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Yesterday’s all day rain was unusual for our climate. After two months of dry weather it is nice to have however the adjustment to dampness and gray skies can be difficult. It was a good day to get lots of work done inside. Later in the day there were a few shower breaks and I got outside and made some images of rain drops in the garden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shaggy mane mushrooms are popping up all over our yard this week. Some have already been around too long and are beginning to melt into a black goo. They have a short life. Do you eat them? Do you have good recipes for them? I haven’t tried them. Yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This time of year, the Twisp River seems more like a creek or small stream. A few months ago it was a different story as it flowed to the tops of its banks and filled side channels from its confluence with the Methow at Twisp to Road’s End. Now it’s a welcoming respite, reflecting the colors starting to turn to fall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The trailhead for Blue Lake is right on the highway between Washington Pass and Rainy Pass. Easy to get to and very popular. So why did it take me so long to visit this beautiful little lake?

Yesterday was a nice day for a hike – cool and sunny. Frost in the valley. I think I may have seen the first larches beginning to turn color. Luna and I had the place to ourselves til about lunch time when other folks began to arrive and on the way down we saw lots of hikers. Lots of climbers on the Liberty Bell rocks were shouting back and forth to each other too. I saw a few birds including a big flock of Gold-crowned Kinglets, an American Three-toed Woodpecker, a Sooty Grouse and numerous finches. Also, lots of pikas, chipmunks and squirrels

 

Luna liked swimming in the deep clear water

 

 

She wore a bandana so hopefully, no one would mistake her for a bear in the woods

 

I could easily see trout swimming in the shallows

 

Surprisingly, even after first snow and hard frosts, there are still flowers blooming including arnica, lupine, blue gentian, yarrow and others including this one I don’t know

 

A shallow pond near the trailhead

 

Now I know why this lake if often painted and photographed