Snowman and Bunnies

Design - "Whee Willie"

Designer - Heart in Hand

Fabric - 32 count Dirty Belfast linen

Fibers - WDW - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 28 January 2013

Completed - 29 January 2013

This was a great project to use up little bits and pieces of floss.  The pattern calls for the word "Whee!" to be stitched above the three horizontal lines.  I decided I liked the 'cleaner' look of the piece without "Whee!".

In the morning the bunnies come for breakfast.

One

Two

Three

One, two, three!

I feed them back under the cover of blackberry canes and other brush to help keep them safe from predators.  The bunny on the far left has the most interesting face.  The pattern of his fur on right side of his face is much darker and 'disturbed'.  I can't tell if it is an injury or just an unusual pattern.

A Winter's Walk

Design - "Let it Snow" (freebie)

Designer - Barbara Ana Designs

Fabric - 30 count R & R Iced Cappuccino linen

Fibers - DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 26 January 2013

Completed - 27 January 2013

I like the bright cheerful colors the designer used for this stitch.

Barbara Ana has fun, whimsical designs.  She is very generous with free patterns and they can be found here. 

The rain has abated for the moment.  Let's take a walk.

A rose-hip provides a jolt of color on a dull day.

After several days of rain, the creeks are flowing full and fast.

I love the sound of running, rushing water.

It's good weather for mushrooms too.  These are well-named - Turkey Tail. 

I don't know the names of these colorful mushrooms.  They might be another variety of Turkey Tail.

There are several areas where Methuselah's Beard Lichen (Usnea longissima) thrives.

This area of my walk had a mossy carpet.

The Big Creek has enough water to appear strong and powerful.

This is probably Oakmoss Lichen (Evernia prunastri).  It happily grows on the branches of Oak and other deciduous trees.  

Mosses and lichens are challenging to identify.  This might be Small-flat Moss (Pseudotaxiphyllum elegans). It is found on forest floors.

As Dorothy's Creek descends down a hillside, it picks up speed on its journey.

All the trees are decorated with raindrops.

Time to head back inside - I hope you enjoyed today's walk.

Winter Stitch & Spring Color

Design - "Flurries"

Designer - Val's Stitchin' Stuff

Fabric - 30 count WDW's Sky linen

Fibers - WDW & DMC - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - January 2013

Completed - January 2013

Even though I'm Snow Stitching, there are numerous signs of Spring here-abouts.

Another happy little Fuchsia in my greenhouse.

A frilly Hellebore

An ornamental grass

Daffodils

Hellebores

Snowdrops

The Daphne will be in bloom shortly.  You can see some of the buds have gone from green to pink.

Primrose

Further Daffodils

Garlic

Primrose

A Witch Hazel

Old Man Winter and Mr. Cal Quail

Design - "Old Man Winter"

Chart - "Little Cuties" Volume One CS125

Designer - Val's Stuff

Fabric - 30 count WDW Putty linen

Fibers - WDW - 2 strands over 2 threads

Started - 23 January 2013

Completed - 24 January 2013

I am awaiting a JABC button to truly finish this.  There is a small blue jay that perches atop the letter "t" in winter.  When I get it, I'll update the photo and post a link to it.

My covey of California Quail remain intact and unharmed.  Each time I count I get about 14 birds.  

That's a very low mortality rate for Winter.  There was an article in the paper recently about California Quail.  And the gist of it was 'you might as well hunt them, as they'll probably die anyway.'

My observations of the Quail the last five years or so, certainly do not support that conclusions.  They are smart, vigilant birds in my book.

The other day the covey decided to have dust baths in a front flowerbed.  This male jumped up on the porch to supervise the flock.  

I was able to take a couple of photos of his through the glass in the front door.

I don't think I've ever been so close to a Quail before. 

Lazy, Rainy Weekend

Solomon, my Mom, Padma

Saturday was a 'normal' Oregon Winter day - mild and rainy.

We all liked it, but spent most of the day inside.

Some of us though have outerwear with a bit of natural water-proofing.

We expect rain in January, and do not let it stop us from our appointed rounds.

I find the sound of rain on the roof a comforting sound. 

And I don't have to fill the birdbaths when it rains.

Though if this guy continues to hang around, there won't be much of anyone at the birdbath or feeder.

Birds Abound

All these photos were taken earlier in the week - in the fog.

Can you see the one small Grosbeak surrounded by the seven Steller's Jays?

Anna's Hummingbird

Scrub Jay

Oregon Junco

Song Sparrow

Towhee

Another Song Sparrow