Shaded Fir

I had a wonderful walk today. It was still warm at about 20 C., even at 6pm. There were lots of bird songs, including my favorite of the Swainson's Thrush. This thrush is a very nondescript bird with a rich and melodious call; mostly heard in deep deciduous forests around here. I also spied and photographed a beautiful woodpecker, but the photo was not very good when I uploaded it to have a look.

I took this photo of the trunk of a huge fir tree, not realizing how well the pic was going to turn out. Somehow the lighting was just right to bring out the shadows in a very haunting way. I hope you enjoy it.

I have been so energized by starting to hike again, even though the hikes are very small, in comparison to my younger years. I hope to continue in this fashion and gradually build my fitness level. I would love to start hiking the mountains again, instead of just lowland forest trails. We'll see.

Today I planted the rest of my raised beds with corn, peas, tomatoes, cukes, 2 types of lettuce, celery, winter squash, red pepper, and butternut squash. I don't think the summer will be as hot as the last one, so the harvest may not be as good as last year. It was absolutely bountiful last year. I also hope to keep the deer out of the veggie beds. They prefer peas and beans. So do I! I'll keep you updated.