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Author Archives: Teri J Pieper

Spring Scenes

Sometimes, winter seems never ending with a long drawn out mud season. This year, the snow melted quickly and now everything is green again. It’s still possible to find patches of snow in shady, north facing places and the dogs celebrate each of those little patches. Tiny wildflowers are in bloom and the balsamroot and serviceberry are ready to color all the hillsides. Bees and other insects are out foraging. Butterflies are showing up. For now, it’s quiet around town and trails offer solitude. Soon the pass will open and that will all change but for now, the dogs and I are enjoying being out on the landscape.

Spring Birds

Spring migration is in full swing with new birds arriving, and departing, daily. After a long quiet winter, it’s nice to hear bird song again. Mountain Bluebird, Say’s Phoebe, Dusky Grouse, Vesper Sparrow, Northern Flicker, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Western Bluebird, Townsend’s Solitaire, Bald Eagle, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Sandhill Cranes.

A Little Time at the Beach

We all got away to the Washington coast last week to dig razor clams and walk on the beach and generally relax. It was lovely. The weather was pretty good too. Not very rainy or windy, for a change. There was a Bald Eagle nest across the river from where we stayed. I saw the birds near it but they weren’t using it, yet. I saw one shorebird – a Greater Yellowlegs, I think. Sunsets were lovely. There’s not many things better than a beach sunset. Both dogs found a tennis ball. And we ate fried razor clams and fresh ceviche too. We got our limits on three of four days. Here I am with a limit of fifteen clams.

The Little Things

It seems like just days ago, our hillside was still covered with rotten snow and now it’s covered with tiny growing plants, some already in bloom. The tiny flowers are fleeting so I’m outside searching for them everyday while the Western Meadowlarks and Say’s Phoebes sing from every perch. Northern Flickers call raucously and sometimes I hear the soft call or see the vibrant glimpse of blue from Western Bluebirds who are checking out all our nest boxes. The honeybees are finding pollen to take back to the hives. Spring is wonderful.

Mud Season Break

The girls and I took a little break from Mud Season last week. We drove about 100 miles south of here for a change of scenery and also a chance to walk on dry ground – no snow or mud, well, maybe a little mud. We walked through the sagebrush and coulees, the girls jumped in various lakes and I saw some tiny wildflowers and birds too. Ken joined us for an afternoon to celebrate my birthday. We ended the trip with a good six mile hike with a friend and her dog. I am pleased that Sky was able to do the whole hike despite her arthritis and spondylosis. She is moving around thanks to modern meds.