Stitching and Strolling

I'm still on an Alma Lynne kick (I can hear Nikki of Stitch Bitch gagging!). I'm going to stitch "Stormy Night" The large green ark with the lightening bolt sky.  I like all the drama of that.

Our skies have been rather dramatic of late, but not in a good way.

Over the weekend, the winds shifted and the smoke and haze from numerous forest fires drifted into the Willamette Valley. This is what it looked like as the sun rose on Sunday morning.

The sky was brown and the smell of smoke very strong.  Air quality deteriorated to unhealthy. I know some folks have not enjoyed their a cool and wet summer, but oh what we in the west would give for some rain!

By mid-Monday the winds had shifted and our skies cleared.  So let's take a walk.     

I'll start off with a mystery plant.  We've been watering our back yard and now have a patch of this growing.  It has very fine leaves and is low to the ground - no more than 4" tall.  It looks rather like a larkspur. Thanks to Shelia the plant has been identified  as Butter and Eggs or Common Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris).

We have lots of Douglas fir cones this year.

And the Madrone have finally recovered from our hard cold winter of two years ago.  I think they have the prettiest bark.

I also like the 'spent' look of the Ocean Spray.

The Hazels are preparing for next year with a good group of catkins.

Moss and lichens - it is the Pacific NW after all!

Most of the thistles have gone to seed.

Lots and lots of Oak galls.

Oregon White Oaks are lovely slow growing trees.  I found several acorns on the ground and brought them up for the Acorn Woodpeckers.

Nootka Rose hips.

Here's another mystery plant - a grass this time.

Aren't those funky seed heads for a grass?

Snowberries

As dry and hot as it has been this spring and summer, I was pleased to see there is still a pool or two of water in the Big Creek.  The birds and animals must frequent this area as water is hard to find.