Come with me on a walk

 On my morning walk today I found this offering in the middle of the path.  They are hawthorn berries.

 Very pretty I think.

 The cows and calves were enjoying the quiet morning.  I love that huge cottonwood tree in the background.

 A few weeks ago when I was walking here, I heard a rustling rumbling sound coming from the forest and I thought "What is that noise?  The cows shouldn't be in there.  Sounds like a big animal, maybe an elk crashing through the woods?"  Then this huge alder tree came falling down, right where I had been about to walk.  I have never seen a tree spontaneously fall down with no wind or logger to help it.  It is on the neighbor's property and they have been working on cutting it up for firewood.  I like the way the red alder shows why it is named so.  When a fresh tree is cut up it bleeds red.

 This is a big old stump with new trees growing up out of it.  I climbed it once and looked inside, it is hollow.  If I ever have to hide from someone, I might run here and get in.  You might be able to see how the cows have rubbed on that long snakey root piece and made it all shiny.

 I love leaves.  This heart shaped one is a cottonwood.

But I love my little Roscoe Bean even more.  Who could resist this face?

Be well.

Spring? walk

The calendar tells me it is spring but it is a little hard to tell around here.  The daffodils and primroses are beginning to bloom but as you can see from the photo above that I took this morning, we keep getting snow showers.  They have mostly been melting off quickly but it gives you an idea of our temperatures.

Today I decided to walk down the road for a change.  Usually I keep to my own sweet 38 acres, wandering around with my old doggies.  I left the two more fragile ones home and set out with frisky Tonka who though he is the oldest one he has the most get up and go.  Look at him there, as if he is saying "Hurry up hurry up hurry up!"  That's a Border Collie for you!

I really like these old mossy fence posts.  These look like they have moss hats on.  Notice the rotten tree behind it, maybe a woodpecker has been pecking on it, getting ready to build a nest perhaps?

This one has a lot of personality, don't you think?

I picked up this garbage along the way.  The receipt is from a grocery store and is for $61.29.  It is mostly chips and dip with some hamburger and lettuce thrown in.  Sheesh.  That is a lot of chips and dip! The wire thing was left behind by the phone company when they worked on a communications box.  I'm keeping it, might find a use for it in a mixed media project.

Sorry my posts are becoming more boring, good thing they are so infrequent too.  I have been working on some art and will show some of it soon.  Until then,
be well.

Wet woods walk

As I said in my last post, we have had plenty of rain lately.  I'm not complaining, just stating the facts.  I'm glad it warmed up a bit and things are growing more finally.  The 3 dogs and I had a nice walk in the rain today and I brought my camera along to snap a few photos of the wild flowers and such.  Above is an unfurling Bracken Fern.

Star Flowered Solomon's Seal

Wild Bleeding Hearts with a seed pod developing

most of the forest is carpeted with these little plants, the Bleeding heart and Solomon's Seal

Wild Strawberry

Large Flowered Fairy Bells

Tonka always has to keep his eye on me.

The wild purple iris are starting to bloom and they are so gorgeous and prolific.

You can see the grass is beginning to get tall.  It will be time to begin haying soon, usually around the 4th of July.

Here is one of the Big Leaf Maples on my property.  It is not fully leafed out yet.  It has been so cold that things are at least two weeks late this year.

Service berry blossoms.

Sadie and Tonkabutt, patiently waiting for me to quit taking so darn many photos.

Sadie likes to take a dip in the creek every day no matter how cold it is.

I made a little video of the end of my walk.  You can hear the rain and a robin singing.

I hope you enjoyed this little walk with me.  As I was preparing this post I heard the first Swainson's Thrush of the year, singing the dusk in.  I love that bird.  It's arrival usually heralds summer for me.

Be well.