Sunday floral report
On the lookout for ragged robin, finding none in the usual locations. Maybe too early, maybe too late, maybe too mowed. Did see a patch of blue cornflower blooming, plus a lot of birdsfoot trefoil, orange and yellow hawkweed, and the first hop-clover.
No roadkill seen, despite extended survey.
Got out on the bike, temperature in the 70s F with a nuisance breeze. Did not die.
30.45 miles, 2:43:43
Thursday floral report
Rhododendrons dropping flowers, those full fairy-skirt blossoms that want to be strung into a lei or other garland. Lupines building seed pods at the bottom of their spikes. My itchy eyes say that the grass is also blooming . . .
Yesterday's yearling raccoon remains. I'd expected it to vanish -- perfect take-out dinner for a coyote or fox.
Breezy, pleasant temperature, got out on the bike. Did not die.
15.25 miles, 1:15:33
Wednesday roadkill report
One yearling raccoon up near the golf course, several gray squirrels here and there. I've seen dead raccoons about the same size in that area, several years. Think there's a raccoon mama that doesn't raise her young-uns right.
Peonies blooming, water parsnip, more orange hawkweed and wild roses. Black locusts dropping their flowers in snowdrifts.
Got out on the bike, did not die. More wind than I'd prefer.
15.25 miles, 1:15:16
Sunday floral report
Wild madder blooming in the roadside weeds, whole hells of purple vetch, daisy fleabane, maybe the first tansy. More patches of blue flag iris blooming. Rain has knocked down a lot of locust flowers and some of the rhododendrons.
No roadkill, unless the flicker hunched down by the roadside was stunned or injured. More likely prospecting for ants.
Slathered on SPF 50 in spite of the continued overcast, biked upriver to my overlook water break, then across the river and down the other side. Would have chosen a different route if I had known the highway people had ground the last four miles of surface for a repaving job . . . .
26.80 miles, 2:16:06