Monday, March 31, 2014

Amazing to me how quickly the days are passing .. especially since January just didn’t seem to want to move ahead very quickly.  I think that it just seems that time is moving too fast .. when I think about the lovely longer days with more things to do especially outside.

Take Friday, for instance.  The day was a long one and it started out in a rainy fashion.  Our boot camp group met at the designated location for the Friday session.   Brrrrr .. it was grey skies, a light rain and off we went.   I am glad I went but really I was sorely tempted to stay home.  And if I had stayed home .. then I would have missed seeing this Great Blue Heron looking for breakfast!

And as we went along the pathway, I turned and snapped another photo, so very glad I had decided to get out and get going.

Another one of those lovely bridges/footpaths .. leading us into another area of the forest.

I have recently been salvaging native plants (I belong to an official salvaging group) and had collected a good supply of Sanicula, which boasts the most beautiful yellow flowers.  Glad to see this plant growing naturally, to be left alone.

Also lots of luxurious moss … with many tiny wildflowers waiting their turn to grow.

A great grouping of Low Oregon Grape .. this is what I will plant at our next home .. mass plantings!

Dainty little ferns growing at the base of a moss-covered tree trunk.

After traipsing uphill through muddy sections and slightly steep (for a Friday morning!) walk .. we arrived at a viewpoint.  Lots of lichen on the trees .. a very tranquil spot.

And on our return trip .. we noticed how high the water was at Elk Lake.   Usually there were Mallards at this area .. but they must have relocated till the waters recede a little.

Oh, and here is another most wonderful reward for going outside!  What a very stately and handsome guy!

D said hello to him and he patiently stayed in place for that.

After a minute though, he had to race to catch up to his doggy-dad.  Enough time spent here … thank you very much.

Pretty shades of green … the pale green of the Indian Plum intermixed with the deeper shade of the Horsetail … again, Nature’s Beauty is best.

Can you see the laughing face in the tree?  and also the drooping mustache?    Quite a handsome tree.

The contrast of the light/dark/shiny/dull image of the lake/trees/background struck a most appealing sight.

That was the early part of my day … I then went to do some volunteering at Fort Rodd Hill .. and will share some of those photos tomorrow.

Although Friday wasn’t really a sunny day … I am pretending that the afternoon was like this .. what’s the harm, eh?