Leftovers
Today I found this desiccated half fish on the ground under a fir tree. Since I'm 3 miles from the nearest water, I am assuming an eagle or other raptor brought the fish to my yard to eat and dropped the tail end. Yes it stinks, and is now in the compost pile.
The trees dismantle
Today when sweeping the deck, which was covered in fir needles, I found myself appreciating that the fir tree drops the needles, which collect on the beams that hold the deck together, and in winter gather moisture and rot the wood a little bit more each year. I see...
Road Trip 2018
I just got back from a three week road trip to see old friends. I drove 3723 miles in those three weeks. First stop: Farewell Bend, OR where I camped overnight. I drove by Craters of the Moon National Monument which I've been eyeing on the map as a destination for a...
Fall report
This summer was a mix of success and failure. I did very well with tomatoes---I got three starts from a neighbor and they all produced well. I also got some tomatillos from a friend and they also did well. I also got a lot of garlic. Easy! I had heard garlic was hard...
Birds
Spring is finally here, and the past two weeks I've noticed an increase in bird calls in the mornings. Birds I've heard in the past few days include: Robin Red-breasted nuthatch
Backyard visitor
This beautiful juvenile bald eagle has been hanging around my yard the past few days, hunting, flying, landing in various trees… today it landed in a tree right outside my bedroom window, just above eye level for me… I snuck outside around the back of my house so I could hide behind another tree and try to get closer. (S)he just sat there; clearly (s)he knew I was there, and looked straight at me several times. I managed to get fairly close and balance my lens on a branch to take this shot.
Fixing old raised beds
My current project is to replace some old raised beds that are falling apart with new ones. This week with some clear and sunny weather, I got two done. I also got one refilled with dirt, compost, and straw; the other has dirt, but still needs additional manure and...
A message in the straw
So a couple of weeks ago I got some lovely straw to mulch my winter garden with. I spread it all out nice and neat and the next morning discovered some (many?) creatures had obviously been making nests in the straw. We have been on a dance ever since; me straightening out the straw, them coming every night to make nests. I have sneaked out in the middle of the night to try to catch them in the act, but no luck yet.
This morning I went out and discovered this. I think it’s a subtle message telling me that they appreciate the straw and I should leave their nests alone?
Maybe I will for a few days since it’s rather cold out…
New Year’s Day
New Year’s Day is always a good day for an adventure. It was a cold and windy start to 2017 but that didn’t deter me…
Fall colors
As usual for this time of year, it is mostly raining, gray, and chilly. Hunting for fall colors is a good way to get some cheer back into the short days.
This collection includes hawthorne berries, rosehips, snowberries, Douglas fir cones, alder leaves, salal leaves, cottonwood leaves, yarrow leaves, grass, moss, and two kinds of fungi I’ve yet to identify.