And Vent About The Democrats vs Trump.

It's just unbelievable to me that these idiots are STILL asking for money. After they got millions for the Harris campaign. That failed!

Dems are literally doing nothing while Trump and Musk chaotically dismantle the government, not to mention dismantling democracy itself!

And then I came across another article today that made me just start to rage...

∞ Democratic leaders are pissed voters want them to do their job
The outlet reports that a senior House Democrat told them that Jeffries is 'very frustrated' at activist groups like MoveOn and Indivisible that have helped concerned Americans make phone calls to congressional offices.... Democratic Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia, told the outlet [Axios] that his office has been rebuffing these callers, telling them, 'Please call the Republicans.'

UNFUCKING BELIEVEABLE!

People are dying because of Trumps policies. DYING! People have _been_ dying from the first go around, when he radicalized the Supreme Court and they turned over Roe v Wade.

And people are going to die because of each and every one of the exec. orders that traitor has been signing since he became a dictator on day one.

People are DYING! and all the Dems have is Please call the Republicans??! WTF.

...

I am not a registered democrat. I'm registered as independent. And for this, for what has been going on with Dems sitting on their hands and doing nothing, barely even lip service... I will Never change over to democrat. I have had it up to here with these worthless Dems, who are NOT representing us. FUCK THEM!

And it's probably never going to matter. Because at the rate that things are going... we won't ever get to vote again, anyway.

...

*Deep Breath*

And so we must depend on ourselves. We can't trust those Dem bastards in D.C. They don't care about us and they don't have our backs.

We will have to take care of each other!

Tag: february 2025

January 2025

January 2024 (partial)

February 2024

March 2024

April 2024

May 2024

June 2024

July 2024

August 2024

September 2024

October 2024

November 2024

December 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