In the pea plants

This afternoon, I was checking for snow peas to harvest, and encountered a little Pacific treefrog.  It was patient and didn't flee while I ran inside for a camera.  Always a treat to find.

Garden report

  Today, after eight months in the ground, I pulled my elephant garlic.

 


While I was pulling the garlic, a female Anna's hummingbird came to look at me.  She approached within about 2 feet, and decided that I wasn't dangerous to her, and flew over to some of my lucifer Crocosmia for a sip of nectar, and a brief rest.  I've been planting Crocosmia all over the place to attract hummingbirds, so I am always happy to see them utilizing the red flowers (see below).

Out the mouth of the Umpqua

The ocean fishing season has begun. But there are lots of other things happening out on the water as well.

Early in the salmon season, pairs of common murres are abundant on the water.  The chicks have recently jumped off their colony rocks and into the sea.  At this stage, they can't fly, and can't dive for fish to feed themselves.  So the chicks pair up with a parent, and go to sea.  The parent dives to feed the chick.  Each pair has a call that the other recognizes.  After the parent surfaces, they call back and forth until reunited.  I have often seen larger chicks, but last week's chicks were remarkably small compared to the parents.

And yes, the first ocean salmon of the season was caught: a hatchery coho, weighing about 7 pounds.  It had recently been dining on small squid.

Wet and wild in the mountains

We have just returned from 10 days in the Cascades.  The temperatures were a little cooler than we expected for summer, but the scenery was gorgeous, and Oregonians see beauty in water, regardless of its form.

Diamond Peak, from Gold Lake.

White pelicans foraging near the Cascade Lakes Highway.

Raindrops regrouping after a morning shower.

Salt Creek Falls, through the trees.

Our new high-tech, low-weight canoe on its maiden voyage at Hosmer Lake, beneath Mount Bachelor (above) and South Sister (below).

Green thumb

The long awaited snow peas have started producing, prolifically.  In 10 days, my harvest has gone from zero to 2 pounds 5 ounces.  I might have over-planted them.

At the same time, I counted 6 or 8 artichokes that are ready for harvest.  So there is something to be said for Oregon's cool damp climate: spring crops grow well here.