starting to bud

Today's feature: the porch and backyard!
Plants, birds, city... we have it all!!

Getting started. Plants ALWAYS belong on a balcony!!

I fell in love with this beautiful flowering plant... so Isaac got it for me. :)

Potting my flowers. So sweet.

My turn, different day. Victim: a Western Sword Fern!

Potting a coleus that I got at the farmers market. This one's inside.

This is a Western Scrub-Jay (not a Steller's Jay which Isaac is still trying to get a picture of, but a bird that is not currently on my nice list). The Steller's Jay that hangs out here (again, not the one pictured) is big and extremely domineering and squawks so so loud. Because it is a bird, I will like it. But I'm sort of afraid it's going to attack me someday.
(Isaac took this picture)

Isaac took this picture too. You can't see its spots, but it's a little Spotted Towhee that I've only seen twice. The jay probably makes sure it stays far away.

You can't see it, but my watering can has sprung a leak so significant that there is literally a steady stream of water falling from the can. What you CAN see is that this makes me very very sad. :(

None the less, the plants still need water. Especially THAT one! Shiesh! RIP poor plant that went from Nebraska to Georgia to Nebraska to Oregon... (2007-2010).

..........

Tonight, the lighting was perfect outside for some photos - just after a day full of sun and right before a sunset full of rain. Such vibrant colors!! Enjoy!...

Only thing missing: some quality outdoor furniture to enjoy this beautiful weather with a hot cup of coffee (and perhaps a certain Steller's Jay that may or may not be sabotaging the bird feeder).

My favorite yellow (antique!) stool that I refused to leave behind.

Pine cones that Isaac and I collected on our run through the neighborhood the other day! While we were walking back, a total of three elders that we passed commented on our "treasures". :) Moments like THAT are why I am LOVING it here!!

A White Nancy that I found at the Farmer's Market... starting to bud! This is that plant that replaced the one that died. Hopefully this one isn't as high-maintenance!!

West side of porch. Notice the empty bird feeder thanks to a certain glutenous Jay.

They are GROWING! The bottom left one is a Creeping Myrtle and fanning out a LOT! The orange one is my Kalanchoe that Isaac got me and the red one is another Coleus from the farmer's market.

The make-shift compost...

... working hard.

Center Portland view from the porch. Normally you can also see Mt. St. Helens, but the evening's storm is rolling in. I'll try for another picture on a clear day soon...

The beautiful "backyard". YES, those flowers really are that RED!!

"Backyard"

It's such a lovely, quiet area for being in the middle of the city!!


And for those of you who've made it this far, I'm working on a DIY project right now to spruce up some walls! I'll be posting the process and final result soon, so be on the lookout for that!!

___