West Coast Creature Feature- The Breathtaking Western Tanager

Male Western Tanager by Smallgirl

This flashy bird migrates between Mexico, Costa Rica, and the West Coast. This year, we were lucky enough to have this beauty visit our garden for a few days.

Another Weekly Bear...and some bees.

Ay!

"Oh Bother! Bees!" by smallgirl

I realize that my Teddy Forest posts are getting a little sporadic, and this trend may get worse as I am teaching this summer. However, here is another Weekly Bear, created for the My Sweet Honey Bees swap on www.atcsforall.com.

The rest of the cards in the set are bee themed.

Queen Bee by smallgirl

Fraser Valley Honey by smallgirl

Tricoloured bumblebee by smallgirl

Have a berutiful 

Summertime...

It seems that summer is finally here in Teddy Forest!



My dear old handmade doll, Porky the Porcupine, and Suzannah are enjoying the garden

Just enjoying the flowers in the early morning cool, enjoying  the beach in the afternoon, and watching patiently for barred owls and coyotes in the evenings. West coast = Best coast!

Enjoy the sunshine if you are lucky enough to have it!



West Coast Creature Feature-The Terrifying Carnivorous Round-leaved Sundew

It looks as though Teddy Forest is fast evolving into a nature blog, but fear not! The bears still live in Teddy Forest and will be reporting soon. It's just that now that nice weather is finally upon us, I'm spending more time outside exploring than inside making. So, here is an amazing plant I want to share with you...



Round-leaved sundew, by smallgirl

Strictly, the round-leaved sundew is not a West Coast "creature," as it is a plant and a widespread species in Northern Europe, Asia and North America. Here, it lives in the Pacific Northwest and southern Alaska. It is fascinating to observe as it devours mosquitoes and damselflies. Like our friends the bats and birds, this plant is beneficial to humans in its control of insects. In my area, it is considered locally rare as urban development has destroyed much of its wetland habitat. Lately, I have been involved in restoring a bog, one of only two remaining bog habitats in my city, and home to the round-leaved sundew.
PS: I am absolutely loving West Coast bogs and wetlands lately. I've been reading David M. Carrol's Swampwalker Journal, about wetlands in the Eastern States, but we have our share on the West Coast too, so get out there to respect and enjoy them and all that lives there!!

Happy bogging!

Paddington Bear is Desperately Seeking Summer

Paddington meets a banana slug by smallgirl

It rains a lot in the West Coast Temperate Rainforest, which makes it so lush and green here, but sometimes Teddy Forest bears want to go to the beach instead of jump in puddles. At least the banana slugs are pleased, although Paddington looks unsure. Maybe tomorrow the sun will come out...or the next day...or the next day.

Wishing you sunshine, rainbows, and puddle-jumping fun!