PEACEFUL EASY FEELING

Undoubtedly I sound like a broken record when I sing the praises of the Metolius River with its surrounding beauty. But like the song says, "I get a peaceful easy feeling..." every time my feet land on old pine needles in the path along that new river. 'New' because it pops right out of the ground near Camp Sherman where these photos were taken and is barely a mile old. 

This week the sky was spring blue with fluffy clouds hanging around for fun. Warm air brought multitudes of butterflies dancing around wildflowers. Birds sang their little heads off and the breeze bounced through the tall red-barked sugar pine delivering fragrant air. Who could ask for more? 

FROGGIE WENT A-COURTEN'

I promised in my last post that I would include some pix of bull frogs, springtime bull frogs. Here they are k-i-s-s-i-n-g! They were as big as my dog, Sophie! Yikes! No wonder the indigenous populations of frogs here in the Willamette Valley are in trouble. Many have "croaked" and that's no joke. These guys are taking over ponds and since they do more than "kiss" they have proliferated through out the valley. While biologists are looking into the problem, and I, just a nature lover, have no answers, these green goblins continue to prosper.

SPRING TEASE

I think Spring is finally getting serious. It was 72 degrees here in the Willamette Valley today so I thought I would take my self for a hike. I visited some wet-lands where wildlife is protected. The walk was lined with wildflowers: Wild roses, buttercups, the blue Camus Lilly, to name a few. 

On one pond island made of reeds, a mallard couple were visiting with a pair of wood ducks. I saw kissing bull frogs and butterflies too. Stay tuned!

The ferry took me across the Willamette River for more travels through farms. Well, spring can tease all it wants but I am taking this day seriously. What a beauty!

SPRING FLORA & FAUNA

The darlingtonias in the photo below remind me of gossips. They have their "heads" together whispering while their "tongues" wag as they await the next bug to enter their domain. You can find a pond of them at the Darlingtonia Gardens north of Florence, Oregon. Sprinkled in with these charmers are magnificent skunk cabbage blooming their little yellow heads off. 

Bald eagles get their final feather color after they are several years old. The two-year old having "duck a l'orange" for breakfast on this spring morning was suspicious of the Canadian geese lurking behind him. Little does he know, they are vegans. But he was taking no chances as he cast aspersions to all who came within reach. 

So your breakfast menu choice may not include insects or dead ducks (or live ones for that matter), but mother (nature) feeds us all per our inclinations. Mine is to get out and see--see it all--look until my eyes give out! I hope that is what you will do as we launch into this beautiful season. Don't forget your camera. You will want to look, over and over, as you remember this spring. 

                                                 Darlingtonias awaiting a buggy breakfast

                   Two-year old bald eagle having duck a l'orange on Umpqua River sand bar