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Sunday, August 30, 2020

Hawks, Eagles and Canada Geese

Red Tail Hawk - our most common hawk
  

Sitting in a tree - looking for lunch
Or high atop a utility pole
Always a delight to spot one
 And not far away - a Bald Eagle - another pole sitter


 And Canada Geese - won't be long until they flock up to fly south for the winter
 They practice their formations in the water - teaching the young ones - getting them ready for the trip south.




Friday, August 28, 2020

Late Summer Flowers

Some summer favorites
 A single Hollyhock is such a treat in the summer!!!
 And a field of Sunflowers in a city lot



Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Apples Are Ripening

As we take drives we are seeing more and more apples that are about ripe - the Gravensteins are already being harvested - can others be far behind?

 Trees are loaded with apples this year.

 This little tree is doing its best
 The apples look good!
 Soon there will be apples for sale at roadside stands and in picking orchards
 Time to gather apples
 And make some pies
And some apple butter


Our daughter has a big Gravenstein apple tree and she has already picked and processed hundreds of apples.  We are the lucky recipients of two apple crisps and a pint of delicious apple butter. 

What is your favorite apple recipe?

Monday, August 24, 2020

Water Lilies

A nearby pond has the prettiest patch of Water Lilies - we like to stop by the pond on the way home - sometimes we see ducks - sometimes we see herons - and sometimes we see Water Lilies.




 I hope some day to see a bird walking on the Lily Pads.



Saturday, August 22, 2020

Horses

Beautiful horses in fields

I've never seen such a speckled horse before - and there were two of them in the same field.

Thursday, August 20, 2020

Rose Hedge

What is prettier in the summer than a hedge just bursting with roses?


And the scent was fabulous!

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Two Herons and A Kingfisher

We have many Great Blue Heron rookeries in this area.  It is always a thrill to see them.  This one was far out on the sandbar in Birch Bay State Park.


A Belted Kingfisher on a very windy day - Willy's Lake 




  
 And a Green Heron - looking for lunch at the boat launch in Blaine.
  
Success!

Sunday, August 16, 2020

Scenery

A lovely old barn

And cattle in a field of buttercups.
This is summer for sure in Western Washington!

Friday, August 14, 2020

Summer Wild Flowers

Wild flowers abound this time of the year - here are two of my favorites.
 Fireweed is everywhere - I want some growing in my yard - I think it grows thick enough and fast enough that there would be some left to bloom after the deer graze through - at least that is my hope.

 Such a pretty flower - it is the first flowers to bloom after a wild fire - or after logging.  The seeds are light and fluffy and float on the wind.
Another is wild Sweet Peas - they grow in masses alongside country roads - the biggest wave of them we ever saw was almost a mile long - they are amazing.
 


A nice backdrop for waves of Sweet Peas.
 Pinks and purples.  I planted some seeds in pots on our deck this year - when they go to seed I will save the seeds and hopefully get some that will survive the deer who visit our yard regularly.

What wildflowers bloom in your area?  When we lived in Burney California there were Bachelor's Button growing in wild masses.  Our kids would pick pretty bouquets of them on their way home for lunch.