A Wednesday Walk

The Prairie Schooler owl is coming along nicely.

After a cold and soggy September, we've been reward with a mild and pleasant October.  No excuses then.

Let's take a walk.

While western Oregon cannot begin to compete with New England's fall color, we do have patches of nice color this time of year.  This is a vista from the house off to the east - the color is provided by cherries and Big Leaf Maples.  

Here's a reward for looking down - a nice moss covered stone.

I know this photo does not look like much, but close observation shows a sizable patch of matted down grasses.  Someone, probably a deer, has been bedding down here. 

October is mushroom time.

And Licorice Fern time.

Tiny, tiny bright yellow - a lichen? A mushroom? 

A mystery. 

On a blue sky day the Big Leaf Maples glowed.

Here's a close-up.

The September rains were very hard on the blackberries - most of the fruit got mildew and rotted on the vine.  But there are still a few, a very few ripe berries for eating picking.

We'll end the walk with one of my favorite bits of fall color.

The rusty red of the Vine Maple.