Recent Nature Shots

 Yesterday, while walking below the house, I saw this River Otter feeding.  It probably was pushing around rocks to find crayfish.  They are so active!

https://youtu.be/LxEFr9_ym4Y

This morning we hiked up Carson Creek going to a little remote area where we were hoping to find a cauliflower mushroom.  Supposedly they often come back at the base of the same stump each year.  We didn't find any, but it was interesting poking around in the woods anyway.  There were  a lot of chanterelle mushrooms, but we restrained ourselves and only picked a few.

Winter Russula

Coastal Giant Salamander

The Coastal Giant Salamander can reach up to 14 inches in length and eats snails, slugs, and mice among other things.  This one was around 8 inches in length.  Unlike most salamanders it can vocalize making a croak like a barking dog.  They are a sign that the environment they live in is healthy and unpolluted. 

Otter On The Run

 This River Otter was exploring the yard at some distance from the river yesterday morning. 

Nick and Lauren Visit

 Nick and Lauren stayed with us from Oct. 9 to the 14th.  It was good timing as we celebrated Nick's 41st birthday, complimented by Gail's carrot cake.  The recipe was from a tombstone we saw in Ferndale on the way to their wedding on May 31.  Some of the photos below were taken by Nick or Lauren which I will designate with the abbreviation NL.

We had an abundance of great food and kept the kitchen busy.  Highlights were getting fish right off the boat in Newport for fish tacos, and fettuccini with chanterelle mushrooms we picked the same day. (Gail photo)

Although we found plenty of mushrooms in an easy to pick area, Nick couldn't resist going the extra mile when he spotted one at the top of a steep bank as we walked back to the car.

We all went to the fabulous Yaquina Cactus and Succulent Nursery two miles up the road.  A cactus nursery in the rain forrest, imagine that!

Nick in the weeds again!  On the last day, we took a little hike along the river at the Elk Forage Meadow two miles down the road.

The vertical river bank was a beautiful tapestry of texture and fall colors.

One afternoon we all participated in a tile painting class at the Coastal Arts Center in Newport where Gail is a volunteer board member.   It was a tricky technique of applying colored glazes to a chosen design.  The instructor, Charlotte Van Zant-King, will be firing them in her kiln for us.  She lives in Washington, but had lived in Napa County where she did a large tile mural over a period of months at a park in Napa.

 

This is Nick's tile after he transferred his design using carbon paper onto the tile.  His design was inspired by a scene he photographed in rural Sonoma County.  NL

Nick dabbing glaze between the black lines he drew with a sharpie.  NL

The tile is now ready to be fired.  NL

Lauren made a quilt pattern design.  I tried making a dragonfly which turned out to be too intricate for my skill set, and ended up looking like a 5 year old made it.  Gail made an abstract design that should turn out beautifully.  NL

After the class, we headed to the port of Newport to look in some shops and go buy fish off a boat.

                                  We bought some lingcod off  The Sea Rose (the white boat).  NL

NL

Waiting our turn, the couple in front of us seemed to be ordering enough fish to supply a restaurant.  The Port of Newport is one of the largest and most active fishing ports on the Pacific Coast.  NL

Next to the boat was a crab tank.  Newport has the biggest Dungeness crab fishery in the world.  NL

A dock is provided for sea lions, a noisy, raucous bunch.  NL

Goodbye Nick and Lauren, hope to see you soon!  NL

We're Back!

 

Happy October!

Ruffed Grouse + Bear

 This morning, our trail camera below the house caught this male Ruffed Grouse doing a feather display.  I'm not sure if this is a territorial warning to the other grouse nearby, or a young male practicing getting female attention.  It is not the mating season.

Last night a bear or bears cleaned out most of our apples from our several apple trees.  Poop was everywhere. I picked the remaining apples, even though they could have used several more weeks to ripen. There has been one very large bear that has been raiding vegetable gardens, fruit trees, and garbage up and down the road for several miles.  This may be the one below.

Daisy Mae

 

September 6, 2016 - August 18, 2026

Daisy's fight with cancer was ended yesterday.  We are heartbroken to have lost our "pack leader".  She was such a sweet and gentle dog.  Daisy could put other dogs at ease, lick our cats' ears, and be gentle with small children.  She was such a part of our daily routine, as well as protector and close companion.  We lost a family member.

Bear in the Yard

 This Black Bear came through our property at around 3:30 in the afternoon this past Friday.   It had been eating our neighbors apples a couple days before that.  It looks to be quite big.