As the Autumn seasonal colour goes, the Portland, Oregon area has been especially enchanting this year. Today I want to wrap up some glimpses of my back yard colour and back yard birds, and a couple additional shots from the nearby Fanno Creek Trail.
Most of these shots are things I spot from my back yard office. That was one reason for the office placement and its design: so that I am distracted from my computer as often as possible. I think that’s an important goal in retirement. 🙂
The three photos above are from Fanno Creek Trail, a very long and beautiful trail that we can walk to from the house. We enter the trail right behind Fowler Middle School. Our community recently voted to spend bazillions of dollars to tear down and rebuild this entire school. Because I have no children in my life that will ever attend that school, my concerns about this rebuild (aside from the expense, which will come from our pockets) are the approaches to community use of the property.
Right now, the town uses the tennis courts constantly, the softball park, the running track, and many of us walk right through the parking lot to the paved path behind the school that leads us to Fanno Creek Trail – one of the absolute gems of Tigard. My assumption is that when they rebuild the school, they are going to make it more “safe” and put up fences and lock out the public. And I can understand that. But I hope not. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a thought given to safe public access – maybe just weekends? – on the new school grounds? Well, work begins in months, so I guess I will eventually find out.
We do not treat the soil to adjust the colour of our hydrangeas. They begin a nice sky blue in early summer, and then quickly turn into wine and finish off the season like this. It’s sumptuous. Whatever the chemical balance is that causes this colour – we love it.
It’s November now and there is still a lot of colour out here. It has been a standout year and trust me, I am enjoying every moment of these beautiful days of Autumn.
I am jealous of all the birding action you are getting! The only thing I’ve seen new this month was that today I spotted the first slate-sided juncos. Usually a very reliable indication that cold weather has arrived, but it’s still hovering around 60.’
About the trail. Wherever you go around here, the old rail lines have been converted to rail trails. Do you have those there also?