I struggled to get out and hike this week. I had time… but why didn’t I want to hit the trails?? Well, my friends, sometimes the rain sucks. I don’t mind hiking in the rain sometimes (I do have raingear and whatnot), but it’s April and I am TIRED of the rain! I’m so ready for summer!
It vaguely reminds me of a story about children who only got to see the sun once a year. Apparently, wherever they lived (another planet?), they only had one day per year when they could enjoy a sunny day. They picked on a certain child and locked her in a closet. Unfortunately, they got carried away with playing and then the sun came out. They forgot about the child in the closet and ran outside. They played in the sun for the short time it was there, and then went inside. That’s when they remembered the girl, locked in the closet. (Yeesh, who wrote that story!??)
Okay, maybe it’s not that extreme, but I’m definitely feeling the need for some natural rays! Luckily for me (and all Oregonians), today and tomorrow are supposed to be lovely.
The trail started out in a nice field – very welcoming! There were scattered flowers everywhere, mostly tiny things.
The trail is very used – I saw several people. Some pairs and some families, and several loners like myself. One gal had a VERY sweet dog that, after the owner asked my permission, was happy to take pets and gave kisses.
There were a couple of spots with switchbacks, and I was using the full capacity of my lungs. Or in other words, I was gasping.
I love the beginnings of the sword ferns. They look nothing like the majestic plant they will form, but instead look like a cross between a caterpillar and a seahorse.
I have found it exceedingly difficult to take pictures of birds. They are so quick, and I can’t get close enough! This little Junco was nice enough to hold still while I zoomed in and took a couple of quick pics. Apparently, this species is known to go as far as into the Arctic! That. Is. Crazy.
It never ceases to amaze me how things die (like trees, for example), and are absolutely immersed in life anyway. It’s still a thing of beauty, alive or dead.
Ach, this is heart-wrenchingly sweet. Reed must have been a very good boy.
I love that the great white trillium comes in pink! This is such a pretty flower.
Despite the sunny day, the forests are still cool and damp… as you will see in the following pictures.
The view is blocked by trees, but you can still see what a nice day it is today. If you keep going on this trail, you can end up at Spencer Butte! I hope to do that longer trail sometime, but not today.
I don’t care if it’s a lichen, I just love Methuselah’s beard! And with this setting on the camera, it looks very ghostly, hanging there without an attachment. Of course, it is hanging from something, but it still looks pretty neat!
Although it’s hard to make out from this picture, there are blossoms abounding on this tree! It may be a pear tree? I’m very unsure.
I know I’m not supposed to like the dandelion. It is, after all, a “weed.” Did you know this (pictured above) is called the “clock?” When I was young, I (along with many other kids) would make a wish and blow the seeds off. This would make my grandparents unhappy if I were in their yard, as they already had many dandelions. However, I have continued to think of the seeds as wishes, and it makes me happy even now. I don’t mind spreading a few wishes around.
Distance: 3 miles; Elevation Gain: 533 feet
The Happy Viking 