Robin's Woods

Snow Day

2012-01-22T14:18:00.000-08:00

Back to the Woods

2012-01-20T12:22:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity recently to travel by car across the United States, literally from coast to coast. Upon embarking on this journey, I mulled with the thought that, along the way, I might find some place preferable to the Pacific Northwest to live, some place that suited me better. Almost eight thousand miles later, I discovered that this enchanted forest delights my sensibilities like nowhere else I've been or seen.

And then I realized, Robin's Woods is not just the name of a blog, it's a real place, a place where dreams come true; it is my home. As I lay down to sleep last night, I could sense the forest holding me in it's embrace, and I knew at once that there was nowhere else I'd rather be than right here. Sometimes it takes a journey of a thousand miles, and sometimes, a journey of the heart to find you're right where you belong.

Evening Light

2010-09-06T11:30:00.000-07:00

In a rare and fleeting moment the other evening, the sunlight broke through the canopy of the forest and there was a perfect sunburst just above and to the right of the road through the woods. I was there to see it, but by the time I got my camera out and set up, it was already too late for anything but a fading memory. The evening light here in our region of the Pacific Northwest is always lovely, rain or shine, but elusive to capture. The sunburst may be a memory, but the golden glow of early autumn light on a late summer evening was mine to keep.

The Explorer

2010-08-08T18:58:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, the best pictures we take are those that are snapped on the spur of the moment. As a photographer, my instinct is to search out or set up pictures, taking my time, making sure the time of day and light is just right, checking exposure to make sure I get the shot, testing different compositions and angles. And then there's serendiptous moments like these, where I just grab the camera and shoot as fast as I can, because these moments don't last! Witness Princess Cupcake all geared up for an expedition in the wilds of our back yard. I looked out the window, and there she was, deep in adventure mode!

The Unveiling...

2010-07-15T19:41:00.000-07:00

....of this summer's Chipmunk Hotel!

Meet Desperaux, so named because of his close (and regular) encounters with the great white moose...

Sniffer, who is captured here in one of the rare moments he does NOT have his nose to the ground...

and Chubby, who may not look like his name yet, but judging by his appetite, will (sooner than later.)

Let the games begin!

Wordless Wednesday: Blackberries in bloom

2010-07-14T00:20:00.000-07:00

Guess Who?

2010-07-08T11:17:00.000-07:00

Ok, not really a fair question for those of you who have not met the woods' regular summer resident, Princess Cupcake. My main muse is back where she belongs, and this summer, will be acting as my photographer's assistant, modeling for me, styling shots, holding reflectors, and generally learning the trade.

The picture above is titled "Fauna" and is part of a series that Cupcake and her green fairy slippers will be helping me create this summer. Taking good pictures requires more than just a decent camera and a pretty scene. This shot alone helped Cupcake learn about quality of light, perspective, and posing, not to mention color and composition. Yes, I took the picture, but I could not have done it without my trusty assistant. Good job, Princess!

Wordless Wednesday: They're baaack!

2010-07-07T00:15:00.000-07:00

And this... would be why it is called Robin's Woods

2010-06-25T13:10:00.000-07:00

Round Robin Photo Challenge: Broken

Dear Mom,

I found a gift from the fauna today, and in a heartbeat, it reminded me of you. I'm sorry you never got to see the woods that were named in your memory. When we first came to this forest and I saw all the robins that called it home, I knew we had found where we were meant to be. You would have loved all the squirrels and chipmunks here too.

You never stopped missing your family, your "pet" squirrel, Peter, or your beloved robins in Brantford. I love that you wanted to give me a name that symbolized everything so precious to you, and wish you could have known that we named this place in honor of that love.

The robin's egg shell was just laying there, waiting for me to find it and remember one more time who -- and what -- inspired a life in these woods.

I miss you Mommy.

Jennie

For the Birds

2010-06-21T21:28:00.000-07:00

At least they think summer is here, even if Mother Nature is still messing with our weather!

Wordless Wednesday: Saturday Edition

2010-06-12T00:02:00.000-07:00

Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream.

- John Steinbeck, 1945

Wordless Wednesday: Monday Edition

2010-06-07T11:03:00.000-07:00

The Ends of the Earth

2010-05-13T22:39:00.000-07:00

Since the day I moved to this place, I have felt that there was nowhere else on earth quite as special. The Olympic Peninsula is not everyone's cup of tea (a love of large amounts of rain is advisable), but life in a temperate rain forest suits me just fine. On a fine spring day last week, hubby and I decided to visit one particularly extraordinary location on this peninsula, Cape Flattery. From here to there took us through almost every kind of weather imaginable: sunshine and blue skies, intense rain, hail, snow, and finally sunshine again as we reached the coastline. The drive was tedious as we traveled the narrow and winding roads leading out to the cape, and then came a half mile hike through the forest, but the view at the end was worth every moment.

The northwestern-most point of the continental United States, Tatoosh Island in the distance, home to the Cape Flattery lighthouse.

Simply Amazing...

2010-04-29T22:26:00.001-07:00

How a bit of new growth on a common plant can be so lovely to behold, flaws and all...

Wordless Wednesday

2010-04-21T00:15:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday Thursday Edition: Harbingers of Spring

2010-04-15T00:15:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday: Magic in the Forest

2010-04-14T00:15:00.000-07:00

A Visit From Cupcake, the Big White Dog, and Other Anomalies of Nature

2010-04-10T12:21:00.000-07:00

Even Mother Nature Has a Sense of Humor

2010-04-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

And here I thought I was going to make it through April Fools unscathed...

In the end, we had well over 2 inches of the white stuff, and by dinner, it was gone, except for a slushy residue on our already saturated ground. Very funny indeed.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-03T00:15:00.000-08:00

Back Into the Fray

2010-02-03T13:33:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I was inspired to do anything with this blog, and then I started seeing some of my favorite sites participating in something called "White Wednesday".

My muse has been let loose. Watch out world, I'm back.

The Thing About Traveling...

2010-02-03T00:15:00.000-08:00

I always wanted to travel... or thought I did. Dreams of visiting places where the grass may be greener (both literally and figuratively speaking) were a common desire in times past, and as the years went by and I grew into my life and careers, those same faraway places became attractive for even more reasons.

Then I moved to one of them - and had to travel with some regularity - and suddenly the shine on that notion dulled considerably. I have no appreciation for the sense of disorientation brought on by sleeping in all different beds and inconvenience of wondering where my next meal is going to be acquired from. Flying isn't as fun as it used to be, and travel by automobile is mindnumbingly boring when you just want to get from one place to the next as quickly as possible.

These days, I'd be one very content hermit if the world would cooperate. Problem with that plan (yes, all plans seem to have their drawbacks) is that I wouldn't get to see (or photograph, for that matter) things like this:

It's lovely where I live, but the sea life here isn't nearly so photogenic:

So, while I may have learned that the grass is not any greener on the other side of the fence in this forest, I know that there remains places in this world where it is, and I intend to see them, one way or another.

Wordless Wednesday: A Fungus Amongus

2009-11-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

A Gift From the Fairies

2009-11-07T17:09:00.001-08:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-04T19:31:00.001-08:00

Undecided

2009-11-02T21:26:00.001-08:00

Cheap Thrills

2009-08-04T20:12:00.000-07:00

Take an old wading pool, put it on the edge of a hill in the backyard, and get your camera ready...

because here he comes!Weight in the front...Cowabunga!Is someone going to help me out here?Again please!Cupcake's turn...Down we go!That was a tongue waggin' good ride!The things we do for entertainment out here in the boonies :)

Someone Remind Me Why?

2009-06-09T10:46:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted a big dog. My whole life, even as a little girl, I dreamt of having an exceptionally large... nay, mammoth dog. A moose of a dog, one that would turn heads and keep intruders at bay, a companion whose presence would never go unnoticed. Never mind that big dogs mean big messes, and unlike every other hardwood floored house I had ever lived in, our most recent was fully carpeted in a pale and lovely, wall to wall, up and down the stairs, soft aqua plush.

Then came Phinneus. It started innocently enough. I read on a popular site one day about the charm of the Great Pyrenees breed and was smitten. I wasn't really ready for that kind of new addition to my household (thinking of my pale aqua plush underfoot) but the day my husband (who has a history of "gifts that keep on giving") called and said he'd found my Christmas present, I was a goner.

Puppies of all breeds have a certain "je ne sais quoi" about them, an irresistible quality capable of turning the most unyielding of us into cooing, cuddling, softhearted suckers. The fact that this puppy had one brown eye and one pale blue (along with an affordable price tag) was enough to push me into the realm of fantasy, one where I could see myself cavorting through the woods and strolling my beach with an immense white beast at my side. Somewhere in my dreams, I overlooked the part where a puppy, who was still a toddler for all intents and purposes, would be big enough to sweep the kitchen counters with his snout as he walked by.

Given the number of sticks of relatively expensive, organic butter that I have set out to soften that have subsequently and mysteriously disappeared, it took me awhile to catch on to what was happening. Despite the fact that my behemoth 7 month old darling has never been given table scraps, never bothered an errant dinner plate, and expresses excitement for only healthy, delectable treats like carrots and apples, (and having found no evidence other than the lack of, and some rather unattractive, previously unidentified stains on my once pale and lovely aqua plush carpet) it appears he has developed a illicit taste for not only butter itself, but apparently the wax paper wrappers it comes in as well.

The fog of infatuation is finally lifting. Next year, I'm getting hardwood floors for Mother's Day.

Wordless Wednesday: Friday Edition

2009-06-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday:Tuesday Edition

2009-04-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

What a delightful find! Going through my archives, I found an abandoned experiment from a few years ago. I had fallen in love with this particular Spanish Lavender blossom, and photographed it from a variety of angles.

This was not part of the plan.....

2009-03-15T12:34:00.000-07:00

I am accustomed to the perpetual "Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain" weather forecast here in the state of Washington. Even the weather people get a kick out of it - predicting our weather is just too easy sometimes. What I want to know, is who dropped the ball on this one?

But that old joke we have about "if you don't like the weather here, just wait 5 minutes" holds true, even after 5 inches of surprise snow in about as many hours. The clouds started to lift....And now it is sunny and raining. Have I mentioned lately how much I love living here?!

Morning Has Broken

2009-02-24T10:37:00.000-08:00

I am normally a late riser, but some mornings, getting up early has it benefits. The payoff:

Only for a short time each year does the sun rise in the middle of the view from my balcony, and even less frequent is the opportunity to not have it obscured by overcast skies. Click on the picture to enlarge and see the wisps of fog still hanging over the water.

Never Say Never...

2009-02-16T20:39:00.000-08:00

After a nice, long vacation from the blogosphere, I find myself tempted to once again join the fray. Maybe. My newest muse? This guy, a Great Pyrenees puppy named Phinneus, a Christmas gift from my hubby!

To everything, there is a season....

2008-11-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

There is a certain sense of euphoria in making life altering decisions, especially those that change your life for the better. I have been struggling with myself over my place in the blogosphere for at least the past two months now, and the fight is finally over. When I joined on as a moderator at Entrecard just over a month ago, I was excited to become a part of something that fit so well with my blogging, and hoped that it would reignite the passion I had felt for it in the beginning. Then reality sunk in, and I found that the old battle of not enough hours in the day was only getting worse, not better, so I did what I had been taught to do many years ago --- I made a pros and cons list. I discovered quickly what was really important to me, and blogging, hours on the internet, and the life that revolved around it was not anywhere near the top.

I have loved every minute of sharing my world with friends known and unknown, and I have some special relationships left from my experience at Entrecard (you know who you are) that I will treasure forever. Robin's Woods will live on in the real world, but it's time here in the virtual world of the internet is done. Thank you, everyone, who has visited, commented, and encouraged me along this path. I am a better person for it.

"So, my dear friends, fare thee well -- and if forever, still forever, fare thee well."
"Mike Monroe", Northern Exposure, 1993

The Witch of Pungo Revisited

2008-10-31T00:01:00.000-07:00

I first posted this story back in April, and decided it was perfect to post again in honor of Halloween.

Pungo, Virginia, December 2001. As part of a visit to Virginia Beach several years ago, hubby and I decided to take advantage of a few free days, the gorgeous countryside, and some gloomy weather (perfect for photography) to go on a photographic tour of the surrounding area. Several people had told me that if I liked old houses, I should go see the Witch of Pungo's house. Stories of the witch and her "haunted" house were part of the folk legends that everyone around there grew up on, so we decided to check it out. Directions were vague, but Pungo being a small town you could see all of standing in one place, we were told there was no way to miss it. It didn't take much to get me in the car and on our way to see what the fascination with this old place was. We drove to Pungo, and it was immediately evident that what we had been told was true, because the house had a presence all it's own. The sky was dark, cloudy, and foreboding, and the house was definitely living up to it's ghoulish reputation. The atmosphere was far from comfortable, so I quickly cranked off a couple shots while the hair stood up on the back of my neck, and then we hightailed it out of there as fast as we could.

Fast forward 7 years. I gifted a friend who likes abandoned buildings with a print of the Witch of Pungo's house. I had never really followed up on the story behind it, so we looked it up. It turns out that the story of the Witch of Pungo, Grace Sherwood, is not only infamous Princess Anne County folklore and the title of a popular children's book, she was exonerated of being a witch in July 2006 on the 300th anniversary of her ducking.Here's where the story gets creepy though. In one of the articles, it said that all that remained in recent history of Grace Sherwood's house was the chimneys, and that they had been torn down in November 1998 due to safety issues. If that is true, then whose house is this that I photographed in Pungo in the end of 2001?

Wordless Wednesday: Thursday Edition

2008-10-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2008-10-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday: Tuesday Edition

2008-10-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

And more creepy things...

2008-10-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

In keeping with the creepy, skin crawling spirit of the upcoming All Hallows Eve, another scary picture.
What do you suppose broke out through that iron shuttered window?

Not So Wordless Wednesday, or Excuses, and More Excuses, and some eye candy to go with them.

2008-10-22T17:55:00.000-07:00

Alright, I admit it; I've been a slacker blogger lately, and it's been pointed out to me by more people than I care to acknowledge. At some point recently, I realized that life had become more about the blog than the things that inspired it, and I have been trying to strike some kind of balance ever since, unsuccessfully so far.

I took two trips through the woods today, once on foot, and once on my little tractor, looking and listening for inspiration, and found none, except for being reminded once again of how much I love it here - the cold, crisp air, the scent of conifers in the air year round, the rustlings of wild things in the tangle of brush and trees. I need to get down and see my world from a different perspective if I am going to find things to share here, to inspire me to post more often.

I started last week with some mushroom photos, and got a lot questions about them that I will answer here.

This photo is how these appear when they first sprout up (overnight it seems!)
Then, after about a week, they suddenly rise up out of the ground and look like this.
And the next day, they are gone, or may as well be. Nothing has eaten these, as many people have guessed; they just sort of.....dissolve away to nothing.

I know absolutely nothing about mushrooms, I just like to take their pictures. Princess Cupcake would have loved it if these had been around when she was building fairy houses this summer! Anyone who knows a little something about these fungi, I'd love to hear your comments.

Wordless Wednesday: What a Difference a Day Makes

2008-10-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2008-10-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2008-10-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Life's a Dance

2008-09-29T11:34:00.000-07:00

It's been a heck of a ride the past few years, and the last week culminated in one of the most exciting events of our life. After seemingly endless years of waiting and an anxiety filled week, we have a monumental announcement to make. Princess Cupcake is officially a member of the family, in every way, (as well as some that make things a little confusing!) Before you say "What ??" allow me to explain. As her grandfather and ever present, stable male figure in her life, Hubby has pretty much been the only "dad" Cupcake has ever known, and this week it finally became official. We all - Hubby (Papa), me (Nana), daughter (Sweetpea) and granddaughter (Cupcake) all share the same last name because Papa is now Cupcake's legally adoptive father, and here's where it gets confusing, in kind of a fun way for us. Cupcake has always had an amazing mommy, our daughter Sweetpea, but to make the family whole, we made some legal changes that took a few years to accomplish, and now her grandpa is also her dad, making her mom legally her sister, her uncle- her brother, her aunt - her sister in law, and I'm not even sure I want to know what that makes me, but you get the picture. And yes, in case anyone wonders, she is a very happy little girl who totally "gets it" and is thrilled to pieces with her new status. He's been there from day one, and while he has always been her one and only Papa, he is now, and always will be, her "Dad" too.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

Click on picture to enlarge

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Tuesday Edition

2008-09-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

For simply elegant foliage or flower photos such as this, try these techniques: Take your pictures in the shade, no direct sunlight, making sure to use a shallow depth of field. Focus on a single or small cluster separate from the rest of the plant or bouquet, and adjust the angle you are taking the photograph from to keep a darkish background, like more greenery or ground (as opposed to sky.) With enough separation between subject and background, your subject will stand out, well exposed, and the background will be out of focus and dark like shown above.

Wordless Wednesday: Flea Market Fun

2008-09-17T00:01:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday: Mission San Juan Capistrano

2008-09-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Tuesday Edition

2008-09-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

More of the loving couple.

They're Baaack!

2008-09-11T00:01:00.000-07:00

Well, not the original crew, but I do have chipmunks again, if only for a short while. We've had a run of unseasonably nice weather for the past week - clear blue skies, breezy, and not too warm. Mother Nature had a little help in the way of some favorite seed mix and peanuts scattered around the patio, and I think they finally succumbed to the temptation. These three little gals are new to me, and just cute as the dickens. One of them has been scaring the bejeezus out of me everyday for a few days now; she likes to try and go up the drainpipe attached to the wall outside my office, and the sound of little feet scrambling comes right through the wall. No names, and none of them itch, (plus I'm plumb out of ideas, and Cupcake isn't here to tell me the difference between them!)

Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-10T00:01:00.001-07:00

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

Back in 2004, I was privileged to be allowed into the defunct Knight Foundry to take pictures of the remains of this historic water powered ironworks from the gold rush era. I wasn't sure at that time what I would do with the results of this rare look into a piece of California's history, but started going through them again recently and decided to start sharing some of them here.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Tuesday Edition

2008-09-09T00:22:00.000-07:00

Some pictures from a trip to the Seattle Aquarium this summer. I love the lighting in their tanks!

The Little Girl In Me

2008-09-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

My apologies in advance to any men who read my blog regularly, or come across this post today. This blog is, after all, about nostalgia too, and despite my penchant for cross dressing bears, today's is a girlie girl post. Sorry guys.

Do any other little-girls-at-heart remember these?
When I was young, it seemed my cousins got all the neat dolls and accouterments - my aunt's sewing room was a veritable cornucopia of wishful delight for a little girl like me. I wanted these outfits for dolls I didn't even have.

Despite having been trusted with needle and thread from the age of 4, I was not allowed to touch a sewing machine until I was 13 years old, an age when I was much more interested in making clothes for myself than my dolls. I never did get around to making them; there wasn't much point, not having a doll that they would fit.

Fast forward a few decades, and thanks to the advent of online auctions, I have my baby dolls now, as well as the same patterns that used to tempt me in my aunt's sewing room, but still have never gotten around to making those outfits my heart desired so badly as a child.

These patterns are part of a larger collection of vintage patterns I have framed and displayed around my personal sitting room, their graphics, soft colors, and associated memories a constant source of pleasure and inspiration.

Every once in a while over the past few years, Cupcake's outgrown wardrobe has yielded something made of fabric that was timeless in quality and design, or that reminded me of a remnant from my own childhood. I think about these patterns, and I tuck it away with the intention of re-purposing the fabric for doll outfits that, maybe someday, she and I can enjoy together.

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-03T00:01:00.001-07:00

No, I didn't make this, but I wish I could say I did! It is the tiniest hankie I've ever seen, the center being only about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, a total of only a few inches square including the lace border.

Wordless (Almost) Wednesday: The Fairy Pond

2008-09-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

We have this tiny pond under the trees on our beach; a small stream runs down the slope of the hillside and onto the shore, where it forms this magical little pond in the gravel before flowing out into the fjord. I saw the dappled sunlight shining on it and just had to take this picture. It felt as if there might be fairies hiding in the shadows, watching me.

Click on picture to enlarge!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Tuesday Edition

2008-09-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

Wow, do I miss these little critters being all over the place. Itchy is the only one still hanging around close to the house, storing up for the cold weather ahead. She's not as tame as the others were, but I was able to get this cute shot of her. Just look at that guilty expression on her face!

Chipmunk Update.

2008-08-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

For all of you who have been following our chipmunk tales here in Robin's Woods this summer, (those who have not may search the blog for "chipmunk", and be prepared to spend some time reading/laughing) I figured it was time for an update. Our chief chipmunk caretaker left to go back to California last week, but before she did, the crew had pretty much gone into hiding. Even though it is still August, summer appears to be over, and I am concerned that the premature disappearance of our little friends maybe a harbinger of a harsh winter ahead.

There is one little girl who still comes around; she is not one of the previous group of eight we had gotten to know, but she is content to stuff her cheeks full of goodies and I'm sure she's reveling in the fact that no one else is competing with her for the bounty. The hotel is out of commission, having succumbed to wind and rain, but no matter; she likes to be a little higher up anyways, prefering our second story deck or the roof of the shed behind our cabin. I wish I could come up with a cute name for her. She reminds me a lot of Chiplet in her habits, spending significant amounts of time grooming herself.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-08-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

Fare Thee Well, Love

2008-08-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

Today, I will put Princess Cupcake on a plane from Seattle to California with her mother. It will take 3 hours, two bridges, and one ferry ride to get to the airport, and then I have to come back home to this. Her empty room. Even the chipmunks seem to know she's leaving. There'll be no more bears at the dining room table, the fairies are going to have to make do with the lodging she left for them, and the Easy Bake will be collecting dust for the duration. Yes, the kitchen will finally get a rest (Cupcake likes to ea t...a lot), and I won't be tripping over books anymore, but Papa is going to have to wait until next summer for his helper to come back and give him a hand with his projects. I'm going to be lost without my muse. Life sure is going to be dull around here. Hurry back, Princess Cupcake; the clams will be waiting.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-08-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Tuesday Edition

2008-08-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

Cupcake made her own birthday cake last night, in her Easy Bake Oven. Remember how fun those are? (We ran out of space and letters, so it just says "Princess".) Summer is almost over, and she'll be leaving to go back to California in a couple of days. It won't be the same around here without her!

2008-08-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

Princess Cupcake celebrated her 8th birthday this last weekend, and part of her birthday fun was going out on a boat ride with friends. I hadn't been on a boat in years, so I think I had just as much fun as her! I never get tired of the scenery around here, and this was a whole new perspective. Cupcake even took a turn at the wheel!

Wordless Wednesday: Friday Edition

2008-08-15T00:01:00.001-07:00

Beach at Fort Worden

The Vendetta: Redux

2008-08-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

Awhile back, we had a little problem with some mice inside our vehicles here in the woods, so it came as no big surprise last week when it appeared we had a small pest problem again, only this time, it was in the house. We live in the forest, after all, which means learning to live with critters of all varieties, and even though our home is a very nice, custom built three story log cabin, it has it's flaws, and a gap under one end of the front door finally presented itself as an entry point for some tiny errant critter.

It started out as a few small droppings on the wood floor in the entry way, in a corner right behind the hinged side of the door. I noticed them for the first time about 10 days ago, and initially thought that maybe they had fallen off someone's shoes. No biggie, just sweep them up. Next morning, two more poops. Hmm. This time I try to tell myself that they are not what I think they are; I keep a clean house and leave no food sitting around, so I just sweep them up again. Morning comes again, and this time, there's three poops on the floor, and one on top of the wooden bench that sits behind the door in the corner. Something's messing with me now, and I'm not amused.

By this time, I've looked all over the place, flummoxed by the fact that it is only a few droppings a day, and only within about a one foot radius of the corner behind the front door, nowhere else in the house, not even my kitchen or pantry. Look up "small unidentified droppings" on the internet, and conclude that I am dealing with a mischievous mouse. I set three snap traps baited with peanut butter, and two sticky traps for good measure, and go to bed. Next morning, there is a poop inside the sticky trap, but no evidence of anything else getting stuck there: no fur, no blood, and in fact, the lightweight paper trap had not even been moved. Back to the internet for more advice, and it says to sprinkle flour or powder all over the floor in the afflicted area so whatever is creeping around will leave tracks that I can identify. So, I flour my floor, and set up all the traps again. Another morning comes, and there are now three poops, two in the middle of a relatively large floured area, and one right by the door, but no tracks.

I get out my magnifying glass. I've got to identify what I'm dealing with here before it drives me batty. Another search session on the internet turns up the fact that mice, cockroaches, bats, chipmunks and shrews all have similar (to the naked eye) droppings. Well, it's not a bat, the gap under the door isn't big enough for a chipmunk, and I think a cockroach problem would be more evident, so that leaves mouse and shrew.

I don't want to set any traps outside for fear of hurting the chipmunks, and the ones inside aren't working, so I get down on the floor, look under the door for a up close visual on the problem, and then go get some extra weather stripping to seal the gap. Next morning, no droppings. I gleefully email my friends who have been trying to advise me on how to deal with my mystery intruder that the problem has been solved. Tucking the memory of the whole incident away, I happily assume that I have taken care of the intrusion for now.

I was only partly right. Two days later, I come down the stairs in the morning to the sight of two prominently displayed, fresh poops on top of the bench... and one in the middle of the front door mat.

The good news is, I am now a quasi expert on rodent poop. You've got droppings? I'm your gal. The bad news? It's a shrew. They don't eat peanut butter. I've got to bait with something like dead flies (yuck), bits of earth worm (I don't think so), or bacon (I can handle this one.)

Bring on the bacon, Porky. That little bugger is mine now.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-08-13T00:01:00.000-07:00

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Tuesday Edition

2008-08-12T00:01:00.001-07:00

An unusually cloud free day here on our part of the peninsula. I didn't look at the tide book, but it must have been a slack tide because the water was like glass. Just look at that reflection! (Click on picture to enlarge.)

You're Getting Very, Very Sleepy...

2008-08-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

I caught this cute sequence of Chiplet the other day and thought it would be just perfect for today. She was sitting there on her hotel veranda for the longest time, just chirping away at whoever would listen.
Then, she must have worn herself out, because she started to fall asleep! Watch the eyes gradually closing and the head drooping. You're getting very, very sleepy, little chipmunk...

Everything You Always Wanted to Know...

2008-08-07T00:03:00.000-07:00

I got featured over at Jason D Moore Photography! Read my interview and see a picture of me here.

Hazel (the Cross Dressing Bear)

2008-08-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

It was 1987, the year Sweetpea (our daughter) was the same age as Cupcake is now. JC Penney had some promotional deal going on big stuffed teddy bears, as was popular with the department stores back then, and my mother brought one home for her. Under normal circumstances, stuffed toys had a short lifespan in our home. The kids got so many, and so few had any real sentimental significance, that once a year we cleaned out and donated most of them. This bear, however, for some inexplicable reason, was nearest and dearest to Sweetpea's heart, and she called him Hazel.Hazel was a boy bear from day one, no questions asked; he just was. About the size of an exceedingly chubby one year old, the habit of dressing Hazel started with my mother getting out some of my old flannel baby nighties, then searching thrift shops for vintage baby clothes, and pretty soon, the search for bear clothes took on a life of it's own. It wasn't long before Hazel had amassed a sizable wardrobe of vintage, baby... girl clothing. Maybe it was because old baby girl clothes were easier to find than boys, maybe not. There is one boyish outfit in Hazel's suitcase, but it was rarely put on him. Hazel, as our daughter said, liked to wear girl's clothes, and in particular, frilly dresses with rhumba pants.
I'm not sure it ever occurred to her that something was a little...contradictory...about Hazel. We raised our kids in an atmosphere of tolerance -- for other religions, other opinions, other lifestyles -- and so Hazel evolved. The diametrical nature of his identity never really registered with any of us back then; it just became habit. Hazel was a he, and everyone who knew about the bear would keep an eye out for cute vintage baby dresses and ruffled panties that might fit an exceedingly plump teddy bear.
Eventually, as all children do, Sweetpea grew up, but Hazel wasn't going anywhere. When she graduated from high school and eventually moved out on her own, Hazel was packed into his vintage suitcase with his vintage wardrobe of frilly dresses and carefully stored to wait for the next child in line to play with him and make decisions about his identity.
Enter Princess Cupcake. The first and only grandchild, she was the rightful heir to Hazel and without anyone saying anything to her, she has always referred to Hazel as "he." His wardrobe is more varied these days, having acquired a few of Cupcakes outgrown things, but one thing has never changed. Hazel is still, and will probably always be, a cross dressing bear.

Wordless Wednesday: In Celebration of Food and Friends

2008-08-06T00:14:00.000-07:00

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday;: Tuesday Edition

2008-08-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

Remember little Chiplet? She was very timid, and so tiny, she couldn't even reach into the water dish.Well, she's all grown up, not so timid anymore, and can reach the water dish just fine now (when she's not busy itching herself!) I just thought these two pictures of her were so cute.

Grandma's Cookie Tin

2008-07-31T00:03:00.000-07:00

It's funny, the fragments and memories of childhood that stick with you after so many years. When I was little girl, there were three kinds of cookies - chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and peanut butter; these were all my grandma ever baked. In retrospect, I have no idea why that was, but those three were so familiar and comforting that, as a child, I was suspect of any other type I might come across in the outside world.

On the bottom right side of Grandma's kitchen cabinets was a cupboard that always had an old Peek Frean tin or two in it filled with whichever cookie she had baked most recently. Us grandkids all knew where to find them, and they were free game for as long as they lasted, which was usually quite awhile. You see, not everyone was interested in eating them; those cookies were always burned on the bottom, but since my mother only baked once a year, I never really noticed anything amiss, and ate them happily. I was married when she finally told me it was because grandma baked cookies for church receptions, and only the "nice" ones got sent to church, the burnt rejects were for family.

Princess Cupcake and I were making cookies in her Easy Bake oven yesterday, and they kept coming out burned on the bottom. She was so proud of making those cookies herself, she said that she didn't care, they tasted good anyways. I guess it's in the genes.
Looks like Grandma's cookie tin is back in business.

Wordless Wednesday: Thursday Edition

2008-07-31T00:01:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2008-07-30T00:01:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite beach shots ever.

This is the Way We Move the Rocks, Move the Rocks, Move the Rocks...

2008-07-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

Summer in this part of the Pacific Northwest is a time for all those outdoor projects that don't seem to get done at any other time of the year. It's just too rainy/muddy/snowy in fall, winter and spring to grade roads, fix potholes, get up on the roof, mow grass, or traipse through said mud and acres of wet brush picking up rocks for ground cover.
This summer, hubby decided to take on the project of clearing the berry vines and shrubbery away from right up against one of our outdoor staircases, put in a much needed yard drain, and lay down cardboard to be covered in rocks as a barrier against regrowth. Now who, you ask, is going to round up and move all the rock required for this project?
I'll be the first person to admit, Cupcake's not a lazy child. With a few exceptions, she's pretty good about doing what she's asked, and normally loves to help with chores. This one was an exception though, and hubby mustered up a little old fashioned ingenuity to help get the job done. Witness the target on the cardboard.

It's a work in progress; picking up rocks is tedious, dirty, and ultimately, heavy work. But until the rock bowling and target toss gets old, I think we've got it covered.

Wordless Wednesday: Saturday Edition

2008-07-26T00:03:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday: Friday Edition

2008-07-25T00:03:00.000-07:00

Azalea blossom

Meet Hoppy and....

2008-07-24T00:03:00.000-07:00

George!

A big thanks to Hawksdomain's Photos for coming up with a name for the newest member of our chipmunk crew. George is the same size as Chiplet, has a slim tail like Alvin, and bounces instead of running like Hoppy. George also has a couple chewed up spots in the fur on her back, which you can see in the picture; it makes it easy to tell her apart from the rest. She has not visited the chipmunk hotel yet, but is curious enough to have come up to our back door to look in the window at us.

Lest you think I am either very lucky or very fast with my camera, let me show you what I frequently get for chipmunk pictures. This is Hoppy:
He finally settled down considerably though, following big brother Simon's example (playing in the hotel, not that comical grab and run technique!) and I was able to get several good enough shots. Hoppy is the tiniest of all, barely big enough to drink out of the water dish. He seems to be a pretty congenial little fellow, willing to share his playspace and leftovers from the bird feeder without stirring up mischief with the others (yet.)

Keep those chipmunk names coming; I'm sure there''ll be more new ones around before summer is over!

Wordless Wednesday: Thursday Edition

2008-07-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2008-07-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

Oceanspray

Meet the Chipmunks

2008-07-22T00:03:00.000-07:00

Since I started taking pictures of our resident chipmunks a few weeks ago, I've gotten many comments asking things like how I tell them apart, are they tame, and most frequently, how do I get the shots I do of them. (The other question I get is how do I tell if they are male or female. Trust me, it's obvious.) Without further ado, meet the chipmunks:

Alvin. She was our first, and is the most curious. Alvin lived in our wheelbarrow of kindling for a time, and has a rather slim tail, the least bushy tail of all our chipmunks.

Simon was our second. He has a ratty looking tail, and never sits still to eat, preferring to "grab and run" instead. It's fun to give Simon big, heavy things like whole apple cores or slices of bread and watch him try to make off with them. He frequently does.

Theodore is our third, and most vocal, often calling to the others while perched on the hotel. She has the bushiest tail of all of them. She is also the chubbiest.

Chiplet is number four, and for a short time was the tiniest. She hops instead of runs, is more timid than any of the others (except Hoppy) and likes to itch herself. A lot.

Dale is the fifth, and has a tail that starts out bushy, then kinks and narrows out. Dale likes our front porch as well as our back where the hotel is located, and will frequently come right up to us. I have to be careful I don't step on Dale because he likes to check my feet out when I go in the front door.

Dave is our sixth, and the second smallest. She's a scrapper, and has the notch in her ear to prove it. That's her and Chiplet flying through the air as they chase each other around the hotel.

Hoppy makes seven, and is the tiniest by far. He can hardly reach the water dish, and is never in one place long enough to photograph. I'm hoping he settles down a bit before he grows much bigger so I can have some pictures of him to post; he is so adorable.

Are they tame? Depends on what you call tame. Alvin and Dale get the closest to us, and would probably be easiest to hand feed, but I don"t like to encourage that behavior. They are wild animals, after all. Simon and Theodore will hide behind a post or in the grass and watch us when we come close; Chiplet, Dave, and Hoppy are quite skittish.

Photographing them is a challenge. It requires a long (200-300mm) lens, because only two of them are tame enough to get close to and they usually don't stay still for long. A lot of the time, I will lay in wait on my stomach 6-8 feet away from the Chipmunk Hotel and wait for them to come around. They are pretty active all day, from shortly after dawn until about 2-3 hours before the sun sets. I've also been able to make myself comfy in a chair nearby and wait for the action to begin. Whether I sit on the chair or lay on the ground depends a lot on the current lighting situation, and where they are playing. Patience is an important virtue when photographing these little critters. They come and go before you have a chance to turn on your camera, and move so fast that even the auto focus can have a hard time keeping up.

Cupcake says that she has counted at least 12 different chippies running around the back yard, and I'm out of ideas for names, so feel free to make suggestions in the comments, and if I post any new chipmunk pictures that use any of the names that you come up with, I'll make sure to give a shout out and link back to the contributor!

Wordless Wednesday: Tuesday Edition

2008-07-22T00:01:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday: Monday Edition

2008-07-21T00:01:00.001-07:00

Thimbleberry blossoms

In the Good Old Summertime

2008-07-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

When you live in the woods, out in the boonies, with no immediate neighbors and significant acreage to be responsible for, things like laundry and dusting furniture take a back seat to more pressing pursuits, like fixing potholes, salvaging logs for firewood, or when Princess Cupcake is around, making Playdoh chipmunks and playing dolls with my granddaughter.

Picture this: At my dining room table, a 20 year old nondescript stuffed bear named Hazel sits down to a dinner consisting of a pink glazed doughnut, strawberry ice cream cone, carrot, peas, and potato chips (all play food, thankfully) served up on my fine china and silver, all while dressed in one of my old flannel baby nighties, Cupcake's plaid shorts, and rabbit ears with a pink satin sash off an old formal tied jauntily as a scarf around his neck. (Yes, Hazel is a he. Don't ask. Pictures and the full story on another day.)

Cupcake has always enjoyed playing dressup. At the ripe old age of 2, she broke her elbow while running in a pair of high heels. At 3, subjecting the dog to her particular brand of fun was a favorite pastime. When she learned how to dress herself, my vintage clothing and lingerie collection became free game. (You can only imagine the fun a 4 year old can have with an old corset.) Now that she's a few years older, dress up is still fun, but has taken on a whole new dimension now that it includes the dolls Nana keeps around the house. The floors and all available chairs are strewn with vignettes of dolls and stuffed animals in various finery- hats, each others (and Cupcake's) clothes, and vintage dressup items, a tea party here, an impromptu classroom there, and "beds" everywhere.

There's a certain sense of freedom to be had in allowing an almost 8 year old to take over your house for the summer. Life was pretty casual around here to begin with, but now the house looks like a whirlwind hit inside, the scent of Playdoh is in the air, and I don't mind a bit.

Wordless Wednesday: Friday Edition

2008-07-18T00:47:00.000-07:00

Once Upon an Enchanted Summer

2008-07-17T00:03:00.000-07:00

No child but must remember laying his head in the grass, staring into the infinitesimal forest and seeing it grow populous with fairy armies. ~Robert Louis Stevenson, Essays in The Art of Writing

After much time spent collecting materials, construction on our fairy houses has finally begun. A grown-up friend joined Princess Cupcake and me for an afternoon of pure, unadulterated fun in our backyard. Here are the results. Pay special attention to the pretend fire in the fairy fire ring that Cupcake came up with. (Even fairies have to respect the burn ban!)

Soft moss a downy pillow makes, and green leaves spread a tent,
Where Faerie fold may rest and sleep until their night is spent.
The bluebird sings a lullaby, the firefly gives a light,
The twinkling stars are candles bright, Sleep, Faeries all, Good Night.
~Elizabeth T. Dillingham, "A Faery Song"

Wordless Wednesday: Thursday Edition

2008-07-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday: Wild Blackberry Blossoms

2008-07-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

Creative Photography

2008-07-15T22:41:00.000-07:00

"Fall From Grace"

It's Berry Season!

2008-07-15T00:03:00.000-07:00

It's the beginning of berry season here in the great Pacific Northwest, and if there's one thing we've got a lot of here in Robin's Woods (besides trees), it's berry bushes. Domestic blackberries, wild blackberries, raspberries, salmon berries, thimble berries, huckleberries, and a few others whose identity I am clueless about, I just know they're good. Berry season is Cupcake's favorite time of year, and we love to take a bowl with us on the walk out to the mailbox to gather an afternoon snacks worth. Thimble berries are our hands down favorites, and are named such because of their shape, like a little thimble.

Salmon berries are some of the prettiest berries I've ever seen. Ranging in color from yellow to orange to ruby gold depending on the bush and it's location, they are a favorite with the bears and other critters around here.

The critters like them so much, in fact, that I had a hard time finding any ripe ones to photograph. Frequently, all we see is this:

Next up, blackberries, wild and domestic, the best ones for pies, cobblers, etc. We haven't found any blueberries or gooseberries here in our woods yet; I may just have to raid some friend's bushes for those!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Tuesday Edition

2008-07-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

Salal berry blossoms

The View From Here: Mount Rainier

2008-07-12T08:46:00.001-07:00

Taken from my hammock in our "fairy circle".

The Way It Should Be

2008-07-10T00:03:00.000-07:00

Having my granddaughter here in Robin's Woods for the summer is one of the great joys in my life. Cupcake is far from being your average child. She's the polar opposite of a couch potato, eats her vegetables, watches virtually no television, and sleeps soundly 9-10 hours every night with no argument, then wakes up every morning with a smile on her face. The wide open spaces of our beach and yard are perfect for her, a child who loves to spend her days running and jumping, and playing with our friends' animals. That's little Colter at Cupcake's heel doing his best to keep up with his running buddy.

A healthy diet contributes to a child's well being, and this is a little girl who's never given us any resistance there. Breakfast is usually a bowl of high fiber cereal with milk and fruit, she is happiest sitting down to a chunk of good cheese, some beans, cucumbers and more fresh fruit for lunch, and dinner is frequently soup and salad. Her favorite snack is carrot sticks, frozen fruit chunks, or a slice of homemade bread. (Lest you think that she's too good to be true, let it be known that Princess Cupcake has a passion for hotdogs and ice cream.)

Yes, she loves Nana's homemade treats too, but knows without being told when enough is enough.

Cupcake is a busy girl, rarely bored, without the aid of computer games or expensive toys, unless you count her digital camera. Her and that camera are inseparable this summer and I fear I may have unleashed a monster.

Wouldn't the world be a wonderful place if only more children could grow up like this!

Be sure to scroll down and don't miss the Wordless post of the day!

Wordless Wednesday: Thursday Edition

2008-07-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2008-07-09T00:01:00.000-07:00

Artistic Photo Effects, Better Known As Happy Accidents

2008-07-08T00:03:00.000-07:00

Princess Cupcake and I promised everyone some special pictures called "happy accidents" awhile back, and I've finally gotten around to getting some of them together to post here. A "happy accident" in photography is when something unexpected happens, like wind or camera shake, and you get a very pretty "impressionistic" style photo out of it. I love it when this happens,

and it turns out Cupcake is pretty good at cranking them out too. It can be done intentionally by controlling shutter speed and movement, but is such a pleasure when it happens by chance. There was a photographer 5 or 6 years ago whose name escapes me that was featured in a photography magazine for taking these intentionally while driving with a slow shutter speed, and selling them in his gallery as "Dreamscapes". Here are some of Cupcake's she would like to share. (Princess Cupcake has her own watermark!)

Don't miss the Tuesday Edition of Wordless Wednesday in the post directly below this one!