Visiting Liesl & Moira (& Derrick too)

Colorful little succulents on SW 23rd street.

The weather has been beautiful and sunny, but there are still not too many spots of color (besides green) in the landscape.

The sky was so clear we could see Mount Hood from the top of SW Hanson Lane.

"Where the Wild Things Are"

... apparently they are at 13340 SW Hanson Lane.

First Crocus I've seen this year! (also on Hanson Lane)

More colorful succulents on SW 27th street.

Derrick taking pictures of Liesl & Moira

Shortly after Markus and I arrived, Derrick disappeared. Perhaps two babies is too much :)

Markus & Moira checking each other out.

At first the babies completely ignored each other. Then Markus decided to check out Moira's hair and her bib.

Moira mostly ignored Markus,

Markus "gives Moira a hand"

(Photo by Liesl)

However, when Markus stuck his hand in Moira's face, she decided to chew on it. Markus didn't mind.

New Snow

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.