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!

Windswept

My attempt at photographing the wind.
Balsam Root and Lupine whipping around in the 30mph wind gusts at Dalles Mountain Ranch.

The Early Bird

 Guess it's true what they say about the early bird getting the worm.

This little bird perched on a fence post just before sunrise at Dallas Mountain Ranch yesterday.

Which makes me an early bird too, although it was so very windy, windy at the ranch that I had to wonder if my early morning efforts were worth it. I drove into the gorge to photograph wildflowers. Not so easy in the wind. Reminding myself that getting up early and watching a beautiful sunrise is its own reward. 

Avalanche Lily

 Avalanche Lily (Erthronium montanum), such a delicate little flower blooming 

deep in the woods at Lacamas Regional Park in Camas. 

Good Girl

Clover on a hike, ready for her closeup.
She's been on enough photo shoot hikes to know to wait while I'm photographing.
So she gets a great sense of 'Mission Accomplished' standing guard for me.

Paper Pulse

Hybrid Cottonwoods leafing out at a tree farm in Clatskanie.  

It's a six year cycle from seedling to paper pulp.  

Trees as a renewable resource are big business in the Pacific Northwest.

Shaking Off the Rain

 as the day warms up.

Razor Clam Season

A Beautiful Spring Day

We've got some perfect spring weather today.  Our forecast calls for showers throughout the day.  That means sunglasses, and an umbrella, and probably a few rainbows. 

 A great day to celebrate the 7th Anniversary of 45 Journal!

Linking to Weekend Reflections.

In Balance

Won't be long until these woods are covered in leaves,

but for now they look like an early spring barcode.