The reflective season...

I appreciate the eagle's nest and it yes is beautiful. But I was really looking for the sun photo. LOL

So it is written...so it shall be done.

A Quercus shumardii senior citizen, at sunset.

That better not be recent Mr 1/2 a zone higher. Nice shot.

Steve - I don't have a fear of heights - more a respect of gravity.

My shot from today

Al you have wisdom. I too am not afraid of heights but the elevator must have a current inspection sticker. Great photos those of you who live in an arctic environment. We Montanans have been moved to the Pac NW and have only light snow and mild weather.

I don't consider myself in PNW, I think in summer and early fall I am mostly zone 6. This winter has been long already as it snows too often, not too much just too often, snowed again last night, more than an inch and is still snowing lightly. But not cold now, was sunny and cold the first part of week. So before I try to put seed out for the birds I must go shovel. My deck is covered with rabbit tracks.

Donna

Some more chinkapin chums...

...and one of their buddies nearby.

VV beautiful bare branched trees.

Donna

How about a night one VV.

Any idea what this is?

Platanus occidentalis

Resin

I've always wondered why plane trees are pruned so severely in France and parts of Italy. Can you explain?

Thanks Resin!

[quote]I've always wondered why plane trees are pruned so severely in France and parts of Italy. Can you explain?[quote]

Tradition!

Resin

You should see what they do to trees in the middle south. They top them and it's hideous. I've seen it done to stately old trees on college campuses. The biology department faculty must not have any influence at all.

It is a little stunning to note victor asking after sycamore, but maybe he isn't the beneficiary of stream scenes as such...

Not very pretty. I am glad I live where everything dies in the winter. LOL

The white of the trunk on the one I posted (near a park) is incredibly bright.

Everything here is still covered with several inches of snow or ice. I have to be very careful whenever I go outside other than to garage or gh. The path to the back and my chicken house and compost piles has lots of ice. But I am getting into the spring mode. Planted a pot of lettuce seed yesterday. And getting the Parks sponges ready to plant tomato and pepper seeds. The days have been very nice mostly sunny and in low 40s. This morning 23 degrees but will warm up fast if sun shines. Thinking Spring.

Donna

Donna I went through Snoqualmie pass Sat night just as it opened. I had I 90 all to myself all the way to Spokane. The snow was piled up 50+ feet on each side of the road. It was raining so hard the road was a lake. It is sunny here at home. It took me 15 hours to get here from Seattle. I am starting to prune and shape the trees and shrubs. I did not get to work in the garden last summer at all because my parents weren't healthy. So lots to do.

Steve - I fell out of my tree but still got a shot ;)

What a photographer. You must have gotton that one just before hitting the ground! Great focus and timing. You should be a receiver for the Pack.

You're right, I also jumped before I hit the ground to lessen the impact ;)

Receiver huh? So many tight ends I've admired over the years.

And the people they're attached to as well?

I suppose - never really thought about it.

All of America was distraught when The Mighty Pack went down. What a year Farve had!

Yeah well, as long as the Cowboys,Bears or Vikings didn't win it it's not a total loss. Pack's defense couldn't get off the field.

Farve sent them out too soon too often in the 4th qtr.

Steve, do you have much snow on the ground there at home. We have at least 7 or 8 inches where undisturbed. But I was up by Palmer Lake Sunday , which is according to WA Road and El. Atlas a little lower than here, I don't believe it. Anyway I started to say there is practically no snow on south side of mountains and very little on north side, and still here I have all that snow. My other better map is out in garage, so can't look at it.

Donna

Yes we had over 12 packed inches of snow until last saturday night when the "pineapple express" hit and it has been raining and causing the snow to melt and go. Started to see grass today. Let out my chickens to eat grass and bugs in the compost pile.

I too let my chickens out, have one old rooster and one old black hen aracuna?? type, and three not quite a year old small black banties and my one remaining guinea fowl. The last time I let them out about two weeks ago, the darn cats from down below me came into yard, even tho fenced. There are three of them -cats- and have been killing my quail, this time they went into the chicken yard and tried to catch the chickens. Pulled lots, I mean lots, of feathers out but they (the chickens) all managed to get back into the chicken house and up on the roost pole.

I called the woman and she tried to tell me they weren't her cats, maybe not, but there is no other place where they could come from. Anyway yesterday all was calm as far as cats were concerned, but Guinea Guy didn't want to go back into chicken yard, but finally at dark I persuaded him in.

Donna

We had problems with the neighbor dog last year and our Aracuna were able to fly off, but our barred rock couldn't and was killed.
Donna I almost was going to call you because I was planning on using Stevens Pass to get home but it stayed closed and they opened Snoqualmie. Maybe next summer.

Yes, hopefully you may sometime get close enough to stop by. Very cold here this morning, 18 degrees, so will be awhile before the snow melts much.

Happy Valentines Day

Donna

Happy Valentines day Donna. Karen and I are going to the restaurant we did when we first started dating. It is on the water in a place called Bigfork. The Swan River Inn. I proposed to her 10 years ago today. She said yes and we celebrated at an off the way place called "the rattlesnake pit" an old log cabin bar with a big stone fireplace in the center.

Happy Valentines Day to all!

Steve and Karen, hope you had a wonderful dinner. and Happy tenth A.

Donna

I made this cute little collage up for a photo challenge.

Cool. You left out the ashes!

Besides not having a pic, 6 photos might be tight. Good thought.

al, very good collage, sorry I don't have any ashes or a ash picture to contribute.

Donna