Robin Red-breast

I worked on the Prairie Schooler's "May" yesterday and managed to get the Robin stitched.  Now I have to 'plant' some grass and add some blossoms, and stitch the name of the month.  Then this will move from being a WIP to being finished! 

After a couple of days in the 90's today is to be cooler.  Let's enjoy the more moderate temperatures and take a walk.

This is the newest Creature in the Forest!

My father bought this small bear last week and it has not failed to startle me each and every time I walk past it.  Yes, I visibly jump!

The pine trees are showing stress from lack of rain and many of the needles have turned brown.

The Douglas Fir continue to ripe.  You can see a drip or two of sap on the left and the cones are just beginning to harden off and turn brown. 

The Dogwood fruit is plump and ripe and pretty...

...as are the blackberries.

The oaks are festooned with galls. I don't know that I've ever seen this many before.  The thing I don't see though are acorns.

As best I can tell no eats Snowberries, or at least they are a berry of last resort.

The small seasonal creek-beds are completely dry. 

Still there are lots of shades of green to enjoy in this montage of thimbleberry, blackberry, and sword fern.

I was surprised to see this Large Leaved Avens (Geum macrophyllum) in bloom this time of year.

Sometimes the Sword Ferns look tired and dusty by August, but these still are healthy and glossy looking.

We have lots of large thickets of what I call Hazel Brush. The squirrels and chipmunks and jays have striped the plants of the ripe nuts. 

And now everyone, deer included, are feasting on blackberries.

An early sign of Autumn. With almost no rain the past two months, the trees are stressed and so the leaves have begun to turn.

That's it for our walk today.  Time to go back inside and grab a large glass of ice water! 

One year ago today Mom and I headed off to Heathrow...and then...well, I'll let you read about it!