Ashland in October

The California kids and their parents had to cancel their September trip and go the first week of October instead. So I drove back to Ashland on October 2nd... stopping on the way at Ankeny, as usual, and saw some mysterious shorebirds way across the lake. I could not tell what they were so took photos...

After looking at the photos, I noticed light-colored stripes on the back, ergo... Common Snipe.



 Onward to beautiful Jacksonville where I stayed overnight with friends Judy and Don. After their traditional morning walk with Rusty, their wonderful dog, I drove on to Ashland where I saw one play with Steve and family, Alice in Wonderland, plus hiked in Lithia Park.

We saw a flock of Hermit Thrushes and one posed for me.

I did not get such cooperative poses from the boys. Steve is being Steve.

Here are Munazza and her boys on a throne. Well, it looked like a throne to us.

Steve being his daredevil self, walking across Ashland Creek on a pipe of some sort.

... and teaching his boys to be daredevils, too... first Kestrel...

 ...then Cedrus...

Kestrel on his way back, without help, just Steve ready to catch if he lost his balance...

...and Cedrus... a little leery of all those rocks below. Smart kid.

Kestrel found a quiet spot to rest and watch the creek...

We came upon a rock garden...

Cedrus found a quiet spot, too...

 It was a short trip for me. I came Wednesday, saw a play Thursday, and left Friday. They stayed one more day and saw two more plays (that I had seen with Ruth in September). But there was an ulterior motive besides seeing the kids: Munazza had agreed to take plants from my greenhouse to free up the crowded space, so my little Prius C was stuffed with plants on the way up, and their car was stuffed with plants on their way back to California.

I stopped at Ankeny on my way home, as always, and found a pair of Yellowlegs close to shore. I suspect they are Lesser rather than Greater but I don't really know.

  I also found a yellow jacket (wasp, not item of clothing), or it found me. It flew into the car while I was eating lunch; I exited; it came with me, landed on my head; I brushed it off... and got stung. Nasty bee.

Home safely on Friday, October 4th, from my third Ashland adventure. Balm of Gilead took away the itching and pain from the bee sting... eventually.

...Come to think of it, I actually went to Ashland four times this year to see plays: once with Ian on the way south to California in June, then again on the way up; once in September, and once in October. That's a record I hope never to break. Too much driving. Time to stay home and catch up and enjoy the colorful fall. Happy October!