Mother's Day 2025

"Ann is a nosy sort." he said lovingly. She really cannot help herself; her penchant for prying is deeply encoded in her DNA. She will not take polite hints to mind her own business, either. Thus, it is nearly impossible to surprise her.

Quixotic fool that I am, I set out to do just that for Mother's Day, a day which, for reasons that need not be discussed here, has been an emotional day in the past. I figured she could use some friends to help her celebrate and so I invited Rob and Dyce to come over on Sunday afternoon.

Mother's Day Brunch

Hoping for beautiful weather as we had been having for a week, I came up with a menu of light eats to be enjoyed on the patio with crisp white wine. Naturally, the weather did not cooperate and we ended up eating inside at the island. Quoting Stevie Winwood, "You just roll with it, baby!"

I am kicking myself now for not having taken any pictures of Rob and Dyce. I was too caught up in talking and pouring Champagne around. They brought the most beautiful flowers for Ann. And did a wonderful job of acting all week as if nothing were happening on the weekend.

Rob and Dyce Brought This Exquisite Arrangement

The Surprised Guest of Honor

Ann, true to form, did her best to ruin the surprise. The three of us guys put the plan together a week in advance. Shortly thereafter, Ann asked me to take her to the local wine bar and out for brunch somewhere. I confessed my plan for a special brunch at home. Her immediate response was, "Can we invite Rob and Dyce?" At this point, I had to lie, saying that I preferred to have a more intimate tête-à-tête chez nous.

Sunday afternoon, while Ann was watching TV upstairs, I excused myself to go downstairs to prep brunch. Just as I had plated everything, the doorbell rang and Ann was surprised. She was even a good sport about not being dressed or having her game face on!

Camarones in Escabeche with Cilantro Aïoli

Crab Guacamole
Dungeness Crab Mixed with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

Jalapeño Quesadillas with Chipotle Crema

Easter 2025

Rob and Dyce invited us over for Easter dinner starring a huge Berkshire pork ham from Snake River Farms. They went all out with cocktails, deviled eggs, the ham, a potato-chile gratin, chilled asparagus, and an arugula salad with blood oranges, almonds, and blue cheese. I kicked in a batch of buttermilk biscuits at Dyce's request.

Dyce Cocktailing It

Prosecco, St. Germain, Sparkling Water, Lime, and Mint

Gorgeous Dill Pickle Deviled Eggs

Queen Lola

Arugula, Blood Oranges, Almonds, and Blue Cheese

The Guest of Honor

Potato and Chile Gratin

Biscuits, Because Ham Does Not Want to Dance Solo

Chilly, Just Before Sunset

Another Easter is in the books, a great day with great friends. We had a wonderful time on a beautiful day, talked and laughed a lot, drank some rosé, played with the dogs, and ate far too much food. Thanks so much to Rob and Dyce who went overboard in cooking way too much delicious food and being such gracious hosts.

DRT: Dillon Falls to Benham Falls

I haven't walked the Deschutes River Trail between Dillon and Benham Falls since last fall. I needed a break from walking my local stretch on the south canyon so I went to Dillon and proceeded south to Benham and then beyond to the old railroad bridge across the river.

When I walk the river with my camera or cameras (yesterday, I took two cameras with medium- and long-range lenses mounted), I never set out to photograph anything in particular. I take what comes my way and whatever strikes my eye. Yesterday, it was too early for wildflowers and just early enough that the trees have not leafed out making it still easy to see along the riverbanks. Though I did not set out to do it, yesterday ended up being a day to photograph birds.

First Brewer's Blackbird of the Spring

Robin in Derp Pose

Wood Ducks Were Really Vocal

Love the Teardrop White Eye of Female Wood Duck

Osprey Nest at Benham Falls

I Thought I was Shooting a Lone Osprey

But No: A Pair of Ospreys In Flagrante Delicto

Not an Osprey: Juvenile Bald Eagle

Cocky White-Crowned Sparrow

The Willows are Starting to Bloom

I Always Take This Shot

How Does a Ponderosa Grow in the Middle of the River?

Benham Falls

Top of Benham Falls

Male Yellow-Rumped Warbler
I've Seen a Lot Migrating Through This Week

Some of these shots are pretty miraculous. I have terribly poor eyesight, but I do see motion well. A lot of these shots happened by instinctively shooting in the direction of motion and letting the autofocus do its thing. When I try to manually focus the camera (such as when shooting through branches), I have to take off my eyeglasses to see the image in the viewfinder and still it is blurry. I just pick the least blurry setting! Naturally, without my glasses on, I can no longer see the subject except through the viewfinder. And I often do not know what I am shooting at. In the case of the ospreys mating, I thought I was shooting a lone bird on the nest. In the case of the eagle, I thought it was likely an osprey. Go figure.

DRT: April 15

I took the big camera down our section of the Deschutes River Trail in hopes of shooting a few shots of the fuzzy yellow baby Canada Geese that I saw yesterday, likely on their very first outing. Unfortunately, I couldn't find them. Spring is off and running, 10-14 days ahead of last year and well ahead of normal.

Redstem Storksbill, Erodium cicutarium
A Weed, but a Pretty Weed

California Tortoiseshell

Turkey Vulture
They Returned in the Last Ten Days

Female Osprey on Nest
She Came Back a Week Ago

Both Ospreys Above the Nest
The Male Returned Two Weeks Ago

Female Goose on Nest on Huge Riverside Boulder

Drake Mallard
He and His Mate Used Their Bills to Roll over Rocks
in the Shallows Searching for Food

American Dippers are Really Vocal and Busy Now

Adult Dipper Feeding Babies

At Least Two Babies, Maybe Three

Greenleaf Manzanita in Full Bloom, Arctostaphylos patula 

Steller's Jays are Noisy and Active Now

Steller's Jay Nest Under Construction in Douglas Fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii

Seedpods from Last Year's Fireweed, Chamaenerion angustifolium

First Wax Currant in Bloom, Ribes cereum

Golden Currant, Ribes aureum

Western Fence Lizards Basking in Sun

Handsome Foliage of Scarlet Gilia, Ipomopsis aggregata

Male Belted Kingfisher with Sculpin

Pygmy Nuthatch Excavating Nest Cavity

First Oregon Grape of the Season, Berberis aquifolium