Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Stitching and Walking

Once again I had to present my stitching for approval to The Fat & Furry Feline Committee.  After knocking a few charts to the floor, Solomon deigned to Green Light this design.  I think it was the small birds that did it!
    
Okay, here it is - the Next Stitch!
I'm bidding goodbye to Summer with Heart in Hand's "A Sunflower Sampler".  It also feeds my desire to stitch something with a crow/blackbird on it.

I woke up Tuesday morning to the sound of rain.  It was a fine misty type rain, nonetheless we ended up with 0.25" in the gauge when it ended mid-morning.  And oh, did the air smell sweet and clean!  That was all the motivation I needed to Take A Walk!

The skies were still dark and gray, but the temperature was mild.
Today's walk turned out to be about fruit, and cones, and nuts, and berries.

The young Douglas Fir had beads of moisture from the recent rain.

I like the icicle effect of the sap on the side of the cone...

The leaves of the Filberts have started to turn...

...so have the leaves of the Dogwood.  If you look closely you can see the small green round fruit of the Dogwood on the right side of the photo.  

The Bracken Ferns have turned a mushroom brown.

The apples on our 'wilding' were especially lovely with droplets of rain. 

Acorn production continues apace!

As does gall production.

While I was standing beneath this Oak...

...these bits of acorn fell to the ground one after the other.  I suspect the work of a Steller's Jay.

More of the brilliant white Snowberries - as they are supposed to be poisonous, no one was munching on them.

The leaves of the Vine Maple are now a mix of Green and Yellow (University of Oregon Football colors!) 

I found a pretty cluster of rosehips...

...and I was pleased to find several sprays of these berries from False Solomon's Seal.

Though these berries though are a mystery...

...I can identify Blackberries!

I hope you've enjoyed today's walk and are able to get outside wherever you live.

10 comments:

Virpi said...

First, your stitching looks great. Lovely projects!

Thanks for those lovely pics as well. The pics looks like a lot what you might see in southern Finland. The Douglas fir is a species that you wouldn't normally see in nature but it grows in arboretums. And I don't think that you can find blackberries elsewhere than in the gardens. But lovely and interesting pics! =D

Siobhán said...

What a cutie! I love your needlework judge. ;) Nice new project, too!

MoonBeam said...

Thanks for sharing your post-rain walk. Nice.

Bobbi

Anonymous said...

Today's walk was wonderful. I have never seen snowberries but have heard about them. Thanks for the snap.
What is gall production? I am not familiar with this.
Have fun stitching your farewell to summer. It is definiately over here in the mid-west. I was enjoying the fall folliage on my drive to college this morning as the heavy fog lifted.

Unknown said...

I really like your choice for a new design. I have a stitching buddy that loves sunflowers, I wonder if she has this chart...

I really enjoy "walking" with you - I always learn something. I have been around dogwoods for years, and have never noticed their fruit..

Kathy Ellen said...

Thank you for sharing your beautiful pictures of your lovely walk from early dawn, through the wooded areas of your home. Would you tell me what "snow berries and gall" are? Those are new to me.

Love your "sunflower" piece, but know how you are probably feeling that it is time to think of more autumn things now. The morning air has a little more of a chill in it this morning, and the weather for the weekend is predicted to "feel a bit more like autumn". Enjoy your stitching your new piece!

Penny said...

What a sweet helper you have there. :) Looking forward to seeing your Sunflower Sampler. Thank-you for sharing the pretty pictures. Oregon is a beautiful state!

aprilmecheelesdulllife said...

That is the best looking committee member I have seen in a long time !! LOve your new project coming up! I love the walk today!! Thanks!!

Kaisievic said...

Great photos and I love the Feline committee.

Hugs, Kaye xoxox

Melanie said...

Love this piece! The Feline Committee did good. lol