Lindy Low LeCoq

~ Wildfire Consequences ~

Posted on September 17, 2017 by Lindy Le Coq

The Eagle Creek fire in the Columbia Gorge continues to burn just eighteen miles east from where I live. Though my community is not in danger of burning, the air standard has been awful the past two weeks.

View from my window of sun rising — Sept. 4, 2017

Sun going down — Sept. 14, 2017

Orange tinted sun reflection on my pond — Sept. 14, 2017

Yesterday, the air quality index rated Portland/Vancouver the worst in the USA. We are anticipating with relief rains that are in our future, however the residual aftermath of these wildfires will be with us well beyond the extinguished flames.

Posted in nature, outdoors, pacific northwest, photography, trees | Tagged nature, outdoors, pacific northwest, photography, trees, wildfire | 9 Comments

~ Resource ~ WPC: Repurpose ~

Posted on September 16, 2017 by Lindy Le Coq

A few years ago I resurrected the storage shed enough to call it the cottage!

This spring it was overdue for a facelift. I looked around at potential replacements, but decided to use some old cedar fence-boards I’d saved — et voila — resource repurposed to cedar siding for the cost of a few nails!

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The outside decor also is repurposed: a grape crate, cider-press basket, and metal stays from wine barrels that had been converted to planters and disintegrated over time! My parents were game hunters and before Dad died, I adopted his/their collection of antlers — this seemed a perfect place to feature one.

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When we bought the Long Beach condo, this driftwood ball was the living-room lamp shade.

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It cast wonderful shadows, but just didn’t fit our aesthetic vision and desire for diffused lighting. Though we loved it as a work of art, it was a lousy lampshade!

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Now it is a featured work of art in the garden. Every time I see it, I smile!

Repurpose

Posted in landscape gardening, pacific northwest, weekly photo challenge | Tagged landscape gardening, pacific northwest, weekly photo challenge | 4 Comments

~ Hidden ~ Cee’s Just For Fun Challenge ~

Posted on September 15, 2017 by Lindy Le Coq

While walking the trail to the beach, I was chasing after red Damselflies that were everywhere — but kept moving out of camera shot quickly. When I saw a stem of dune grass move, I leaned down to see what it was and found this beauty!

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Since my focus for learning right now is on birds, I’m not sure what specific subfamily this Mantidae (praying mantis) belongs to. I always welcome information about specifics from anyone who knows!

Posted in bugs & critters, Entomology, nature, outdoors, pacific northwest, photography | Tagged bugs & critters, nature, outdoors, pacific northwest, photography | Leave a comment

~ Song Sparrow ~

Posted on September 14, 2017 by Lindy Le Coq

Who is this fledgling —

(its tail barely a hint of what it will become)

— pecking seed on my deck rail?

Dark and light streaked breast

white eye-brow

round — squat

— splay-footed —

English Song Sparrow!

Song Sparrow

In spring males perch on snags and fence tops

beaks open to the sky announce—

(in complex musical notes)

— a personal invitation to the ladies!

Song Sparrow Silhouette

Posted in birds, nature, ornithology, pacific northwest, photography, Poetry, Thursday Thoughts | 4 Comments

~Shorebirds ~ Wordless Wednesday ~

Posted on September 13, 2017 by Lindy Le Coq

California Gull, Immature Heerman Gull, Sanderling

Sanderlings

Posted in birds, nature, ornithology, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography, Wordless Wednesday | 4 Comments

~ Where’s The Deer? ~ WPC: Waiting ~

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Lindy Le Coq

At the crest of a knoll in the dunes, Jello stops, looks, sniffs and waits!

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White-tail deer reside in the area and Jello has encountered them on our walk through the dunes before. Not this morning though!

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Waiting

Posted in Beagles, dogs, nature, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography, travel, weekly photo challenge | Tagged beagles, dogs, nature, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography, travel, weekly photo challenge | 1 Comment

~ Texture Of Life — Cee’s B&W Photo Challenge ~

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Lindy Le Coq

Land Snail – Lewis & Clark Discovery Trail – Long Beach, WA – August 8, 2017.

Version 2

Since Cee likes more than one image in her challenges — I offer these extras!

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Posted in Cee's Black & White Photo Challenge, nature, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography | Tagged Cee's Black & White Photo Challenge, nature, outdoors, pacific northwest, pacific ocean, photography | 5 Comments

~ In A Vase On Monday ~

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Lindy Le Coq

Roses seem to be the last of the lovelies blooming now. Once again they are served up in the crystal vase with Hebe ‘variegata’ as background.

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Rosa ‘Graham Thomas’

Rosa ‘Tiffany’

Rosa ‘Memorial Day’

Rudbeckia is fading and Echinacea heads are drying — ready for migrating finches to feast. Hydrangea still holds its mopheads in shades of green, though there are few bright blue and pink ones left. I always feel a kind of sadness as summer wanes and autumn approaches. Soon it will be time to put the gardens to bed, and haul in some firewood!

Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for providing space to enjoy creating with cut flowers!