A Full-time Life

THE GIFT OF FEBRUARY SUNSHINE

The weather forecast for last week called for rain and flooding, but here in our corner of the Willamette Valley we were instead  blessed  with sunshine and blue skies most days  and very little rain.

 

 

 One morning, we went for a ride through the pretty farm country west of town to the small town of Junction City and then on BLM roads through  the surrounding hills down into a coastal valley.

 

 

Bill likes to drive these curvy mountain roads.    We probably drove about 40 miles in this backcountry and in 4 hours did not see a single other car or person.    There are a lot of places like this around our area.  I do think about how easy it would be to be lost and have to admit that I checked  to see if there was cell service.  (There was.  I guess nowadays it wouldn't be as easy.)  

 

 

The drive was really a long-way round to the farm  (otherwise known as our daughter and son-in-law's home.)  We stopped to look at the migrating pelicans on Kirk Pond -- the wild area that is within walkable distance of their house.    Most of them were on the other side of the water, but these three were nice enough to swim closer to the shore.  

 

 

A quick tour around their backyard on this blue-sky late February day.   Spring is on the way (although the groundhog did see his shadow here, so we hedge our bets).  

 

Tree watch, late February

 

 

   Stellar Jay, Scrub Jay, and Common crow.     

 

Three different (noisy) birds all enjoyed the same blue sky in the same winter tree.   

 

 

We brought a few branches of these harbingers of Spring home.   (There are pictures of the pussy willow tree in last week's post -- the tree has branches to spare.)  

 

Sunny February days are a gift here in Oregon.   Thankful for blue sky days and the time to enjoy them.  

 

Linking this week to the following sharing opportunities.  Thank you to the hosts.

 

MOSAIC MONDAY;  NATURE NOTES;  THROUGH MY LENS;   OUR WORLD ON TUESDAY;  MY CORNER OF THE WORLD; THANKFUL THURSDAY;  SKYWATCH FRIDAY;  FRIDAY  BLISS; SATURDAY CRITTERS; and RATHER B' BIRDING

BEAUTIFULLY BLUE

Blue skies are always welcome -- especially in late February.   And  especially when much of the rest of the country and even much of our State is under severe weather watch.  But in truth blue skies don't always make the most interesting pictures. 

 

 

On one day last week though, the blue skies were as intriguing as they were welcome.   It's rare that I can't stop taking pictures of a blue sky.  It's usually just "there" and unchanging.  On this day though these clouds just scudded across the sky painting pretty patterns as they traveled.   

 

 

All these sky pictures were taken from one small area in the "way-back" of our daughter and son-in-laws  home.    It was kind of a chilly day (for here).   The scrub jay didn't mind the cold.   His blue color doesn't show up against the sky as much as it would  on a gray day.

 

 

 

And I got this wonderful surprise that I almost didn't notice while sky-watching.  These are the first pussy willows I've seen in years.  We've  spent February in warmer climates since the turn of the century* when we sold our Oregon home to travel.   *(I've always wanted to use that phrase!)  And very early spring flowers don't bloom in sub-tropical climates.

 

 

It hasn't even rained hard enough to knock down the daffodils .  These first-of- the-year flowers are always kind of a gamble.  Way back (yup, back in the last century) when we gardened, they were my favorite flowers of all just because they are so welcome.   But hard rains  can decimate them quickly.  We have been very very lucky in our weather this year.    So far, at least.    Family and friends remind me that in the past year or two (while we were away) our valley had a snowfall on the first day of Spring.   We're grateful for every blue sky day!   

 

 

Here in our present Oregon backyard, there are no flowers blooming yet, but the red-bellied sapsucker keeps us entertained most mornings when we're at home.  (Of course I pretend to be sure it is always  the same one -- really, we never do see more than one.)  

 

 

My bird book says that in addition to enjoying sap from the trees, these birds  feed on insects extracted from the bark.   And that helps to keep down the number of  boring-type insects that destroy healthy trees.    I hope that is true because Eugene needs trees!  And this tree  is right next to the one that gave up completely and fell down last year   (this post from last September).   

 

 

Linking this week to these sharing opportunities.  Thank you to the hosts.

MOSAIC MONDAY;  NATURE NOTES;  THROUGH MY LENS;   OUR WORLD ON TUESDAY;  MY CORNER OF THE WORLD; THANKFUL THURSDAY;  SKYWATCH FRIDAY;  FRIDAY  BLISS;  SATURDAY CRITTERS;    and RATHER B' BIRDING

A MIXED BAG OF FEBRUARY

 

Happy Early Spring ???

 

Eugene Oregon February 6 2021

Our weather here in Eugene continues to be a mix of Autumn and Spring.   We count our blessings.   The early spring flowers above were seen in someone's yard last weekend when we took the long way home from an errand.  (Someone who has a green thumb for sure!)

 

February 13 -- the Black Walnut Tree

 

There was blue sky yesterday when we went to our daughter and son-in-laws.  But the tree I've been watching is still definitely in Winter mode.  And a good thing too, because there was a definite chill in the air.   (For us anyway.  Our grandson, who has been in Finland and is back in Oregon for now, was outside in a light sweater.  It's all about what you're used to.)

 

 

I took these pictures of the  Black Walnut Tree from outside, but there is almost the same view from their  living room picture window.      Parker was the only family member to pose for a picture yesterday.  (Because I never remember to ask anybody to do so.)

 

 

Costa Rica 2017

 Last week marked the Lunar New Year  and it is the Year of the Ox.   These two were operating historical presses as part of a sugar plantation tour.  Happy (belated) New Year to all who celebrate.  

 

February 14, 2021

We ordered a to-go breakfast this morning.  The restaurant's only about a mile and a half away from home and  just across one street and a parking lot to this view of the Willamette River where we parked and ate.     A lovely way to enjoy a Valentine's Day treat and we didn't even have to wear masks.  

 

Owens Rose Garden, Summer 2020

 

Here are a dozen roses for Valentine's Week.    (Well, a dozen pictures -- there seem to be a few extra blossoms in there somehow).  

 

Whether you celebrate Winter or Spring, Lunar New Year or Valentine's Day, or just celebrate being alive --enjoy this coming week and all it brings.  Thank you for visiting and special thanks to the hosts of these sharing opportunities:

 

MOSAIC MONDAY;  NATURE NOTES;  THROUGH MY LENS;   OUR WORLD ON TUESDAY;    TRAVEL PHOTO SOUVENIRS;  MY CORNER OF THE WORLD; THANKFUL THURSDAY;  SKYWATCH FRIDAY;  FRIDAY  BLISS; and  SATURDAY CRITTERS

 

 

A LITTLE BIT (of) BLUE

There was at least some blue sky and mid-day temperatures in the 50s all last week, so we remain pretty darn lucky here in Oregon during our  Covid Winter.

 

A little blue sky on a River Walk, early February 2021

There's really no good reason to feel even a little bit blue -- but I can't help wishing for some new things to blog about.  Not being able to travel is a small price to pay for good health though.  I know that many bloggers are doing  memory posts  these days and below are some of ours from past Februarys. 

 

Mardi Gras Parade, Mobile Alabama February 2005

 

I got a kick out of this picture I found in the archives.  It's practically ancient, all the way back to 2005, but it looks like the two  guys in the back are wearing their masks correctly for 2020.   Here is what I said in a blog post in 2010 about something that was already a memory by then:  

Mobile Alabama Mardi Gras celebration in 2005.  In the Pacific Northwest, we had Lent but we never got to celebrate for weeks leading up to it!  We loved the parades.   It really is a wonderful community-wide party and more family-friendly than the better-known Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans.  Mobile says that they celebrated it first and New Orleans stole the idea.  

 

Next, a couple  from Florida, where, until this year, we've spent February since 2011.  

 

 

Penta Plant

 

From the Gardens at the Butterfly Park near our Canal Cottage.  Perfect that this plant with all its little hearts blooms during Valentine's Month.

 

 

Lakeland is a birder's Paradise of a town.  There are dozens of swans in the City's central Lake and this regal one was lovely to see on one of our explore-Florida trips in  February 2014.

Below, it's back to Lane County Oregon (where we are again now) for this memory from Fern Ridge Lake.   We used to stay at the Lake when we visited Oregon during the years we were  living full time and traveling in our RV.

 

 

 Most of the time, we were there only  during parts of the summer and fall, but in 2010 we were at the lake in February.  That year, we got to experience living along the almost dry Lake, which   had been drained for the season (it is a flood control reservoir).  

And now -- back to the present day:  

 

 River Walks, early February 2021

It isn't just the sky that can't make up its mind around here -- early spring plants are popping up, but the remains of Fall are evident at the same time.   Some days it feels like Spring, some days like Fall.  Not a lot of what most people would call Winter.   And for that we are grateful.  Cold weather takes a lot of getting used to when you've spent Winters in sub-tropical temperatures for over a decade.   

 

LINKING this week to the following sharing opportunities.  Thank you to the hosts:

 

MOSAIC MONDAY;  NATURE NOTES;  THROUGH MY LENS;  TRAVEL PHOTO SOUVENIRS; OUR WORLD ON TUESDAY;  MY CORNER OF THE WORLD; THANKFUL THURSDAY;  SKYWATCH FRIDAY;  FRIDAY  BLISS; and  SATURDAY CRITTERS;