Earth Speak Sunday #22

Seven Arrows by Hyemeyohsts Storm

To Touch and Feel is to Experience. many people live out their entire lives without ever really Touching or being Touched by anything. These people live within a world of mind and imagination that may move them sometimes to joy, tears, happiness, or sorrow. but these people never really Touch. They do not live and become one with life.

Fast Fact Friday #10

Today's Fast Fact:
     The most complete Jaguar fossil in the US was discovered inside the Oregon Caves in 1995 by crews who were working on a map of the cave.



This fact was found on the NPS website.

Trail Talk Thursday #14

Today's trail is located at Bonesteele County Park, located along the Aumsville Highway. The main trail head is located next to the eastern end of the parking lot, and descends into a wooded section on the property as it leaves a short dirt road that is gated off. Of course, many people start by walking uphill on that road instead of taking the slightly hidden trail. As you enter the forest on this trail, you come across a boardwalk that passes Spring Wildflowers.

As the trail continues, you will find that after walking uphill a short ways, the trail splits into two. The left trail will take you up to a section of forested hillside that is bordered by boulders before connecting with that short road that leads you back to the parking lot.

The right trail will take you out of the small forest and to another split in the trail. Taking a left here will follow the edge of the woods and down to the parking lot, while a right will take you around the perimeter of the rest of the park and offer a view of Mount Jefferson. The field located on the property also has many trails that cross it. For those of you that want to bring Fido, this park allows it as long as the dog remains on a leash and it's poop is picked up. With so many trail combinations to choose from, you and your pet can hike as little or as long as your dog is willing to go.

Waterfall Wednesday #10

Drake Falls

At 27 feet, Drake falls is the shortest of the Big Ten waterfalls at Silver falls State Park. Named after Photographer June Drake, who tried to turn the region that is now a state park into a national park, Drake Falls flows over one layer of the Columbia River Basalts. Due to a bend in the creek, the only place you can see this waterfall is from a small platform that was built on the steep slope.

Native Talk Tuesday #23

For today's Native Talk Tuesday, we have a bird and a woodland plant.

The bird featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Sphyrapicus ruber, commonly known as the Red-breasted Sapsucker. This species of sapsucker is found year-round in the coniferous and mixed forests of the Pacific Northwest--that is, from Northern California to southeast Alaska, west of the Cascadian and Canadian Coastal Ranges. The woodpecker below was seen at Silver Falls State Park, east of Salem, Oregon.
 

The plant featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Viola glabella, commonly known as the Stream Violet. Also known as the Yellow Wood Violet, this plant is identified due to its five yellow petals, with the lower three having dark purple lines. These lines are said to help guide pollinators to the correct spot on the flower. Found moist forests along streams, trails, and clearings, the Stream Violet can be confused with the Trailing Yellow Violet, which looks exactly the same to the untrained eye. What makes the Stream Violet different is the dark purple lines on its lower three petals--the Trailing Yellow Violet has violet (light purple) lines. The plant in the picture below was found at Silver Falls State Park, east of Salem in early April.

Earth Speak Sunday #21

To quote a Chinese proverb:

The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago.
The second best time is now!

Fast Fact Friday #9

Today's Fast Fact:
     Some of the earliest rhino fossils in the world were discovered at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.



This fact comes from the National Park Service Website.

Trail Talk Thursday #13

Today's trail is a small, 0.2-mile trail along Hullt Creek in Silver Falls State Park. Located along the Canyon Trail, the trail head for this short trail takes visitors a short distance to the base of Double Falls. Of course, to get to this small trail, you would need to hike 1.1 miles from the Winter Falls Parking Lot, 2.1 miles from the Historic South Falls Lodge starting on the Maple Ridge Trail, or 2.1 miles from the North Falls Parking Lot. Either way, this small trail is just an add-on to the Canyon Trail.

Waterfall Wednesday #9

Double Falls

At 178 feet, this waterfall is the highest within Silver Falls State Park and is located on Hullt Creek. Named Double Falls due to its two-tiered drop, most visitors do not see the top one after mid-Spring due to all the foliage. Like nearby Winter Falls, this waterfall is best seen from mid-Winter to late-Spring when most of the water comes from snowmelt and runoff. The trailhead to the base of this waterfall is located on the Canyon Trail, just upstream from the Lower North Falls.

Native Talk Tuesday #22

For today's Native Talk Tuesday, we have a bird and a wetland plant.

The bird featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Picoides pubescens, commonly known as the Downy Woodpecker. This species of woodpecker is only found suburbs, orchards, parks, and forests; but are uncommon to rare in southeast Oregon. The woodpecker below was seen in a stand of trees next to a farmer's field east of Salem, Oregon.
 

The plant featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Lysichiton americanum, commonly known as the Skunk Cabbage. Also known as the Swamp Lantern, this plant is easily identified due to its large leaves, that are sometimes over 4 feet long. From early- to mid-Spring, one or more leaves turn yellow and a corncob-shaped spike is found within the yellow bract. Found wet meadows and muddy seepage areas from low to mid elevations, the Skunk Cabbage was used by the Native Tribes more for lining baskets like wax paper than for eating. Apparently, the only time it may have been eaten was in early Spring if there was a food shortage and only after roasting or steaming it first. The plant in the picture below was found at Silver Falls State Park, east of Salem.

Earth Speak Sunday #20

To quote Zenkai Shibayama,

Silently a flower blooms,

In silence it falls away;

Yet here now, at this moment, at this place,

The world of the flower, the whole of the world is blooming.

This is the talk of the flower, the truth of the blossom;

The glory of eternal life is fully shining here.

Fast Fact Friday #8

Today's Fast Fact:
     The American Beaver was named the Oregon state animal in 1969.




This fact was found on the following website: www.oregon.com

Native Talk Tuesday #21

For today's Native Talk Tuesday, we have a reptile and a wildflower

The reptile featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Clemmys marmorata, commonly known as the Western Pond Turtle. This endangered species of turtles is only found west of the Cascade-Sierra mountain ranges, though it is supposedly extinct or near-so in the state of Washington . They are often found in still-water environments below one mile in elevation. The turtle below was seen with two others in Stayton's Wilderness Park.

 
The plant featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Crydalis scouleri, commonly known as the Scouler's Corydalis. This plant is easily identified from early- to mid-Spring due to it's stalk of pink flowers. Scouler's Corydalis is found along moist, shaded stream banks and forests and is named after Dr. John Scouler, who accompanied David Douglas on his explorations of the Pacific Northwest. The plant in the picture below was found at Silver Falls State Park, east of Salem.

Earth Speak Sunday #19

The Unforeseen Wilderness by Wendell Berry

And the world cannot be discovered by a journey of miles, no matter how long, but only by a spiritual journey, a journey of one inch, very arduous and humble and joyful, by which we arrive at the ground at our feet, and learn to be at home.

Fast Fact Friday #7

Today's Fast Fact:
     Discovered in 1874, and set aside as a National Monument in 1933, the Oregon Caves National Monument is really only one cave.

Waterfall Wednesday #8

Lower South Falls

This 93-foot waterfall is located roughly one mile downstream from South Falls at Silver Falls State Park. Like South Falls, a trail takes visitors behind the waterfall, making it one of four falls that do so. From Mid-Winter to Mid-Spring, this waterfall creates an almost perfect curtain of water.In Late Summer it becomes less dramatic. Formed by three different layers of lava flows, with the middle one less resistant and therefore allowing a path behind the falls, this waterfall has created several caverns below the trail that are not visible in the picture above.

Native Talk Tuesday #20

For today's Native Talk Tuesday, we have a bird and a shrub

The bird featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Pipilo maculatus, commonly known as the Spotted Towhee. With its black head, red sides, and white underside, it is easy to spot, especially with its black and white wings. The Spotted Towhee is distinguished from other Towhee species east of the Cascade Range by having a darker black head and back, and less white bars on its wings. The picture below was taken in Stayton's Wilderness Park

The plant featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Ribes sanguineum, commonly known as the Red-flowering Currant. In early spring you can see easily identify these plants due to their clusters of pink to red flowers. They are found at low to mid-elevations in open forests, disturbed sites, and even rocky slopes. The plant in the picture below was found at Silver Falls State Park, east of Salem. 

Earth Speak Sunday #18

Riprap and Cold Mountain Poems by Gary Snyder

I settled at Cold Mountain long ago,
Already it seems like years and years.
Freely drifting, I prowl the woods and streams
And linger watching things themselves.
Men don't get this far into the mountains,
White clouds gather and billow.
Thin grass does for a mattress,
 The blue sky makes a good quilt.
Happy with a stone underhead
Let heaven and earth go about their changes.

Fast Fact Friday #6

Today's Fast Fact:
     Weighing in at a whopping 80.4 Troy ounces, the Armstrong Nugget was the largest piece of gold ever found in Oregon; it is now on display in the US Bank in Baker City.



This fact was found on the website goldrushnuggets.com

Trail Talk Thursday #12

This week's trail is located at Silver Falls State Park and is known as the Campground Trail. At roughly 1 mile in length, it encircles half of the campground with a trail head near the Ampitheater. As visitors walk along this trail, they can take in the sights of wildflowers, sounds of native birds, and may even see a few salmonberries ripe for the picking. A small stream drains a basin located between this trail and the campground and one can see that beavers had once been at work damming it up, yet no beaver lodge can be seen from the trail. A blind located next to one of these dams allows visitors to peer into a beaver pond without scaring the birds away.

The beaver pond between the trail and the campground.

Native Talk Tuesday #19

For today's Native Talk Tuesday, we had a reptile and a flower.

The reptile featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Thamnophis sirtalis concinnus, commonly known as the Red-spotteed Common Garter Snake. This non-poisonous snake is found in a variety of habitats ranging from woodlands to open prairie and can also be seen in yards. The most astounding behavior that I have witnessed, as seen in the photo below at Stayton's Wilderness Park, is the ability to swim across a still-water pond.

 
The plant featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Lomatium utriculatum, commonly known as the Spring Gold. Also known as Fine-leaved Desert Parsley, this plant of the carrot family is found in a variety of environments ranging from dry, rocky slopes to open meadows at low elevations. The plant in the picture below was found at Silver Falls State Park, east of Salem.

Earth Speak Sunday #17

On the Shred of a Cloud by A. Rolf Edberg

Stand and fill your lungs with air. With every breath you inhale a thousand billion billion atoms. A few million billion of them are long-living argon atoms that are exhaled within the second and dispersed with the winds. Time mixes them and has been mixing them for a long time. Some of them may have visited Buddha or Caesar, or even earlier paid a call on the man from Makapan.

 

Fast Fact Friday #5

Today's Fast Fact:
     In 1961, the largest of the Pacific Salmons, the Chinook Salmon, was declared the state fish.



This fact was found on the website: Oregon.com

Native Talk Tuesday #18

Today, both a native bird and a native flower will be featured.

The bird featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Turdus migratorius, commonly known as the American Robin. This robin is found in a variety of habitats ranging from woodlands to open prairie to city parks. The most common robin in America, this bird has a diet of berries, insects, and worms. The picture of the robin below was taken at St. Louis Ponds County Park, west of Gervais.

The flower featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Cardamine pulcherrima, commonly known as the Beautiful Bitter-cress. This plant of the Mustard Family is found in moist forests and stream banks at low elevations.Unlike the Angled Bitter-cress, which has three leaflets that are lobed, this bitter-cress has three-to-five leaflets that are lance-shaped. The flower in the photo was found at Silver Falls State Park, east of Salem.

Earth Speak Sunday #16

To quote Crowfoot:

What is Life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the Winter time. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.

Fast Fact Friday #4

Today's Fast Fact:

The present capitol building in Salem is the third one built on the site; the previous two were completely destroyed by fires.



This fact was found on the website Oregon.gov

Native Talk Tuesday #17

The animal featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Larus occidentalis, commonly known as the Western Gull. This gull is seen along the whole length of Oregon's coast throughout the year, but will be more abundant in Winter. All adult Western Gulls will have pink legs, a white head, a red-spotted yellow beak, and one white spot (or "mirror") near the tip of its first or second feather on each wing. Young western gulls will have mottled head feathers and a black-spotted yellow beak. The picture below was taken at Depoe Bay and features a young Western Gull in its third Winter.

Earth Speak Sunday #15

To quote an Indian proverb:

The frog does not drink up the pond in which he lives.

 

Fast Fact Friday #3

Today's Fast Fact:

At 120 feet, D River in Lincoln City is the shortest river in the world.



This fact was found on the following website: http://www.oregonstateparks.org

Native Talk Tuesday #16

The animal featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Buteo jamaicensis, commonly known as the Red-tailed Hawk. This hawk is found in a variety of habitats ranging from woodlands to open prairie and cropland, as well as desert environments. The most common hawk in Oregon, this raptor can be seen perching on fences, telephone poles, tree branches and even houses!

Earth Speak Sunday #14

To quote John Muir:

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like Autumn leaves.

State Park Saturday #9

In the heart of Salem is one of Oregon's newest state parks--State Capitol State Park. Prior to changing ownership to the Oregon State Park Service in 2008, this park was actually three parks in one--collectively known as the Capitol Mall. Wilson Park was to the west of the State Capitol, Capitol Park to the east, and Capitol Park Mall to the north. The main attraction of this park that has no day-use fees is the Cherry trees that blossom near the beginning of Spring every year, drawing many professional, semi-professional, and amateur photographers from surrounding towns.

Three water features are found within the park, including Waite Fountain (west of the capitol building), Wall of Water, and Capitol Fountain (both across the street from the main entrance to the capitol). Flags from every state in the union sit in a circle near Waite Fountain, while sidewalks north of the Capitol have stone plaques set in them which list the county seat and establishment date for each of Oregon's counties.

Fast Fact Friday #2

Today's Fast Fact:
     The tallest tree ever measured in the state of Oregon was a 393-foot high Coastal Douglas Fir, nicknamed the "Mineral Tree," in 1924.

This fast fact was found on the following website: http://ascendingthegiants.com

Native Talk Tuesdays #15

The animal featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Anas clypeata, commonly known as the Northern Shoveler. This duck is found in marshes, ponds, and bays. In flight, both males and females show blue forewing patch, and both have a spoon-shaped bill. Other than the blue patch, the female is brown while the male is multi-colored. The Northern Shovelers below were found at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge, south of Salem.
 

Earth Speak Sunday #13

Te quote Solomon Ibn-Gabirol:

Of what avail is the open eye, if the heart is blind?

 

Fast Fact Friday #1

As I don't have the time to go to every festival, and because there are few during the Winter, I have decided to change "Festival Friday" to "Fast Fact Friday."

Today's Fast Fact:
     In 1864, Salem was chosen by popular vote to be the capitol city of the state of Oregon.



This fast fact was found on the website, Oregon.gov

Trail Talk Thursday #11

This week's trail is located at Stayton's Quad-Parks that I have aptly named as there are four parks interconnected by one trail. These parks are Pioneer Park, Wilderness Park, Florence Street Park, and Riverfront Park. The trail that connects these is supposedly 5 km long, but has several offshoots that can make it longer or shorter. There is a Covered Bridge that marks the trailhead that starts in Pioneer Park. Once across the Stayton Ditch (what the covered bridge crosses, the trail continues through a wooded section known as Wilderness Park that contains a backwater pond where
Western Pond Turtles and swimming Garter Snakes can be seen. The trail then doubles back along another channel that contains a fish ladder before cutting the Stayton Ditch in half and connecting to the Florence Street Park. This park, like Pioneer Park, contains a parking lot. The trail continues across the footbridge beside the parking lot and continues into Riverfront Park which is half open and half forested. Near the end of this park, the trail makes a loop around the open meadow.

Waterfall Wednesday #7

While technically considered a waterfall (water that flows over a ledge and free-falls down to earth), this week we have a man-made waterfall that really isn't supposed to be there. As a part of the Lower Bennett Dam near Stayton, this is a diversion wall that funnels water through a fish l.adder between Wilderness and Riverfront Parks in southeast Stayton. During Summer, little to no water overflows the wall, but in Winter and Spring, The North Santiam River flows over the wall, creating a long curtain-type waterfall less than 10 feet high.

Native Talk Tuesday #14

For today's Native Talk, I will actually talk about two non-native species--a rodent and a plant.

The animal featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Myocastor coypus, commonly known as the Coypu or Nutria. This river rat frequents shallow-water environments such as ponds and streams. Originally brought into North America from South America as a source of fur pelts, it is now considered an invasive species. Easily identifiable, the Nutria is as big as a beaver, but lacks the paddle-tail. The Nutria below was found at Ankeny Wildlife Refuge, south of Salem.

The plant featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Veronica chamaedrys, commonly known as the Birdseye Speedwell. This type of speedwell is native to Europe and Asia and was most likely brought over to America by someone you wanted it in their garden. The plant below was found at Stayton's Wilderness Park.

Earth Speak Sunday #12

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.

Trail Talk Thursday #10

St. Louis Ponds Trail

 Just across the highway from Gervais is a county park with a trail looping through it.  This short trail, which has no name, winds around one maze-like pond and past five others within St. Louis Ponds County Park.
The maze-like ponds were created when earthen material was needed for the highway which passes along the eastern edge of the park. As you hike along this small trail, you may see birds such as the American Robin, trees that have been felled by beavers, and local fisherman. Most of the trail is paved, making it ADA accessible, but the rest is gravel or dirt. This park is nice during late winter, but I bet looks even better from Spring through Fall.

Native Talk Tuesday # 13

The animal featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Bucephala albeola, commonly known as the Bufflehead Duck. This type of duck nests in woodlands near small lakes and ponds. The male Bufflehead is identified by the large white patch on its mostly black head, while the female is similar but with a small, white, teardrop-shaped patch on its mostly black head. Bufflehead Ducks are found throughout most of Oregon during the Winter, but will migrate north to Canada for Summer breeding. The pair below were found at the Ankeny Wildlife Refuge south of Salem.

Earth Speak Sunday #11

The Answer by Robinson Jeffers

The greatest beauty
is organic wholeness,
the wholeness of life and things,
the divine beauty of the universe.
Love that, not man apart from that...

Native Talk Tuesday # 12

The animal featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Anas platyrhynchos, commonly known as the Mallard Duck. This type of duck frequents shallow-water environments such as ponds and streams. The male Mallard is easily identifiable by it's green head and white collar. The female, however, looks like many other female ducks but can be identified my the orange and black bill. The pair below were found at Stayton's Pioneer Park, near the covered bridge.

Mountain View Monday # 12

Today's picture include three "mountains," with two being real mountains, and the third is a butte in the Mid-Willamette Valley. Let's start off with the third "mountain." Mount Angel is a 485-foot butte located northeast of Salem, Oregon and from whence the town of Mt. Angel was named. Atop its peak, the Mount Angel Abbey, a community of benedictine monks, enjoys a full view of the surrounding landscape.

Behind Mount Angel and to the right is the 8,365-foot Washington mountain known as Mount St, Helens, which blew it's top on May 18th, 1980 at 8:32 am. Further to the right, as well as further north is the 14,409-foot high Mount Rainier. The furthest south in the Willamette Valley that I have seen either of these two Washington mountains is at the location of the photo--east of Salem, along Sunnyview Road and between Hibbard Road NE and 117th Ave NE.

Earth Speak Sunday #10

The Sound of Rain by Sigurd Olson

Last night in my tent I listened to rain. At first it came down gently, then in a steady drumming downpour, and I lay there wondering when I would began to feel the first rivulets creeping beneath my sleeping-bag. The deluge continued, but there were no exploring trickles, no mist through the roof of balloon silk. The tent, on its little rise with its thick cushion of bearberry, had perfect drainage all around, and the ropes were tied to two good trees. The gale could blow now and the rain come down, but I would be safe and dry the rest of the night. I settled down luxuriously to enjoy a sound I had known on countless campsites in the wilderness.

Like all woodsmen, I had planned for the morning, had tucked a roll of dry birchbark and a few slivers of pine under one end of the canoe. My packs were in one corner of the tent, the axe handy just in case something snapped during the night, The canoe was snubbed to a rock well up from the shore.

The wind came up and the tent swayed, but the ropes held; in the rain they grew taut as fiddle strings and the tent more waterproof with each new assault. A branch swished close and two trees rubbed against each other. The woods were full of sounds, creakings and groanings, with branches dropping from the trees.

How much good the rain would do, how fresh the water in every stream, how flowers would pop with the sun, the linnea, the anemones, the dogwoods and everything else along the trails. The ferns on the rocks would began to grow again, and the silvery caribou moss would be soft and resilient with just a tinge of green. The dry and brittle lichens along the cliffs would turn from black to velvet green. Mushrooms and toadstools would suddenly emerge from every dead log, and the dusty humus would bring forth growths that had been waiting this very hour, for no rain had fallen in a month.

The coming of the rain soothed a longing within me for moisture and lushness after the long-continued drought. As I lay there, I too seemed to expand and grow, became part of the lushness and the rain itself and of all the thirsty life about me.This is one of the reasons I like to hear the rain come down on a tent. I am close to it then, as close as one can be without being in it. I have slept in many primitive shelters, under overhanging cliffs, in lean-tos made of spruce boughs and birchbark, in little cabins roofed with poles and sod. I have slept under canoes and boats and under the spreading branches of pines and balsams, but none of these places gives me quite the feeling I get when sleeping in a tent.

The drops are muffled by the cloth, none of the staccato drumming there is under a hard roof. Once I slept in a cabin with a tin roof and listened to a chorus that night that was too violent to enjoy, a mechanical sound as though a thousand drums had broken into a rolling crescendo all at once.

Not long ago I met an old friend, C.K. Leith, one of the world's most famous geologists He had been a professor of mine, and for a time I had worked under him on the Wisconsin Geological Survey. After his retirement, he had served  as a consultant to the government, using his great knowledge of the world's minerals to guide exploration and development.

We sat in the Cosmos Club one rainy afternoon talking about the old days, the days in the bush when he was a legend of endurance and fortitude, of the treks he had made into the far north that even today are contemplated with awe and wonderment my hardened prospectors. He was eighty-two when I talked to him last, but still as straight and energetic as ever. Suddenly he was very quiet, a faraway look came into his eyes as he sat watching the rain spatter down into the courtyard.

"Do you know where I would like to be right now?" he said finally. 'In my old tent somewhere, safe and dry with nothing to do but listen to the rain come down."

He smiled and I knew he was cruising the back country of the Canadian Shield, down its brawling rivers, across its stormy lakes, knowing again the feeling of distance and space, the sense of the old wilderness.

"As you get older." he said, "and more involved with world affairs, you lose that life, but those were the good old days for me."

When I heard of his passing, I knew that somewhere back in the bush he was listening to the rain come down and that he had found again the life he loved.

In the woods of Listening Point, the drops soak into the ground as they should, stopped by an intricate baffle system of leaves and pine needles, small sticks and bits of bark, the partly decayed vegetation just underneath, and finally the humus itself, rich, black, and absorbent, the accumulation of ten thousand years. Here in the north it takes over a thousand years to form a single inch of it, and the glacier receded from seven to ten thousand years ago, the humus on the point has taken just that long to form.

Below the humus id the mineral rock soil, the result not only of the grinding of glacial ice but the gradual breakdown of the granite and shist and greenstone by the frost and rain, the action of the acids of countless roots, the burrowing of hoards of insects and worms and beetles. This later rests upon the native ledge, but by the time the rain reaches it, it has slowed and soaks into without loss. There are no rivulets except where the rock is bare, no erosion or run-off to the lake. All that falls stays there and move into the water table of the area to be held in reserve.

It was good to lie in the tent knowing that the rain was replenishing the water supply, that none of it was being lost except where it ran off the smooth rocks, that even between them, in every cleft and crevice where there was any accumulation of humus at all, it would be held for months to come.

Native Talk Tuesday # 11

The plant featured in today's Native Talk Tuesday is Synthyris reniformis, commonly known as the Spring Queen. Belonging to the Figwort family, the Spring Queen is one of the first flowers to bloom, often just after snowfall, giving it another common name, the Snow Queen. The blue-violet flowers form in a terminal cluster. This type of plant is found at lower elevations from the Olympic Peninsula south into California, and from the Oregon Coast to the Cascade Range foothills.

The pictures here were taken at Silver Falls State Park within days after a snowfall in mid-February. As you can see, the flowers are violet with pink stamens.