On one of the late days of spring we drove to the Oregon Zoo. It had been several years since we had done the Pittock Mansion loop hike.
In a short distance we passed the Viet Nam Memorial. It’s a special place for me and I always reflect on the vagaries of chance. Many of the brave Oregon soldiers whose names are listed on the walls were in-country shortly after the Tet offensive, as I was. I honor them all.
On the backside of the Memorial the Wildwood Trail was met. Turning right we began the pleasant three-mile descent to Burnside Road. Quickly scampering across the busy street, we took our time climbing to the 950-foot ridge top and the location of the 16,000 square-foot Pittock Mansion.
It was built over 100 years ago by The Oregonian editor Henry Pittock. Now, it’s a tourist attraction with daily tours. We enjoyed the beautiful flowers on the splendid grounds.
After awhile we reluctantly began the hike back to the Zoo, taking a shorter route on the Hemlock Trail after recrossing Burnside Road.
A nice outing indeed.

Bee with bangs

Roses

Bee

Red Admiral Butterfly

Great Hedge-nettle

Tiger Lily

Syrphid Flies on a Buttercup

Red Admiral Butterfly

Rose

Interesting bark

My Favorite Model at Pittock Mansion

Rose

Buttercup
Love the bee and purple flower shot. Nice!
Yes. The “Bee with Bangs” picture is absolutely incredible.
Thanks Jason. I think it’s a honeybee, but bees are notoriously difficult to identify.
Thanks Sherry. I used an Nikon 85 mm prime lens. It does a nice job with the close-ups