A Full-time Life

Autumn in Eugene

For various reasons, I've been slow documenting the  trips we've taken this summer.  This makes the blog seem as if we've been traveling for the whole time and that isn't really at all true.   As we always have done, we've   been enjoying our Oregon home most of the time.  

And our Eugene neighborhood has been particularly beautiful this month.

 

 

For awhile,  it looked like we wouldn't have any real Autumn color.  Summer was so hot and dry.  Late in  September, leaves on some of the trees in our neighborhood were turning dry and brown and falling before they showed any color at all. 

 

 

 

 That was sad, but now that at least some of the trees are showing off their Autumn glory, even the dry leaves on the ground are fun to see.  The crunchy noise as my feet shuffle along the sidewalk makes me feel like a kid again.  (But it is a good thing there are no big piles of leaves to jump in -- don't think I could perform that Fall ritual any more.)  

 

 

We don't have a whole lot of red color here.  Orange and glowing yellows are more prevalent.  Some late summer flowers are still putting on a good show.    And in every season here there is always green.

 

 

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."

Lucy Maude Montgomery - Anne of Green Gables.

 

 

So am I.  Grateful and happy to be here.

 

 

LINKING this week to the following sharing opportunities:  Thank you to all of the hosts.  And to all visitors.

MOSAIC MONDAY;   NATURE NOTES;  THROUGH MY LENS;  MY CORNER OF THE WORLD;   THANKFUL THURSDAY;  and SKYWATCH FRIDAY 

 

River Walk, August

What is as rare as a perfect day ... in August!  

 

 

We had a couple of 75 degree afternoons last week.  Even a walk along a city sidewalk looked good.   But it's even better when that street leads to the River Path . 

 

 

 It's hard to realize walking along the river that I'm actually only a few blocks away from home.    We've been busy with appointments and routine so I feel lucky to be close to this nearby-nature getaway.  Especially on a perfect August day.  

 

 I'm seeing more dragonflies than birds these days.  Guess I need to work on my identification skills.

 

 

 Here are a few more.  They love the River too.

 

Perfection found in a tiny wildflower.

 

Linking to the following with thanks to the hosts.

MOSAIC MONDAY;  NATURE NOTES;  THROUGH MY LENS; MY CORNER OF THE WORLD; SKYWATCH FRIDAY;  FRIDAY  BLISS;  and SATURDAY CRITTERS    

We're having a heat wave

We have been living under a heat dome lately.  So hot!   But it is supposed to be moderating a bit this week.   I took the screen shot below from Thursday's local paper:

The line under the icons reads:   Thursday Sunny and Hot;  Friday Very Hot; Saturday Very Hot; Sunday Colder; Monday a shower......

Temperatures over 100 are definitely not summer normal here in western Oregon (or at least they haven't been up until the last couple of years. ) But I laughed at the five-day outlook when I noticed that under the icon for Sunday it says "Colder" (with a temperature range of 89/62).   I don't think that's quite the right way to describe a day where the high is expected to be 89!  (I'm writing this on Sunday morning and it is more pleasant outside than it has been, but I'm not wearing winter clothes just yet thank you.)

Because of the heat, we didn't get outside to play much at all last week.   We've spent some quality time with our Oregon family and loved it, but somehow the camera never remembers to come out of hiding on those days. 

 

Geoff's picture from their Colorado backyard

So this week I'm blogging a a few Oregon pictures from earlier this month and interspersing those with some lovely (and cooling) pictures from our Colorado family.  Colorado is our "third State."    

 

Lisa's picture from Colorado

Above is Lisa's picture of Geoff with Max the big white dog on an early summer hike.  Morning or evening, Colorado skies are beautiful.   

The pictures in the next mosaic are mine from a week ago Saturday before it got so hot here:

 

 

Just some random people showing some of the ways to enjoy the beautiful South Willamette River Trail   (and on that river as viewed from the trail).  Walking, kayaking, bicycling, walking with the dogs, tending plots in the two community gardens along the path, fishing, and just chilling in the park and along the water's edge.  The trail offers something for everyone on a perfect summer's day.   I'm pretty sure we'll have more good days before summer's end.     

 

Green Heron

This is also my picture but from three years ago.  A couple of weeks ago  I showed a distant shot of another green heron and then I remembered this old picture.  It's the best one I think I've ever taken of this particular species of heron even though we see them often both here and in Florida.  Like the more recent picture, this one was also seen at the Delta Ponds and also in July.  

 

 

We've been watching this big apartment complex going up along one of the streets on our way to the River paths.   It's interesting to watch the progress.   At this stage, the buildings didn't look like they were ever going to be finished, but now they look more like people will be able to live in them someday soon.   The already finished building is, I think, going to be the office.

And here's one more Colorado picture:

Geoff's picture

And it's another one taken from their deck.  They have magical views from their new home.  

 

 Thank you to the hosts of the following sharing opportunities where I'm linking this week:

   NATURE NOTES;  TRAVEL PHOTO SOUVENIRS;  THROUGH MY LENS; MY CORNER OF THE WORLD; SIGNS SIGNS; SKYWATCH FRIDAY;  FRIDAY  BLISS;  and SATURDAY CRITTERS