It's the first week of May and the canola fields around us are flowering.
A small number of farmers in Oregon grow canola/rapeseed for the oil in its seeds and canola helps “clean” fields of weeds that are difficult to kill in grass seed crops as well.
(There's a little bit of a controversy about this crop due to fears that it will interfere in the cultivation of related seed crops like mustard or broccoli and there's actually a 500-acre limit on canola farming in the Willamette Valley).
I sure do love to see those bright yellow fields!

The Red Clover is also starting to bloom. Soon the hills all around us will color red as well:

Our landlord grew them last year and some seeds that were left in the ground after plowing them over are coming up voluntarily this year. The bees will love them!

Talking about bees, there has been some activity in my 'hotel', eggs have been laid and tunnels plugged up.
You can actually see a (leaf-cutter) bee in one of the tunnels here:

                                  

And finally we had our first deer show up!

They appeared at the forest's edge on the other side of the pond we're on and moseyed their way to the small group of trees to the right of us.
Coco, out landlord's dog, obviously didn't see (or smell) them so they were safe for the moment.

 

 

We'd heard they're around but because of the dog we hadn't seen any at all since the time we'd arrived here.
I think it's a doe with her 1 year old fawns. So cool!

 

I posted last week that the first Gold-finches were back. Well, I think now the whole family  has arrived!

              

Holy smokes! It's an invasion!

                                                 

They like the black sunflower seeds and sometimes nibble a little from the mixed ones but their favorite are the thistle seeds.
In which they are fortunate since they're the only ones eating them!

James hung the bat-box in the tree for me:

                  

We didn't want to put screws in the tree so we attached 2 rubber straps around the trunk, bend the hardware that came with the box and clasped them over/on the strap.

                                               

 

Et voila! The bat-hotel is hereby opened!

We can't quite see the entrance from the RV since it had to be hung facing somewhere between N-and SE, but we'll just place a few viewing chairs there to see them emerge in the evening.

Hopefully ...

                       

On Sunday afternoon we went for another performance at the Gallery theater in Mcminnville.
We had tickets for the matinee-show of 'Anesthesia, the musical':

According to their website: This dazzling show transports its audience from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing con man and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love and family.

Despite a little so-so start, we soon got drawn into the story and we enjoyed the fast paced  and fun dialogues, the beautiful costumes and wonderful voices of the lead singers.
Well done again! We'll be back!

Meanwhile, at the ranch, the counters for the office arrived and James cut them at the right length .. as in: measure 12 times, cut only once!

Perfect!

The large one is going to be his desk and the small one the coffee/microwave counter.

That 'doorway' to the left into the shed is eventually going to disappear (more about that next time).

He spend a couple of days staining and varnishing and they're looking really nice.

Next up: painting the walls.

Today is Cinquo de Mayo, and it's about time to heat the Tamales I bought.
I know, I took the easy way out, but I'll fix a salad and make some guacamole! Flan for dessert, also store-bought (gasp!), but not bad at all.
Oh well ... it's Sunday, which is when I try not to cook, or at least make something easy.

So .. Feliz Cinco de Mayo to you! Fiesta ‘til you siesta!