OK, this is just for fun: Our Garden of Earthly Delights--- featuring our chainsaw-carved Tasmanian Devil. The birdhouses often have tree frogs living in them. That's OK-- They're rent-free.

 

Solitude...

 

Here's another bulk cargo ship on the Columbia River-- the Josco Changzou, out of Hong Kong--- fully laden and headed West toward the Pacific.

 

Way up on top of the navigation sign, an Osprey watches from its nest as the POS Oceania motors on by, heading to one of our nearby ports to load up. The ship is a bulk carrier (usually grain in this part of the world), built in 2012 and sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands.

 

Tug boats are a vital part of shipping on the Columbia River. The two in this picture are the most common types we see. The Amy Brusco, on the left, pushes barges. The tall tower is so the captain can see over the barges to navigate. The larger Bo Brusco (on the right) is for towing vessels or guiding the larger ships that dock in the ports of Longview, Kalama, or Vancouver/Portland. And yes, that's an Osprey nest atop the pole in the center.

 

Bright and cheerful wildflowers and grass always find a way to grow-- even on top of these old pilings in the Columbia River.

 

I'm surprised that the boat named Tigger is still afloat. Wildflowers and other plants have taken over the old dock. They don't care if they have dirt or not!

 

A little wood duck came by to see us...

 

Summer colors in the clearcut meadow...

 

Ready and willing!

 

We can't see over the top of the hill, but the flowers make us hopeful...

 

An Oregon Junco dropped by to thank us for keeping the birdbaths filled.

 

I'm not sure that old Mr. Blue is glad to see us.

 

Foxglove (Digitalis) is poisonous, but the flowers are among the most beautiful. Until the buds show, it's easy to mistake foxglove for just another weed to pull.

 

Just over 44 years ago, hundreds of thousands of trees were blown down by the eruption of Mt. St. Helens. This old stump still has many friends among the ferns and wildflowers

 

We've had unusually hot weather for a number of days, and at least another week to come.

 

Staying cool!

 

"I'm not sleeping," said the Bee, "I'm just resting my eyes!"

 

Sometimes the wildflowers look like you are dreaming...

 

A happy place!

 

Sometimes bare is beautiful!

 

The Osprey is headed to the nest with a good-sized fish in his talons. The little ones will eat well tonight!

 

Drawn to each other...

 

Inside and outside, ferns and flowers love the old tree stump!

 

Old growth giants in the evening sunlight--- That's my truck, barely visible in the lower right.

 

The chipmunk looks out over the vast landscape and is hopeful...

 

The secret little waterfall on Coal Creek...

 

Sharing today with Mersad's Through My Lens

Late June and a large part of July is when the wildflowers explode in the pastures and meadows -- and even next to the freeway.

 

This place seems quite mysterious to me--- I wonder what they do in there. That's Mt. Hood in the distance, by the way.

 

With buds peeking out, one wild rose is showing its beauty!

 

The old concrete block dairy barn looks quite modern in the evening light. The hay will be cut and baled soon. Turn, turn, turn.

 

A beautiful native succulent clings to the basalt cliff high above the Columbia River and the Ocean Beach Highway. Sedum Spathulifolium is its official name. I just call it Sedum. and I call it beautiful.

 

They can snap, but they don't bite!

 

I swear, he had a big pocket watch and kept saying, "I'm Late, I'm late!" And then he disappeared down the path.

 

Most of the water flowers in the Silver Lake Wetlands are Yellow Pond Lilies, but the White Water Lilies really light up the place when you can find them.

 

A perfect moment...

 

This Osprey is wondering who broke his tree... Ospreys are large birds of prey with a wingspan of 6 feet (1.8 meters).

 

Maples can be very impressive!

 

Oh, look! Flowers! I like flowers!

 

The little bandit is up in the tree again...

 

A few raindrops on Sunday--- But it was mostly cool and dry. This pasture is populated with about 15 cows these days.

 

Another bridge-- still no trolls.

 

Here we are under the bridge, and there's not a single troll around!

 

Hello!

 

Green and glorious wetlands!

 

She strikes a provocative pose...

 

Green perfection for a while longer--- Subtle summer shades coming soon!

 

Big clouds...

 

I see you! You meet the nicest people in the wetlands!

 

It really is good to live here...