Crater Lake

I took a different route to see the Budds in Portland this September. When you fly from Phoenix to Portland, if you have a really super pilot, he tips the plane over Crater Lake. I had never seen it before and was quite in a dither to capture it on camera before I missed my chance. Soooo coool.

Very very cool spider

front view back view Look what I saw this morning when I took Petey out. He is right by our front porch and drive way. What is it? Isn't it cool? I thought he might have found some string to put in his web, but on closer observation, I think he/she did it itself.

Whose pillow is it anyway?

I guess in Petey's mind there is no question how many of my pillows are really his.

lunch time treat

this beautiful butterfly was wafting among the hisbiscus today at lunch time. I think it is some form of Tiger Swallowtail, but has blue on the bottom of its wings. I kept trying to get a shot of it, but just as I would get close he would close them up. Probably wanted to brag about how much pollen he was collecting on the edge of his wings :-)

the Haps

Well it is hummingbird star wars time again. We have 4 feeders this year. Made 8 cups of sugar water on Sunday and it is pretty much gone today. Rescued 3 hummingbirds out of the garage yesterday. Usually I can get them to land on the bristles of a broom and then carry them out. I think they get attracted to the red pull that is the emergency release for our garage doors. Anyway they are zooming around like crazy. Can't even count how many we have this year at one time. Reading the World is Flat right now. I am still in the preface or forward but I am really enjoying the book and it is suprisingly easy reading. Should be required reading for every educator I think. Unless we change our education standards we are going to be left behind in the economic world (the book is about economics at least so far, not education, but the kinds of jobs most folks are able to do are being easily outsourced... Americans need to hold onto the critical thinking and analysis type jobs.... as well as customer service/people facing jobs)

Some Flower shots for Anne

We got a friend to go with our pink and orange hibisuses. I LOVE the single kind. I just love how the light shows behind the one at the top. This is our new red hibiscus. Isn't it pretty!