One last walk

Every morning that I've been here, I've taken Kohl for a constitutional. My sister lives in a newer development that is perfect for this; just the right size and situated on a long, gentle slope. (Kohl and I walk the uphill stretches and jog the downhill stretches; I could actually get back in shape if I kept this up!) Every day I see something new in this place that is so different from home. This morning I took along my camera to document.

Probably my favorite two houses for all their mature landscaping

While the weather has been pretty similar during my visit (see; it's not just grey in NW Oregon, and it rained while I was here, too), the landscaping and architecture are strikingly different. All the houses are brick; many sport distinctly Texan touches. The warm-season grasses are dormant and brown, trees are sparse and comparatively short, and you see very few flowers. Just a few homes sported pansies or petunias; I was charmed by this cheery blossom reaching through a fence:

My dad said 80% of this area used to be wooded (he went to school here); you get a glimpse of this on the land that backs up against part of the development:
Evergreen trees are rare; I only saw one attempt by a homeowner to get one established, and it was sadly unsuccessful:
Most young trees are staked against the strong Texas wind

This morning gifted me with a special treat, wrapped up in bright red:
I couldn't get too close with Kohl on the end of a leash, but it was still a lovely sighting of a bird we don't have at home.

Of course, I had to snap some last shots of Little Man Micah before I left, snuggling with his mom:
Do you MIND? I was trying to rest here!

That's it for now . . .