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A Break in the Rain

It seems that we are already in November weather with cold gray skies, lots of rain and occasional snow/slush falling from the sky. It really is dreary. Luna and I did get out one afternoon last week when the fog dissipated and we had a nice walk along the shore of Patterson Lake. After the long dry summer the lake’s beach is much wider than normal. It’s water is used to irrigate nearby hay fields.

At this time of year, I really relish these days

 

Colors are really magnificent

 

Luna found a new/used tennis ball; probably lost by some other dog.

 

Luna loves tennis balls.

 

I saw several of these old bait jars. This one seems to be acting as a greenhouse for some tiny seedling.

 

Old fishing line like this is a hazard to birds and other animals. It can cause injury and even death. I gathered up what I found and disposed of it in the trash.

 

A broken fishing rod. This had to have been quite upsetting to someone.

 

A few dead fish littered the shore.

 

Beautiful light

 

Hard to believe it will soon be frozen.

 

 

An Egg in the Fall

Today the dogs and I walked a different route from usual. We went down the draw on the west side of our property, following the deer trails through the brush and scattered pine trees. No person has walked there for sometime. The deer use that area frequently and sometimes the dogs wander down that way but not often on their own.

I found this egg, lying in the trail under a pine tree. It is completely intact as if it had been recently laid.

 

It’s a pretty good sized egg – not from a song bird.

 

Here’s a view giving a fairly accurate impression of its size.

Do you know what bird laid this egg? Most birds around here lay eggs in the spring. Is it possible it’s been in an abandoned nest and only recently fell to the ground, without smashing? I know that crossbills can raise families anytime of the year as long as there is a steady supply of food but this egg is too big for a crossbill and I have not seen them at the feeders recently. The pines closest to this are pretty tall – fifty, maybe seventy feet. I’m not very good at estimating height. All comments on this are appreciated.

 

Favorite Tree

Do you have a favorite tree? I have favorite tree species such as larch (otherwise known as tamarack), aspen, ponderosa pine; depending on my mood and the season. But a favorite individual tree? I’ve admired this tree as long as I’ve been driving up and down the Methow Valley. It is between Methow and Carlton. I think it’s a maple tree, standing alone, near the highway. In the fall it turns a kaleidoscope of colors eventually, all red. I know, it’s a non-native, ornamental but still it has a stately grandeur that I enjoy when I go down valley.

This is how it looked today.

 

Winter Begins

Yesterday Luna and I and Guthrie and Guthrie’s person Marcy went for an afternoon hike at Blue Lake. From the valley it was easy to see that the first snow had fallen in the North Cascades so we knew we would see snow along the way. We drove through it at Washington Pass and the trailhead was covered with white stuff. The dogs were thrilled to see fresh snow! Luna has been lucky to find snow every month this year. The north-facing slope didn’t provide terrific lighting for the afternoon hike however the grandeur of the scenery lit up our senses and we quite enjoyed the short trek to and from Blue Lake. The views were full of graphic bold images and reflections that left me wondering what was real and what was reflected. Lots of images were made.

This is an avalanche chute full of debris along the trail

Guthrie relished the snow

These brown icicles dripped off of an old log

Blue skies, fiery larches and new snow!

This larch seems to be waving goodbye to fall or hello to winter

The outlet

Reflections everywhere

What’s real

The iconic viewpoint for Blue Lake. It looks much different in summer.

It is almost too much to take in with one image

With the fading light, the mountains and sky provide a bold graphic image in black and white

Guthrie – who could resist this guy?

Gray Jays stopped to see if we had any food to share

Otherwise known as Camp Robbers

Color?

Or black and white?

Reflections in black and white

Goodbye to fall and Blue Lake for another year

Luna in her birthday buff

Again, what’s real and what is reflected?

Down the trail in the late afternoon light

Two peas in a pod

This tiny pond is a delight

Reeds, all bent in the same direction

With frosted Christmas trees across the way

And still, Blue Gentian blooming. In the snow.

Abundance

This seems like an abundant time of year! So much food to harvest and store away for the cold months when the ground and rivers are frozen. We are lucky to live in a fertile place full of food to grow and gather and savor and we enjoy it all.

My friend Mary Ann sent me home with half a box of plums the other day!

I cooked them down and added honey and crystalized ginger

Of course, the minute I turned my back on the stove, this happened! I could almost count on it.

Ginger plum sauce for waffles and also it will be good with duck and venison.

My grandma used these kinds of jars for her jams and jellies. There was a layer of paraffin under the lid to preserve the sweets. Nowadays that is not considered a safe method for food preservation. I used this jar for the leftover sauce that didn’t go into the regular canning jars. We will eat it fresh.

Nasturtiams are savored for their beauty, especially at this time of year when not many flowers are blooming.

They are also good in salads and spring rolls

Did you know that their seeds can be pickled to make a substitute for capers?

Ken’s first steelhead of the season, caught yesterday in the first hours of the opening.