"I started photographing my domestic world and writing not just about what I had made,
but why I made it, examining the thoughts that accompany creativity and the act of making."
Jane Brocket from The Gentle Art of Domesticity p. 189 UK edition

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Wild Life!

These gorgeous lilacs are from Teresa and Dayle's wonderful *wild* farm near the Columbia River, in Corbett, Oregon.
The lilac's heavenly scent has been lovely ~ ~ ~
Teresa kindly gave lilacs to Taci and me when we got together for lunch on Friday, then my youngest daughter, Elisabeth bought some more terrific tulips at the grocery store...maybe our last for the season, and we are treasuring them.
On Monday, I think, my youngest son, Tim reported there were ducks out on the front pond so I grabbed my camera and tried to quietly step outside to take some photos.  Before I could raise my camera I saw a coyote dash across the road at the edge of our driveway and head off into the tall brambles around the front pond!  But using my zoom lens I got some photos of four Mr. Mallards.  The Mrs. Mallards are sitting on eggs in their nests, we hope.
Also by using my camera zoom lens I was able to get some photos of the wood ducks, but they are very shy and swam to the other side of the pond as soon as they sensed my quiet-to-me-but-not- to-them presence.
Teresa keeps telling me how lucky we are to have wood ducks visit us and I do feel blessed to be able to get glimpses of them with their amazing, uniquely patterned plumage.
I think this is Mrs. Wood Duck, but my son, Tim, thinks it is Baby Wood Duck.  At any rate, I decided to walk closer to the pond to try to get better views  and look what I saw three feet away from me on the right side of the path...
real wild life that I have a hard time admiring!
But I was soon pleasantly distracted from the snake by a brilliant blue Steller's Jay who was flitting around the back pond.  I had been typing to Jennifer about our Steller's Jays and I managed to get a bit of a photo of one before he flew off.
and I enjoyed seeing a Robin hopping around as well.
Then on Tuesday afternoon, following a lot of April showers most of us in our household dashed out to try to get photos of a rainbow that was double at times...but this was the not-so-clear-but clearest photo I got.

In the midst of all this *wild life* I  knitted a calming aqua dishcloth and started another beige one....a practical peaceful pattern I have knit again and again and again and somehow never find boring :)

Do you have a practical, peaceful, go to pattern in your wild life?


xx
Gracie

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26 comments:

  1. Stitchy Mc Floss April 15, 2015 at 6:41 PM

    Oh what a wonderful place you have. So lovely. The tulips are beautiful. They are one of my favorite flowers. Oh how nice of Teresa and Dayle to share those beautiful blooms. I love the part of how you knitted a "calming dishcloth". :) Blessings always. :)

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  2. wendyApril 15, 2015 at 10:05 PM

    Beautiful place to be Gracie and I am with you, do not want to join mr snake lol xoxoxo

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  3. Jane and Lance HattattApril 16, 2015 at 1:49 AM

    Hello Gracie,

    Well, you do live on the wild side!

    It is wonderful having ducks. We enjoyed their antics when they returned year after year to the pond in our Herefordshire garden which we had many years ago. But, ducks are such bad mothers we found. Often abandoning their newly born, seemingly having forgotten about them altogether! Amazing that any survived.

    But, we are less envious of the snake!

    Lilacs already. They seem very early for us. The scent is amazing and we do look forward to having bunches around the house. Yours look wonderful!

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  4. Pammy SueApril 16, 2015 at 8:50 AM

    I can smell those lilacs right through the screen! They are so beautiful. Fun seeing all the wildlife you captured. Seems like I always try something new, even in a dishcloth, after I've made something. I have made one doily pattern three times. I suppose that counts!

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  5. JoApril 16, 2015 at 11:17 AM

    You have captured some great shots there. Hope you are happy and well. Jo x

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  6. MeredithApril 16, 2015 at 1:47 PM

    Lilacs are my favorite and we can't grow them here. I remember them well from growing up in Michigan. What is it with the snakes lately? You could have stepped on that one! Yikes.

    Hugs to you Gracie,
    Meredith

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  7. AnneApril 16, 2015 at 4:59 PM

    Those lilacs are stunning Gracie. Gorgeous tulips as well. My D.I.L. gave me some gorgeous ones last Friday after we had looked after our grandsons for a few days! Love your wildlife - apart from Mr Snake! Not so keen on him! :-) Hugs Anne x

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  8. aimeeApril 16, 2015 at 10:43 PM

    You need to post a snake warning for us snake-phobics :) :) :) Loved your duck photos--you are SO blessed to have them all the time. We have had some visit our ponds twice, which I consider pretty awesome considering ours are both man-made. Your flowers are wonderful! Spring is racing by and I shall miss the lilacs and spring bulbs immensely as well as the fruit tree blossoms and rhodos (well we still have a bit more time to enjoy those). Blessings, Aimee
    PS: Love your baa-babies:)

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  9. Helen PhilippsApril 17, 2015 at 1:46 AM

    Love your pictures of springtime there, Gracie. Your lilacs from Teresa are beautiful and I loved the colours of your tulips too. So nice to see the ducks swimming about, and the photo of the robin. Our 'British' robins are quite different-looking, but both are beautiful birds. Wishing you a very happy weekend.
    Helen xox

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  10. handmade by amaliaApril 17, 2015 at 7:58 AM

    rainbows - ducks - tulips - I like you all!
    (snakes - not so much)
    great photos.
    Amalia
    xo

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  11. Jennifer HaysApril 19, 2015 at 7:11 AM

    Hi Gracie, it really is looking very wild around there! I love the bouquet of lilacs and tulips, it's like springtime in a vase! Neat to see that Stellar's jay, thank you for capturing him. I don't like snakes much, but you got a good photo of that one. Thanks for sharing. I hope you're having a good weekend.

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  12. mamasmercantileApril 19, 2015 at 1:40 PM

    Love the vase full of tulips and lilacs, so pretty. I have a practical pattern for a dishcloth/washcloth that I go to on a regular basis, it is soothing and familiar to crochet.

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  13. Annie CholewaApril 20, 2015 at 2:15 AM

    Right now I just seem to have a wild life! It's nice to visit you for a little calmness :o)

    So much natural beauty in this post, the snake included. Our tulips are only just starting to flower and the lilac isn't flowering yet either. Spring here is a little late this year but I think you are generally ahead of us anyway. Here's hoping you are enjoying lots of spring sunshine, as we are this week.

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  14. Bethany CarsonApril 21, 2015 at 6:05 PM

    The flowers are beautiful! I've been trying to get some photos of ducks at the local lake and the Iowa River, but they are eluding me--even though I'm armed with a zoom camera I can just seem to get photos of little ducks off in the distance *sigh.* At least the geese are treating me a little better. That snake looks scary! Love the stellar jay!

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  15. susanApril 23, 2015 at 11:02 AM

    Oh, Gracie, your photos are just beautiful! How lovely to be able to capture all of this right outside your door.
    Your flowers are lovely - the lilacs are such a deep, rich color. And the scent is just heavenly. We don't usually have lilacs until around mid-May and I'm really looking forward to them.

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  16. Teresa KasnerApril 23, 2015 at 2:46 PM

    I so enjoyed this post, Gracie! I'm so glad you enjoyed the lilacs and they look so pretty with your tulips. I'm so excited that those Wood Ducks seem to call your pond "home". The snake.. not so much. I am with you on the peaceful knitted dishcloth pattern. I hope to see you soon. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  17. AnonymousApril 24, 2015 at 2:19 PM

    Wow I love the wild life! What kind of a snake is that? I am afraid of snakes, except for garter snakes. My most recent encounter with wild life was on the Isle of Scalpay. I was leaving my friend Catriona's house about 10:15 at night, and it was very windy with horizontal rain. She told me to run on back, and I set off at a gallop. I rounded the corner only to collide with a sheep! I don't know who scared who more. I let out a yelp and the sheep ran straight up a very steep bank, poor thing. I must have looked pretty wild myself...
    I am knitting a "Holden" shawl for the third time. It's a very satisfying pattern and not too difficult.

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    Replies
    1. Gracie SaylorApril 25, 2015 at 11:41 AM

      Consulting Google images the closest match I could see was the Western Terrestrial garter snake. I have been told repeatedly by local folk that we don't have any poisonous snakes in our area. I am fascinated with the many amazing patterns on snakes, but I can't say I really admire them...I just want a huge distance between them and me!!!!!!
      Imaging your meeting with the sheep made me both want to yelp and smile. I'm glad you both survived the encounter!
      I will have to go check out your Holden shawl pattern. The *not too difficult* encourages me :)

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    2. AnonymousApril 27, 2015 at 1:09 PM

      I did wonder if that wasn't a garter snake. I remember them sunning themselves in my mother's garden in Portland and occasionally going over my shoes! I hope you might like the Holden pattern.

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  18. Vicki BosterApril 26, 2015 at 3:30 PM

    There just so much to live here----,the lilacs are beyond beautiful. They are my favorite spring flower-- the scent from ours is incredible right now. All that wildlife is amazing!!!! Perfect photos!!

    Ahhhh-- the joy of knitting a lovely dishcloth:)
    Makes me smile-- the yarn is a gorgeous color!
    Love
    Vicki

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  19. handmade by amaliaApril 28, 2015 at 8:25 AM

    I like the look of your house, Gracie, so cosy.
    Amalia
    xo

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  20. AnonymousApril 29, 2015 at 7:09 AM

    Lovely photography, what vivid blue feathers on the jay, wow! Nothing beats some soothing knitting. :) xx

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  21. Lilly's MomMay 3, 2015 at 9:03 AM

    Hi Gracie. Your photos are lovely. I can smell the heavenly scent of your lilacs. Two ducks flew over this week and landed in our pool! They are such beautiful birds. Have a great day.

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  22. CassadieMay 4, 2015 at 3:08 PM

    What a beautiful virtual tour through your home. Those lilacs, though! I am always so grateful when I remember to stop and take it all in.

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  23. Down by the seaMay 6, 2015 at 11:57 AM

    Hi Gracie, Those are such lovely images of the wild life! I'm not so sure about the snake , it looks quite frightening! I can almost smell the lilac too! Sarah x

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  24. StephMay 20, 2015 at 12:56 PM

    I always love seeing your beautiful photos. That Lilac looks amazing. Beautiful rainbow. My "go to" pattern is a basic granny square. They are just so lovely to make XOX

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