Sunny day and signs of spring!

Sunshine

Warmth: 56+ degrees F

Blue Sky

Is it really January 21????

Today’s weather certainly has been grand. I woke quickly and headed to work for a meeting about this year’s Corvallis Fall Festival poster design. On the drive in sunshine poured through the sky creating lacy shadows from bare deciduous trees on HWY 20. The conifers gave blocks of relief for my un-sunglassed eyes. Wonder where the sunglasses are? Several pairs of hawks flew over open fields. Cottonwood tree silhouettes are filling out with growing leaf buds. The warmer weather over the past week has speed up sap flow through many plants.

Driving home I spotted a lone Bald Eagle roosting on top of a Douglas Fir. Always a pleasure to see an eagle. After arriving home I took George on his daily 30+ minute walk around our neighborhood. Another hawk pair sighted soaring high above a large stand of firs. Buds starting to swell on the Oregon Oaks and Oso berry plants. Wind gusts blowing warmth in our face. Everything was beautiful.

In our yard, I took some photos of a Filbert tree. We have several stands growing and small seedlings are always popping up. Most people call them Hazelnuts, but I grew up with the other name. I also allow the trees to grow in clumps and not single out one stem. Probably not the best, but I enjoy the look of them during summer months.

Here are some images from around noon.

small clump of Filberts below our home.