Reasons No. 26, 27, and 28

Reason No. 26

of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:
Lions

photo copyright 2010 Susan Faye

Reason No. 27

of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:
Tigers

photo copyright 2010 Susan Faye

Reason No. 28

of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:
Bears (oh my!)

photo copyright 2010 Susan Faye

All photos were taken at the Portland Zoo last fall on a lovely cool day when all of the animals were out and about and active.

Did you know that the number of tigers in the wild has plunged some 95 percent over the past century? It is estimated that only 3,200 remain in the wild, in large part due to loss of habitat, poaching and illicit trade in tiger pelts and body parts. Three of nine tiger subspecies are extinct: the Bali tiger in the 1940s, the Caspian tiger in the 1970s and the Java tiger in the 1980s. The south China tiger, which has not been seen in the wild for over 40 years, is feared extinct. Officials from 13 countries signed a declaration yesterday aimed at saving the remaining big cats from extinction. More information here: Save The Tiger

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Over the next few weeks I will be posting photos or artwork of 55 reasons why I think it's a good idea to take care of Mother Earth. If you find any of my 55 reasons compelling, please consider making a small donation if you can: 55 cents, $1.55, 5.50, or $55.00 (you get the drift...) to the Susan Faye Double Nickel Birthday Fund for Mother Nature to benefit the Nature Conservancy.

Your donation will support the many programs of the Nature Conservancy, an efficient and effective organization that has been working around the world for 60 years to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. My goal is to raise $550 to help with their important work.

If you would like to donate, please click here:
Double Nickel Fund

Thank you for participating...it means a lot to me!

Reasons 23, 24, and 25

Reason No. 23

of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:
Lilacs

photo copyright 2010 Susan Faye

Reason No. 24

of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:
Nasturtiums

photo copyright 2010 Susan Faye

Reason No. 25

of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:
Foxgloves

photo copyright 2010 Susan Faye

Over the next few weeks I will be posting photos or artwork of 55 reasons why I think it's a good idea to take care of Mother Earth. If you find any of my 55 reasons compelling, please consider making a small donation if you can: 55 cents, $1.55, 5.50, or $55.00 (you get the drift...) to the Susan Faye Double Nickel Birthday Fund for Mother Nature to benefit the Nature Conservancy.

Your donation will support the many programs of the Nature Conservancy, an efficient and effective organization that has been working around the world for 60 years to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. My goal is to raise $550 to help with their important work.

If you would like to donate, please click here:
Double Nickel Fund

Thank you for participating...it means a lot to me!

Reason No. 22

Reason No. 22

of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:
Red Admirals

..and their funny little faces!

This handsome fellow was very fond of my echinacea coneflowers two summers ago. Read more about Red Admiral Butterflies here: Vanessa Atalanta

Thanks for visiting!

Over the next few weeks I will be posting photos or artwork of 55 reasons why I think it's a good idea to take care of Mother Earth. If you find any of my 55 reasons compelling, please consider making a small donation if you can: 55 cents, $1.55, 5.50, or $55.00 (you get the drift...) to the Susan Faye Double Nickel Birthday Fund for Mother Nature to benefit the Nature Conservancy.

Your donation will support the many programs of the Nature Conservancy, an efficient and effective organization that has been working around the world for 60 years to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. My goal is to raise $550 to help with their important work.

If you would like to donate, please click here:
Double Nickel Fund

Reasons 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20

Reason No. 15

of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:
Healthy Food From Beautiful Farmlands

photo copyright 2010 Susan Faye

Reason No. 16

of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:
The Song of a Red-Winged Blackbird

photo copyright 2010 Susan Faye

Reason No. 17

of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:
Thriving Wetlands

photo copyright 2010 Susan Faye

Reason No. 18

of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:
Dusky Canada Geese

photo copyright 2010 Susan Faye

Reason No. 19

of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:
Great Blue Herons

photo copyright 2010 Susan Faye

Reason No. 20

of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:
A Favorite Swimming Hole

photo copyright 2010 Susan Faye

All of these photos were taken on a glorious autumn day last week at the Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. The 2,492 acre refuge sits in the middle of Willamette Valley farmlands and was created to provide vital wintering habitat for dusky Canada geese, the smallest of the Canada geese sub-species. They nest on Alaska's Copper River Delta and winter almost exclusively in the Willamette Valley.

See that dark cloud in the last photo? No, that's not a swarm of locusts, it's GEESE, all honking with wild abandon! You haven't lived until you've heard several hundred geese all honking at once right over your head. You can't help but laugh out loud.

Over the next few weeks I will be posting photos or artwork of 55 reasons why I think it's a good idea to take care of Mother Earth. If you find any of my 55 reasons compelling, please consider making a small donation if you can: 55 cents, $1.55, 5.50, or $55.00 (you get the drift...) to the Susan Faye Double Nickel Birthday Fund for Mother Nature to benefit the Nature Conservancy.

Your donation will support the many programs of the Nature Conservancy, an efficient and effective organization that has been working around the world for 60 years to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. My goal is to raise $550 to help with their important work.

If you would like to donate, please click here:
Double Nickel Fund

Thanks for stopping by!

Reason No. 11

Reason No. 11

of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:

Low Tide Tide pools

Click here for 5 Ways to Connect Your Children to the Ocean

Over the next few weeks I will be posting photos or artwork of 55 reasons why I think it's a good idea to take care of Mother Earth. If you find any of my 55 reasons compelling, please consider making a small donation if you can: 55 cents, $1.55, 5.50, or $55.00 (you get the drift...) to the Susan Faye Double Nickel Birthday Fund for Mother Nature to benefit the Nature Conservancy.

Your donation will support the many programs of the Nature Conservancy, an efficient and effective organization that has been working around the world for 60 years to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. My goal is to raise $550 to help with their important work.

If you would like to donate, please click here:
Double Nickel Fund

A big thank you to those who have donated so far!!

Reason No. 9

Reason No. 9

of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:

photo copyright 2010 Susan Faye

Bald Eagle Beauty

The handsome creature above was photographed at the Tualatin River National Wildlife Preserve, just a stone's throw away from Highway 99 W in Tualatin Oregon.

Don't live in an area where eagles roam? Then you might enjoy the "Eagle Cam", located on a Nature Conservancy-owned preserve on Santa Cruz Island. This past spring I enjoyed watching the incubation, birth, and flight training of Eaglets A-69 and A-68, all on a live feed from their nest. Most of the activity there is in springtime, but there are archives to enjoy:

Over the next few weeks I will be posting photos or artwork of 55 reasons why I think it's a good idea to take care of Mother Earth. If you find any of my 55 reasons compelling, please consider making a small donation if you can: 55 cents, $1.55, 5.50, or $55.00 (you get the drift...) to the Susan Faye Double Nickel Birthday Fund for Mother Nature to benefit the Nature Conservancy.

Your donation will support the many programs of the Nature Conservancy, an efficient and effective organization that has been working around the world for 60 years to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. My goal is to raise $550 to help with their important work.

If you would like to donate, please click here:
Double Nickel Fund

A big thank you to those who have donated so far!!

Reason No. 8

Reason No. 8

of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:

watercolor painting copyright 20o8 Susan Faye

American Robins

Populations of migratory birds have declined dramatically in the last 30 years. But there is hope - The Nature Conservancy is working to halt these declines by preserving habitats along their entire migratory path, including breeding, wintering and migratory stopover areas. Your donation will help support important projects like the Migratory Bird Program!

Over the next few weeks I will be posting photos or artwork of 55 reasons why I think it's a good idea to take care of Mother Earth. If you find any of my 55 reasons compelling, please consider making a small donation if you can: 55 cents, $1.55, 5.50, or $55.00 (you get the drift...) to the Susan Faye Double Nickel Birthday Fund for Mother Nature to benefit the Nature Conservancy.

Your donation will support the many programs of the Nature Conservancy, an efficient and effective organization that has been working around the world for 60 years to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. My goal is to raise $550 to help with their important work.

If you would like to donate, please click here:
Double Nickel Fund

A big thank you to those who have donated so far!!

Reason No. 7

Reason No. 7

of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:

photo copyright 2010 Susan Faye

Alpine Meadows

This is one of the lower meadows on the Canyon Creek hiking loop near Sisters, Oregon. One of the rewards of this 4.5 mile hike is this spectacular view of the jagged spires of Three Fingered Jack. It's a great place to see wildflowers in the summer!

Over the next few weeks I will be posting photos or artwork of 55 reasons why I think it's a good idea to take care of Mother Earth. If you find any of my 55 reasons compelling, please consider making a small donation if you can: 55 cents, $1.55, 5.50, or $55.00 (you get the drift...) to the Susan Faye Double Nickel Birthday Fund for Mother Nature to benefit the Nature Conservancy.

Your donation will support the many programs of the Nature Conservancy, an efficient and effective organization that has been working around the world for 60 years to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. My goal is to raise $550 to help with their important work.

If you would like to donate, please click here:
Double Nickel Fund

A big thank you to those who have donated so far!!

Reason No. 6

Reason No. 6
of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:

photo copyright 2010 Susan Faye

Cheeky Little Chickadees

The Nature Conservancy has a great selection of free e-cards to send to friends and family. Click here to see their selection of Bird e-cards

Over the next few weeks I will be posting photos or artwork of 55 reasons why I think it's a good idea to take care of Mother Earth. If you find any of my 55 reasons compelling, please consider making a small donation if you can: 55 cents, $1.55, 5.50, or $55.00 (you get the drift...) to the Susan Faye Double Nickel Birthday Fund for Mother Nature to benefit the Nature Conservancy

Your donation will support the many programs of the Nature Conservancy, an efficient and effective organization that has been working around the world for 60 years to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. My goal is to raise $550 to help with their important work.

If you would like to donate, please click here:
Double Nickel Fund

Thanks for visiting!

Reason No. 5

Reason No. 5
of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:

Very Tall Waterfalls

This is one of dozens of magnificent waterfalls in the Columbia Gorge. The Gorge was formed by the Columbia River between Washington State and Oregon. Just east of this waterfall is the Tom McCall Preserve. The preserve is named for Oregon's late governor, Thomas Lawson McCall, whose commitment to conservation in Oregon remains an inspiration. The preserve is maintained by the Nature Conservancy, Mayer State Park and national forest lands.

Over the next few weeks I will be posting photos or artwork of 55 reasons why I think it's a good idea to take care of Mother Earth. If you find any of my 55 reasons compelling, please consider making a small donation if you can: 55 cents, $1.55, 5.50, or $55.00 (you get the drift...) to the Susan Faye Double Nickel Birthday Fund for Mother Nature to benefit the Nature Conservancy

Your donation will support the many programs of the Nature Conservancy, an efficient and effective organization that has been working around the world for 60 years to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. My goal is to raise $550 to help with their important work.

If you would like to donate, please click here:
Double Nickel Fund

Thanks for visiting!

Reason No. 4

Reason No. 4
of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:

photo copyright 2010 Susan Faye

Duck Moms in Camouflage

(There are two more ducklings hidden somewhere under her wings!)

The Lower Mississippi Valley is the largest wintering ground in the world for mallard ducks. To find out what the Nature Conservancy is doing to preserve this vital ecosystem, click here: Freshwater Conservation

Over the next few weeks I will be posting photos or artwork of 55 reasons why I think it's a good idea to take care of Mother Earth. If you find any of my 55 reasons compelling, please consider making a small donation if you can: 55 cents, $1.55, 5.50, or $55.00 (you get the drift...) to the Susan Faye Double Nickel Birthday Fund for Mother Nature to benefit the Nature Conservancy

Your donation will support the many programs of the Nature Conservancy, an efficient and effective organization that has been working around the world for 60 years to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. My goal is to raise $550 to help with their important work.

If you would like to donate, please click here:
Double Nickel Fund

Thanks for visiting!

Reason No. 3

Reason No. 3
of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:

photo copyright 2010 Susan Faye

~~~Japanese Maple Leaves in Autumn~~~

A wonderful place to enjoy Mother Earth and Japanese Maple leaves in autumn is the Japanese Garden in Portland Oregon. "One of the most authentic Japanese gardens outside of Japan, the Portland Japanese Garden is a 5.5-acre haven of tranquil beauty nestled in the scenic west hills of Portland, Oregon". Where is your favorite haven of tranquil beauty?

Over the next few weeks I will be posting photos or artwork of 55 reasons why I think it's a good idea to take care of Mother Earth. If you find any of my 55 reasons compelling, please consider making a small donation if you can: 55 cents, $1.55, 5.50, or $55.00 (you get the drift...) to the Susan Faye Double Nickel Birthday Fund for Mother Nature to benefit the Nature Conservancy

Your donation will support the many programs of the Nature Conservancy, an efficient and effective organization that has been working around the world for 60 years to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. My goal is to raise $550 to help with their important work.

If you would like to donate, please click here:
Double Nickel Fund

Thanks for visiting!

Reason No. 2

Reason No. 2
of 55 Reasons to Take Care of Mother Earth:

~~~Insects That Look Like Space Aliens~~~

photos copyright 2010 Susan Faye

For more informations about mantids, including this Praying Mantis, visit this link: European Mantids

Over the next few weeks I will be posting photos or artwork of 55 reasons why I think it's a good idea to take care of Mother Earth. If you find any of my 55 reasons compelling, please consider making a small donation if you can: 55 cents, $1.55, 5.50, or $55.00 (you get the drift...) to the Susan Faye Double Nickel Birthday Fund for Mother Nature to benefit the Nature Conservancy

Your donation will support the many programs of the Nature Conservancy, an efficient and effective organization that has been working around the world for 60 years to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. My goal is to raise $550 to help with their important work.

If you would like to donate, please click here:
Double Nickel Fund

Dahlia Bee

photo copyright Susan Faye 2010 all rights reserved

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread,
places to play in and pray in,
where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul."
John Muir

Flora and Fauna on the Canyon Creek Meadows Loop

On Monday I had the pleasure of visiting the lower meadows of Canyon Creek near Sisters, Oregon, thanks to my intrepid personal hiking guide--Globe Trekker Mary.

This moderate 4.5-mile loop takes you on a tour of a high alpine meadow of wildflowers, with bubbling Canyon Creek flowing through it. In addition, there are spectacular views of the jagged spires of Three Fingered Jack.

The wildflowers were a few weeks behind schedule but we still saw plenty of flora and some fauna too:

A fuzzy Cat's Ear flower...

A male Oregon Junco...

Indian Paintbrush...

Mountain Heather...

A tiny Silvery Blue butterfly...

And Bear Grass--something I had never seen before! It was EVERYWHERE and looked like giant fairy wands :

At first we thought this was a female Northern Flicker, but upon closer inspection we think it is a female Williamson's Sapsucker...

There was a merry band of Gray Jays...

And lots of lupine, paired here with manzanita...

Possibly the prettiest of all were the Shooting Star flowers!

At the highest points of the trail there were patches of snow! In July! Can you believe it? Here is my artistic interpretation of a snow shelf melting over a creek:

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Directions to the trail: Drive Highway 20 east of Santiam Pass 8 miles. At a "Wilderness Trailheads" sign near milepost 88 (1 mile east of Suttle Lake or 12 miles west of Sisters), turn north on paved Jack Lake Road 12 for 4.4 miles. Then turn left on one-lane Road 1230 for 1.6 miles to the end of pavement, and finally turn left onto Road 1234, climbing 6 miles to the trailhead at the primitive Jack Lake campground.

Lizards are Lovely

Illustration Friday
(theme: "SLITHER")

I've always been fascinated by lizards, especially the part where they would lose their tails when said tail was grabbed by a cat. With lots of lizards and cats in the neighborhood while growing up in Southern California, there were always plenty of tailless lizards slithering around...!

This watercolor painting is from the files and is called "Twig Lizard"--he was quite certain that I couldn't see him as he held very still and blended in so beautifully with the surrounding twigs.

My fondness for lizards grew considerably when my then-16-year-old son acquired a Bearded Dragon lizard named Ziggy. I was surprised by how lovely it was to hold a lizard in ones hands.

Here is a favorite photo of a tiny baby alligator lizard that was found sunning itself on my car tire, just as sweet as he/she could be!

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Enjoy The View

Illustration Friday
(theme: "brave")


Having suffered from acrophobia (from the Greek: ἄκρον, ákron , meaning "peak, summit, edge" and φόβος, phóbos, "fear") for most of his young life, Rudy Raccoon felt very brave to have climbed to the highest branch possible to enjoy the view on this fine day.

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This tree-hugging raccoon is available on a variety of great camping t-shirts, note cards,mugs, totes, and more in my Cafepress shop:
ENJOY THE VIEW

Wild Iris Study

I am waiting with great anticipation for the blooming of the woodlands here in the Coastal Hills of Oregon--skunk cabbage, trillium, and wild iris are just around the corner! With the mild winter we are having, I wonder if they will bloom early this year

...One more beautiful reason to take good care of our wetlands and forests here in the Pacific Northwest!

This original watercolor painting is a small study of some blooms I photographed last spring. It is currently for sale in my Etsy shop: Wild Iris Study

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