We  found this nice field of clover one cool summer day during a weekend bicycle ride through the farmlands west of Mt. Angel.  It was during the Petal Pedal starting at the Oregon Gardens. Fifty miles on the bikes in the country is a pleasant day.  This is a good use of clover, and it looks nice.

We found this patch  of clover on a very hot summer afternoon. We were coming home from work. A day at work is not as pleasant as a day on the bike.  This clover is not good clover. It does not look as good in my yard and it does not have a good use.

Honey argues that this clover does have a good use, and perhaps it should be left alone for the bees to enjoy.
She does have a good point, but I think we will have to do something to keep it under control.

On Super Bowl Sunday we spent the day wandering in the Gorge.

First stop, the Starvation Creek rest area. Nice place to stretch the legs and wander on the paths along the creek.

We went into Hood River and out into the Parkdale area, stopping at Foothills Yarn and Fiber, where they raise Alpacas, and have a nice store for yarn supplies.

Along the way we spotted this old building. I assume, since it is in the heart of the fruit orchard area, that it is the remnants of a fruit growing operation.

Then making one last stop at the Hatfield Trailhead to walk out along the paved bike/pedestrian path that goes through the Mosier Twin Tunnels. Didn’t make it to the tunnels as its a fair walk on foot. Much easier on bikes.

We snowshoed out from Bennett Pass rest area, along the ridge to one of our favorite viewpoints.
The rains and warmer weather has turned this weeks now into a crunchy walk, hard enough that our poles rarely penetrated the surface. And no snows on the trees at all. We were walking in the low laying clouds, but the temperatures were quite comfortable.

This is an out and back walk, simple to follow, with no significant elevation changes.
Here we encountered a downed tree on the trail that was no real obstacle while on foot.

It is at this point we like to stop for lunch and enjoy the view of the mountain.
Today there was no such mountain view.

Stopping at Timberline lodge, we were afforded a pretty good view through the clouds, of Mt. Jefferson.

Timberline has installed a new walkway to keep the snow drifts from the entrance.
Aesthetically speaking, it isn’t much of an improvement over the old Quonset hut style walkway it has replaced.
It really doesn’t seem to fit into the style of the Lodge, but I suppose its more about function than form.

We have installed hummingbird feeders in front and back.  The feeders have been pretty busy in the dawn and dusk hours.  Honey makes new nectar every week in order to keep it fresh and our little hummers seem to appreciate it.  We have begun to study their habits, and note which birds seem to make the best effort to claim the feeders as theirs.  We have even started to name some of the regulars which help us track their usage.  Tippy seems the most dominant, though Ducky makes frequent visits.  Just the last few two weeks we have begun to see this red headed hummingbird quite every day as well. No name for him yet.

Earlier this year we renovated Honeys office space and bathroom.
So………

Before:

After:

Tired:

Feeling Better:

Charlie the beloved patriarch of the Oregon Zoo chimpanzee family passed away suddenly Thursday afternoon.

Senior primate keeper Dave Thomas said the 39-year-old, 160 pound chimp was expected to live another 20 years. Charlie survived the African bushmeat trade to become a pet donated to the zoo in May of 1972.

Slideshow: Charlie the chimp

“It’s the end of an era, and the zoo will never be the same,” Thomas said. “We have to go on though, to provide care and support for our remaining females: Delilah, Leah, Coco and Chloe.”

The four female chimps were surrounding Charlie as a volunteer saw him down. Thomas was the first staff person to respond and initiated an emeregency response system. Vets and other staff rushed to the chimp exhibit.

Several minutes passed before the female chimps could be moved safely away and by that time, Charlie was dead, Thomas said.

The females have since been placed together. Leah and Delilah went straight to where Charlied died, Thomas said. He thinks they will continue to look for him for several weeks, believing he might be alive.

Thomas said the primate staff will try and keep as regular a schedule as possible to help comfort them.

“The girls need to know that we are still here for them,” Thomas said.