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Early Spring at Blackpine Lake

Last year we visited Blackpine Lake on April 23rd and it was still mostly ice-covered and there was enough snow that we parked a ways away from the campground. You can see a blog post from last year here. We went this week on April 8th and drove all the way to the lake and found much less ice. It is such an early spring.

MA managed to catch three fish this time. Sky was completely obsessed with her fishing pole and was no help at all. She could not stand the thought that her good friend was standing on a dock with a stick in her hand and flailing it about and yet not throwing it in the water. I finally had to leash her and DRAG her away from the dock. And then she was cold and wet. We sat down on a bench and Sky scooted right in close to me, shivering. Have you ever hugged a wet dog? She soon quit shivering but still wanted, more than anything to return to MA.

All the dogs enjoyed some time in the water, even young Quincy. He looks like he’ll be a good swimmer too.

Ponderosa pines
Very early for paintbrush (Castilleja sp) to be blooming
And where are those two off to?
Reflections
Ice
An attempt to get all the dogs in one photo. Here’s two.
Threre. Where’s Quincy?
There he is!
I really needed an assistant standing behind me with a toy or treat.
Milling around on the dock
What do you see Quincy?
The fishing pole!
I don’t think he planned to jump off the dock.

 

 

Getting to Big Sur

We camped for most of the two-week trip except when we stayed with my aunt and uncle in Napa. From Napa we drove to Big Sur. Looking at the maps, it seemed like a pretty easy half-day drive. As with most of the trip, it took much longer than we expected. We finally arrived at a campsite in time for sunset and a very late dinner. I know it’s too many sunset images but how can I decide what to cut?

The Golden Gate
Alcatraz
San Francisco
The dogs were not impressed
Sand Dollar Beach
Paintbrush
Field bindweed. It was everywhere

The Sledding Hill is Open!

I like to wait til there is deep soft pillowy snow before I try sledding. Right now the snow still has a crust on it but new snow is falling so it could be nice soon. That didn’t stop Ken from giving it a try. He just got a new plastic sled to replace the one that burned up in the fire so it was time to give it a spin. He said it was very fast and it certainly did take him almost to the edge. That’s why I like the deep soft pillowy and slow snow!

Getting ready
Sky says – Hey whacha doin?
Hey, where’d he go?
I can catch him!
See that edge there? If he goes over that, there is a state highway at the bottom of the very steep hill.
Luna says – well that was fun.
What goes down has to come up.
We can wait here Luna
Oh look, Sky found a stick.
Weren’t we going to put in a tow rope?
How much fun is this?
Hey Luna, look at the cool stick I found.
Again?
Catching air.
I wonder if she should be running with sticks?
To the edge.
Sometimes you have to fall out of it to get it to stop.
The hardest part.

Shapes and Sights at Pipesteone Canyon

MA and I took the dogs to the area above Pipestone Canyon last week. It was very cold and very sunny. We didn’t stop very much and stayed in the sun as much as possible. The days are short and the sun is low in the sky so when we returned to the car, we were in deep shade. We wondered about the sanity of two joggers who were just getting started as we loaded the dogs.

Standing on the edge
Luna says, are you taking my picture again?
Cool geology
Remains
Fire-dried apples
The spring is frozen in place
Last light on the tree tops

Bear Creek Walk

The girls (dogs) and I walked along Bear Creek earlier this week. It was the one weekday without rain in the forecast and I’m glad we took advantage of it. They were right – we’ve had rain four of five days this week. Of course, we need it and it does help me get inside tasks done but really, folks around here are unaccustomed to gray drippy weather. And it has brought much needed snow to the mountains.

This particular area of Bear Creek burned in the Cougar Flats fire in July – part of the infamous Carlton Complex, the biggest wildfire in Washington’s history. I remember at that time saying to a friend of mine “all of our favorite spring and fall walking areas are on fire”.

I was happy to find that the landscape around the trail suffered mostly a ground fire and most of the trees look like they will live! The fire stimulated new growth in plants that would have been dormant in the mid-summer heat and I saw sunflowers, yarrow and a tiny vetch in bloom. It’s nice to see their color at this time of year. And the trees are providing lots of color as well. The deciduous trees are all shades of orange, yellow and green and the pines that are partially burned are even pretty with their dark orange needles.

Ken and I walked this trail on New Years. You can photos from that day here. Sky was still a puppy then.

This area will be beautiful in the spring.

Dalmation Toadflax – and invasive, non-native weed.
Sky scampers across Bear Creek
A tiny puffball mushroom
New growth – maybe a willow?
Burned out tree root hole
I think this is a tiny buckwheat
Douglas Sunflower
Tiny vetch
Yarrow
Innovative foot bridge
Perhaps part of an old foundation
Luna looks good in yellow
Pitch
This tree bled pitch before the fire and it’s still doing it.
Beaver Creek