Looking for Red

I was on a quest for red leaves this past week, driving up to Indian Heaven Wilderness in search of some red huckleberry leaves. No luck there, because snow set in before the leaves could turn. But in the lower elevations the vine maples, which tend to hide in the understory of fir and hemlock forests, are all exceptionally bright this year!  Yellow, deep in the forest, and red along the edge where they get more sunlight. This little guy is growing right on the edge of the forest, all by himself, in order to stand out better I suppose.

Forest Veiled View

What an Interesting web of wispy green branches 

in the understory of this Douglas Fir-Big Leaf Maple forest.

 And so many of last year's maple leaves caught in the web, suspended mid-fall. 

Forest Bathing

Shinrin Yoku, as it's called in Japan.  There are health benefits to spending time in the woods, according to Japanese studies; it reduces stress, anxiety, sleeplessness, and depression.  I've been super interested in the concept of Earthing this month, and wonder if this "forest bathing" benefit isn't partially coming from the fact that the trees are grounded and create an umbrella of grounding for us as we walk through the woods.  Synthetic shoe soles don't ground us to the earth, but walking barefoot, especially at the beach, does. I always feel so great after walking along the beach. Walking in the woods feels good too, but for me not quite the same as barefoot at the beach.

Enchanted Forest

Quite a change of pace today in color and mood, but this forest is actually at the edge of the camas field at Lacamas Regional Park, so technically it's still part of my camas field trip. Lacamas is a fairly diverse park; at the lower elevation the hike winds around a lake and through a cedar forest.  It's mossy throughout the park. I love all the different mosses on these trees.  This photo was taken on my first trip to the camas field, and there was still a slight fog in the air, which is what gives the enchanted feel to these trees.

Forest Lily

I'm taking a break from the camas today to post another photo from the trail at Lacamas Regional Park.  It's some sort of lily; I'm sorry I don't know the variety despite all my internet searching this morning.  There were about a dozen of these tiny lilies together in a deep section of forest as the trail headed steeply up toward the camas field.  As for the camas, I will probably post a few more if I don't get out with my camera again in the next few days, but after looking over all my shots I think Camas Studies 1, 4 and 5 are probably my favorites. I'm probably going to use one in my 2016 calendar this year because I still need a closeup photo, and because camas is very representative of the Pacific Northwest.  Any opinions about which I should choose?  I'm conflicted.  Thanks :)

Cedar Loop Part 2

White Christmas

A beautiful snow up near Mt. Hood this morning after the snowline dropped early yesterday.  A Christmas present for all the area skiers, who where flocking up to the ski resorts as we were heading home from our early morning snowy walk with Clover.