Vibrant Journey » Nature/Garden http://blog.vibrantjourney.com life with a little pizzazz Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:42:04 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Praying Mantis http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2010/09/15/praying-mantis/ http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2010/09/15/praying-mantis/#comments Wed, 15 Sep 2010 19:39:54 +0000 Luis Menchu http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2010/09/15/praying-mantis/ Continue reading →]]> A praying mantis visited the PCC Sylvania campus this morning. Amazing how attentive it was to people looking at it and talking to it. Appeared to be true interaction and communication.

Now I can add this to my list of wildlife seen on campus: deer, coyote, hummingbirds and other birds, a rat (don’t worry, only once), dogs, bees, ants dragging said bee to – uh – dinner, and, of course, squirrels.

Praying Mantis from above

Praying Mantis turning away

Praying Mantis looking our way

]]> http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2010/09/15/praying-mantis/feed/ 0 Yard Shots http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2010/08/21/yard-shots/ http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2010/08/21/yard-shots/#comments Sun, 22 Aug 2010 02:50:33 +0000 Luis Menchu http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/?p=739 Continue reading →]]> A few photos from the yard checking out the iPhone 4 camera and Photoshop Express app. This post also originated in the WordPress app.

As a whole the process went well but I did have a need to finalize the post on my computer to post the photos as part of a gallery. I couldn’t complete this in the app or in Safari on the iPhone.

Enjoy the photos, it was a beautiful day to be outside.

l_2592_1936_FACB9BD9-8338-4432-8D8F-8FB98B4D8328.jpeg l_2592_1936_4C577976-D03C-475B-8B47-1B98079C2F9F.jpeg l_2592_1936_3BEB168F-B675-4FE6-85DA-59A4A38850C0.jpeg l_2592_1936_D79CAF10-BF2C-4A3E-936D-7A01322C9D20.jpeg l_2592_1936_E2D528F5-087B-4D85-8048-177BD4D4810B.jpeg l_2592_1936_FC6C1326-4536-4E36-B943-DC4EC7FEF01B.jpeg ]]> http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2010/08/21/yard-shots/feed/ 0 Mulch Perspectives http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2010/03/05/mulch-perspectives/ http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2010/03/05/mulch-perspectives/#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:51:16 +0000 Luis Menchu http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/?p=615 Continue reading →]]> Walked past newly spread mulch twice in one day with two different people. Both noted the widespread aroma but differed on the cause before being made aware of the fresh mulch. One noted the stink and equated it with manure; the second enjoyed the delicious scent of brown sugar. “Brown sugar” led to talk of gardens and the sweet, textured fragrance of a rich garden soil.

While I have nothing against manure and actually enjoy its scent in reasonable exposures, I much prefer the brown sugar reference and am now looking forward to getting my hands into our garden.

]]> http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2010/03/05/mulch-perspectives/feed/ 0 Chicken Soup for a Fall Day http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/11/15/chicken-soup-for-a-fall-day/ http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/11/15/chicken-soup-for-a-fall-day/#comments Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:19:46 +0000 Luis Menchu http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/?p=593 There is nothing like homemade chicken soup for a cold fall day and it is even better with carrots from the garden and baby bok choy from the farmer’s market.

Chicken Soup

Chicken Soup

]]> http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/11/15/chicken-soup-for-a-fall-day/feed/ 0 Fall Colors in the Garden http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/10/18/fall-colors-in-the-garden/ http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/10/18/fall-colors-in-the-garden/#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:05:06 +0000 Luis Menchu http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/?p=550 Some shots of fall color in the garden. The blueberry leaves are always amazing and on this day of rain and sunshine everything was spectacular.

Blueberry Leaves in Autumn Blueberry Leaves in Autumn Blueberry Leaves in Autumn Blueberry Leaves in Autumn Blueberry Leaves in Autumn Blueberry Leaves in Autumn Blueberry Leaves in Autumn Blueberry Leaves in Autumn Blueberry Leaves in Autumn Blueberry Leaves in Autumn Blueberry Leaves in Autumn Fall Leaf and Rocks Fading Nasturtium Flower Pumpkin Vine and Leaves Rhubarb Leaf in Autumn Rock and Fall Garden Fall Leaves and Storm Cloud ]]> http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/10/18/fall-colors-in-the-garden/feed/ 0 Evening Paddle in Scappoose Bay http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/09/05/evening-paddle-scappoose-bay/ http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/09/05/evening-paddle-scappoose-bay/#comments Sat, 05 Sep 2009 07:12:07 +0000 Luis Menchu http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/?p=510 Continue reading →]]> Enjoyed a nice evening paddle in Scappoose Bay. Wonderful views, a quiet evening, a short soft shower, Great Blue Herons, the splashing of beavers and leaping little fish.

After night fell we followed each others glow-light taillights as we maneuvered our kayaks through fallen trees in a narrow channel.

I did get a few photos before we lost the light of day.

Kayaking at Scappoose Bay Kayaking at Scappoose Bay with houseboats in view Kayaking at Scappoose Bay with Mt. St. Helens in background Kayaking at Scappoose Bay Kayaking at Scappoose Bay Kayaking at Scappoose Bay Kayaking at Scappoose Bay

Thanks to Steve and Bonnie at Scappoose Bay Kayaking and to PCC Community Education for a memorable evening.

]]> http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/09/05/evening-paddle-scappoose-bay/feed/ 0 Oregon Coast Trip http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/09/02/oregon-coast-trip/ http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/09/02/oregon-coast-trip/#comments Thu, 03 Sep 2009 06:31:07 +0000 Luis Menchu http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/?p=448 Continue reading →]]> Some photos from our recent visit to the Oregon Coast. This summer we focused on the coast starting from Newport and heading south.

We also started collecting lighthouse stamps in our very own Lighthouse passport. Our passport now includes stamps from six Oregon lighthouses.
P1010056 P1010050 P1010033 Oregon Coast P1010028 P1010027 P1010026 P1010023 P1010022 P1010074 P1010068 P1010067 P1010020 P1010019 P1010018 P1010017 P1010015 P1010082 P1010081 P1010077 P1010076 Yaquina Head Lighthouse P8250016 P8240010 P8240007 P8240005 P8240004 P8240003 P1010086 P1010014 P1010013 P1010011 P1010046 P1010009 P1010012 P1010049 P1010044 P8240001

]]> http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/09/02/oregon-coast-trip/feed/ 2 First Fig Harvest http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/08/06/first-fig-harvest/ http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/08/06/first-fig-harvest/#comments Fri, 07 Aug 2009 06:10:09 +0000 Luis Menchu http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/?p=440 Picked a few of our mini first harvest of figs tonight. These are the teasers for the onslaught of figs we’ll see in October.

First fig harvest

]]> http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/08/06/first-fig-harvest/feed/ 2 Hummingbird Dance http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/07/31/hummingbird-dance/ http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/07/31/hummingbird-dance/#comments Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:08:12 +0000 Luis Menchu http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/?p=430 As I watered the garden hummingbirds danced in the spray catching droplets. A refreshing way for all to start the day.

]]> http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/07/31/hummingbird-dance/feed/ 0 Gutters http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/05/04/gutters/ http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/2009/05/04/gutters/#comments Tue, 05 May 2009 05:00:35 +0000 Luis Menchu http://blog.vibrantjourney.com/?p=412 Continue reading →]]> Just in from cleaning gutters. The rain stopped as I went out to work and I have no ladder stories — a wonderful evening.

I was determined to go out due to the large amount of water pouring out of the clogged gutters. Based on the day we’ve had and the conditions as I went to change into rain gear, I expected to get very wet. Instead the world was kind to me and provided very nice weather for this task. Still not a fun way to spend an evening.

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