Another weekend, another walk
Over Mother’s Day weekend, we ventured out to another nearby nature area we’ve been meaning to explore for a while: the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge. Once again, it was an eye-opener — all this amazing natural beauty within just a few miles of our home!
The vistas were completely different from last weekend’s hike. For one thing, it was mostly flat. For another, there was water – lots of water. Marshlands and wetlands and a river, which meant of course BIRDS!
We spotted a family of Canada geese on the path ahead, but the scooted into the water as we approached. Here’s a better picture:
Aren’t they beautiful? I’ve had a special place in my heart for Canada geese ever since I lived in Concord, Massachusetts. When I was growing up there, our house backed up to a conservation area called the “Old Calf Pasture.” My sisters and I could run out our back door, through the woods, and straight into 500 acres of meadows and forest nestled by a river. Talk about the best backyard in the world!
One day, my dad went down to the river to go fishing, and came home with a goose instead. It had gotten tangled in some nylon line of some sort and was scared to bits. Somehow, he managed to throw his jacket over it and carry it back to our house, where my sisters and I watched as he gently clipped it free. We wanted to keep it as a pet, of course, but my father explained that it was a wild animal, and needed to go back to its family.
And if you’re wondering, yes, there’s quite a bit of Jess Delaney in me!
Our hike last weekend, which started out in the hot sun through meadows that reminded me of that pasture, ended up on a cooler, shadier trail through the forest.
Wish I was there again right about now…
That sounds absolutely lovely!!!!!!
That looks beautiful! I wish I could go on a walk like that!
So bea-u-tiful! It reminds me of a lake my family visits in Maine every summer. Alas, we will not be there this summer . . . schedules get rather crazy in my neck of the woods when school lets out! (and yay! Goslings are so adorable!)
hey blinkofaneye. Thanks for recomnending “My life in Pink and green” but it must be too good of book for me because i already read it. I’m glad we agree on the same book though. Any more suggestions? The things i like in a book are written in the “Getting Ready To Write” blog. i appreciate anyone’s suggestion and i will read pretty much any book. BTW i don’t like Harry Potter. just not my type.
can i give you some suggestions?????
-gossip girl
-the beacon street girls
-the clique
-the wedding planner’s daughter
- by sisters keeper
they are all series except my sister’s keeper
oh and it is MY sister’s keeper not BY! sorry!
Thanks so much! i will definitly try these. Are they all series? I don’t mind if they’re not just curious. if they are which ones. Thanks again!
I think you should try Chu Ju’s House by Gloria Whelan. It’s really good!!! My book club is reading it. Actually I read ahead and I finished it last night.
everything is a series but the last one
i think u might like
-the secret language of girls
-the penderwicks
-savvy
and also
-the wizard, the witch, and two girls from jersey
-the hunger games, of course!
Totally The Hunger Games!!!! I read the series twice and Catching Fire 3 times!!! Thanks for all your suggestions. I just got The Wedding Planner’s Daughter series from the library and will continue to read ALOT!!!
Those are all beautiful pictures!!!!
That last picture is beautiful!
It looks soooo pretty!!
Wow! I didn’t know you lived in Concord! Are any of the schools based on real life?
Also when do we get a sneak peek of WYWE?
Mmm, the schools are sort of a blend of all the schools I ever attended. And the sneak peek of WYWE should be along in another month or so! Still revising…
Oh please be soon!
pretty! it looks a little bit like the woods near my cabin.
BE-YOO-TI-FUL! I wish I lived somewhere as pretty as that. I’m stuck surroun ded by corn and tornado warnings. YUK!!!
TORNADO WARNINGS?! Where do you live? Hurricane Alley? Yuck, I agree! BTW, Heather, where do you live? Oregon?
Yep — Oregon!
I have a question for you. Sorry, it’s not about the beautiful walk you took. I’m writing a story, how do you figure out what to write?
Oh gosh, Sara — that is a difficult question! My trick is to keep asking myself “What if?” Brainstorm a whole bunch of things that could happen, and then pick the one that sounds like the most fun, or that tugs at your heart the most. Have fun!
Nice pictures!
Absolutely gorgeous!! <3 I live in a place where there are beautiful mountains….so I understand!!
How did you get the icon to be a picture of yourself?
There’s a place called Gravatar (www.gravatar.com) where you can pick an avatar to show up on blogs and things!
WOW!!! That is close to where you live??!! I really want to go there now!! All the pictures that you post on this website about where you live, are AMAZING!!! Whenever I see them, I can’t belive my eyes. You are so lucky to have this bueatiful nature around you!
mesmerizing!
the pics are gorgeous! looks lilke fun!
Wow I wish I could go! Was Old Calf Pasture your insperation for Half Moon Farm?
No — but definitely the inspiration for some of the scenery in Concord.
Pretty pics Heather!
Reminds me of the ducks I saw at Keukenhof [the famous Dutch tulip garden] last week! 1 mama duck with her fluffy yellow chicks…how adorable! Ik hou van Nederland! (Translantion: I love the Netherlands!)
By the way I am such a big fan of your work and it is so cool to see what inspires you to write the character of Jess.
The birds are sooooooo cute! You must take very pretty walks!
How beautiful! That is such a Jess moment (and I think Iz and Cat’s dad would love it too:) I just wanted to let you know my baby brother Caleb was born on Monday, May 14. He just got home today! So excited!:)
Congratulations to you and your family! I LOVE the name Caleb.
Me, too! Congrats, Sarah Margaret!
SO alluring! More hipstamic pictures?
Not these ones — just regular. I’ll be doing more experimenting, though — Hipstamatic is fun!
That’s so pretty!!
It reminds me of my home…
Hey Heather, in class we all had to write our own version of Cinderella. Do you want me to send you a copy? It’s called “The ring That Changed Everything” I didn’t really want the title to sound like Cinderella. it’s super different than the original and has some HG relations in there.(HG is Hunger Games) I’m kinda obsessed.
Cool! Sounds fun — wish I had time to read it, my dear, but I am SWAMPED! Cheering you on from afar, though…. as we all are.
I love these pictures. I haven’t visited your website since your last book and when I came on… I discovered your doing another book for mother daughter book club series!! I was so happy I screamed! I fell in love with every single book of the series and I’m just in love. I’d also like you to read the unbearable book club for unsinkable girls. Once you read it you’ll see that it is somewhat like one of your books.
Awwww I LOVE the duckies! Hehehehehehe
heather,
have you read the wedding planners daughter’s books?????
they are soooo good and willa (the main charater) is a mix of jess and emma!
Oh Heather I know how you feel. I live in Massachusetts, and I always see geese. Actually I saw some today at my softball game. And there is also quite a bit of Jess Delaney in me!
Gorgeous! My home is woods and hills and woods and hills, but almost as prety as that
pretty pictures…any updates on Wish You were Eyre?
Hang in there a few more weeks, maybe a month…
Don’t worry I’m a patient girl.
hi! wow that looks awesome! you know what it reminds me of? when the mdbc went camping!!!!!! oh and i have a question-can u hold some writing for short stories contest soon??? we used to do something called a “plotto” when someone would give a main idea, and everyone bases their story on that idea. that would really be cool. could you possibly do that???
I will think about it, Lillian — blog might not be the best venue, but I’m thinking of starting a newsletter, too. More on that anon!
It looks like Bernheim forest in Kentucky.
Oh! Kentucky is so pretty!!!
Awesome! Oh and btw Heather I’m gonna be sending some of my fan art to u soon
Thopse pictures are beautiful! I wish i lived somewhere like that, the only things around my nick of the woods are palm trees
! Not that im complaining I <3 California!
So beautiful!!!!
I was just thinking about how much this reminds of where I live (beautiful Asheville North Carolina) You are so lucky to get to go to so many lovely places. Everyone is doing good here! Including baby Caleb!:)
Lucky! Did you know they filmed “The Hunger Games” in Asheville? Did you you get to see anyone. When I say anyone I mean Josh Hutcherson (A.K.A. Joshie) <3
NO….:( I
Wow, I didn’t know they we’re filming the hunger games in Asheville! That’s like completely amazing! Sadly I did not get to see Joshie or anybody else:) He is so cool!
Too bad but maybe they’ll film some scenes from Catching Fire there so keep your eyes out for you know who. BTW Catching Fire comes out in November 2013. Soooo long from now!!!
Did you take all those pictures with your iPhone, if so, you are becoming quite the photographer. On Mother’s Day, we went to the Columbus Art Museum, my mom loved it, and if I had to pick which character she would be, it would be Emma, she is a poet.
The pictures are so nice. That’s excellent Sarah Margaret. So happy for you.
my bday was on mothers day this year talk about bummer people would say happy mothers day to my mom and i would just stand there awkwardly…
my bday was on mothers day this year talk about bummer people would say happy mothers day to my mom and i would just stand there awkwardly…
I JUST GOT THE VOYAGE OF PATIENCE GODSPEED AT MY LOCAL LIBRARY!! I am so excited to start reading!:) I also got a great book called My Life In Pink And Green.
Where are you Heather?? We all miss you!!!!
I scooted out of town for my nephew’s college graduation — back soon!
Amazing photos.
Thank you! Love yours, too!
Hey, I live on a road called calf pasture! weird. That walk must have been so nice in real life if the pics are so pretty!
:LOL: