Wildflower Cabin

Christmas Sky

2011-12-27T07:35:00.000-08:00

What a gift we woke up to on Christmas morning! The sky was ablaze with color as the sun came up. We even had pink water in the pond from the reflection (top photo). An amazing 'first gift' of the day!

Christmas Wishes

2011-12-21T07:14:00.000-08:00

Gifts of time and love

are surely the basic ingredients

of a truly merry Christmas.

(Peg Bracken)

Fruit of the vine...

2011-08-28T14:12:00.000-07:00

We have two different varieties of grapes...one is Green Thompson Seedless and the one shown is Concord. It looks like it is going to be a good harvest again, just as it was last year. I hope some jelly and other goodies will be made from them, once they ripen!

Drying herbs

2011-08-14T10:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I harvested my sweet basil plant and put the leaves in the dehydrator. This morning, I decided to move them out onto the counter to air dry. It will save money and be more fragrant.

With basil, so far, I have Varigated Sage and Parsley drying. Yet to come...Rosemary, Thyme and Oregeno. As each batch is dry, I will put them in glass jars and save for cooking. If I get an abundance, I would love to give some as gifts.

Hope

2011-08-07T05:46:00.000-07:00

Hope is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops...at all. (Emily Dickinson)

Madrone

2011-08-04T20:21:00.000-07:00

Bark on a Madrone tree on our property.

Plum Pickin'

2011-08-04T13:50:00.000-07:00

We have a wild plum tree that is either two trees growing together or two varieties in one. Yesterday I picked the sweet yellow blush variety from it. Yum! So sweet! The dark purple/black ones were nearly over-ripe and are being enjoyed by the birds and deer. The larger plums in the bowl are from a different tree. There weren't many ripe ones on it yet.

Waiting patiently

2011-07-07T07:27:00.000-07:00

We have two little black-tail bucks staying on our property. They are so handsome with their fuzzy horns. I've named them Dasher and Dancer. They have been naughty boys nibbling on flowers and trees in the front yard. Over the weekend I was weeding in the front flower beds and caught sight of Dasher across the driveway under the trees. He was waiting patiently for me to finish up so he could come back in the yard. His brother was behind and below him (not visible in photo).

Happy Fourth!

2011-07-03T14:47:00.000-07:00

May we remember and appreciate....Happy Fourth to all!

Trip to the coast

2011-06-26T19:16:00.000-07:00

A seal pup came up on the shore as my friend and I were leaving the beach. It was such an honor to get some pictures of him!

View from above

Sunset over the ocean

A seagull feasting on a cluster of mussles

Lighthouse

Juniper tree forest

A friend and I took took a mini vacation at the coast for the weekend. Here are a few of the pictures I took. We had an amazing time and the weather, along with everything else, was perfect! Many memories made!

Hummingbird Delight

2011-06-22T07:02:00.000-07:00

This little Rufous female was very busy last evening sipping nectar from some torch lily flowers in our yard. Click photos to enlarge and see more detail.

Sky Expressions

2011-06-21T17:58:00.000-07:00

Recent Visitors

2011-06-05T13:56:00.000-07:00

Black-headed Grosbeak
A thrush of some kind that I have enjoyed seeing hop along the edge of the forest often.

Mr. Bluebird on the front yard fence.

New Babies!

2011-05-23T11:09:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, May 15, we discovered baby Mallards on the pond. This is the second year in a row for a successful hatching by one of the hens. They are over a week old now and they own the water! Even last night at dusk I could see them scooting along the pond after bugs. So cute!

Western Tanager

2011-05-20T06:42:00.000-07:00

Not very clear photos, but the color of this gorgeous bird is still seen.

Mister and Missus Bluebird

2011-05-17T14:21:00.001-07:00

Mr. & Mrs. Bluebird were close to the back patio yesterday. I'm hoping they are interested in nesting in a hanging gourd birdhouse nearby.

Mother's Day

2011-05-08T10:44:00.000-07:00

Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.

George Cooper

Under the feeder

2011-05-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

Recently we've had more than small wild birds picking around under the feeder.

A Ring-necked pheasant has been here the past two days. They've always lived on our property, but this is the first time one has been up by the house. The other photo is of one Mallard drake and his Wood Duck friends. We've had more Wood Ducks this year on the pond than ever before. "Donald" brought them up to the yard to show them were some fallen grain was.

Black-Throated Gray Warbler

2011-04-28T16:30:00.000-07:00

I had a new visitor today. I could see warblers flitting around in the trees today and finally my patience with camera in hand paid off. Even though the photos aren't crystal clear, I was thrilled to capture this Black-Throated Gray Warbler. I have never seen one before. He's vivid black, white and gray, with a little yellow stripe between his eye and beak.

Another fun thing was, I saw a Yellow-Rumped Warbler in the same grove of trees, which I have never seen before here, but my picture didn't turn out clear enough to post.

And lastly....several of our summer birds showed up at the feeder all at once today: Gold Finch, Lazuli Buntings and Black-Headed Grosebeaks. I haven't seen them in a few months and they all showed up in the same day!

Natural Dyed Eggs

2011-04-23T16:02:00.000-07:00

This morning I had fun experimenting with natural egg dyes . This is the first year I had no children in the house interested in coloring them, so I did something I had been wanting to try for a long time. Top left going clockwise I used: Blackberries, blueberries, cumin and chili powder, mixed berry/beet juice. They turned out in very subtle colors.

A Joyful Easter

2011-04-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

"Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone,
but in every leaf in spring time."
(Martin Luther)

Morning Moon

2011-04-19T10:32:00.000-07:00

A beautiful view from my porch today of the early morning moon in the western sky. This certainly started my day off with joy...

A day of painting

2011-04-18T16:51:00.000-07:00

Today seemed like the perfect day to paint. It has been ages since I have given it another try and it just seemed right this afternoon with the sun shining through the windows and a feel of spring. I decided to grant myself a little pleasure and finished these two in about four hours. The top one is of a stem of lilacs and the bottom one I made for one of my daughters who is going through a very difficult time in her life right now. She loves color and whimsical and I am hoping this will help see her through some dark days ahead, once I frame it. I feel so satisfied making myself put all other things aside to enjoy some time of creativity.

Sunday Afternoon Walk

2011-04-17T14:31:00.001-07:00

Beauty Surrounds

2011-04-15T18:55:00.000-07:00

Great Blue Heron

2011-04-12T10:14:00.000-07:00

A frequent visitor on the pond. He's beautiful and almost looks prehistoric when he flys. He's not too good for the bullfrog population, though.

Herb Garden

2011-04-08T13:39:00.001-07:00

Among the garden weeds, there is now one raised bed of herbs all tidied up. I spent a few minutes today weeding them, enjoying the sun on my back and the aroma of thyme, rosemary, sage and oregano. The parsley and basil are just showing tiny leaves at the base of the plants. What joy to my soul!

Glimpses of the weekend

2011-04-03T16:08:00.000-07:00

Morning view from our front porch. Robert doing some sun bathing. Two sheets to the wind. There is nothing like laundry dried on a sunny, windy day! Homemade chocolate chip cookies. A soaring Red-tailed hawk.

A gray squirrel hiding high up on a branch. (A cat sent him scampering up the tree).

April Showers

2011-04-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

Western Gray Squirrel

2011-04-01T20:21:00.000-07:00

For the last several days we have seen two western gray squirrels out in the side yard grazing under the bird feeders. They delight in fallen sunflower seeds. I find it interesting that after living on this property for over 30 years, this is the first time squirrels have made an appearance! They are cute and fun to watch...running up and down the pine trees, going out on the limbs and scampering across the yard. I know...they probably can become pests, but at the moment they are fun and enjoyable to watch!

Vistors today

2011-03-21T15:51:00.000-07:00

Here are three visitors I had today:

Top photo: A Ringed Turtle Dove pecking around under a feeder. We have not had these doves here until last year. They have migrated north from southern California it seems.

Middle photo: A Northern Flicker in the side yard.

Bottom photo: A female Lesser Goldfinch at my new gazebo hanging feeder.

Gather ye rosebuds....

2011-03-20T16:58:00.000-07:00

Gather Ye Rosebuds While You May

(Artist John William Waterhouse - 1908)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T05:15:00.000-07:00

A world of wishes at your command,

God and his angels close at hand,

Friends and family, their love impart,

And Irish blessings in your heart!

~~~~~~~~~

May your day be filled with blessings

Like the sun that lights the sky,

And may you always have the courage

To spread your wings and fly!

~~~~~~~~~

May your troubles be less

And your blessings be more.

And nothing but happiness

Come through your door.

(Irish blessings and proverbs)

Irish Blessing

2011-03-15T18:27:00.000-07:00

May brooks and trees and singing hills
Join in the chorus, too.

And every gentle wind that blows

Send happiness to you.

Snow Morning

2011-02-24T09:16:00.000-08:00

The day, water, sun, moon, night-
I do not have to purchase these things with money.
(Plautus)

Primroses

2011-02-20T17:42:00.000-08:00

Late winter/Early spring primrose color

in my antique garden cart.

New Do

2011-02-18T20:01:00.000-08:00

Just got back from the beauty shop! Like my new hairdo?

(Annas Hummer)

Little bit 'o snow

2011-02-16T06:30:00.000-08:00

We woke up to a couple of inches of snow yesterday morning. After spring-like weather for weeks, it seems winter has returned. The top picture was taken as the snow was starting to melt on the bricks at the side of our front yard. The middle picture is of the log birdhouse along the fence. The bottom picture is of a Hooded Merganser (male) on the pond. I think he was taking a nap. He stayed with his head turned against his back for quite some time.

Scrub Jay

2011-02-15T19:27:00.000-08:00

Valentine Wishes!

2011-02-13T20:25:00.000-08:00

Person to person, moment to moment,

as we love we change the world.

Samahria Kaufman

Reflection

2011-02-09T17:14:00.000-08:00

Often from our dining room window, looking down over the pond, we see the reflections of deer before we see the deer themselves (because of the trees).

Recent Visitors

2011-02-08T19:44:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I chased this wild turkey and his family members out of the yard where they were grazing under the bird feeders. A face only a mother could love? Kinda cute...in a homely sorta way!
I was focusing the camera on a different bird, when this little Lesser Goldfinch flew right in front of me. Of course when I clicked the photo, he leaned over to nibble on the birch seed pod.

White-breasted Nuthatches are fast becoming one of my favorite kinds of birds. I love watching them and their acrobatic ways. This one landed for a moment in a hanging plant pot on my front porch and grabbed a seed.

The House Finches always bring a bright spot of color in the yard.

This male Anna's Hummingbird had an extra glow about him when the sun reflected the red from the feeder on him!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2011-02-08T10:49:00.000-08:00

Sunday I made homemade bread and shaped some of the dough in to big sandwich rolls.
Boneless pork ribs put into the crockpot all day long, cooking in a bottle of BBQ sauce.

The end result: Yum!

Another beautiful sky

2011-02-05T18:09:00.000-08:00

It is so amazing how beautiful the skies have been the last two months! I took a picture of the sunset tonight and right above it was a cresent moon that I zoomed in on. It reminded me of the Cheshire Cat smiling with no teeth showing!

Color

2011-02-03T07:45:00.000-08:00

A beautiful pink sunrise this morning,

reflecting on the water in our pond.

I love how the wood grain shows up on these
hot burning logs in the wood stove.

A house finch with a sunflower seed in his mouth.

Spotted Towhee

2011-02-02T15:09:00.001-08:00

A Spotted Towhee came to the feeder this afternoon. They are common around our area, but we don't really see them on the feeder as much as we do some of the more regular visitors.

Their eyes are beautiful.

Butter Ball

2011-02-01T20:30:00.001-08:00

He's back! Last year I wrote about a very large English (House) Sparrow at my feeder that was out of the ordinary in size. He lays down in the feeder, instead of standing like all of the other birds. While they are flighty and skiddish, he just grazes with no worries. He is huge!

Here he is on the post below the feeder. He seems to be scolding or talking to someone below.

See how his backside looks so different than the other house sparrows? A female sits below him on the fence. I wonder if it is his mama watching out for her special 'little' boy?

I didn't realize until I viewed the photos, that his eyes are a light color. I've been amazed that he can fly at his size, for his speicies. I haven't got to see him fly, but I've seen him flutter down to the fence. Today I saw him on a different hanging feeder and I know he had to fly to get there. Anyway, he's our special Buter Ball, and we love him very much!

New Feeder

2011-02-01T07:14:00.001-08:00

I bought a new feeder this weekend and hung it on the edge of the front porch. We also moved our main feeder closer to the yard. I told myself that a chickadee would be the first to visit them both and I was right. They are cheeky little fellows...always curious, always the first to try something new. Here is one at the new feeder having just grabbed a sunflower seed.

Report on Recipe #1

2011-01-31T08:22:00.000-08:00

I've been using the laundry detergent I made over the weekend. Here are the likes and dislikes of Recipe #1.

Likes:
*Smells fresh and clean
*Laundry feels soft when removed from washing machine

Dislikes:
*As liquid detergent cooled, grated melted soap in recipe partly solidified, making small chunks of soap. Even when I shake well before using, there are still pieces of soap coming out of the jug.
*Beacause of solidified soap, I have to use warm or hot water to wash, so it will blend, and I prefer cold water washing (unless heavily soiled)

So, as soon as I finish using what I've made of the first recipe, I am off to try the second one. I will keep you updated as I search to find a good useful homemade laundry detergent (preferably without washing soda).

Red-tailed Hawk

2011-01-30T13:07:00.000-08:00

Today while I was cleaning in the kitchen and my dh was out working in the yard, we both heard the unmistakable screeching of a Red-tailed Hawk. I grabbed my camera and got this shot of him at the top of a huge fir tree on our property. I took three pictures and one turned out. I didn't know until I looked at it on the camera, that he was in the middle of a screech-call when I snapped the picture. If you'd like to see more details, click to enlarge.

Homemade Laundry Detergent - Recipe #1

2011-01-29T19:51:00.000-08:00

Grate one bar of soap (I used Ivory)
Barely cover grated soap with water and cook on medium heat until melted (stir often, being careful not to cook too high, or it will stick to bottom of pan)

Meanwhile, pour two gallons hot water into a large pail or pan.

When soap is nicely melted and resembles thin mashed potatoes, remove from heat.

Add melted soap to hot water. Stir well.

Add in two cups of baking soda (yes, that's BAKING soda, not WASHING soda) and stir.

Add one cup of borax and stir.

Put back on stove and simmer until well blended. The soap (at least the ivory I used) will stay afloat on top, even as a foam.

Rinse out plastic jugs or containers of your choice. I prefer recycling milk jugs.

Use funnel to fill jugs with cooled liquid laundry detergent.

Use 1/2 cup detergent for regular loads, 1 cup for heavy loads.

Shake well before using.

This was how my morning was spent! I'm experimenting with different homemade laundry detergents. I chose this one, because washing soda, which is a common ingredient in self-made detergents, is impossible to find in my area. I could order some through the mail, but am not willing to pay the hefty shipping costs to get it here. After some research, I find that some people prefer baking soda over washing soda.

Bald Eagles

2011-01-28T13:36:00.000-08:00

Today, in his wanderings, my husband came across some bald eagles. Two males were fighting and screeching at each other in a tree over a fish down below. He said there was a female there also, but she eluded the camera. Beautiful creatures.

On the water

2011-01-25T11:32:00.000-08:00

Our ducks had some visitors stop by the pond this morning. Once when I looked out there were three Canadian Geese, then one flew off toward the creek. The remaining pair have spent the last hour or more swimming around, feeding off the banks, sitting on the little island with the ducks and appear to be checking things out (maybe I'm just hopeful!). It would be so nice if they would choose our place to nest this spring!

Fire in the Sky

2011-01-20T19:21:00.000-08:00

Another amazing January sky this evening. It was like a small sea of water surrounded by a mass land flowing with hot lava. The last photo, color fading, resembled a large blind being pulled down over the sky window, bidding us all a goodnight.

Painted Sky

2011-01-05T19:34:00.000-08:00

A colorful sky this evening. These two photos were taken on opposite sides of our cabin, within two or three minutes of each other. God is the perfect artist!

Canned Goodness

2011-01-03T18:42:00.000-08:00

I just love home canned foods. They are so full of love and goodness that only home-grown can bring! A dear friend sent these two jars for Christmas...pickled beets and pumpkin from her Idaho garden. Well, there was a jar of salsa, too, but that jar is half empty already!

Yesterday I made some apple butter. The half pints are for gifts, and the pints, along with more I hope to make in the days ahead, will stock our cupboards with this sweet autumnish spread that we all love.

New Visitors

2011-01-02T11:02:00.001-08:00

This bird was in with the white-crown sparrows and juncos this morning. We've never seen him before. I'm not sure what he is, though one of my bird books makes me think could possibly an immature white-crown. Does anyone know how long birds remain immature? It seems a little late in the year for that, but I could be mistaken. Either way, he's lovely.

I was thrilled this little Townsend's Warbler flitted into the front yard birch tree just long enough for me to get a photo of him through the dining room window. He teased me for a long time yesterday across the driveway in the big fir tree. I could only see an occasional flash of yellow, then he would be out of sight again. This morning he decided to let me have a look at him, which I certainly appreciated!

First Day Happenings

2011-01-01T18:25:00.000-08:00

I adore European Robins. I probably first fell in love with them when I read 'The Secret Garden' (and also saw the movie), which one of the main characters was the little red robin living in the garden. He showed Mary where to find the key to the hidden garden. Since my love for this little bird has increased over the years, I am blessed to have some friends in Europe who have kept me happy with Christmas cards hosting this little feathered delight! This year I even got a card from Canada with a robin on it! A friend once sent me a robin coaster and this Christmas, my pen friend of many many years, mailed this beautiful red tea towel. I have started an album to keep all of my robin cards in. A dream of mine is to be able to actually meet one in person! Maybe some day!
So many lovely Christmas cards received this year! Do you recycle them? They make wonderful Christmas tags and also are good to remake into new cards. I'm thinking I will get busy in the next week or two and reuse them for next Christmas, thus stashing items ready to use, instead of storing them to later do crafting with.

This afternoon I made chocolate chip cookies. I always use the recipe off the bag of milk chocolate chips and I always put 1/4 cup extra flour in them, to make them more cake-like.

Homemade pizza for dinner tonight! Always a favorite, even if I don't have a lot of extra toppings sometimes. Tonight's versions: Cheese pizza, burger pizza....with sliced tomatoes and plenty of ranch dressing. Yum.

I spent some time today trying to think about how to run our home more smoothly and stay on top of daily tasks. I also browsed on the internet for ways to stretch the dollar. One thing that stuck in my mind while reading, was to dry clothing in the drying on the low setting. It takes less heat than the high setting.

I hope each of you had a wonderful start to 2011! God's blessings to you!

New Year Birds

2011-01-01T10:35:00.000-08:00

White-crowned Sparrow
American Robin

Oregon Juncos

2010-12-31T13:37:00.000-08:00

I've been having fun with my new camera today. I've taken several shots of Oregon Juncos, which are plentiful here, all months except summer. I hadn't noticed this particular little one (top photo) has only one leg until I took the picture. It didn't seem to slow him down in the least...flying back and forth to the feeder with the rest of them. Makes me wonder what happened to him. Maybe a near-death experience with a cat...or perhaps he was hatched that way. Whatever the reason, he's sweet and I'm sure before the day is over, I shall have a special name for him. Any suggestions? :o)

Happy New Year!

2010-12-30T06:40:00.000-08:00

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring happy bells across the snow:

The year is going, let him go;

Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Lord Alfred Tennyson, 1850

Wishing you all a joyful, healthy and safe 2011!

White-crowned sparrows

2010-12-26T14:21:00.000-08:00

Two little white-crowned sparrows have been busy picking up seeds from under the bird feeder today. It seems we went several years without seeing any, but lately they are back!

A joyful Christmas!

2010-12-22T17:42:00.000-08:00

Wishing you love and God's blessings this Christmas time!

Thanksgiving Blessings

2010-11-24T19:27:00.000-08:00

"Thanksgiving, afterall, is a word of action." W.J. Cameron

More Kitty-Scaping

2010-11-20T19:41:00.000-08:00

Our cat, Circle, continues with her 'kitty-scaping'. First I saw her sitting in a crate on the front porch, then later saw her sitting in the ivy which is trailing out of the rock garden. She has really been creative lately!

Little Wren

2010-11-12T14:28:00.000-08:00

My husband caught this little wren with the camera today. He had seen him this morning and later in the day we walked up to an area where we have piles of lumber, logs, rocks etc....and he was bobbing and hopping around exploring here and there. He let us watch him and get photos for a long time. He seemed quite pleased with our admiration of him.

Stellar's Jay

2010-11-03T15:40:00.000-07:00

Pausing for a minute on the fence post, I was able to get a picture of this Stellar's Blue Jay. We have a lot of them around, but until I zoomed in on this one, I had not noticed the light blue 'eye brows' on their faces.

A Merry Halloween!

2010-10-31T07:22:00.000-07:00

I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion. ~Henry David Thoreau

Vente de véranda

2010-10-30T16:18:00.000-07:00

Vente de véranda is my new porch sale blog. Time to sell some things. I'm just getting started. I would love to have you stop by for a visit sometime!

Pile of potatoes

2010-10-30T15:52:00.000-07:00

This is the last of the potatoes dug out of the garden today. A nice little harvest.

Rain drops on Yucca....

2010-10-27T19:05:00.000-07:00

...and whiskers on kittens. Kind of reminds me of 'My favorite things' song from The Sound of Music. In our ornamental grass garden, we ended up with a couple of varigated Yucca plants. In these photos, the fresh rain drops have been collected by the almost blooming buds. There is beauty in water.

Mellow Yellow

2010-10-26T06:41:00.000-07:00

Maple leaves turning yellow

Flickering candlelight on my dining room table

Golden grain. Cracked corn I bought for the ducks.

My favorite chair. Painted yellow with a sunflower decal at the top. This was a wonderful thrift store find. It lives on my front porch and is used for sitting, and standing on when I fill bird feeders.

Nasturtium

A volunteer sunflower in the garden

(from seeds off the bird feeder)

Coastal Delights

2010-10-24T08:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my inlaws came by for a visit. They live at the coast (about 70 minutes from our house). They came bearing food gifts, as they usually do. Fresh crab they caught the day before, a large Coho (salmon) fillet from their recent catch - frozen and sealed...and a pan full of frosted peanut butter bars and brownies. Need I say anything other than: "YUM!"? We are grateful...

Sign of the time...

2010-10-23T07:55:00.000-07:00

Do you have a favorite saying? For the last several weeks, this has been mine. It simply says it all. You can't really add to it. My husband found this wooden sign at our local food market (which also sells wonderful gift items) and brought it home to me one day. It has been sitting on my kitchen counter waiting for me to decide the perfect place to hang it. Right now I'm enjoying it where it is.

Special cups

2010-10-20T13:14:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered a new green tea with lemon (Bigelow brand) that is very flavorful! I decided to get down my special Japanese cup and drink out of it this afternoon. Are you like me...you often keep the treasured things tucked away in a cupboard or drawer for fear of them getting broken or stained? I am trying to get out of that train of thought (as Tasha Tudor suggested) and use those things dear to my heart. These cups were some I purchased in 1993 when our family traveled to Japan to see our former exchange student her family, enroute to South Korea to pick up our adopted son. The black cup on the left says "father" and the brown one says "mother". Drinking from that brings back a flood of memories of a far off land and a time gone by.

Harvest

2010-10-18T08:22:00.000-07:00

For man, autumn is a time of harvest, of gathering together. For nature, it is a time of sowing, of scattering abroad.
(Edwin Way Teale)

The goldenrod is yellow
The corn is turning brown
The trees in apple orchards
With fruit are bending down.
(Childrens song)

In the garden, Autumn is, indeed the crowning glory of the year, bringing us the fruition of months of thought and care and toil. And at no season, safe perhaps in Daffodil time, do we get such superb colour effects as from August to November.
(Rose G. Kingsley, The Autumn Garden)

October, here’s to you. Here’s to the heady aroma of the frost-kissed apples, the winey spell of ripened grapes, the wild-as-the-wind smell of hickory nuts and the nostalgic whiff of that first wood smoke. (Ken Weber)

Indian Summer Sunday

2010-10-17T17:04:00.000-07:00

Ok, Circle got her picture taken in the forbidden grass garden today. She was a good girl sitting on a rock, rather than curled up on a clump of grass. More kitty scaping!

A drop of water falling from the ornamental hummingbird after I watered today.

Years ago my sister and I made windchimes out of bamboo.
I love the shadow discovered today against the south side of the wood shed.

The back side of my Nasturtiums.

Happenings on the front porch

2010-10-16T14:36:00.000-07:00

A little black-capped chickadee waits on the drain pipe for a turn at the feeder
A house finch keeps watch while nibbling on sunflower seeds

Phriday Photos

2010-10-15T16:07:00.000-07:00

Everyone has a black cat named 'Blackie', right?

Here is ours sitting in the Nasturtiums.
A little 'Jack Be Nimble' pumpkin in the garden.

Red 'Virginia Creeper' vine with the wood shed in the background.

Thompson green seedless grapes.

Baking Day

2010-10-14T14:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was baking day. I made three loaves of wheat bread and two pans of dinner rolls. I also made a batch of cinnamon rolls.

When I took one of the pans of dinner rolls from the oven, I was reminded of the Dresden plate table cloth (made by my mother-in-law) which covers our dining room table. I guess I made Dresden plate rolls!

Everyone really enjoyed the cinnamon rolls as an after school/work treat. They are a famiy favorite.

"Kitty-scaping"

2010-10-13T08:56:00.000-07:00

Our cat, Circle, named for her habit of spinning around in circles chasing her tail, is part of the daily yard & garden scenery.

We have an old burned out, partly hollow stump in the front yard that I planted a flower in last year. This year she has claimed it to be her own space.

My husband recently brought home large round rocks to use in landscaping and she loves using them for her thinking spots.

She also loves to lay in the grass garden (rock garden full of ornamental grasses), but, shhhhh, we won't talk about that one or show a photo, because she is not supposed to be in there!

Ten-Ten-Ten

2010-10-10T15:40:00.000-07:00

A little rest...

2010-10-09T16:40:00.000-07:00

A little bird paused for a rest on my garden bench today.

Knitting

2010-09-11T07:32:00.000-07:00

I've been doing a lot of knitting lately. Here are some of my finished projects, along with a current one. All are scarves except for the orange tweed dishcloth in the center. The black and white one is knitted with ribbon yarn and was fun to finish up with long fringe. I love giving them as gifts! I'm considering trying to sell some when I get more made.

Nasturtiums

2010-09-10T14:18:00.000-07:00

This year I planted some nasturtium seeds in front of a step that goes from the porch to the yard. Since it cooled off lately, they have come to life with buds and now have three pretty flowers opened out (one red, one orange and one yellow). The top photo is of little dew drops on a nasturtium leaf. The leaves and flowers of these plants are edible.

Another Patio Sign

2010-09-03T18:43:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted a photo of one of our patio signs. This one is one of my favs. It speaks for itself! *smile*

A little cabin

2010-07-31T17:23:00.001-07:00

What a joy! Neighbors who had this log bird house wedged in an overgrown tree in their yard and long forgotten, responded to my offer to buy it from them. Only they said I could have it! I was so thrilled, as I love birds and bird houses and we live in a log cabin. How perfect. The same evening we got it, my sweet husband put it up on the front yard fence posts so we could see it while sitting on the porch. I think it may be for purple martins, as it has two floors and many compartments. It would be fun if birds eventually showed an interest in it, but if not, it's a simple and beautiful decoration for us to enjoy!

A Beautiful Scene

2010-07-12T07:03:00.000-07:00

"Not all those who wander are lost."

J.R.R. Tolkien

*(photo taken by my husband)

Tasha Tudor Hollyhock & A Butterfly

2010-07-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

Every day holds new surprises and many delights to the eyes. A tiger swallowtail butterfly landed on a cypress tree long enough to get his photo taken. My hollyhocks are blooming their hearts out. This originated from the garden of beloved children's book author and illustrator, Tasha Tudor. Some years back her hollyhock seeds were sold through her family business. (They might still be offering these, I'm not sure). I purchased a packet and have reaped the blessings since. Of course, I think of her and her amazing life each time I look at these.

4th of July

2010-07-03T08:08:00.000-07:00

"Ask not what your country can do for you.

Ask what you can do for your country."

John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Nature Shots

2010-06-26T07:31:00.000-07:00

This colorful tree frog caught my eye as it climbed up the drain pipe. I've seen them change colors according to their environment, and this one made me smile. He just hopped from the flower bed to the drain pipe, so it looks like he was in transition with his color change!

These are our baby mallards! They are all females and many times I have to look twice to tell them apart from their mama. They are getting a lot of feathers, and it's fun to see how much they have changed each day when I feed them. They are now five weeks old.

Honey Bees

2010-06-23T07:13:00.000-07:00

Several days ago we had a swarm of honey bees fly to our property and make residence on a small sequoia tree. We've had swarms before (in April) other years. We thought they would be here for a short while and move on, but they stayed. Often we could look in the back field and see the shape of their mass had changed. My dh found out about someone who might come and get them, and that's exactly what happened. I watched from the living room window as a local man placed a wooden hive under them, grabbed the main limb they were on and whipped it downward with a fast and furious jerk. Most of them fell into the box (as long as the queen was with them, they would stay). Of course at that moment many of them got active, buzzing around the beekeeper and my dh. Not too many stings later, he got to work with his smoker, coaxing them down into the box. It was about an hour long process, but very interesting to watch. He got nearly all of them and left. After inspecting the narrow trunk of the tree, it was noticed that they had started working on a comb of honey. They were there to stay. I sure would have thought they would have chosen a big ol' tree for their home and making honey!

Large Moth

2010-06-13T20:06:00.001-07:00

This large moth caught my eye this morning as he rested on the front yard fence post. I've never seen one this size before! Are there any butterfly/moth enthusiasts who may be able to tell me what kind it is? I can't find it in my reference book. Thank you!

Feathered Friends

2010-06-12T07:17:00.001-07:00

Yesterday during a break from mowing and weedeating up by the gardens, my dh and I enjoyed some bird watching.

The chickadee parents were very busy going in and out of their home feeding their babies bugs and worms. I heard baby bird voices from inside and could only imagine how adorable they are! I was happy to get some better photos than I got the other day.

A male Western Bluebird perched on the garden fence for quite a long time looking around and doing some serious thinking about something. In the top photo, some of his rust colored breast feathers are caught by the wind.

We were able to watch a little wren of some kind check out one of our bird houses! He was so cute and we rarely see one around here. The one he was interested in apparently was claimed by the bluebird, or he was considering to claim it, because he chased the little one away. Hopefully he'll be back and check out a different house. I didn't have the camera with me at that point, so the picture will have to stay in our memories only.

A good day for bird watching!

Blue Love-in-a-Mist

2010-06-11T12:20:00.000-07:00

I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station,

through which God speaks to us every hour,

if we will only tune in.

~George Washington Carver

Snails -n- Slugs

2010-06-10T18:09:00.000-07:00

We've had so much rain here in western Oregon, I had a thought....if there was a market for snails and slugs and other wettish type creatures....I'd be rich....lol. Sunshine comin' our way for the weekend, though...yippee!

Sunday Miscellany

2010-06-06T14:13:00.000-07:00

For the first time ever, we have a family of black capped chickadees living in one of our birdhouses! This one is on a post in the overgrown rose garden. I sat a distance away today trying to capture a shot of this busy little one going in and out of his house, and this is what I ended up with. He was so quick, most photos were a blur, but here he is poking his head out just before he took flight. I'm thrilled to have them as residents. They are such friendly little birds with sweet songs!

Our orchard (mason) bee box has two plugged holes full of what will become baby bees. Hopefully once the weather stays warm, we will have more show up.

The one thing doing well in our garden despite the endless rain, is our potato plants! They seem to be thriving.

A new fuchsia I have called 'Blackie'. Solid black and dark pink...very striking. It's so windy out today, it was a challenge to get a decent photo as the pot kept spinning around, but hopefully you can get an idea of the beautiful contrast of colors.

Pretty wrapping

2010-06-04T20:23:00.000-07:00

I love using old calendar pages for wrapping gifts and other projects. The photos and images are perfect to make a pretty package. Here I've wrapped a gift for my mother-in-law's birthday present, which we will give to her tomorrow.

Nature Shots

2010-06-01T10:01:00.000-07:00

"What you lookin' at?"
Baby Mallards growing soooo fast!

Orange Poppy

Coral Poppy

Mixed California Poppies

Surprise Babies!

2010-05-22T11:36:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful surprise this morning as we looked down at the pond! Eight baby mallard ducklings have joined Daisy & Donald! We knew mama had a nest somewhere in the tall grasses, but honestly didn't think she would be able to pull off hatching them with all the preditors around. We were gladly mistaken! They are soooooo cute, scooting around on the cold pond water at amazing speeds, making sounds of soft little whistles. A proud day at the Cox farm!