spring

Camas in Bloom: Beautiful Variations in Hue

Camas - 20.5.3

More photos:

#Meanwhile

junco grass A Dark-eyed junco finds some eats amongst the grass & moss in the late-afternoon sun.

May 17, '09: rufous in kitchen

In Bloom: Nootka rose (Rosa nutkana)

Nootka Rose (Rosa nutkana) - 20.5.22

An early morning stroll during May to July (according to the altitude) may discover the year's first Nootka Rose. Who has not then savoured the pleasure of the moment, the visual delight of the elegant buds, and the dewey freshness of the blossoms, the memorable fragrance—both of flower and foliage.

— Lewis J. Clark, Wild Flowers of British Columbia

Named after Nootka Sound here on Vancouver Island (“Nootka” itself being derived from a Nuu-Chah-Nulth term) Nootka rose's thorny thickets make great habitat for birds and other small animals, and its flowers are loved by bees, wanna-bees, and butterflies. This qel'qulhp (Halkomelm for 'wild rose bush') has been traditionally used by many First Nations groups for a number of medicinal and culinary purposes.

Apparently this rose makes a tasty jelly or jam, which we'll have to try sometime.

Nootka Rose (Rosa nutkana) - 20.5.22 This fly is an incredible bumblebee mimick! Note the large eyes & stubby antennae ;^)

May 6, '10: pair of quail hand-removed from porch

Secret of the ghost swing

Trumpet Honeysuckle - 20.5.15

Known in some Salishan languages as the 'swing of the ghost' (or of the owl: q’ít’əәʔəәtsəәspəәlq^wít’^thəәʔ), this beautiful western trumpet honeysuckle provides food and shelter for at least 20 bird species in our area, and is also frequented by swallowtail butterflies. Likewise, amongst hominids, its nectar has served as a natural treat for children, its leaves and bark used for medicine, and its stems for building bridges.

Trumpet Honeysuckle - 20.5.15

#Meanwhile

A robin alerts its kin of danger from a lichen-laden perch.

May 26, '12: robin with mouth full of worms lands on my head

Happy World Migratory Bird Day!

A male rufous keeping a wary eye out for rival Anna's hummingbirds

In honor of World Migratory Bird Day, here are a few photos of rufous hummingbirds (Selasphorus rufus) which have visited us here over the past couple of years.

Weed-of-the-Week: Stinky Bob

Stinky Bob - 20.5.13

Although weeding is a daily duty here, we've started a weekly tradition called Weeding Wednesday during which we each spend a focused chunk of 水曜日 crawling around the Hill pulling Undesirable Plants to make room for greater biodiversity. In light of this new custom, I thought I'd take some time to research one of the weeds that I've been focusing on today:

#Meanwhile

Morning pearls of dew are beaded onto threads of moss

A sparkling chalice awaits a thirsty faery

A lupine contact juggler balances its ball with care

Hum Hill Recipe Corner: Simple Banana Oat Pancakes

On a typical day here, we're usually munching down bowls of granola for breakfast (partially because we wake up at very different times). But when we want to have a fancy breakfast together, we whip up this nice simple pancake recipe which Seán's mom introduced us to (and accentuate it with granola, of course):

Banana Oat Pancake Stack - 20.5.10 Seán's glorious stack for Mother's Day

~🕷️ Hello from Phidippus Johnsoni, Johnson’s Jumping Spider! This cutie entertained me for a while the other day, showing off its long front legs, big glossy eyes and fuzzy moustache-like pedipalps.

Note the pollen-covered surface— it’s coating everything right now!

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