Harbinger

 Grass Widows (Olsynium douglasii) blooming on the bluffs overlooking the Columbia Gorge. 

Sisyrinchium

A wider view of the Sisyrinchium from my wildflower field trip yesterday at Tom McCall Nature Preserve. Not sure how this flower got the name Grass Widow; it was by far the most common flower we saw, carpeting stretches of the plateau. This flower will continue blooming in the gorge at higher elevations each week. As a rough estimate, 500 feet of elevation change equals a week's delay in bloom time. We were at the lowest stop, Rowena Plateau, with an elevation of about 600'. The trail continues up to Tom McCall Point at an elevation of 1500'.

Grass Widow

A change of scenery on the blog today...I signed up for a class this month called Wildflowers in the Columbia Gorge, and today was our first field trip to see what is blooming.  We visited Tom McCall Nature Preserve in Oregon.  Lots of flowers in bloom already.  I didn't know this one was called Grass Widow until I got home and consulted my field guide, because our instructor always refers to the flower by its scientific name.  Sisyrinchium douglassii, in case you were wondering!  It's the more common variation, and probably the flower that we saw the most.  Purple, blue, pink, or white.