Ashleigh visits Mingus Park

Here is the entrance to Mingus Park. It's a very pretty little park in Coos Bay, named after a doctor who did a lot of good in the area "back in the day".

The park is full of ducks, geese, pigeons, and seagulls. Here are three male Mallard ducks.

This goose is much more friendly than the ducks & comes right over to us. Maybe he thinks we have bread for him?

Sometimes during the summer you can see Western (or Pacific) Pond Turtles basking here on the branches that are down by the water. This is the only species of turtle native to the area, and they are endangered. Michelle has counted up to 8 basking on the pond in previous years, but she's pretty sure there's more. It's too early in the year for them to be out of hibernation.

Here is the Choshi Bridge. It is on the South end of Michelle's favorite part of the park-the Japanese Garden. Let's go check it out.

Here is the Koi pond. There's no Koi in it right now, but during the summer you can see them swimming around. They're really pretty.

I've decided I need a little rest & this Bonsai inspired pine is just the perfect comfy place to relax for a couple of minutes.

Here is the other pond in the Japanese garden. This one will be teeming with frogs, water skippers, and little minnows in about 6 weeks. It's very pretty & peaceful.

Here's a Pussy Willow tree that is in the process of blooming & putting out pussy willows.

Here is a view of the bridge from the other side. We're heading out of the Japanese gardens & back out into the main park.

This is a great old tree. The moss makes this another comfy place to take a little break.

Here are some Wood Ducks fleeing from us, sigh...they are Michelle's favorites, but they're more squitterish than the rest of the water fowl here. I like that when they quack it's really just a little squeak.

This was our companion today, Dr. Merkus. He has a collar & Michelle called the owners. He lives nearby & is an escape artist who likes to come to the park & socialize. He followed us all around the ponds today & then decided to hang in the playground area with the kids. His owners were going to come get him soon.

And this is the "big" kid playground area. There is also another one specifically for the little kids just around the corner of this one. So we lucked out & it's a really pretty day out today. The rain is supposed to be back tomorrow.

Ashleigh finds the Spring Fairies!

It was a beautiful, if slightly windy, day today, so Baby Easter Bunny & I decided to go for a walk & try to find more signs of Spring...What we found instead is amazing! Spring Fairies! They help wake up the plants after winter, so they know to start growing again! This Spring Fairy is in charge of trees. Here she is helping the apple tree wake up...check out all the buds!

This fairy is responsible for helping the flowers wake up. We found her on the lawn waking up the daisies. I really like daisies, Michelle says when we've got more daisies awake, we'll make some daisy chain necklaces to wear.

This fairy is responsible for waking up the bulbs, like this grape hyacinth. She generally get an earlier start than the rest of the fairies, cuz spring is when lots of bulbs like to wake up best. But she did tell me that she'll take a short vacation & then be back in the summer for the dahlias and some of the other summer bulbs.

It's so nice out on the lawn this time of year...

Introducing Hitty Hitomi

Here, I'm introducing myself to Hitty Hitomi. Isn't she just a lovely Hitty? I love her kimono, very elegant.

While Hitty Hitomi says goodbye to Hitty Colleen, Hitty Maureen O'Hara, and Bitty Hitty Mab, I wander over and check out her collection of China. She has a lovely set.

Now, for some lovely tea and conversation. I really enjoyed my time with Hitty Hitomi & predict that we will be great friends!

Ashleigh visits the Elk & the Coast

Here we are at the Dean Creek Elk Viewing area just East of Reedsport...as you can see the weather is not great today & elk are scarce on the ground.

Here is Riley & Cieira standing in front of a huge poster of an elk...it also tells some information on them.

Here is the welcome tile at the entrance to the little viewing building. There's lots of other wildlife besides elk here, there are duck, geese, frogs, various & assorted non-water birds, insects...

You can see some ducks splashing around here in the background...they're the little black dots.

And, we found some elk...they're way back by the tree line & look like hay clumps in this picture. Also, more ducks frolicking.

Then we went to Winchester Bay. This is the view of the getty from the lighthouse.

Look at the white caps...

And here's the Umpqua River Lighthouse. It's also part of the Coast Guard station here.

Here are Riley, Cieira, and I in front of the lighthouse & the informational sign about it. Today is the first day of Spring Break, so of course it's raining. But, Michelle says we live on the Oregon coast, if we wait for nice weather to do anything, we'd never do anything!

There's a whale watching station across the street from the lighthouse, but this is the wrong time of the year to see whales migrating...there might be Orcas out there though.

Ashleigh finds an Easter Bunny Baby

Today we had a Coos Bay Hittys family reunion so that everyone could meet Hitty Hitomi (she's the pretty one in the black Kimono) who is the newest family member. As you can see we have a couple of Hittys living at our house...I'm pretty sure there's a couple missing even.

On my way home from the reunion I met a baby Easter Bunny! He was hanging out waiting for Spring & April...whichever comes first. I like how he incorporates flowers into everything, including his nose!

Happy St Patrick's Day!

My friends and I are celebrating St. Patrick's Day. So from Hitty Colleen, Bitty Hitty Mab, Hitty Maureen O'Hara & myself-Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Fun Stuff today

Tonight is the annual fund raiser at Riley's school called Family Fun Night-it was circus themed this year. Riley played games, had her hair done, and ate enough suger to last her the rest of the year. We also won back the birdhouse we made for the auction.

We got another wonderful HittyGirls PIF too! Meet Bitty Hickory. She's all dressed for St Patrick's day and is just the cutest thing. I wanted to play with her, but Miss Hickory isn't ready to let go of her yet.

Michelle's been working hard on getting some full size Blankie Bears done. She wants to donate them to DHS to be given to foster kids when they are going into a foster home. The 2nd bear from the left is made from scraps of yarn from other bears, but I think it turned out cute & colorful. Michelle hates to let anything go to waste. She's also working on getting the pattern to make the bears that are sent to children in Africa who are AIDS victims. She would like to make several bears for this cause also.

Return of the Evil Purse Monkey!!!

So I was taking a walk & passed Michelle's purse and saw an empty safety bubble. Oh no! The Evil Purse Monkey has escaped!

I checked the purse to see if maybe, just maybe, he was in there somewhere. But, he wasn't. He must be found & contained before he finds others of his kind & organizes! We've seen pictures of what can happen when this occurs & frankly it scares the fur right off me!

I checked at my house. Sadie Sue, Little Red, Pink, and Artichoke haven't seen the Evil Purse Monkey at all. Looks like it's time for a road trip.

My faithful llama, Artichoke, will accompany me on my quest for the Evil Purse Monkey. It concerns us that he has apparently escaped to the great outdoors. Who knows what havoc will ensue.

I see him! He's caught in the brush on this sheer vertical wall. Poor thing can't get himself loose. I'll have to scale down to rescue him. There's no time to go back for my repelling equipment, I'll just have use the brush that has trapped him to climb down.

Hang on little guy I've got you. Just try to swing over a little & I'll do the same.

Rescue complete we ride back home. Original Evil Purse Monkey (as he likes to be called) is exhausted & just wants to go home after his ordeal.

Time for a quick cuddle before he has to go back to the safety bubble.

HittyGirls are Generous & Look Spring!

HittyGirls do these things called PIFs (Pay It Forward). They send out small gifts in the mail to people who belong to the group. Here are some of the wonderful gifts our Hittys have received. The St Patricks Day apron (worn by Hitty Maureen O'Hara) is from Pauline N., the green shopping bag from Denise H, the wonderful calendar & pictures from Sylvia Y, the jacket & bonnet that Hitty Daisy is wearing from Annie H, and the black & white checked apron from Ann S(worn by Hitty Colleen). We have enjoyed each & every PIF & some have come at times when a pick me up was definately needed by Michelle. She in turn has sent out PIF's sometimes with the same result.

And more good news! The sun is out & Spring is coming! Look the tulips are getting ready to put out blooms, they're down there I looked!

We don't know what this bush is called, but I love the pretty little lacey white blooms. They only last for a little while right at the start of spring & then they're gone.

Look, this azalea is always among the first to bloom!

The apple tree is getting ready to have blooms too! Look buds !!