Earth Speak Sunday #15

To quote an Indian proverb:

The frog does not drink up the pond in which he lives.

 

Fast Fact Friday #3

Today's Fast Fact:

At 120 feet, D River in Lincoln City is the shortest river in the world.



This fact was found on the following website: http://www.oregonstateparks.org

Native Talk Tuesday #16

The animal featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Buteo jamaicensis, commonly known as the Red-tailed Hawk. This hawk is found in a variety of habitats ranging from woodlands to open prairie and cropland, as well as desert environments. The most common hawk in Oregon, this raptor can be seen perching on fences, telephone poles, tree branches and even houses!

Earth Speak Sunday #14

To quote John Muir:

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like Autumn leaves.

State Park Saturday #9

In the heart of Salem is one of Oregon's newest state parks--State Capitol State Park. Prior to changing ownership to the Oregon State Park Service in 2008, this park was actually three parks in one--collectively known as the Capitol Mall. Wilson Park was to the west of the State Capitol, Capitol Park to the east, and Capitol Park Mall to the north. The main attraction of this park that has no day-use fees is the Cherry trees that blossom near the beginning of Spring every year, drawing many professional, semi-professional, and amateur photographers from surrounding towns.

Three water features are found within the park, including Waite Fountain (west of the capitol building), Wall of Water, and Capitol Fountain (both across the street from the main entrance to the capitol). Flags from every state in the union sit in a circle near Waite Fountain, while sidewalks north of the Capitol have stone plaques set in them which list the county seat and establishment date for each of Oregon's counties.

Fast Fact Friday #2

Today's Fast Fact:
     The tallest tree ever measured in the state of Oregon was a 393-foot high Coastal Douglas Fir, nicknamed the "Mineral Tree," in 1924.

This fast fact was found on the following website: http://ascendingthegiants.com

Native Talk Tuesdays #15

The animal featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Anas clypeata, commonly known as the Northern Shoveler. This duck is found in marshes, ponds, and bays. In flight, both males and females show blue forewing patch, and both have a spoon-shaped bill. Other than the blue patch, the female is brown while the male is multi-colored. The Northern Shovelers below were found at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge, south of Salem.
 

Earth Speak Sunday #13

Te quote Solomon Ibn-Gabirol:

Of what avail is the open eye, if the heart is blind?

 

Fast Fact Friday #1

As I don't have the time to go to every festival, and because there are few during the Winter, I have decided to change "Festival Friday" to "Fast Fact Friday."

Today's Fast Fact:
     In 1864, Salem was chosen by popular vote to be the capitol city of the state of Oregon.



This fast fact was found on the website, Oregon.gov

Trail Talk Thursday #11

This week's trail is located at Stayton's Quad-Parks that I have aptly named as there are four parks interconnected by one trail. These parks are Pioneer Park, Wilderness Park, Florence Street Park, and Riverfront Park. The trail that connects these is supposedly 5 km long, but has several offshoots that can make it longer or shorter. There is a Covered Bridge that marks the trailhead that starts in Pioneer Park. Once across the Stayton Ditch (what the covered bridge crosses, the trail continues through a wooded section known as Wilderness Park that contains a backwater pond where
Western Pond Turtles and swimming Garter Snakes can be seen. The trail then doubles back along another channel that contains a fish ladder before cutting the Stayton Ditch in half and connecting to the Florence Street Park. This park, like Pioneer Park, contains a parking lot. The trail continues across the footbridge beside the parking lot and continues into Riverfront Park which is half open and half forested. Near the end of this park, the trail makes a loop around the open meadow.

Waterfall Wednesday #7

While technically considered a waterfall (water that flows over a ledge and free-falls down to earth), this week we have a man-made waterfall that really isn't supposed to be there. As a part of the Lower Bennett Dam near Stayton, this is a diversion wall that funnels water through a fish l.adder between Wilderness and Riverfront Parks in southeast Stayton. During Summer, little to no water overflows the wall, but in Winter and Spring, The North Santiam River flows over the wall, creating a long curtain-type waterfall less than 10 feet high.

Native Talk Tuesday #14

For today's Native Talk, I will actually talk about two non-native species--a rodent and a plant.

The animal featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Myocastor coypus, commonly known as the Coypu or Nutria. This river rat frequents shallow-water environments such as ponds and streams. Originally brought into North America from South America as a source of fur pelts, it is now considered an invasive species. Easily identifiable, the Nutria is as big as a beaver, but lacks the paddle-tail. The Nutria below was found at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge, south of Salem.

The plant featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Veronica chamaedrys, commonly known as the Birdseye Speedwell. This type of speedwell is native to Europe and Asia and was most likely brought over to America by someone you wanted it in their garden. The plant below was found at Stayton's Wilderness Park.

Earth Speak Sunday #12

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.

Trail Talk Thursday #10

St. Louis Ponds Trail

 Just across the highway from Gervais is a county park with a trail looping through it.  This short trail, which has no name, winds around one maze-like pond and past five others within St. Louis Ponds County Park.
The maze-like ponds were created when earthen material was needed for the highway which passes along the eastern edge of the park. As you hike along this small trail, you may see birds such as the American Robin, trees that have been felled by beavers, and local fisherman. Most of the trail is paved, making it ADA accessible, but the rest is gravel or dirt. This park is nice during late winter, but I bet looks even better from Spring through Fall.

Native Talk Tuesday # 13

The animal featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Bucephala albeola, commonly known as the Bufflehead Duck. This type of duck nests in woodlands near small lakes and ponds. The male Bufflehead is identified by the large white patch on its mostly black head, while the female is similar but with a small, white, teardrop-shaped patch on its mostly black head. Bufflehead Ducks are found throughout most of Oregon during the Winter, but will migrate north to Canada for Summer breeding. The pair below were found at the Ankeny Wildlife Refuge south of Salem.

Earth Speak Sunday #11

The Answer by Robinson Jeffers

The greatest beauty
is organic wholeness,
the wholeness of life and things,
the divine beauty of the universe.
Love that, not man apart from that...