The mushrooms have grown up. I missed a photo op during a most beautiful stage of their development — the conical parasol shape. If I had not been so sleepy the night before, when they were soft and spongy, I would have taken a photo. This is the best I can offer. Aren’t they gorgeous?...
How strange that Nature does not knock, and yet does not intrude! ~Emily Dickinson, letter to Mrs. J.S. Cooper, 1880 My favorite quote this week fits perfectly with a little surprise I found this morning, or should I say surprises. Nature did not knock, she simply placed tiny, buttercup yellow mushrooms at the foot of...
Crunching up the icy driveway, two white fluffy things resembling marshmallows on sticks caught my attention: deer bottoms. The deerlings were tucked into shrubbery, busily foraging, while two larger deer dined on tufts of grass. I couldn’t get the camera out in time to capture their cute rear ends, but...
My friend and I sit shoulder to shoulder staring out the window. The sun creeps over the horizon casting a soft glow on the day. A single white honeysuckle flower defiantly clings to the vine, refusing to accept that summer is over. From the plum tree swoops a small feathered beauty. She lands on the...
For those of you who remember, last June, our family was blessed with a quail’s nest full of fourteen tiny eggs. Unfortunately, the mama quail was killed by a cat and subsequently the eggs were raided. I took the eggs (including the punctured two) to Shasta Wildlife Rescue in hopes they could save the babies....
Upon waking each day, I walk through my house, throwing open all the windows. I love the freshness of the crisp morning air, but mostly I look forward to listening to the faint sounds of my friend Angie’s hens as they strut and scratch, foraging for food just beyond the fence. The sweet ladies make...
I know tomorrow is officially the last day of summer, but for me and my garden, I have proclaimed today as the last day. Because I have always lived in a climate where summer temperatures reach the triple digits and remain this way for weeks, I should be accustomed to scorching heat; I am not....
What do Ol’ Blue Eyes and the Blue-belly Lizard living in my garden have in common? They like to dance, they are good with the ladies, and more obviously, they both have blue body parts. You are probably wondering where this rather bizarre question comes from. It popped into my head as I thought about...
Sitting quietly in my nest, I hear other birds cheerfully singing while the early morning breeze moves through the trees. Dawn breaks clear and cool. The air is fresh and sweet, its fragrance calms my spirit. My mate stands a few feet away. He is our sentry, our lone protector. I sit faithfully, anxious...
Three weeks ago, when it became necessary for me to feed the caterpillars that were residing in my garden not once, but twice daily (see previous post), I called a local butterfly house to get professional advice on when I should discontinue feeding these ever-hungry creatures. The butterfly attendant I spoke with asked me how...
