Vacation:::Day 6 & 7

Yesterday morning I met my mom at Minto Brown Island Park in Salem. It's a 898 acre city park. We picked one of the loop trails and walked almost all the way around, then thought we were lost and walked back instead of doing the loop. I left my printed map at home and wasn't sure if we were on the right track. The dirt path (photo below) is in fact part of the trail, although you'd never know it. I didn't take too many photos, but it is a nice park and I'd definitely go back and explore some more.



The park is near the Willamette River and has many sloughs. Dragonflies and damselflies were abundant.



One the way past these power lines, Tree Swallows were perched, and when we came back there were Barn Swallows.

Osprey could be heard calling throughout the area.



Sweet peas in bloom...


Back at home I acquired a few new plants for the Hummingbird garden. The hummer has been visiting them even before I got them planted!



Elfin Pink Penstemon



Pikes Peak Purple Penstemon



Passionate Phygelius (they call it Orange and it is orangier than this photo)



Glowing Magenta Oenothera

For weeks now I have been hearing Red-tailed Hawks calling, but they have gotten even more vocal this week. Or is it because I'm home to hear them all day?



Every summer I hear them. I figure they nest in the neighborhood and hunt for food in the nearby freeway corridor.



The one below seems to have an awkward time landing in the top of this tree and is constantly calling/crying. I suspect it is a juvenile.



And of course, my froggie is still around! If I don't see him in the water amongst the rocks, I have discovered he is often out of the water on the rocks in this foliage. I suppose he likes to dry out sometimes.



Friday Frog (above)
Saturday Frog (below photos)







And finally, a new project! I found this post on Natural Suburbia.
Branch Weaving!



It is what you might call a crude weaving on a Y shaped branch. I placed the branch in this bush (above) trying to decide where I'd place it in the garden.



I like the bits of moss on this twig.



I decided to leave it near my flowering pots on the patio where I can enjoy it. I sent an email photo to my parents with no explanation other than it is 'Branch Weaving'. My mom wanted to know what that was and my dad said it looked like a colorful cobweb. I'll take that as a compliment, Daddy.