Let's see what we can find on our walk today, shall we? (photo-essay)

Here's the view from the top of the hill by the my house here in Cloverdale. Look! You can see the vineyards down in the Alexander Valley from here!

It's been overcast the last few days but the sky is pretty clear right now... Still -- I suspect it's going to get cloudier as the afternoon wears on...

Shhh! What's that sound? It sounds like a woodpecker drumming in one of the oak trees!

Would you look at all those acorns they've got stored from last fall in that branch? There must be hundreds of them!

Here come my black kitty cat, Plunkett... He loves to play this game where he rolls in the dust in the driveway and I pretend to scold him... Watch...

Oh, NO! Plunkett! You're rolling in the dirt again! You'll get your pretty black fur all dirty!

Can't you tell that he just loves to play this game? Funny kitty...

Oh! How beautiful! All the "soap plants" are blooming!! Look how many of them there are!

The Native Americans used the roots of soap plants to make detergent. They also used the bulbs as paintbrushes... But my favorite part are the flowers...

It looks like the bumble bees like them, too!

And, look! The brodea are blooming now, too!

Brodea is a member of the lily family... We have a lot of different members of the lily family amongst our native Northern California wildflowers and a lot of them bloom in the late spring or summer...

Do you hear that? Some little birds are having a FIT in the bushes... Oh, how cute! I think it's a baby marsh wren!

And here's a little oak titmouse... They always act like they're so curious about people... I guess he wonders what we're doing walking around out here with this camera...

Look at his little, bright, shiny black eye! You can tell why they're named after mice...

Uh-oh... Look up! See? I TOLD you the clouds were going to roll in pretty soon...

I guess we should be getting back inside now... It's going to get cold out here pretty soon...

I can't resist just one last look at front yard, though, with all the plants blooming so nicely...

I sure do love summertime, don't you?

Well, thanks so much for coming along with me on this little walk around my place here in Cloverdale, all my wonderful Gather friends!

I had such a great time! Come back and visit again real soon, won't you? 

And, please take a moment today to remember all of the soldiers, sailors, marines and members of the air force who gave their lives in service to our country today... We have a pretty good life here and they're the reason why...

luv,

jean