Buck in velvet
Today we took a day trip to "The Mountain", known to those outside Washington State as Mt. Rainier. The Mountain played peek-a-boo with us most of day, showing up most clearly around sunset, when we were already scores of miles away.
But...this trip was about the flowers, not so much about the mountain, though it was wonderful to be back there again. We were a little past peak flower time, but even managed to find a handful of late-blooming avalanche lilies along one bank. It was a beautifully clear day, with minimal haze, giving us great views as far as Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens. And even if we were late for peak bloom, the lupine and paintbrush and American bistort alone would have kept me smiling! There was lots of monkeyflower, both pink and yellow, a fair amount of several kinds of lousewort (which deserves a nicer name!), heather in bloom at higher elevations, lots of asters, and several flowers I didn't recognize at all.
We hiked about six miles. I found the paved trails, followed by trails with lots of steps, to be particularly difficult. Thank goodness for the beauty along the way! That made each step worthwhile. Oh...and I saw several fritillary butterflies. I'm beginning to recognize different types, if not the specific species. It's enjoyable to have a new "learning edge" on things to watch.
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