# A Toddle In the Woods... and a Bald Solicitation for Photographs



## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Ok, Sherry inspired me to go for my own renewing little walk in the woods today. No snow to contend with, but Iâll take the brightness of the day as a harbinger of the year to come. Itâs gonna be a good âun.

I snapped a few pics along the way â actually went back to the house to grab my camera, because I found some mushrooms I wanted to share pics of with another HTâer. And since others here often say they enjoy seeing the pics, I thought Iâd post a few. Oh, they're big, and no apologies for it, either:

One view people see when they drive up to my home:












My view when I leave:












The deep, dark woods:












Work, work, work â deadfall on my fence from the last windstorm a couple of weeks ago:












Iâll have to take care of that soon. A few favorite stumps:
































Close-up of a mushroom growing on the last one:












Looking for the logger whoâs up for tackling this stand:






















That big sucker off to the left of the last photo looms over my bedroom, about 30 feet off from it. The last logger who had a look at it mused, âMy. That oneâs getting to a size where it donât stop till it hits the ground.â Then he fixed me with a look: âNo matter WHAT is in the way of it.â So naturally, I asked, âWhat are the odds of it falling, dâyou reckon?â He said it was a good healthy tree, well protected from wind and âprobablyâ wouldnât fall. Probably.

Put it this way: When thereâs a big wind storm, I move off to sleep in another part of the house.

Ok; Iâve bored you all enough. I'd love to see pics taken by others of things they may have found inspirational today -- or any day, come to that.


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

You have my dream view! Thank you for sharing such beautiful pics.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

No boredom here. I could see more pics if you've got em! 

Now I've really got a hankering to hook up with another horse.


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## foxfiredidit (Apr 15, 2003)

Nice photos Rae, your woods are really nice. Everything looks green even in January.
I have only a couple of mushrooms I found in December.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

LOL, fox, I just finished posting mushroom pics on another thread... I suppose I could cross-post here.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Some mushroom pics, then. The first three are of false Chanterelles, which I wanted to share with another Oregonian who's been out hunting Chanterelles.


































And here are some other mushrooms I snapped today, though I've no idea what they are:
































That last one is a psilocybe, but no idea if it's a, ummm, good one or not. Still, nice to look at.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

LOL, ok, Leslie -- a couple more for you:

The joy of renewal!












Another angle of the trees on the hill behind the house:












And the pigs and piglets say hello. 













And th-th-th-aaaaat's all for today, folks!


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Is one of them Hickory? soon to be smoked hickory? Ymmmmm bacon walking freely.


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

Beautiful, Raeven.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

LOL, yes, Hickory still walks among us, bacon on the hoof so to speak, as does Penelope, Wilbur and little porky Foxfire.  They all move around so much, it's very hard to get good photos of them... especially if one is not particularly skilled with a camera!


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## billooo2 (Nov 23, 2004)

Great pictures!!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!


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## nehimama (Jun 18, 2005)

I really enjoyed the photos. Thank You!


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

As the the loan PETA member on the entire HT site I would like to say, "Do you have to name them?" Awwwwwww.

(I still think you are way cool.)


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## Guest (Jan 2, 2013)

Great photos...thanks !!!!!!!

I was noticing your road...do you get snowed in often?


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Raven12 said:


> As the the loan PETA member on the entire HT site I would like to say, "Do you have to name them?" Awwwwwww.
> 
> (I still think you are way cool.)


LOL, what a nice thing to say -- and I'm glad I've got SOMEONE bamboozled, anyway. 

We can pretend I haven't named them and simply refer to them as Bacon-ator, Sir Loin, Hambone and Cracklin'.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

bostonlesley said:


> Great photos...thanks !!!!!!!
> 
> I was noticing your road...do you get snowed in often?


Lesley... that's my driveway, and no, not too often. There's actually a more treacherous part around the bend where you can't see. It dips down to cross a (second) creek, and the climb up and out of that dip is a little perilous if we've had a good snow. I pretty much stay ready to be snowed in for a couple of weeks at all times each winter. It's only happened once in 8 years, and even that was a pleasant self-deception. I keep a 4-wheel drive truck and an all-wheel drive car -- and that's part of what they're for.  Snow rarely lasts long around here. Very different to where you are!


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## Shygal (May 26, 2003)

Oh you CANT make bacon out of a pig named Wilbur :nono:


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## doodlemom (Apr 4, 2006)

Listen to the spider, Raven


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)




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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

How do you edit these pictures down? They are so huge!


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

ROFL, doodle, not to worry -- Wilbur and Hickory are headed to Freezer Camp. Foxfire is not, but only because the vet liked the look of him. He's slated to become registered breeding stock. Who would have thought? He better hope a BUYER also likes the look of him. 

Penelope dodges the bullet by virtue of being a gilt, but only if she can prove herself an able sow through a first litter. If she has inverted nipples (am I going to be banned for saying 'nipples'??), then CCCHHHHRRRGGGHHHHHTTTTTTT!!! It's off to the camp with her!!

LOLOL, I love your Charlotte's Web doodle!!!


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

LOL, awwwww, Raven-sis, I LOVE big... pics!!!


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

That is Godzilla's kleenex box sitting on your thread! Oh well.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

ROFL, what is it they say? If it's worth doing, do it GRANDLY!!! Welcome, Godzilla!!!!


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

Thanks for sharing the pics and the stories. You're in a very pretty location...enjoy.


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## sherry in Maine (Nov 22, 2007)

I love your property (and your pigs, yum yum)

Thanks for the photos all of you! I love looking at them!


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

doodlemom said:


> Listen to the spider, Raven


I see that as the spider wanting bacon...


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Stopped yesterday on my way home from town to snap this pic. It's a common enough sight here in Oregon.












Funny, you'd think the farmers would appreciate all that free manure -- but they don't!  And of course it's a LITTLE unsettling that all these birds are constantly flocking around the airport, which is probably less than 3 miles as the crow (goose?) flies from where I took this photograph. I never fly out of here without thinking about bird strike.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

I see that many birds and think......

"Tippi Hedren"


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## Guest (Jan 18, 2013)

Looking out my back door this morning.

Icy wind of night be gone
This is not your domain


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Zong, you're just posting that to make me jealous.

I WANT SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

You can have mine!

Actually, this is my kind of snow storm. Started after dark, was done by morning, and will most likely melt today.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

Dang Raeven you make me homesick for Oregon wood  but I am almost back to the woods again, I can smell it on the wind, my hair is curling in the fog, I can hear the kinglets scuttering in the treetops


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## SilverFlame819 (Aug 24, 2010)

More!!!


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## sherry in Maine (Nov 22, 2007)

gosh Zong, you got snow?


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## Guest (Jan 19, 2013)

The snow ain't so much, but the sun always rises in that bottom, while it's still kind of dark at the house. Gives it a real other-worldly look. Every morning, but nicest when there's snow. It also looks pretty good when the bottom is full of fog, it's clear up here, and the sun shines on the fog before it does here. Most mornings are really nice looking. Rainy days, not so much.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

So today I spent the afternoon with some friends enjoying lunch at one of the local wineries. It's Dungeness crab season here, finest crab in the world as far as I'm concerned. We made a porcine event of it and had a great time. The scenery was spectacular, the company stimulating and fun. One of my favorite places to hang out and to take visitors: http://www.kingestate.com/

Snapped some pics for you all:

The winery:












Some views from the winery:




















































And a couple snapped on the way home:
































Some of our wineries have a sense of humor.  Hope you enjoyed sharing my day!


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## swerven (Nov 30, 2012)

zong said:


> Icy wind of night be gone
> This is not your domain


 Wonder how many recognize this. ^^

Off to find some bootlegs.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

swerven said:


> Wonder how many recognize this. ^^
> 
> Off to find some bootlegs.


More than you think, probably. Careful With That Axe, Eugene.


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## swerven (Nov 30, 2012)

Currently listening to Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun. One of my favs. ETA: sorry for the hijack


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

swerven... not a bit, no hijacks here. I like threads that meander.  Welcome, btw.


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## swerven (Nov 30, 2012)

Raeven said:


> swerven... not a bit, no hijacks here. I like threads that meander.  Welcome, btw.


Thanks for the welcome. I gotta find my camera. The driveway pic reminded me of my drive. ETA: currently listening to several species of small furry animals gathered together in a cave and grooving with a pict.


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## Malamute (Sep 15, 2011)

I enjoy a toddle about the yard and neighborhood now and then.

from the yard,


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## Malamute (Sep 15, 2011)

The neighborhood is quite nice also


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

<snapping fingers and pointing at Malamute...> Say, do I know you? 

Dazzling photographs, Mal... yours is splendid country (too)! Thanks so much for sharing them, and don't blame me if everyone moves to your neck of the woods!


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Malamute........why must you torture us so?


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Not snow, but we've had quite a stretch of freezing fog. Today it left hoar frost on everything. So... I took another little walk today and the camera strikes again.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

That is wicked coool Rae! Like something out of a fantasy.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

I am always taken with it -- it is so pretty! And yes, unworldly.  Glad you liked them!


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

love that fog! people are complaining...I love it! beautiful pix raeven!


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

I just have to say a few things. The pics are all AWESOME! However, now that I have experienced what I have....I do not think I will ever again live in a more northern climate that experiences much snow without a definite, always going to be there, partner.

This is my first winter in my life that has no snow. I am realizing a lot of things about myself. And truly believe that there is no way I will go back to northern skies, as beautiful as they are, as beautiful and as much as I miss the snow and the fires and etc...without a partner. Not enough sun and being alone all winter is depressing....much better to share it.

So that being said, I have no beautiful pictures of winter here in Ft. Worth...I am digging up the ground and planning garden one of the year. It is still all droopy, not much color, sort of dirty looking...but sun...lots of sun.


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## SilverFlame819 (Aug 24, 2010)

I rather like the silence and solitude of snowfall and cold winters. Staying inside and drinking cocoa and snuggling in a blanket while you read a book sounds fantastic to me! However, Utah's been having an issue with not a lot of snow, but a WHOLE lot of freezing temps. It sucks to have constant below-freezing days where nothing melts and no snow falls. What's the point of the cold if it's not going to snow??

The only thing that really sucks about the snow, in my opinion, is well-below-zero temps for extended periods, and driving in it when you've got somewhere to be. Year-round sun sounds exhausting to me. When do you get your downtime?? I definitely need to have part of my year a bit on the quiet, planning & preparing for a new year, side of things. My soul requires a bit of standstill and reflection in the colder months.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Do I have to do EVERYTHING in this thread (except Fox, zong, MoonRiver and Malamute)?? Yeesh!! 

Recently I took a little trip down through the redwood trees of Southern Oregon/Northern California on my way to visit a friend in the wine country. Thought some of you might appreciate seeing a different sort of woods.


The first pic is a view I caught in Southern Oregon:













The second pic, too. The freshwater lake spills into the ocean beyond that spit on the right, though you can barely see that:












I pretty much had the road to myself:












Stopped briefly to catch a couple quick photos in Humboldt County:
































Then took a stroll through some other big trees with my friend. With her permission, I'll use her to demonstrate the size of these trees:












Here's a pickup truck that demonstrates the same thing:












The trees frequently grow in fairy rings:












I'll post a few more in another post, 'coz of the limit imposed by HT.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Just a few more:


These trees are tall!!!












And we sure enjoyed hanging around in them:












There were some interesting root balls:












But best of all, a fabulous glass of wine waiting at home each night. What could be nicer?


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## foxfiredidit (Apr 15, 2003)

They're all outta-sight Rae. Just beautiful country and your photos give description to a diversity really hard for a flat-land country dweller such as I to even imagine otherwise. Great work.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Thanks, Fox.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Wow Rae! That root ball would be the perfect "green man."

I'd show some current pics, but all you'd see would be a white box


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

TI... I'll bet they'd be the prettiest white box photographs I ever saw. I hope you get some beautiful shots to post!


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## SilverFlame819 (Aug 24, 2010)

OMG, NorCal. You could post pictures of the scenery every single day, and I'd come back just for those!!


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

By special request from Raeven......

My view from the back door this morning. That fenced area is my garden.

Porter having fun on the patio. He loves the snow. Later we'll go outside and play catch with snowballs. Always to watch him look it if he misses. LOL.

It stopped snowing around 4am this morning.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Wowwwwww, Leslie!! That's one fine-looking white box! Thank you for posting. 

You guys got a pretty good dose -- I especially love seeing the snow piled on top of the table, so we can see how deep it is. I remember snow storms like that in Utah. I was a kid, so I never appreciated what a hassle they were for the adults trying to go about their business. To me, it was just a fairy land.

LOL, Porter looks like he's glad it stopped where it did. 

Thanks for sharing them!


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

Yeah he and Fritz were having a ball flopping around in it. 

It wasn't too much fun for me though shoveling that walkway to dad's house. I think we got about 18". There is a nice thick layer of sloppy, slushy crap under that pretty fluffy white stuff on top.


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## foxfiredidit (Apr 15, 2003)

Very nice Leslie. Now THAT's a winter snow for sure!! I think the pup wants you to come out and play.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

Here are some when I visited my sister Christmas. Gulf Shores Al.


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

This is me. Good bad or other wise. The last place is Reelfoot Lake also known as the Earthquake lake. It is about 30 miles from me.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

tambo... that sunset is breathtaking. Love the Spanish moss shots as well! Thanks for sharing part of your vacation with us!


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

LOL, Leslie, your picture of Porter in the snow reminded me of the first snowfall we experienced in Oregon about 3 weeks after we moved here. Our California-rescued Border Collie, Opie, had never been in the snow before. Please meet the Most Miserable Dog in the World:












Here he is in happier times:












We are not creatures of extremes, Opie and me. We like our weather temperate.


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## maverickxxx (Jan 25, 2011)

[/IMG]heres a miniature snow angel


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## tambo (Mar 28, 2003)

Raeven I love the dog pics. I love when they cheese for the camera!


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Spring has sprung with a vengeance today in Oregon. I was busy mowing and starting tomatoes, but when I took a brief drive to get fuel for the mower, I spotted an oft-seen spectacle in my neighborhood. Whenever the sun comes out, the turtles in this pond vie for real estate on this submerged log in an old logging pond near my place. It always makes me laugh to see them there!






















Silly things.


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## foxfiredidit (Apr 15, 2003)

The jolly green midget and his wild flower.


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

WOW Fox! That is some cool pic of the lizard! He looks like he's made of beads.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Love both pics, Fox, but the lizard is stunning. He looks just like Leslie says -- a jewel of nature!


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## Tommyice (Dec 5, 2010)

I can actually see him turned into some bejewelled brooch in some hoity toity jewelery shop.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

These were snapped over the past couple of days, both from my property and on a meandering drive while running errands. It's just... spring in Oregon.

For my friend, Leslie, who loves the bleeding hearts (my place, they grow everywhere):





Pansies, which self-sow and are also everywhere this time of year (my place, again):





Trillium. I'd never seen one before I moved here (my place):





The wild iris are everywhere, as we will see (driving around):











Sometimes there are fields of them:





(Note the Giant Chicken in the background.)


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

A few more. The shrubs and trees are stunning now, too:


Azaleas at my friend's house:





Dogwood and ornamental plum (driving around):





More dogwoods:











One of my favorite spots on a nearby road, because whoever planted this row of shrubs/trees had a blast. The colors are like a kaleidoscope both spring and fall:





My road, just a hair west of where I snapped the turtles. These are one of my neighbor's trees:





The pics don't begin to share the incredible scents in the air or the sounds of the birds. I love spring!!!


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## doodlemom (Apr 4, 2006)

I love the wild strawberries!


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

LOL, yes, those are everywhere here, too... I didn't even think to note them!!


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## SimplerTimez (Jan 20, 2008)

I had to check my bandwidth usage before I loaded this thread Raeven, but I knew it would be worth it! You have a lovely place, and a good eye for photos. It's been too rainy to take any photos here. Maybe tomorrow, but the seed ticks are out as well already 
Thanks for sharing.

~ST


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## doodlemom (Apr 4, 2006)

I can't believe we missed the jolly green midget pic. Too cute!


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

That's kind of you to say, ST, I'm glad you enjoyed them. No doubt obvious to anyone who actually knows how to do photography, but I just see sh..ssstuff I like, point the camera, shoot and hope for the best. Fox is the true artist around here.  But thank you!


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## foxfiredidit (Apr 15, 2003)

A beautiful set of photos Rae, so many fine views out there in the wylds!!
An artist? I think not, but thanks for the nod.
This is a Mockingbird's nest.
Spring is really here!!


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

foxfiredidit said:


> A beautiful set of photos Rae, so many fine views out there in the wylds!!


Well, that's the other trick, of course. A surfeit of subject matter here. One can hardly NOT take a good picture.


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