Take-off!

 

We had a little rain this morning--- the first in a few weeks.

 

A swallow resting a bit in the wetlands. The lily pads are beginning to "rust."

 

A beautiful street light, and a gorgeous flower basket soften the look of the little jailhouse. It was built in 1907 and is unused these days

 

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...