Category Weekly Columns

This week we’re going to stick close to home and explore some of our area museums! We could subtitle this week: All Things Oregon – Museums – they aren’t just for field trips anymore!

Salal is a shrubby evergreen plant related to Manzanita and other members of the Ericaceae Family. The species ranges from Southeastern Alaska south through Washinton, Oregon and into Northern California. Found mainly in the Cascade Mountains to northern California where it stays mainly in the Coastal Mountain Range.  It is mainly an understory plant though it will tolerate sunny areas, especially as a restoration plant after fires or other disturbances. The plants prefer a dryer soil under partially to open stands of conifer trees. Though at times they may be found in partial shade especially near moister areas.  The plants spread by underground rhizomes forming thickets in the understory.

Longtime Crawlies readers know that 99.99% I write about local crawlies who I have seen – and photographed. Occasionally I’ll use a second photograph from a friend or iNaturalist – but always include at least one of my own.

So. I was leaving Walmart the other week—

Okay, with the amount of bird seed I buy, I’m entering or leaving Walmart every week, but I digress.

Last weekend my next-door neighbor came knocking on my door asking for help with a problem he was having. Dan (not his real name) had a television in his bedroom that finally gave up the ghost and died.

Bird migration season is heating up and if you aren’t already seeing more birds in your yard – or at least different birds – you will be soon.

Delphinium – D. depauperatum, Dwarf Larkspur; D. glaucum, Tall Larkspur; D. menziesii, Menzies Larkspur; D. nuttallianum, Upland Larkspur; D. nuttallii, Nuttall’s Larkspur; D. trolliifolium, Cow-poison