Eventually Hopping Away

This month of April we've had those 136 different kinds of weather in 24 hours that Mark Twain noted ages past. In one of the lulls on Friday, I decided it was time to remove my hops plant. I don't want to toss it out, it is such a lovely herb. Dangerous, aggressive beyond belief, unknown, but lovely! A much missed Tillamook friend and I brought plants back from Imbler (maybe?) and I put mine in a bottomless container. You can see in this very early photo of the yard where it is waiting to be put into the earth by the pink tub. (2009) It didn't take long to establish. 

June 2010, this plant has taken off! Every year it needed cut back to the base. Jodi trimmed on Tex's side, Steve and I trimmed on ours. 

Sometimes it seemed to not be quite as vigorous, it was biding its time! This photo below is from August 2011. 

 Eventually, it was everywhere. By 2014 no one was entirely fond of it, but I still didn't want to get rid of it. I do like the flowers,  they smell heavenly! A small plant I'd separated out for Tex didn't stay in her yard long and my host plant didn't seem to mind having been divided one bit.

 However, looking at the yard and the work involved in controlling the creature, it was time. So, I decided to attempt removal during a break in the April rains. Thankfully, Jonathan came home from work to apply more leverage and weight than I could.

 I had hoped we could pull it out with the bobcat and it would still be sort of in the pot. Not a chance. It had broken through the pot, a million giant roots were everywhere, and a good portion of the root ball was still firmly entrenched by the time it commenced raining again. I'm hoping it can finish being removed as soon as possible. I have a honeysuckle I'd like to move in. Also vigorous, yet less dangerous. Except for the stinging insects!

 It has grown under the very heavy pink bathtub and might even be veering off into what is now Jodi's yard. I'd not be surprised. The thing is almost an Audrey 2! Thankfully, most of the injuries it leaves end up as small scars instead of entire bodies being consumed. I'll need to be diligent about picking up bits of the hops plant, each one will most likely root!

 After the digging and rainstorms, we (and most of Oregon, it appeared from the pictures online) were graced with a beautiful double rainbow. A sign and a promise in the midst of mud and change.

Swans!

There are a LOT of swan photos here. I tried to decide what not to share, but it was too difficult! I was so excited to see them and I wanted to show off every photo I had. Last  year, there was a single grown swan paddling on the edge of the ice. This year, there were four adults, with a pair on the right side and a pair on the left. It was hard to choose which two to watch! These are unedited (the first one I did crop a bit of ground and sky off-I did a careful sneaking up on them. I kept taking photos so I'd have something if they spooked.) 

 Often ducks will hang out near these swan because the larger birds stir up vegetation from below with their beaks or feet. This makes for an easy snack for the other dabblers.  

This was the second pair. They did quite a bit of grooming. 

 (Back to the other side....I was really excited!)

 And then everyone decided to swim off. I hope to see them again, I don't want to disturb them, but I'd love to get a bit closer than the verge on the road.

 I believe these are Trumpeter Swan. Tundra swan congregate in flocks, while these tend to  keep to pairs. They are reported to mate for life, but not always. Trumpeter swan have all black beaks, while the Tundra ones have a yellow spot near their bill, but not always! The black band on their beak tends to be a 'U' shape to the 'V' on the Trumpeter. The Tundra swan is also smaller. The Trumpeter does not have much of a call. More of a 'oh-ohhhh' sound. You'd never believe such a giant bird (25 pounds) would have such a quiet voice. I forgot to mark what gives them their  name, the Tundra sort of whistle when they fly (their wings), but these guys are more silent once they get off the water. I often look up bird information on the all about birds site on Cornell lab of ornithology. (follow link)

Bits of Breakup

April has been full of all sorts of weather. so far. We've had melting days and snowy days and then almost hot ones. Here are a few photos I've taken while out and about. 

 Easter flowers from church and snow on Wednesday and Thursday of the same week!

The snow melted quickly and it was nice enough to go for a tramp in the woods. I didn't go very far, the snow may have been rotten (slushy), but it was deep in spots! 

I sent lake updates to our neighbors while they were on vacation. Every day it more water was seen on top, the next two photos were 24 hours apart! 

 I decided to not go down to the lake edge, the path has about 6 feet of ice on the bottom stretch of the path! I accidentally took this next photo while contemplating my decision to go down or not

We saw waterfowl on Bishop lake when we drove past, I went out to see if the swans were back and identified a male and female mallard. They took off when I approached and landed on clear water on the other lake. I attempted to hike to that far lake, but the snow was too rotten and the way wasn't entirely solid. 

 I did find 'fluff' in the creek from the other lake. It was really soft, so it might be from swan.

 This was the first time I went to the lake Bishop side of the culvert. The no trespassing sign was on the ground buried in brush, so I figured it would be ok..

 Later, on Thursday of this last week, I went to Arness Dock to see if you could get to the beach yet. The road was 'clear', but I didn't want to risk it! I took photos from on top of the hill. I climbed up quite a ways on top of the snow. In the photo below, I found I'd taken a picture with the Monopod in it. You need to look close, but it is there! (I think that is the name of that platform!)

 The jack up rig seems to be home for ravens. I could hear their liquid gurgles and as the sun set, pairs winged around the different parts reaching into the sky and settled on the black metal.

 The sunset wasn't purple on the mountain side, most of the clouds were behind me. It was fun to watch the sun drop into the sharp outline of the horizon. It was definitely golden!