For years, we’ve been trying to get cleome (an ornamental flower) established in our garden. We were told that it’s a great favorite of honeybees. Finally, this year, it’s taken hold and sure enough, the honeybees are all over it. They are not alone, sharing it with native bumblebees and other insects. It is great fun to watch the bees on the delicate flowers. And so beautiful.
Willow and her friend, Gretta, and their Good Girl drivers got out for a very nice hike early this week. They started early and did not encounter too many people on the trails – a few through hikers and some day hikers along with a few dogs. Everyone was quite pleasant. The weather was mostly overcast for the first half of the hike which was a relief since it was all uphill. At the top, there was a breeze to keep the bugs away. The downhill part, with its relentless switchbacks, was dusty and dry. Willow and Gretta needed extra water. Fortunately Gretta’s drive brought two extra liters. Willow’s driver will know to bring more next time. Everyone was tickled when we finally reached the creeks near the lake and managed to cool off for the last two miles back to a car.
Recently, the girls and I spent eight days volunteering at Harts Pass. The weather was pretty good but the bugs were unbearable. Also, there were many visitors so I was busy most of the time. The bugs made it nearly impossible to do photography or to do much birding. We made the best of it and here are a few images from our time up there. The bird in the rocks appears to be the western Arctic subspecies of the Horned Lark. But I could be wrong. As for the grouse, she’s probably a Sooty but maybe a Dusky? The hoary marmots were a long ways away and after sunset so not the best quality images.
Earlier this week, Willow and I hiked up to a local lookout. It’s a short steep hike. The volunteer lookout wasn’t there yet. She just arrived today. We enjoyed the views from top of the mountain despite smokey skies and wondered if the old outhouse would survive another year. The flowers were wonderful. I especially liked the western clematis (Clematis occidentalis). It’s not a commonly seen wildflower. Willow especially liked a couple small snow patches! They won’t last much longer. And I might have obsessed, just a little, on the newly growing cones on the alpine larches and Douglas firs. There’s worse obsessions.
Big photo dump from late Spring.
My Everyday Photos 