October 2014
Day Trip to Oakridge Oct 2014
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Christmas Is….
Our Christmas is already over and we can relax for a couple of days until the grandkids come for a week at Grandma’s House. We had all but 5 of the family here on Sunday…that would be 18 people counting us. Cozy!!
So, Christmas at our house is…
…a visit from Cousin Eddie…
…lots of snacks…
…crowds…
…visiting with family…
…goofy kids…
…kids with lamps growing out of their heads…
…happy, happy…
…gifts made with love…
But most of all, Christmas is the Gift of Love…
Merry Christmas from Russ and Donna.
So, Christmas at our house is…
…a visit from Cousin Eddie…
…lots of snacks…
…crowds…
…visiting with family…
…goofy kids…
…kids with lamps growing out of their heads…
…happy, happy…
…gifts made with love…
But most of all, Christmas is the Gift of Love…
Merry Christmas from Russ and Donna.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Tchaikovsky is for the Birds!
Okay, you all know by now that I am a little over the top in my admiration for the little Townsend’s Warbler that is a regular visitor to my suet feeders. Today I got a little video of him and set it to music. Watch at about 17 seconds as he gets a mouthful of something disagreeable. I added a slowed down repeat of his reaction. Hope you enjoy this little guy!
And of course, have to have a few gratuitous still shots.
Yup, I love my little warbler.
And of course, have to have a few gratuitous still shots.
Yup, I love my little warbler.
Monday, December 16, 2013
RIP Butterbean - link to online guestbook
Just wanted to add my condolences to the others expressed today in the loss of James “Butterbean” Carpenter. I always enjoyed reading his comments and the emails we exchanged. I never had the pleasure of meeting Butterbean, but he will be missed. Joyce, if you are reading this, Butterbean was a great friend to many and a source of joy to Blogland.
Thank you Russ for finding the online guestbook for Butterbean.
Some of you have already been there but if you haven't, just click on the link to go to the guestbook and leave your comment.
Thank you Russ for finding the online guestbook for Butterbean.
Some of you have already been there but if you haven't, just click on the link to go to the guestbook and leave your comment.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Soaring With Eagles
We had a wonderful surprise today. Driving home from a trip to the grocery store, Russ started pointing and saying, “Did you see that?” Naturally I hadn’t because when Russ is driving, I keep both eyes on the road!! But when he told me he had just seen two bald eagles sitting at the very top of a tree, I had him turn around and go back
Unfortunately, there is no place to pull over on that stretch of two-lane road so he pulled as far to the right as possible, turned on his flashers and I took some shots. I know, we were naughty and probably deserved a traffic ticket, but it’s a rural road with not many cars, so we got away with it (shame!). I only had my baby camera with me but what a thrill anyway.
Russ got this shot from a different angle.
And a short 15 second video.
This may not seem like something to get excited about, but it was unusual and we were happy to have a chance to view these magnificent birds.
Unfortunately, there is no place to pull over on that stretch of two-lane road so he pulled as far to the right as possible, turned on his flashers and I took some shots. I know, we were naughty and probably deserved a traffic ticket, but it’s a rural road with not many cars, so we got away with it (shame!). I only had my baby camera with me but what a thrill anyway.
Russ got this shot from a different angle.
And a short 15 second video.
This may not seem like something to get excited about, but it was unusual and we were happy to have a chance to view these magnificent birds.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Baby It’s COLD Outside!
Are we a bit chilly here in Eugene, OR? You could say that!!
On the left is the temp at about 4:30 this morning. It warmed up to 26*F and was only supposed to get down to 16. However, at 6 p.m. it is now 9*F. At least that 9 does not have a minus in front of it. Baby, that’s cold.
Everything is fine here. No frozen pipes (thank God) and the motorhome appears to be weathering the storm just fine It was 34.8*F inside so as long as it’s above freezing, we should be okay. Hot water tank is drained and everything else is heated from the inside so fingers are crossed.
It’s a real dry snow – can’t even make a snowball. We usually get wet, heavy snow so I am glad for this. Would have been a lot more trouble had all this snow been wet. It’s starting to melt a bit during the day as we have had bright sunshine. Here are just a few random pics from around the house. Too cold and streets still too dangerous to go out anywhere. We don’t get plowed in our neighborhood so we stay home.
Didn’t see the jay at the top of the cedar tree until I had snapped the photo. The sky was just that blue!!
By the time I zoomed in, he was ready to take off.
Russ managed a shot of him on the deck rail a little later. He was looking for peanuts. (Most of the rest of the photos are from my dear Blog Assistant, Russ!!)
We were happy that we didn’t have any dead birds this morning. Russ did find a dead spider in the mailbox yesterday!! The Oregon Dark-eyed Juncos love the suet feeders and the bowls of seeds we put on the deck.
We will definitely have to clean up the deck after this cold weather clears.
High in the cedar tree the snow is melting and making crystal icicles.
“What do you mean the seed is for the little birds?”
Unfortunately, the starlings have finally found our stash. I don’t like these birds – they come in huge flocks, eat everything in sight, poop all over everything, scream and fight among themselves, and intimidate the little birds. We have done everything we can to scare them away, but they are not at all timid.
When I look at a picture like this, I don’t think of the path poor Russ had to walk to get to the mailbox. I think, “I sure wish we had underground utilities!!”
And who made this path to the swimming pool??
Not a good picture, but it was after dark so it’s the best we could do. Here’s the path maker. There were two of them right up on the deck by our glass door.
Ice in the basketball hoop:
Best purchase of the year! It has been heavily used and has not frozen over at all. For under $20, it was well worth it.
Russ finally got out of his robe and slippers long enough to measure the snow. See, Paul, he does have some winter clothes after all.
We got a couple more inches after this.
This is a very special pine tree. Perhaps 10-12 years ago, Russ surprised me with a beautiful centerpiece for Christmas. In the centerpiece was a tiny little seedling, about a foot tall. I planted that seedling, never expecting it to grow. I thought I had planted it well away from the fence and I thought I had planted it straight! I was wrong on both counts. That fence is 7 feet tall. We recently had to lop off a bunch of branches from the bottom of the tree as it was pushing the fence out of position. I love this tree, even though it is crooked and naked from the waist down!! This is the tree that the northern flickers seem to enjoy too.
Well, that’s enough snow. It should start to melt by Monday when we finally get out of freezing temperatures. It’s been fun but I sure am glad I’m in a nice warm house and can enjoy it mainly through the windows.
On the left is the temp at about 4:30 this morning. It warmed up to 26*F and was only supposed to get down to 16. However, at 6 p.m. it is now 9*F. At least that 9 does not have a minus in front of it. Baby, that’s cold.
Everything is fine here. No frozen pipes (thank God) and the motorhome appears to be weathering the storm just fine It was 34.8*F inside so as long as it’s above freezing, we should be okay. Hot water tank is drained and everything else is heated from the inside so fingers are crossed.
It’s a real dry snow – can’t even make a snowball. We usually get wet, heavy snow so I am glad for this. Would have been a lot more trouble had all this snow been wet. It’s starting to melt a bit during the day as we have had bright sunshine. Here are just a few random pics from around the house. Too cold and streets still too dangerous to go out anywhere. We don’t get plowed in our neighborhood so we stay home.
Didn’t see the jay at the top of the cedar tree until I had snapped the photo. The sky was just that blue!!
By the time I zoomed in, he was ready to take off.
Russ managed a shot of him on the deck rail a little later. He was looking for peanuts. (Most of the rest of the photos are from my dear Blog Assistant, Russ!!)
We were happy that we didn’t have any dead birds this morning. Russ did find a dead spider in the mailbox yesterday!! The Oregon Dark-eyed Juncos love the suet feeders and the bowls of seeds we put on the deck.
We will definitely have to clean up the deck after this cold weather clears.
High in the cedar tree the snow is melting and making crystal icicles.
“What do you mean the seed is for the little birds?”
Unfortunately, the starlings have finally found our stash. I don’t like these birds – they come in huge flocks, eat everything in sight, poop all over everything, scream and fight among themselves, and intimidate the little birds. We have done everything we can to scare them away, but they are not at all timid.
When I look at a picture like this, I don’t think of the path poor Russ had to walk to get to the mailbox. I think, “I sure wish we had underground utilities!!”
And who made this path to the swimming pool??
Not a good picture, but it was after dark so it’s the best we could do. Here’s the path maker. There were two of them right up on the deck by our glass door.
Ice in the basketball hoop:
Best purchase of the year! It has been heavily used and has not frozen over at all. For under $20, it was well worth it.
Russ finally got out of his robe and slippers long enough to measure the snow. See, Paul, he does have some winter clothes after all.
We got a couple more inches after this.
This is a very special pine tree. Perhaps 10-12 years ago, Russ surprised me with a beautiful centerpiece for Christmas. In the centerpiece was a tiny little seedling, about a foot tall. I planted that seedling, never expecting it to grow. I thought I had planted it well away from the fence and I thought I had planted it straight! I was wrong on both counts. That fence is 7 feet tall. We recently had to lop off a bunch of branches from the bottom of the tree as it was pushing the fence out of position. I love this tree, even though it is crooked and naked from the waist down!! This is the tree that the northern flickers seem to enjoy too.
Well, that’s enough snow. It should start to melt by Monday when we finally get out of freezing temperatures. It’s been fun but I sure am glad I’m in a nice warm house and can enjoy it mainly through the windows.
Friday, December 6, 2013
The REAL Snowbirds!!
Now no offense to all those Canadians and other northerners who make their way south each winter, but today, we have some REAL snowbirds to show you – and they are right here in our own backyard!
Eugene, OR doesn’t get snow all that often, so when we do, it’s kind of exciting. We knew it was coming and made provisions for all our fine feathered friends. Pardon the pictures – the birds are a lot hardier than we are and most of these pictures were taken through our living room window or sliding glass door….I know, if we want good pictures we gotta go outside!
This is the view from our window where we watch the Nature Channel every morning while we enjoy a hot cup of coffee from the comfort of our cozy recliners.
And this is what it looked like on the other side of that window this morning. Russ was brave enough to go outside in his robe and slippers to get a few shots of the snow.
We woke up to snow on the ground this morning and as of 10 a.m. it is still coming down pretty good. Our driveway and the street are pretty well covered. Not much by mid-west or eastern standards, but it’s a fun novelty here.
The birds were grateful for the seed and suet feeders we put out.
We saw a couple of Northern Flickers pecking at the cedar tree but it was hard to get a good shot of them.
The squirrels like it under the cedar tree but so do the crows. One or two crows don’t seem to bother the squirrels but they get shy if they are outnumbered by too many. Russ put this little hidey hole together for them yesterday. It keeps the seed and nuts dry and the crows don’t fit! The squirrel seemed to enjoy his own personal diner.
The little birds were having some trouble landing on the seed feeders with all the snow so we put a pie plate filled with seed on the deck. This little fella was right in the middle of the dish until I tried to get his picture.
I am so glad we got the heated water dish. It has been put to good use today. This is a picture from yesterday before the snow started. The squirrel is standing on the slab of rock we put in the dish to make it easier to access. The birds have been using it a lot today and it is the only thing in the yard not frozen (except the pool!).
I really never thought too much about feeding the birds in the winter, but we have certainly enjoyed watching them this year. And with the snow, I think they have appreciated the food.
Eugene, OR doesn’t get snow all that often, so when we do, it’s kind of exciting. We knew it was coming and made provisions for all our fine feathered friends. Pardon the pictures – the birds are a lot hardier than we are and most of these pictures were taken through our living room window or sliding glass door….I know, if we want good pictures we gotta go outside!
This is the view from our window where we watch the Nature Channel every morning while we enjoy a hot cup of coffee from the comfort of our cozy recliners.
And this is what it looked like on the other side of that window this morning. Russ was brave enough to go outside in his robe and slippers to get a few shots of the snow.
We woke up to snow on the ground this morning and as of 10 a.m. it is still coming down pretty good. Our driveway and the street are pretty well covered. Not much by mid-west or eastern standards, but it’s a fun novelty here.
The birds were grateful for the seed and suet feeders we put out.
We saw a couple of Northern Flickers pecking at the cedar tree but it was hard to get a good shot of them.
The squirrels like it under the cedar tree but so do the crows. One or two crows don’t seem to bother the squirrels but they get shy if they are outnumbered by too many. Russ put this little hidey hole together for them yesterday. It keeps the seed and nuts dry and the crows don’t fit! The squirrel seemed to enjoy his own personal diner.
The little birds were having some trouble landing on the seed feeders with all the snow so we put a pie plate filled with seed on the deck. This little fella was right in the middle of the dish until I tried to get his picture.
I am so glad we got the heated water dish. It has been put to good use today. This is a picture from yesterday before the snow started. The squirrel is standing on the slab of rock we put in the dish to make it easier to access. The birds have been using it a lot today and it is the only thing in the yard not frozen (except the pool!).
I really never thought too much about feeding the birds in the winter, but we have certainly enjoyed watching them this year. And with the snow, I think they have appreciated the food.
The End.
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