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Tag Archives: wildflowers

Hike with a View

We did a short, steep hike to the top of Council Bluff last week. Most of the trail is an old jeep road in bad shape. When we came to the end of that, there were 3 or 4 switchbacks til we reached the top and had views of Mount St Helens, Mount Rainier and Mount Adams, in addition to Council Lake, where the trail started. The air was hazy from wildfire smoke and high pressure. I think on a clearer day we could have seen Mount Hood too. Sky would tell you, the best part of this hike was jumping in the lake when we were done!

St Helens
Rainier
Adams
Site of an old lookout
Next high point, no trail to it
Butterfly on yarrow
Scarlet gilia
puffball
toad
Columbian lily
lupine
Pine drops

Mid-summer Hike

This was a repeat of a hike we did back in early June. As you might imagine, the snow patches have disappeared and there are fewer ladybugs. There are more flowers. The views were spectacular again from Mt Baker to Glacier Peak, the North Cascades, the Central Cascades and the Okanogan Highlands. I saw quite a few mushrooms of various kinds, in particular puffballs. Also had a great view of a juvenile Golden Eagle flying below the summit of Tiffany Mountain. And Horned Larks, youngsters and adults too. It was a fine day in the mountains.

Stop and smell the flowers
So many rocks
Little Tiffany and Tiffany Lake
Rock Mountain
Luna didn’t want to sit
Ladybugs
juvenile Golden Eagle
Lots of puffball mushrooms
What kind of caterpillar?
adult Horned Lark
baby Horned Lark

Camping Scenes

We all went camping last week and had a nice time away from home in a beautiful and place and offline too. It rained some. There was one big thunderstorm that went on for an hour or more. We never got too hot. Or cold. Sky may have jumped in a lake or two. Or three.

Spring Walks

Of course we enjoyed lots of walks and here are a few highlights from the last month and a half.

The weather continues to be unsettled
Serviceberry
Aspen
Balsamroot
Smelling spring
balsamroot
lupine and balsamroot
bitterbrush
paintbrush
lupine
Luna’s tail always gives her away
paintbrush
Why does Sky look older than Luna
Penstemon, so much penstemon
More penstemon
Cutthroat Lake
Sky made a new friend named LeRoy Brown.
Sky tried to take LeRoy’s toy.

Yesterday’s Dog Walk

Yesterday afternoon we walked here on our hill. It was nice to get up into the tall bitterbrush and sage that did not burn four years ago.

Seasons have changed. Generally speaking, we have three seasons defined by color – white, green and brown – and we are officially in the brown season now. Or maybe it’s more of a golden season. That sounds nicer. Most of the foliage that grew vigorously in the late spring and early summer has dried to a yellowish tan with a few sparks of color here and there. Remnants of wildflowers and berries. Aspen leaves – some still green, many yellow and some more orangish.

Knapweed, a noxious invader but still pretty.
My girl Luna turns 12 on Sunday.
Snowberry. Who eats it?
Mariposa lily, the delightful lavender flower of June. This is its seed pod.
Balsamroot sunflower, dormant til next spring
A nest built in the spring but never used.
The green grass grows where the vernal pond was in spring and early summer.
Yarrow flowers, bloomed white, not so long ago
Sage, dead from the fire
Who is watching who?
Oh, maybe he was watching her
Sky didn’t want me to use this image.