Many a mushroom

There were so many flushes of shrooms this year- perfect conditions as explained by a friend of ours an avid mushroom hunter since childhood. A good year for shrooms, one of the healthiest foods around. Maybe not this one I am not yet a fungus spotter and will be working towards these credentials so I can appreciate them with my mouth as well as my lens.

More mushrooms at Nature Big Nature Small

the edge of a mushroom in Hamlin park 2013

oh this one is just lovely, gills and all.

Throwing Stones on Ice at greenlake

Monday was very cold, especially with a missing car window.

While the car had it's hole fixed we walked greenlake, mingled with ducks,crows,geese and coots. witnessed a Heron standing on one leg and eventually found about half the lake frozen and ever so fun to throw stones on and make these sounds.

The Barred Owl

I feel very lucky to have the nature I do in my life.

I had never seen an Owl in public before until living here (only sadly tied to perches in zoos.) I am sure by the looks they give me I am annoying them, I try not to annoy them. They make me smile.

These guys are all over the east coast to the middle of the country and in the Pacific Northwest

For a few weeks our afternoon walk included seeing this fine feathered fellow , The Barred Owl.

We listen to the birds, alot.

The Crows always mention whats going on, in a less the subtle way.

Many a lunch time has been spent spotting this owl, We have the pleasure of having been in his presence in many a local park.

more great info at National Geographic.

The Douglas Squirrel-Tamiasciurus douglasii

I didn't grow up with these little fellows, they are native Pacific North westerners. They are very talkative and too fast for my dog ever to notice them let alone chase them, he spots the slower grey variety.

I have spent a few afternoons chatting with them in what to me sounds like their voice but I am sure to them sounds a horrendous mockery.

They live from B.C down to Northern California and as the moniker Pine Squirrel suggests they live in forests of PIne.

This one was photographed in the loveliness of Hamlin Park.

The Douglas Squirrel aka Tamiasciurus douglasii

aka Pine Squirrel

aka Chickeree

Classification
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae
Genus: Tamiasciurus

John Muir said of them;

"by far the most interesting and influential of the California sciuridæ"