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Wild Salmon

Five types of salmon migrate from the ocean to the freshwater creeks, lakes, streams and rivers in the Pacific Northwest every year to spawn and eventually die– the Chinook (also called King for its size), Coho (or Silver), Pink ( or humpback), Sockeye (or Red ) and Chum (or dog salmon). The Chinook is byContinue reading “Wild Salmon”

Wild Carrot Flower (Daucus Carota)

I have come across them in many open fields during the summer. I had thought they were just pretty wild flowers until one day, I decided to find out what they are since they are so common here. That’s when my I realized these white flowers are daucus carota, colloquially known as wild carrot flowers,Continue reading “Wild Carrot Flower (Daucus Carota)”

Summer Wildflowers: Broad-leaved sweet pea

While walking in the Warren Magnuson Park in Seattle recently we stumbled upon a field of pink broad-leaved sweet pea. The bright pink flowers were stunning in the middle of the open field, right next to a field of white wild carrots flowers (see next post for that :0) Also known as everlasting pea, perennialContinue reading “Summer Wildflowers: Broad-leaved sweet pea”

Summer Wildflowers: Chicory

It’s almost the end of summer, and the wildflowers that have dotted the landscape here for the past couple of months are slowly but surely wilting away. For a few months each year, they have their glory, bathing in the sunshine and warm weather. Over the next couple of posts, I would like to shareContinue reading “Summer Wildflowers: Chicory”

Redmond Watershed Preserve

In 1926, the city of Redmond bought some land from Weyerhaeuser (an American timberland company), planning to use Seidel Creek for water supply. Additional acreage was bought to bring the watershed to 800 acres, though issues with the quality of the water led to the usage of other water sources. Today, the Redmond Watershed PreserveContinue reading “Redmond Watershed Preserve”

Raccoons (Procyon lotor)

They look like masked bandits. And in some ways they are, the bandit part, that is, as they tend to appear in the dark and are very quiet in their movements. Originally from North America, raccoons can be found throughout the United States (besides the Rocky Mountains and southwestern states) as well as parts ofContinue reading “Raccoons (Procyon lotor)”

Eggplant

Botanically, eggplants are not actually vegetables, they are berries. Culinarily, eggplants have always been considered vegetables, and is served regularly in many parts of the world. Eggplants is one of those plants that has different names, depending on which part of the world you are in. In the US, Australia, New Zealand and anglophone Canada,Continue reading “Eggplant”

Asiatic Lilies

With its big flowers and often bright tropic colors, the Asiatic Lily (also known as Tiger Lily) is one of the most attractive flowers that bloom in summer. Although they are not as fragrant as other types of lilies, they still emit a pleasant scent in the garden or in the home. The shortest typeContinue reading “Asiatic Lilies”

Tolt-MacDonald Park

This 575-acre park is one of the few parks that was opened during the Stay-at-Home order in March 2020, and so we would drive there for walks. We were grateful the park was opened because the serenity and the picturesque old-world charm of the place provided a needed respite from being cooped up at home.Continue reading “Tolt-MacDonald Park”

Hoary Marmot (Marmota Caligata)

We met our first hoary marmot as we were trekking up Mount Rainer and almost mistook it for a groundhog. The difference is the hoary marmot has gray fur on its shoulders and upper back, hence the name ‘hoary’. Considered the largest ground squirrel in North America, the adult hoary marmot weighs at leastContinue reading “Hoary Marmot (Marmota Caligata)”