Now that the fruit trees are starting to flower, like this pear at the edge of the oak forest, and temperatures are consistently above 55F, it was time to bring out the bee cocoons that had been overwintering in the fridge.
I've re-hung the nifty little bee-house I bought last year and placed the cocoons in that upper (triangular shaped) little area (leaf-cutters on the left, masons on the right):
To protect them from predators, direct sunlight and bad weather I hung some shade cloth and placed a wire basket (always thrifty, re-purpose!) upside down over the whole house.
It can take anywhere from a couple of days to up to 2 or 3 weeks for the baby-bees to emerge. Keeping my fingers crossed!
Since I had to get a copy of my Naturalization Certificate certified at USCIS in Portland (to apply for a new Dutch passport) we decided to squeeze in some sight seeing as well.
Well, of course, the copy-appointment turned out to be a bust, apparently they don't certify copies anymore, 'thank-you-very-much for the misinformation on the website and the 2 hour drive!'
To say I was mad is an understatement ... #$@!%^!
Thank Gawd for some coffee .. and pastries of course!
And so, in a much improved state of mind, we started with the sightseeing part of our day and drove to Washington Park for a visit to the World Forestry Center and it's Discovery Center.
It had been on my list for a while and this was a perfect opportunity.
After the original building was destroyed in a fire in 1964, its new facility was rebuilt and
It had been on my list for a while and this was a perfect opportunity.
The museum is one of three programs operated by the World Forestry Center.
This nonprofit organization’s mission is to connect people to the importance of forests and sustainable forestry.
Founded in 1966, the World Forestry Center was created to replace the Forestry Building, a majestic log structure built for the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition.
This nonprofit organization’s mission is to connect people to the importance of forests and sustainable forestry.
Founded in 1966, the World Forestry Center was created to replace the Forestry Building, a majestic log structure built for the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition.
After the original building was destroyed in a fire in 1964, its new facility was rebuilt and
on June 30, 2005, after a $10.5 million, 6-month renovation, the
20,000-square-foot (1,900 m2) museum reopened with new interactive exhibits about the sustainability of forests and trees of the Pacific Northwest and the world.
The first floor features Pacific Northwest informational combined with hands-on activities as well as information about animals living in it's forests and waters.
Second-floor exhibits explore forests around the world through fun simulated rides on the Trans-Siberian railway to see a Russian boreal forest, boarding a Chinese boat to learn about temperate forests, traveling by jeep through a sub-tropical forest in South Africa andvisiting Brazil’s Amazon tropical forest on a treetop crane.
The first floor features Pacific Northwest informational combined with hands-on activities as well as information about animals living in it's forests and waters.
Second-floor exhibits explore forests around the world through fun simulated rides on the Trans-Siberian railway to see a Russian boreal forest, boarding a Chinese boat to learn about temperate forests, traveling by jeep through a sub-tropical forest in South Africa andvisiting Brazil’s Amazon tropical forest on a treetop crane.
The center is smaller than I thought and caters a little too much to children for my liking but we had fun and learned a lot!
Of course all this learning makes your 'little grey cells' go very hungry so on our way back home we stopped at our favorite Indian restaurant 'Sultan The Flaming Tandoor' in Sherwood where we had some nice spinach-naan and a delicious lamb curry:
Back home the meadows are starting to look more and more 'summery' with lots of daisies, dandelions and deadnettle ..
Almost all calves are 'on the ground' by now but I was shocked to hear that 6 of them died due to pneumonia, which apparently is a 'thing' this early in the spring when temperatures (especially at night) can still swing wildly ..
This little bugger is fully awake now and looks for seeds around the bird-feeders every day but I haven't seen any of the rest of his large (as we know) family yet.
Presumably still in hibernation?
Presumably still in hibernation?
I was exited to see a bald eagle flying over the other day, the first one I've noticed over here!
It took me a little to get him in my camera-viewer (sunny and bright-blue sky in my eyes) but I finally got somewhat of a decent shot!
It took me a little to get him in my camera-viewer (sunny and bright-blue sky in my eyes) but I finally got somewhat of a decent shot!
The rest of the week was business as usual, with a little baking ... both the 'boule' and the sandwich bread came out perfect!
And a little gardening:
And a little gardening:
The mesclun-mix (leaf lettuce) is coming up, as well as the broccoli, compliments of the abundant sunshine and higher temps of this week!
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