Bloom Time

Spring is here! Everywhere I go, I see mounds of brilliant yellow daffodils and smell the sweet fragrance of Daphne. After such a drab, gray winter, I am ready for some color. Luckily, we have a number of local parks and gardens where I can easily see flowers in bloom throughout the growing season. If you …

Willamette Fish Hatchery: Oakridge

The Willamette Fish Hatchery sits just outside of Oakridge.  I can't tell you how many times I've driven down Highway 58 without noticing the road sign pointing toward the hatchery. Luckily, at some point it captured my attention, and the hatchery ended up on my "things to see" list. When we stopped by the hatchery last fall, I wasn't exactly …

Holiday Lights at Shore Acres State Park

This year over 325,000 lights have been strung at Shore Acres State Park in Charleston as part of their 29th annual Holiday Lights. What began as simply stringing a "few strands of lights" in the formal garden has since become a community tradition. This year organizers expect to draw 40,000 to 50,000 visitors. Although I …

Oregon Caves

Have you ever been to the Oregon Caves? I'm a native Oregonian, and I've lived in Oregon most of my life, yet I went to the Oregon Caves for the first time last month. Is that unusual? I don't know. But what I do know, now, is that the Oregon Caves are beautiful both inside …

Six Great Walks in Cottage Grove

Does your New Years Resolution include getting more exercise? If so, I have great news -- Cottage Grove is full of great places to get outside and enjoy a good stroll, jog, or bike ride. Over the years, I have written about several of those places here on the blog. Recently, I was getting together …

Beaver

The official animal of the state of Oregon is the beaver, and though I've lived in Oregon most of my life, I've only seen one once. It was down at the Row River Nature Park during a rare evening walk, and I just got a glimpse as it swam away into the evening darkness. A …

Long-billed Dowitcher

Every spring my challenge with this blog is to not geek-out too much on the beautiful wildflowers. My year-round challenge is to not geek-out too much on the birds, especially during fall migration. This year has been especially hard as I have been tracking the types of birds I see throughout the year (my "big …

Thompson’s Mills State Heritage Site: Shedd

The first time I saw a picture of Thompson’s Flouring Mill, I knew I wanted to see it in person. Later, when I learned that it is the oldest water-powered grist mill in the state and is open for tours, I knew I had to experience this historic site for myself. Located an hour north …

Siuslaw Interpretive Center: Florence

The next time you are in Old Town Florence, head to the west end of Bay Street and enjoy the new Siuslaw Interpretive Center. We've been watching this new park being developed for the past couple years, and during my last visit to Florence I discovered that the interpretive signs have finally been installed. Though …

Changes at Bake Stewart Park

Last spring I wrote numerous times about Bake Stewart Park and the glorious wildflowers growing there. For many years, we visited this park only occasionally, however since our wildflower discovery we've made a point to go out there more often. Over the past year we've watched as the Army Corps of Engineers worked to revitalize …