Part Two of our adventure. Mt Hood Balsamroot Parsley And a new-to-me bird! A Western King Bird! Monkeyflower The Gorge and Columbia River Serviceberry Larkspur Mt Hood Serviceberry And look closely! Can you see the Western Meadowlark? The Meadowlark is Oregon's state bird and they were singing and singing and singing. And I have to end with yet more Balsamroot. Our day's adventure was a perfect western daytrip / Waning family wandering. 450 miles total, eight counties, and 13 hours! We also drove past the R2 Ranch in Wasco and Jefferson Counties. It is 47 miles long ..read more

May Blog Header Revealed Garden Grumbles and Cross Stitch Fumbles May Blog Header I decided to keep on stitching birds in May, so my header reflects one of my obsessions. Below I've listed the designers, the charts and the designs names.  Rows are horizontal. Row #1: The Stitching Shed, "Cluck Cluck"; below that is The Prairie Schooler, "Trick or Treat" - "Owl"; "Birds of a Feather, "Happy as a Lark"; The Trilogy, "Happy Chirp Chirp Day", Elizabeth Spurlock, "Easy Cross Stitch Patterns a Day 2009" - "Black-capped Chickadee"; The Yankee Stit ..read more

On Saturday, April 20th my sister, mom, and I took a road trip. We drove 190 miles to the north and east to the Tom McCall Preserve near Mosier, Oregon. This amazing place abuts the southern edge of the Columbia Gorge. This is looking north across the Columbia River to the north side on Washington State.  Mountains everywhere... Mt Adams But the true reason to go in April is to take in the amazing displays of Arrowleaf  Balsamroot. My sister did a 3 mile hike (up the bluffs), and my mom and I did a 2.5 mile hike that was not as vertically challenging.  There were lots a ..read more

Design - "Gingham Bunny" Chart - "The Bunny Collection" Designer - JBW Designs Fabric - 28 count Antique White linen Started - 11 July 2010 Completed - 12 July 2010  Just a few American Goldfinches so far. I've not seen more than 4-6 at a time. I am hoping for larger numbers. The same with the Black-headed Grosbeaks. So far no more than two birds ..read more

Design - "Plaid Bunny" Chart - "The Bunny Collection" Designer - JBW Designs Fabric - 28 count Antique White Cashel Floss - DMC Started - 6 August 2010 Completed - 9 August 2010 Saturday morning I spied several large skeins of geese flying overhead. It was pretty cool to get a glimpse of this large migration. Closer at hand the Turkey Vultures have taken up residence. They hang out on cool morning until the air temperatures warm up. And yes... I continue to see a couple of crows. So far they aren't hassling the smaller birds.  They gray squirrels pay no at ..read more

I am seeing both Anna's and Rufous Hummingbirds. This series features a female Anna's. Grabbing Getting Holding Hovering Back for more And heading to the nest ..read more

All sizes today. Two chipmunks Solo Squirrel atop a tree Another tree top squirrel I've had as many has nine gray squirrels at one time. Barry? Not sure it's Barry,  but this buck is once again growing antlers. Can you see the big dark buttons? I like this series. The squirrel is not going to let the deer have the seed tray food. Touche! And yes, one more bear sighting. The spring time grass grazing amuses me. Munch Munch  ..read more

  I stitched this Prairie Schooler piece in 2009...   I got it framed! Design - "R is for Rabbit"  Designer - The Prairie Schooler Fabric - 32 count Lambswool linen Fibers - DMC Started - 19 May 2009 Completed - 9 June 2009 Framed - August 2011 I'm really pleased with the framing job.  It's stretched nice and tight and true.  And the frame - what a great match with the dark green of the cabbages!  Pleasant Surprise #2 On Tuesday 4/23 I saw the FOS male Black-headed Grosbeak. Their lovely song is part of my spring / summer morning symphon ..read more

As it turned out it took about 90 minutes to finish and there were 17 buttons to attach (not 18).  I'm pretty pleased with it. Design - "The Rabbit Alphabet" Designer - JBW Designs Fabric - 28 count Antique white linen Fibers - Crescent Colours - "Betty Bluebell" - 2 strands over 2 threads (used 3 skeins) Started - 31 August 2012 Completed - 24 October 2013  Look who briefly came by! A group of three Acorn Woodpeckers! I never got a shot of all three birds together, ad my shots of two birds are really blurry. So first off there was this female. She gave me ..read more

Another lovely day. The Big Creek is flowing. The Cottonwoods have leafed out. So has the Cascara. Wood Violets in bloom. Can't get enough of the Trilliums. The Flowering Currants continues to live up to its name. Lots of pollen!  Big Leaf Maple. And Iris tenax. So many different shades of purple. See? A particularly lovely bloom. And Lamb's Tongue (Trout Lily). Quiet beauty. Spring is green, green, green ..read more