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.