Letting Go of the Bay Leaf

Sunday, June 2, 2019

Mosaic Monday #30 - Movin' and Shakin' in May

Sandhill Crane by our lake

May has lingered. Oh, not in a bad way. Last week, I sat down at the keyboard to compose this May summary, and then a glance at the calendar brought me up short - whoa, there's another week left! It occurred to me that, by week 3 of the month, I was full, satiated, deeply satisfied. It led my mind to conclude that the month must be over!

First Glacier Lily in our yard

Even my attempt to distill the month's activities yields seven major categories, in addition to our road trip, recent hikes, and my garden journal. So much has happened in May that it's no wonder my brain would put me a week ahead of myself! But, it's just too much for one post. On the other hand, this is a helpful problem - I won't be running short of topics for weeks, months, maybe even years! Does anybody need to "borrow" some of my material?

So, as unlikely as it might seem, I pared down my content to four subjects that brought me immeasurable joy this month.

REFINING OUR EXTERIOR LOOK

It was always our intent that our landscaping should evolve over time; I have grand visions for the ultimate look of our property. This month, we stepped forward in this area, in both permanent and seasonal ways. First, we added a jackleg fence to both sides of our driveway entrance. It provided some needed definition, while maintaining the rustic feel we prefer.

Upper left: first section underway

Right: first section completed

Lower left: second section completed

Driveway with fences

All of the logs used for this project are lodgepole pines harvested from

our property during last year's thinning process

Second, we enhanced the driveway itself with dress gravel. The original driveway was constructed with a crushed material that compacts to establish a firm foundation capable of withstanding the rigors of all four seasons in Montana. Having passed through summer, fall and winter, the driveway was ready for dress gravel to provide a finished, clean look and better define parking/driveway areas from landscape/natural areas.

Left = before Right = after

Driveway outside garage

Before and After; Looking down driveway toward road

Before and after: additional parking area, especially designed for the

RV owned by my younger brother and his wife!

Before and after - looking up the driveway from the road - WELCOME!

Third, we adjusted the location of several large rocks at the driveway entrance while our gravel contractor was on site with his Skid Steer (you can see them in the collage directly above this paragraph). I am ecstatic that we have completed a few more stepping stones leading to the landscape we envision for the roadsides along the entrance.

My landscape design for the right side of the driveway is already a

year old, and our thinking has evolved. But, you get the idea!

Fourth, we selected annuals for our deck planters. Already, the little splash of color adds warmth and layering to the deck that is so absent in the winter.

Black-eyed Susan Vine; Ambella White Bellflower; Coleus;

Evening Star Trailing Petunia; Red and Orange Ivy Geraniums

BIRDWATCHING THROUGH THE SPOTTING SCOPE

In past posts (March 14, April 7, May 5), I have written about combining my spotting scope, PhoneSkope adapter and my phone to take bird pictures. This month, with some assistance from Spousal Unit, I feel I have improved my technique. It doesn't hurt that it's been a banner month for birds!

Left: Male Evening Grosbeak; Middle: Red-winged Blackbird; Right: Female Evening Grosbeak

One day, I saw a yellow-headed blackbird come to the feeder, which is quite unusual. I set up the spotting scope with my phone and waited for it to return. And the most wonderful thing happened. I was passing the dining room window, and my brain, on alert for "birds", saw a "bird" and caused me to stop and look again. This is what I saw.

Great Horned Owl

This stunning creature roosted in the same spot for over three hours. We couldn't take our eyes off of him. (We kept hoping he would swoop down and capture one of the Columbian ground squirrels scampering around below him, but it was not to be. That may sound cruel, but they are eating some of my landscaping!) I love the clarity of this photo, and wondered aloud why this came out so much better than my other shots. Spousal Unit reminded me that Mr. Owl sat very still, whereas most of the other birds are constantly moving, not to mention the feeder on which they are sitting is often swaying in the breeze. Right.

This discussion made me wonder if video might provide better clarity. Maybe you can give me your opinion. Here is a picture of a Blackheaded Grosbeak (it seems to have been the month for grosbeaks), followed by a video. Make sure you watch the video through to the end - my sought-after Yellow-Headed Blackbird shows up after the grosbeak.

And here are a few other birds from the month.

Left: Rufous Hummingbird; Center: Song Sparrow; Right: Yellow-Headed Blackbird

In case you would like more, below is a video of the owl, and separately, the female blackheaded grosbeak.

ENJOYING A VARIETY OF WILDLIFE

Of course, we have more than just birds here! The trail cams have continued to deliver a delightful menagerie.

Upper left: Red Squirrel; Upper right: Canada goose

Lower left: Mountain Cottontail (well-camouflaged, right?) Lower right: Columbian Ground Squirrel

One morning, Spousal Unit suddenly grabbed the binoculars and said "Is that a moose?" Well, that was better than a shot of espresso to get me going! By the time we looked through the binoculars and the spotting scope, "it" was nowhere to be seen. The good news? The trail cam was in the perfect spot to capture "it". So, I trotted down there and retrieved the disk, and this is "it".

A cow elk. Elk are usually in herds; the fact she is on her own suggests she is ready to calve (give birth).

One of our neighbors told us today that he saw a cow and two calves in the last few days. Might be her!

Another sign of spring - the young bucks with nubbins for antlers.

My heart always takes a little leap when I see the coyote on the trail cam.

And then there are the spring wildflowers.

Upper left - I love to bring the outside in - larch, kinnikinnick, star-flowered Solomon's seal

Upper right: Oregon grape; Bottom: Blue violet

Some of the flora we find is edible, as in the case of morel mushrooms. I wrote in the past about a gift of morels from a neighbor - upon first taste of the sauce prepared by Spousal Unit, we were hooked. Fully intending to go mushroom hunting on public lands this spring, we were pleasantly surprised to find enough around our own acreage to make a meal. Melt in your mouth good!

REVELING IN THE SURPRISES

But the month wasn't complete without a couple surprises. One day, Spousal Unit was tidying the woodpile and came back with this beauty - a long-toed salamander, which just happens to be the state salamander of Montana. Yep, you know I love nature when I get excited about one of these!

And last but not least, Spousal Unit was fishing the North Fork of the Flathead River, and popped into the Polebridge Mercantile. Despite its middle-of-nowhere location, it is deservedly famous for its baked goods. Imagine my delight when he returned to the house with two huckleberry bear claws. Savoring this confection made up for the fact that he didn't hook a single fish!

What's not a surprise? That Spousal Unit was the man behind both of these moments - I can always count on him to bring me joy!

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.
Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.
The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Monday (U.S. Mountain time).
Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.
Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.
As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by.
Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.
Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us.

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Mosaic Monday #29 - Three States in a Day

Did you know you can cross Idaho in an hour? Yep, you surely can, if you take the northern route. Just take a gander at this map of Idaho. Doesn't it make you wonder who drew state lines? What could possibly be the purpose of the little sticky-up bit between Montana and Washington State? Maybe it's just there so the achievement types (no, not me, no sir!) can check Idaho off the list … Well, now I can say I have been to and through the Gem State! That's good enough for me!

Yes, we have completed our road trip, 450 miles, 5 days and enough memories that it felt akin to a couple of weeks. But that's kinda our modus operandi - we don't just visit a place, we VISIT. So, I'll spare you a blog post the length of War and Peace; I will split our mini-vacation into several segments. Here we go with Day One.

Spousal Unit planned this trip, and he deserves high marks for his research and execution. Rather than scoot through Idaho with nothing but a wave at the potato farmers, we cruised to Coeur D'Alene. French-speaking fur traders named the lake/town in the mid-1800s; legend says the traders believed the local Indians to be sharp traders, and thus they bestowed the name that means "their hearts were sharp as an awl". The French translation is beaucoup more romantic, no?

World's Longest Floating Boardwalk at Coeur d'Alene Resort

The Resort also features the world's only floating green as part of

its golf course. On the 14th hole, the green measures 15,000 sq. ft.

and weighs almost five million pounds. It can be moved on the

surface of the water to change to distance from the tee to the hole.

It's almost impossible to visit the city without engaging Lake Coeur D'Alene, 25 miles long and featuring 135 miles of shoreline. In our case, we traded our truck for our bicycles and pedaled 12 miles of that shoreline. Such variety - world-class resorts to open vistas to elegant lake-side homes (collage below). A captivating peek into the routines of this quaint city.

Loading the bikes back into the truck, we pointed our noses westward, destination Spokane, WA. Yes, Montana in the morning, Idaho in the afternoon and Washington State in the early evening. We dropped the bags at our hotel and navigated to the Night Market, through throngs of people with the same notion as us - to relish the season opener of the Market, known for fresh local produce, pickles, jams, soap, jewelry, tea, baked goods, food trucks and live music.

Given the grey skies, we opted to nibble our food and sip our beverages on the covered patio at Nectar, with a view of the Spokane River and even an osprey nest perched high atop a tall pole.

On the way back to the hotel, we spotted this mural and decided to take the advice. We dropped into the Globe Bar and Kitchen, and boy, that bartender shook a mean Manhattan!

All of these murals decorate one wall of the Globe, located in a former historic hotel that has been in downtown Spokane since 1908. I think there is some pithy advice here for everyone - take your pick!

And so concluded Day One - watch for future posts about the rest of the trip!

Mosaic Monday

Sunday, May 19, 2019

Mosaic Monday #28 - Little, Simple Joys

Royal Red Norway Maple - leafing out in our garden

My friends, we're taking a road trip! That is, Spousal Unit and I are taking a road trip. Now, now - don't worry. Letting Go of the Bay Leaf will post all the pictures and the details that are fit for a refined audience such as yourselves when we return. Which means this week's post will be shorter and simpler than most. Which some of you may greet with a "finally"! Welcome to a snapshot of my recent little, simple joys - all I need!

You've seen neighbor cat Katniss before in previous posts - I had the opportunity to look after her again recently. She is so soft and fluffy - such a luxurious coat for a cat!

And then there's our 17-year-old lady, Maggie, who digs the sun spots in our house. Sometimes I have to check that she's still breathing!

If you've been following my blog, you know that we have applied for several backcountry camping permits in Glacier National Park. Two of our three applications were approved, and we learned that mid-May, you can access real-time availability of the back-country campgrounds. As a result, we applied for an additional two-night camping trip, and it was approved within 24 hours. Yippee!

I volunteer at the Whitefish Historical Museum one day a week, and our executive director has witnessed my various craft projects during slow times, whether it is drawing or cross-stitch. Last week, she surprised me with this bookmark, which she said had been left in a donated book. So what is so special about this? Well, my friends, it looks the same on the front AND THE BACK. No knots, or crossing the thread to another section, and it is one piece of cloth … I was amazed. It is simple and yet remarkably beautiful, all at the same time. I especially like the Celtic knot patterns in the corners! I almost cried when I considered that she thought of me when she saw it, not to mention the wonder of the craftmanship.

My dear neighbor took me to a nearby waterfall. I couldn't take my eyes from the 100-foot drop over three distinct cascades, much less the wildflowers that seem to be several weeks ahead of those I have seen elsewhere!

Left: Yellowbells; Middle: That's me standing to right of the upper cascade;

Right: Shooting Star

We recently hosted a dinner party for several of our fellow Mountain Ambassadors, and I had prepared some flower arrangements to grace our outdoor tables. One of our guests brought tulips, and I added them to the vases. The next day I received my Mother's Day cards - it all made for a marvelous mosaic. Until next time, dear readers, I pray for you that every day brings little, simple joys!

Mosaic Monday

Sunday, May 12, 2019

Mosaic Monday #27 - Got the Fever

Drawing Fever, that is.
#1 Daughter gave me a drawing book for Christmas, along with a set of markers. I have featured some of my drawings, inspired by that book, in three previous posts (2/2, 3/14 and 4/7). But lately I have taken it up a notch due to a secret project (you will see it eventually) and an idea I had earlier this year.

What was that idea? My Day-Timer pages, with attractive art and pithy catch-phrases for each month, stirred my creative juices. I originally planned to wax lyrical about the meaning behind the phrases, and perhaps select a variety of photos from daily life to accompany them. But then I had the epiphany to create a post AND draw simultaneously - I could create my own drawings with those phrases!

And I am delirious with the joy of the process and the outcomes.

As you might predict, I am learning as I go along, and I think my lessons learned are delivering improved quality drawings. Here are "Angie's
A-Ha Moments":

ONE: Draw in pencil first. It will erase, unlike marker and colored pencils!

Phrase for March

TWO: Go over the pencil with permanent marker and then erase all pencil marks before coloring; lingering pencil can blend with the colored pencil and mar the desired tone.

THREE: If I complete the drawing in stages - pencil, marker, erase; pencil, marker, erase - I can draw over the marker with pencil but only where I want, thereby creating the illusion of objects being behind or on top of each other. So excited about this discovery!

FOUR: A ruler is my friend. Especially if straight words are important! I found my lettering tends to slant upward as I move right to left - pencil lines to guide my lettering helps tremendously, and the lines can be erased! No one needs to know! (But now I guess you do ....)

FIVE: Inspiration can come from anywhere, such as this bookmark that I picked up at the library check-out counter.

SIX: When looking for fonts for a particular theme, Pinterest is my go-to source!

Phrase for February

SEVEN: It's good to let a drawing percolate overnight, or even a day or two. Sometimes I like it more when I haven't been staring at it, and sometimes it helps me discern what needs to be improved.

EIGHT: I may need a wider variety of colored pencils.

April theme: my drawing book inspired me to try this style with the positive and negative spaces

And that's when I knew I had the fever. Whether you are a painter, quilter, knitter, eco-dyer, choose your passion - you know you're hooked when you need MORE SUPPLIES!

Mosaic Monday