Melting Snow

My walking route today - 2.7 mi.

The weather was actually pretty warm and most of the snow from earlier in the week had melted.

I decided to take a short walk to the drugstore, and then go south through the parks. I finally discovered the trail that connects Brookhaven Park to Lowami-Hart Woods. I knew there must be one, but it wasn't marked on any maps anywhere.

Icy Grass in our front yard.

Sami noticed a patch of icy grass and realized that our garden hose had busted during the freezing weather. Hopefully our water bill isn't too high next month.

Icicles

The water from the hose made icicles on our Camellia and Rhododendron bushes.

Pine Cones on SW Daphne St.

Quince - Cydonia oblonga - SW Daphne St.

Sami actually planted a small Japanese Flowering Quince in our front yard this spring. Ours is still very small and will probably take a few years before it starts bearing fruit.

Sweetgum - Liquidambar styraciflua - SW Nehalem Ln

Frog Sculpture - SW Nehalem Ln, entrance to Brookhaven Park

Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias

After Weeks of Rain

My walking route for today - 3.2 mi.

We've had so much rain during the past two weeks and on the few sunny afternoons I've managed to be at work or busy with home improvement projects. I hadn't been on my neighborhood walk for two whole weeks! I was really missing it.

Strawberries in our front yard.

It's hard to believe that we still have strawberries growing in November. When they say "day neutral variety" they really mean it!

I thought they were killed off by the frosts we had a few weeks back, but I guess it didn't stay cold enough for long enough.

Acidanthera - Acidanthera bicolor AKA Gladiolus callianthus

I planted these bulbs in our front yard last spring. The foliage came up in the summer like it was supposed to, but they didn't bloom. I was really surprised to see them blooming now. I guess they liked all the rain.

I really should know what this round leaved tree is... but I don't.

Anyway, it's a few doors down the street from us on Wilson Ave, so I'm sure I can figure it out later.

Pink rosebud on Wilson Ave.

Unidentified Mushroom on Wilson Ave

There is a small forested area just across from Hyland Park Middle School I found lots of mushrooms growing in the grass between the forest and the road.

More unidentified mushrooms on Wilson Ave.

We've had so much rain that all the mushrooms are quite mushy. I still find them fascinating though.

Cute little mushrooms on Wilson Ave.

Interesting and colorful shrub on SW 27th St.

Pink capped mushroom on on SW 27th St.

Another view of the pink capped mushroom.

Still more unidentified mushrooms on SW 27th St.

Pretty leaf "glowing" in Hyland Forest Park

Wild Hazelnut - Corylus cornuta in Hyland Forest Park.

More Hazelnut leaves.

Bigleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum) Leaf in Hazelnut tree - Hyland Forest Park.

Snowberry - Symphoricarpos albus in Hyland Forest Park

Interesting Seahorse birdbath on SW 133rd Ave.

Stolen apple from SW Davies Rd.

I got really hungry during my walk, so when I saw a house with dozens of beautiful apples lying on the ground under a tree, I had to steal one and eat it. It was really tasty.

Yellow daisy on on SW Stirrup St.

Unidentified pink flowers on on SW Stirrup St.

I bet the hummingbirds like these.

Pink Dahlia on SW Stirrup St.

I know I've taken loads of Dahlia pictures already - but this one has raindrops!

Pink Dahlia on SW Stirrup St.

Many of the Dahlias were losing their petals, but I thought that made for an interesting view of the center of the flower.

Bluebird house on SW Tennessee Ln.

Big Mushroom on SW Secretariat Terrace

Moose sculpture on SW Secretariat Terrace

Unidentified Mushroom in Hyland Forest Park

Unidentified Mushrooms in Hyland Forest Park

Yellow Rose on SW Wilson Ave.

Rainy Day Walk

My route for today - 3.5 mi

I decided to go a bit further north today. About 2/3 of my walk was on roads I'd already seen, but the ones north of Bonnie Brae St were new to me.

The weather today was cool and wet. While it didn't actually rain on me during my walk, it was dark and damp. My photos are a bit softer because of it.

Orange & Yellow Dahlia - SW 149th Ave

Pink Dahlia - SW 149th Ave

Unidentified Red & White Flowers - SW 149th Ave

I have taken so many pictures of Dahlias and Roses lately, that I was happy to see a new type of flower.

These red and white flowers reminded me of peppermints... then I ended up seeing more and more pink and white flowers ... peppermints everwhere!

Orange Dahlia & Japanese Maple - SW Rocklynn Place

Pink & White Fall-Blooming Azalea - SW Rocklynn Place

Pink Dahlia - SW Rocklynn Place

Pink & White Dahlia - SW 149th Ave

Pink & Yellow Dahlia - SW 149th Ave

This one is so delicate. It reminds me almost of the lotus flowers at the Chinese garden.

Front view

SW Nehalem Lane

I can't remember the name of this tree right now... but I liked the contrast between the yellow leaves and berries and the red maples in the background.

More leaves

Pink Dogwood - SW Rochester Drive

I have no idea why this tree is blooming at this time of year. It must be confused. Still, it's very pretty.