On the Tillamook Head Trail

Tillamook Head Trail, Oregon ~ June 27, 2009

This is one of the views of vegetation along the Tillamook Head trail (you can see Tillamook Head from Seaside in yesterday's post). This is what the vegetation looks like in one spot. The amazing thing to me is how much and how rapidly it changed all along the trail of several miles. I'll show you more later, and I'll also show views from the top. For much of the trail, you're encased in dense forest, but there are points where you can look out over the ocean. The orange berries are salmonberries, found along the coast from Alaska to California. By the way, here is a fantastic aerial overview photo showing the trail. You can also see that this is one of the places to see undistrubed old-growth trees, because you'll see the brown logged patches in the photo.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Along the River Walk

Astoria, Oregon ~ May 14, 2010

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Can you identify these mushrooms?

Astoria, Oregon ~ June 5, 2010

They are small - only about an inch or two in diameter. I found them under the picnic table beneath the big tree in front of the Flavel House, where I sat for a minute after taking photos of the opening of the Oregon Film Museum in yesterday's post.

I was looking forward to getting back to the one-photo-per-day format, but I couldn't resist posting three pictures of these beautiful, bright, waxy-looking mushrooms.

I was completely surprised to see them when I looked at the ground. They were coming up in crowded clusters, but were only in the shaded areas under the picnic table. However, the slanted rays of the morning sun managed to find a few of them and make them glow even brighter.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Feels like fall

There's always one day when the air first feels like fall, and for me, yesterday was it. I can't quite describe it. I've seen the signs for weeks: the one clump of yellow leaves on a broad-leafed green tree, the flowers dying, rain, a drop in the temperature (with intermittent days of heat). We're supposed to have temps in the low 80s again next week, which is warm for Astoria. And still, yesterday was the day I felt the season change.

I actually took this photo a few days ago in front of the Wet Dog Cafe along the River Walk. Beyond the bushes, you can see the railing of Doc's on 12th, the home of Baked Alaska, Mise en Place, Xclusive Salon, and other cool places.