Eight Mile Creek

Ok, no creek visible in this photo, but Eight Mile Creek cuts through the Dalles Mountain Ranch, and it's pretty easy to follow its route. Just look for the line of White Oaks and other trees supported by the creek as it meanders through the otherwise treeless terrain. 

Snag Reflection

I thought this was a pretty interesting tree snag reflection at Round Lake in Camas. 

I was thinking the photo might look too busy, but I have to say I don't mind it at all. 

Linking to Weekend Reflections.

White Camas Lily

While I was still in the camas field, photographing the chocolate lily in yesterday's post, the same wildflower couple called to me to point out a white camas lily. They informed me that each year they have a competition to see who will find the first white camas. This year the wife won. If only I could photograph faster...I could have followed them through the park and photographed all their finds! 

Chocolate Lily

Fritillaria lanceolata (Perhaps) 

I wasn't even aware of this lily until a couple of wildflower hikers pointed it out a few weeks ago in Camas. I saw lots later in the week at Memaloose Trail in Oregon, but they were fading fast at that point. Next year I need to remember to look for them at Memaloose in late April. 

Dalles Mountain Ranch

Razor Clam Dig

Taking a break from spring wildflowers to post a clamming photo from two weekends ago.  This was only our second trip clamming at Long Beach; the first time wasn't nearly this crowded.  This time happened to be the last open weekend of the season, coinciding with a clamming festival, plus an increase in max harvest from 15 to 25 clams per person. So the beach ended up crowded like a sunny summer day. We thought it would be a good idea to go during the festival because there was going to be a clamming demonstration (and we weren't that good at it the first time, so we needed some instruction!)  We never saw the festival demonstration though.  We didn't need it with so many demonstrations going on along the beach.  I'm happy to say we had success, although not nearly as much as the locals.  They all have a mesh bag hanging off their waist to hold their clams, so it's real easy to see how many clams someone has found.  The tool involved is called a clam gun. It's not really a gun, just a hollow tube with handles. Once you spot a clam (and this is usually a dimple in the sand that develops when you stomp or pound around), then you push the clam gun deep into the sand and pull it back out, extracting a tube of sand that you sift through, and hopefully find a razor clam inside.  It's a bit of work, especially on a crowded day like this when the beach is picked-over. But the clams are so tasty, and it's fun to work for your supper like that!

Balsam Root

Balsam root flower

hiding in a field of grass

favored by the sun.

Sunrise

First light on the balsam root flowers last week at the Dalles Mountain Ranch.

It took surprisingly long from the actual sunrise to the time the sun finally hit these hills. 

Here Comes the Sun

A beautiful sunny day last weekend at Dalles Mountain Ranch, where the lupine and balsam root are blooming on the hillside along the Columbia Gorge.  It's finally starting to feel like spring.
 Very glad to finally warm up at bit and feel the sun on my face!