Kitty Climbs the Willow Tree

This cat can get kinda crazy when we go outside and go for walks.  Quite often she will getting a running start and jump up into a tree.  Doesn't matter what kind of tree, pine, willow, cherry, pear, she will manage to climb it.

I took photos of her one day in the willow tree, which is over thirty years old.  

Tacoma kitty takes a walk near the Trinity river in the spring.

The kitty loves to take walks and in the spring we took a couple walks near the river.
 

Lady bug on the Trinity River

Who doesn't like lady bugs?  :-)

Lady bug on the Trinity river.

These lady bugs I found just in one day walking along a trail on the Trinity river.  

Dandelions in the setting sun.

dandelions, trinity river.

dandelions in the sun.

Apparently dandelions are not what you want on your lawn, but they can be quite pretty. :-)  I hear they are quite healthy to eat.  Fresh dandelion salad anyone?

Lilacs on the Trinity river, in Trinity county.

Blooming lilacs and the willow tree in April.

Nature makes the best colors, lilacs are proof.

Lilacs in Trinity county on the Trinity river.

Ahhhh.... Lilacs, so beautiful, and fragrant.  These lavender lilacs are so pretty, and are blooming right now.  Such a brilliant color and just wonderful to look at.

A tulip to celebrate the month May.

Red tulip under a tree.

I have to update this post because I found out the real story behind the fir tree.  My dad was driving up a hill in Weaverville, Rasmussen hill, and this fir tree, slid in front of his truck off a hill.  Just this small tree, and underneath a pile of red dirt.  Working for Caltran's at the time, he put the tree in the truck and continued on with his day.  Apparently, he forgot the tree was in the back of the truck at Caltrans.  When he returned to work, he realized he had forgotten about the fir tree, and then ran it home, and planted. 

So the tree was actually planted in mid 1970's, so it's a bit older than I had estimated before.  I guess they were not  thinking how large the tree would grow.  The tree now completely overshadows the tulip along with the trail that the tulip is planted near.  We had to change the path of the trail because the tree got so big.  I glanced over at the tree yesterday and saw some red under the tree.  So I ventured closer and low and behold, my favorite flower, a single tulip.

Single tulip under the tree.

Love this red tulip shot with the tree branches and moss.

For this shot I was also under the tree and camera held low.

Taking a walk with the cat.

Tacoma will go for a walk anytime.  If you put on your shoes and ask her to go for a walk, she is right there ready to go.  Someone left her near the property years ago. It took a long time for her to even let anyone touch her.  Now that is the opposite, and she is quite the lap cat. 

Daffodil's from the last week in March.

There were lots of daffodils this spring, such a bright lovely flower.  They really are beautiful and an annual that comes back every year and we love those kinds of flowers. 

Quails in Trinity County on a snowy morning.

Quail in Trinity County, I am pretty sure they live in the blackberry bushes.

There are always lots of quail around.  I am not sure if there is one group, or many groups of them.

Sometimes I will see ten or more at a time.  They are very quick, and will run as soon as I open the door to take photos.

For once I managed to sneak up on these quails and get a few pictures.  

Another very interesting fact about the quails, that I found out a few days ago.  

My dad informed me that the quail are actually not very fat.  They have an air sac between their feathers and their bodies, which puffs out to keep them insulated.  And I thought they were well fed. :-)  I do see though, now a few weeks later, that they are in fact, not that fat, in the yard yesterday, of course, the weather is warmer.

These are some very beautiful quail, they look pretty well fed to me.

Quail running away, they are very sensitive to noise.

Work in Progress, Trinity River Restoration, Trinity County

I took some photographs in September of the work on the Trinity River Restoration Project,.  It was a hot sunny day.  It seems they have made lots of progress.  Here are more pictures, of some heavy equipment, this was some type of chipper.  Let me know if you know what it is.

Heavy equipment being used for Trinity River restoration.

Trinity River restoring the river for the salmon.

Trinity River Restoration Project view from the river.

Trinity River Restoration Project, Trinity River, Trinity County, California

The other day I was swimming and the workers were working on the restoration area in the river.  They are trying to restore the shallow banks so that the salmon can continue to breed and spawn. In the last photo you can see the cloud of dust from the truck emptying it's load.

If you would like to learn more...  http://www.trrp.net/

   

Duck and Ducklings, Trinity River, Trinity County

Often as I approach the river I scare the ducks away.  This is the case again.  They really are not friendly like you see in the parks in the cities.  They know they are food, and they don't expect anyone to give them food.

Chinese Lilac on the Trinity River, Trinity County

Just received these beautiful photos from via email.  Chinese Lilac on the Trinity River.  The color of these lilacs is gorgeous.  I do not think these are quite as fragrant as the lilac bushes that I am familiar with. 

Beavers building a dam on the Trinity River, Trinity County

The beavers are still around and do not seem to be letting up.  They really are getting on my nerves. I am almost positive them  moved here from upriver after they cleared out the area there.  Does anyone have any beaver prevention methods they would like to share?

Bald Eagle on the Trinity River, Trinity County

A few days ago I went to see how many more trees the beavers had claimed for their dam of the Trinity River.  They are very determined.  While I was down by the river, I think the eagle was hunting and I may have startled him/her.  Here are the pictures, honestly I am not even sure it is an eagle.  This one looks different, and has different colors than the ones I normally see.  What do you think?

Fox in the Morning on the Trinity River

Good Morning! Happy Weekend everyone. I saw a fox out the window, this morning. Of course as soon as I opened the door to take a photograph of it I startled him/her. Then I managed to get these two shots.

Rainbow in Trinity County, Old Photographs

This is a great old rainbow photograph that my mother took many years ago. I scanned the photograph and then altered it in Photoshop. I used the patch tool, from the source, to get rid of the power line. Then using the clone stamp to get rid of the sun spot.

I could have also taken out the stop sign but I rather liked it in the photograph. Here are both photographs.