Like many bloggers, I am going to do a “random” blog today because, well, this week has just worn me out.

1. First City Celebration

This Saturday I will be in downtown Oregon City meeting and greeting the public along with 100 other artists and vendors for the 5th Annual First City Celebration. There will be music, food, and wine. This promises to be a great event, so if you haven’t already, put it on your calendar and come on down. Even the weather looks to cooperate by not raining and not frying us like so many eggs.

The event is from 11am-9pm (as an artist, I’ll be leaving at 7, but there will be music and wine going on until later.) I really hope to see you all.

firsticyt2. Go Stacy Riggs and NoName

My friend Stacey Riggs is once again taking a mustang (NoName) to Extreme Mustang Makeover, this time in Nampa, ID. Unlike last time, she hopes that someone will adopt the horse that she has worked with for the last 90 days. To facilitate this, she gave him the name NoName (pronounced No-Nah-Mi). At the end of day 1 they stand in 3rd place.

I guess she’s going “Dressage” this time instead of Western. I don’t know if this is part of a larger plan, but I think they look great.

I hope she’ll forgive me for stealing her Facebook photo in order to wish her luck.

riggs3. Swallows

The swallows have fledged. But before they left, I managed to verify 3 babies.

threeswallows4. Big cats

For the last week there has been a sign up at Canemah.

cougar1

Now, I’m not sure, but I think I spotted it today.

cougarWhat do you think?

5. Birding at Canemah

Things are so quiet at Canemah (maybe the cougar has scared them all off?) I haven’t even seen the vultures the last few times I went down. Then today, I had a pretty good birding day.

6. Other things that fly

It’s so dry that it is hard to get good photos (or at least photos that I find pleasing) at Canemah.

But today I took a little break in the shade and I saw a little flock of the most lovely damselflies.

damselfly1 damselfly27. Madrone trees

I think the madrone trees are so striking this time of year with their sunburned and peeling bark.

madronemadrone