Diary 6/30/14

Yesterday morning, "Uncle Jerry" called to say he was watching seven elk out his window; two mothers, three spotted calves, and two yearlings. He said to keep our eyes peeled to the elderberry area because he thought they might drift there. I thanked him for the info and went to look out my laundry room window to see if I saw any blond figures. Seeing none, I realized I should inform my 4 nieces about the elk that they would love to see, and asked if they wanted to pull a sneak on them and try to see them. They all put on their shoes excitedly and headed out the door behind me. Once we hit the driveway, I had to stop them because two or three were scuffing along. "That isn't going to work," I told them, and showed them the difference in sound from scuffing to placing their feet carefully, not on crunchy leaves or sticks. So off we went, skirting the forest so as to keep our profiles from showing. As we entered the woods that run between Uncle Jerry's and our place, I could see an elk's body eating some blackberry vines, just uphill. When we went a little further, I saw that they were all there and gave the hand signal to drop and sit quietly. Sure enough, the elk kept easing downhill, with the lead mother aware something was down there. She went off sidehill, but the other mother took a diagonal which marched the three calves right in front of us with a good view for the girls. The yearlings spooked and tore down behind them as well. It was exciting for me, and I think it clinched the country visit for the girls, half of whom departed yesterday and the rest tomorrow.

Diary 6/28/14

Four nieces are keeping me hopping. I have been to all the hot spots around here. We have had some pretty great adventures. Yesterday we saw a fairly large black bear. We saw a grouse and deer, also. I am headed to the creek to search for more crawdads...

Diary 6/24/14

Fun at the creek catching and examining the ways of crawdads. All were released back into the creek after building them a fine cage.

Diary 6/23/14

I have been keeping an eye on these pine drops since the Wildflower Show, and they finally bloomed. They are parasitic, living off something under the soil. The Spring rains and warm temperatures must have been perfect for them this year becasue I have seen more than ever before. Some years I don't see nay of them. Makes them special when I do.

Diary 6/21/14

Happy Solstice to all!

Diary 6/19/14

It clouded up this evening as if we were about to have a serious thunderstorm. They said nothing about it on the news, so it was surprising. The wind came up, the sky darkened, and I even saw what looked like verga, the rain that doesn't reach the ground far off. It never smelled like rain.

Well, after a pink sunset, the clouds are now dissipating and looks like it will be clear by nightfall. The air is so dry. The soil, trees, and everything around is parched and we are only halfway through June. No wonder we are working on fire breaks and intent to make sure our fire tanks are full...

Diary 6/17/14

This is just a random yard in Eugene, but I just want to say here and now that someday I am going to have roses like this!

Diary 6/17/14

Our fish in the pond are very tame. Maybe a little too tame for their own good. They come right to shore for worms. We noticed that we have less bass as time goes by due to a local Blue Heron and who knows how many other predators or sneaky fishermen. The blue gill population is up and there are several babies of smaller sizes that have run the gauntlet of living through bass eating them. There are still our original big bass in there. They came out of their ambush hiding places to have a chunk of worm. We may have to haul water or put a generator on our non-powered well at the pond site so that the water level stays up sufficiently for them to survive. Looking at one of our driest summers ever...

Two spots on the inside of my lens that I am not sure what to do about~

6/13/14

Another beautiful lettuce. I did have my lettuce featured on the cover of a book one time. A lady was looking at a head of Batavian lettuce, a crisp green-leaf lettuce at my Grower's market booth in Ashland. Something about the way she was looking at it made me tell her she could have it. Her gaze was enough; I didn't need money. She mentioned something about taking pictures for a book, but I didn't really care. Much later, like 16 months, certainly the next summer, she brought me her book with my lettuce on the cover and the chapter headings. I was so surprised. The book is called Green For Life.

It contains true stories of how folks got well by making and consuming green drinks including common weeds. She was one of the first books purporting green drinks that I saw. My 15 minutes of fame(so far...)

Diary 6/10/14

My Tatiana rose bush has gone crazy. I am not sure what I can do about it until after this season. It is a thorny climber and a ever-blooming heirloom, that is not a hybrid made of two roses, root stock and top. It is beautiful and smells sweet-not as sweet as the honeysuckle though!

Diary 6/9/14

CAULIFLOWER SELFIE

Diary 6/8/14

There are fairies sleeping in my garden!

Diary 6/3/14

Busy day tying up loose ends, but everywhere there are more! Looks like this time the grass that is mowed will not be back, but dry down for the summer. Spring flowers are finishing up and summer bulbs are up and making flower buds. This is when my garden in the yard needs a big make-over as the poppies and the peonies are finished blooming and look like a mess. In one corner of the oldest greenhouse, the one I am ignoring, this calla lily waited for my attention. I may have to move it to one of the greenhouses I am taking care of.

Diary 6/2/14

The powers that be, I suppose the state had declared fire season in our county. That is early. With a dry winter, little or no snow pack, and Spring rains, all the signs point to a dangerous situation. Around here the grass is five feet tall. In the wild places no one is going to mow it, one of the few arguments for range cattle. The ground is parched with no run off and low water tables. Global warming may not be the problem as much as global drying.

crazy lush

Diary 6/1/14

JUNE! The days are definitely getting longer, three weeks to the longest day. I can see by how quickly everything is growing. Hoping for summer rains to quell the thirst of the forest against fire danger. Last year we did have a few and it saved us from fires being as wide spread, though still a major one on the ridge. Meanwhile here, the grass is getting high enough to hay. The baby corn is loving the weather. It received its first watering yesterday.