Staying Dry on a Rainy Day

Well, we've done it again. According to my weather app, there was a 60% chance of rain yesterday, with "showers" predicted for every hour. When I left home to walk with Sue, it was raining. When I parked my car, there was a rainbow. I tried to get a picture of it, but it was no longer visible by the time I could grab my camera. I'd donned my rain gear, expecting a wet walk, but nothing doing. Given the amount of rainfall in a given year, it's surprising that Sue and I ever get a dry day. More often that not, however, the rain stops long enough for us to get in our morning stroll, and then it returns just about the time we get back to our cars.

So all of that to say that we walked under a cloudy sky and abundant sunshine with plenty of stuff to see. Between the critters and every blooming thing, I have lots of pictures for you today. Here's a white daffodil with an orange center.

Just a little way beyond the daffodils, we turned the corner to head up a hill where these heifers were enjoying the sunshine. It's hard to get the scale in this image, but that fellow there on the left was a big bull. At first, it was just a crowd of the heifers when the bull barreled his way through the herd, sending a clear message that he wasn't going to tolerate any bullsh*t related to his harem. Move along, if you know what's good for you.

Beyond that, some beautiful cherry blossoms. I love the hanging clusters.

Probably these were all identified when I was running around last year taking pictures of every blooming thing. Sue reminded me that I have an app for that, but I haven't pulled it out this year.

On this walk, we crest a big hill and then have a commanding view of the valley below. By this time, we're usually huffing and puffing, and so stopping to take a picture is a good opportunity to catch one's breath.

Here's one I can remember from last year...at least, I think I can. If memory serves, this is mountain ash.

And I could swear we saw pears on these trees last year, but I wouldn't expect pears to grow from these flowers. That's a historic cemetery in the background there. 

Not too far beyond the cemetery, we came to a small wetlands. Some ducks and a great blue heron were enjoying the water.

 They are such majestic birds, and they always bring that poem about Richard Cory to mind:

"He was a gentleman from sole to crown,

Clean favored, and imperially slim."

He was quite a distance off, but was still nervous about us intruding into his sanctuary. He flew away in pretty short order. 

When I got home, I put my things inside and called for Smitty to come join me. He was given a couple of opportunities, but never came to the door. Finally, I gave up and walked around filling the bird feeders. This little black capped chickadee was so happy for a new suet cake that he sat surprisingly close while I hung the other two feeders. Their movements are so quick and darting, I couldn't get an in-focus picture of him.

While I was driving along the fence line toward our house, I noticed flashes of white in our woods, and I realized the trilliums were in bloom. My knees were screaming from my walk with Sue, but I forced myself into the woods anyway. This is my favorite wildflower. They are thick in the woods this time of year. They grow close to the ground, and I have to pick my way over the paths to avoid stepping on them. I'm always so happy to see them each spring. They feel like old friends. 

Back up at the house, the Bleeding Heart is budding out. These were blooming by this time last year.

As I walked by the window into Mike's office, I noticed Smitty.

Excuse me...aren't you furgetting something? Or someone? Someone very impurrtant?

Sorry, buddy. I let him out and we roamed around together a little longer. The flowering plum trees are in bloom now. Their flowers are all high up in the trees, and so it's hard to get a very good picture of them.

About that time, it started raining again. It rained hard off and on all afternoon. I was tired after our walk. The night before, I'd awakened around 3:30 a.m., and never really got back to sleep. It was a good day to tip back in the recliner for a nap. Fortunately, I had a couple of friends who were happy to join me.

And it's a pretty day today. Cloudy and cool, but we're not expecting any rain. Mae and I are heading off to the Beaverton Farmer's Market this morning, which is one of my favorite ways to spend a morning. I managed to get through all of last week without needing to go to the grocery store. Things are getting a little sparse at this point, but I'm just betting I can find a few things there from our local farmers that will keep us from starving. When I get home, I'm thinking it might be time to bake another loaf of bread, and then I'll get back to my sewing.