Derelicts R Us: Day One

Well, we didn't sleep in very late this morning, and before 8:00, we were off to eat breakfast at the local diner. Going out for breakfast was a nice way to start our first day of freedom together, but to really get this right, we're going to have to learn to sleep in later and be lazier in the morning. I've actually had quite a bit of practice at this. Obviously, Mike needs a tutorial.

We stopped off across the street where Erik works and scheduled some service on our car. Then we headed off to the feed store to get some potting soil and scratch grains for the birds. While we were there, we saw baby chicks!

They're weirdly colored because they were under red heat lamps. It's all I can do not to pick them up and start stuffing them in my pockets.

Now we're back home. When I finish here, I'm going to get started on The Emperor's pawtrait. First, though, I need to back up to yesterday's walk and every blooming thing. These aren't blooming, but I liked the way they looked growing up through the rocks. If I'm not mistaken, I believe these are called horsetail ferns.

This is some kind of a wild berry...blackberries, if I know my Oregon.

These are apple blossoms. We have a lot of apple trees growing by the sides of roadways, no doubt from passing motorists tossing out an apple core.

From the same tree a few unopened buds with their pinkish hues.

I think this is just some wild mustard growing by the side of the road.

And I'm sure I've identified this one before, but I can't recall what it is without looking it up.

And there are other things blooming besides flowers. Check out that baby calf there on the right. He was pretty small, probably born very recently.

These sheep were lying down enjoying the sunshine until the pesky photographer showed up and scared them. I would have liked to get my hand through the wires of the fence there, but they would have taken off if I'd tried.

Our own dogwood isn't even near blooming yet, but some of the ones at lower elevations are showing their stuff now.

I once heard a segment on NPR where the author had set flowers to music. She loved the dogwoods, in contrast to the cherry blossoms below, which she described as "Hostess Snowballs." I can't look at these now without thinking of that segment.

Here's a whole tree of snowballs.

These are a type of morning glory.

And finally, the celebratory lemon meringue pie, which was oh, so delicious. We didn't eat the whole thing in one sitting, but we probably could have.

And that's it! Smitty and Mike are outside enjoying the sunshine. I'm about to head out to see what they're up to, and then...mustn't keep The Emperor waiting!