Letting Go of the Bay Leaf: July 2019

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Mosaic Monday #38: The Beanie, The Gaiter and The Wife

Fit as a fiddle at Lubec Trailhead

What do these three things have in common? As of 2 pm Mountain Time on Wednesday, all of them were nearly blown off Calf Robe Mountain while hiking near Firebrand Pass. That's right, this is the latest installment in "How to Risk Your Life While Hiking" series. Read on, dear readers, read on!

The day started well enough. Spousal Unit obtained our pre-reserved back-country camping permit without incident, setting us up to enjoy one night each of camping at Ole Lake and Ole Creek. My dear neighbor friend played shuttle, so that we could leave a vehicle at our exit point. As we drove, we talked about Ole Lake's reputation for mosquito infestation, and she mentioned that we were unlikely to be pestered by the winged ones given the wind advisory. Little did we know how true that would be!

Monkeyflower

After bidding her a fond farewell, we departed the trailhead with great expectations for the adventure ahead. In June, we completed our one-night backcountry camping "experiment" (see June 23 post), and this two-nighter presented additional challenge and FUN! I was immediately enthralled with the trail as it passed through colorful meadows and aspen groves stunted by decades of wind and harsh winters. Mushrooms were abundant, some as big as dinner plates. At one gap in the trees, we glimpsed a spectacular beaver dam, together with its lodge.

Yes, that is my boot in the lower picture to give you a sense of size!

Upper Left: Parrot's Beak; Upper right: Lupines in meadow

Bottom left: Aspens; Bottom right: Caterpillar

As we continued our ascent, we met about 20 people already on the descent (one group of 12 might have been an organized hike), and all warned that they failed to reach the summit due to the wind. One buff-looking hiker, who planned (like us) to camp at Ole Lake, described himself as crawling across the Pass. He decided to turn back - if something happened to him, who would be there to help? (I suppose that's why the permit advises AGAINST solo hiking?) Another hiker cautioned that the wind could easily whip your hat or sunglasses off your head.

Top: Lupines

Bottom left: Lanceleaf Stonecrop Bottom right: Monkeyflower

We thanked them and proceeded; we could SURELY handle it! As we reached the final slope before the Pass, I was knocked over by - you guessed it - the wind. I landed on a flat slab to the right of the trail, grazing and bruising a significant portion of my right thigh.

Approaching the Pass - looks calm, doesn't it?

I picked myself up, examined the damage and carried on. We could see two approaches to the pass - the normal trail to the left across a scree and a small snow field, and a steeper animal trail that appeared more sheltered by trees and the normal topography. We opted for the latter (against regulations!!!)

Firebrand Pass is the flat spot straight ahead between the two mountains. If you look closely at the left-hand

mountain, you can make out the trail crossing the rock scree halfway up the mountain

Man with Beanie hunkers down behind trees

When we reached the top, we could not believe the force of the wind. (I wish now that I had taken a video so that you could at least hear it.) A cairn in the middle of the pass seemed to mark the way, and Man with Beanie made his way to it, deeply crouching. I was half-seated on the rocks some distance from him, and I finally decided to crab my way over to him (just like a baby might before it learns to crawl) because we couldn't even communicate over the howling of the wind. Once I reached him, we talked over the options and decided to descend a short distance backwards and take shelter for an hour behind some trees. Maybe the wind would ease. As we reversed course, the wind grabbed his beanie and tossed it into the air. Lucky for him, we found it lodged in some moss a short distance away.

While we were waiting, I went as far as I dared onto the Pass to get a shot of the view westward. This picture is like offering candy to a baby - you want more!

After 30 minutes and no sign of the wind abating, we decided to approach the south side of the Pass, in the hopes it might be more sheltered. Nope. A very short distance demonstrated the wind power, even pulling a neck gaiter out of the pocket of Man Not Wearing Beanie. Once again, we quickly located the gaiter as we beat a hasty retreat. Defeated, we began our descent. By now we knew it would be necessary to hitch a ride to our truck, parked at the exit point. Appearing on the mountain above us, like manna from heaven, came a young couple. We shared our wind stories, and then I asked if they were heading our direction. They kindly agreed to give us a ride as long as it would not delay them in picking up their daughter from daycare. Perhaps I was thinking too much about keeping pace with people 20 years younger than me - a few minutes later, before I knew what was happening, the wind had pushed me off the narrow trail. Belly down on the rocks, I was clinging to the edge of the trail to prevent sliding down the scree field. Man Not Wearing Beanie and the young couple ran to my aid. I suffered a hard blow to my right forearm that left a quail's egg size lump, scrapes on my right shin and a broken nail on my left hand from scrabbling at the rocks. It could have been much worse! We have since learned that some people call this area of the mountain the Elephant's graveyard. It could have been mine!

The good news? We didn't see a single mosquito all day!

AND we decided that we deserved a night that did not involve a tent or wind, and that's how we found ourselves at the Izaak Walton Inn, enjoying all of its creature comforts - adult beverages, a hot shower, a delectable meal and a comfortable bed.

The next day, we cooked our camp breakfast on the tailgate, parked at the Bear Creek put-in on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. Not quite the Ole Lake campground, but the oatmeal with a handful of dried blueberries was delicious.

By 9.15, we were on the trail to Ole Creek. After a mile, the Fielding Patrol Station cabin was a pleasant surprise, situated in a lovely meadow with a small stream running behind it. Too bad it's not available for rental!

Left: Huckleberries

Upper right: Sulfur Buckwheat Lower right: Nodding Onion

We covered the 3.5 miles to the campground in short order, noting the location of a bumper huckleberry crop that we could pick on our way out the next day.

Of course, there was one more hurdle to jump before reaching the campground - Ole Creek has no bridge, is deep enough that it must be forded and of course the campground is on the other side!!! Below is a video of me fording the river the next day so you can get the idea. Trust me, that water was bone-chilling cold!

Ole Creek Campground is a delightful camp nestled between Ole Creek and Soldier Creek, which runs directly behind the food prep area. Quite convenient when you need water for your meal or coffee! The tent was up in no time, and since we had arrived so early, we passed the time rambling a couple miles further along the trail, collecting firewood and playing cards by the fire.

We were very amused to discover a new style of pit toilet at this campground - new to us anyway! We have since heard that this is called a "low rider" and is likely to become more common than the small shed-style pit toilet. Not sure how I feel about THAT!

After our gourmet dinner, we strolled back to Ole Creek to collect more firewood, followed by a dessert of s'mores with coffee. The Honey Jack was a special treat.

Earlier in the day, we had predicted the day would close without seeing a soul, but just as we were preparing to go in the tent, three hikers appeared. They had already covered 20 miles, and planned to finish the day with the 3.5 miles back to the trailhead. Wow! I hope the mosquitoes did not pursue them; they were sure nipping at us on our way to the tent!

It was a cold night and we were pleased to have our "long johns" and our down sleeping bags. Hot coffee and a campfire were a welcome start the next morning.

All too soon we had packed up camp, forded the creek (brrr …) and left the Ole Creek valley below us. We stopped only to pick hucks (a half gallon in about 30 minutes), and before we knew it, another hiking adventure was complete. Although I was a little scraped and bruised, I would not give up hiking or backcountry camping any time soon. As Man with Beanie likes to say: "This is my happy place."

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.
Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.
The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Monday (U.S. Mountain time).
Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.
Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.
As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by.
Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.
Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Mosaic Monday #37: Pottering, Patience and Poppies

Poppy that came by way of wildflower seed mixed

in with grass seed

How I adore pottering in my garden. Examining the plants closely - are flowers imminent? Is this sprout a non-desirable or a specimen to be nurtured? How can I improve the look of the landscape?

Since my last garden report, my knowledge about the plants has exploded. I have fought off a few infestations. We've made improvements to the drainage system as a result of rain and hail storms. Perhaps most importantly, I have become adept at reminding myself that we are in this for the long haul, this garden and I. One day's disappointment will not be remembered a few years from now, when the garden has been transformed through patience and perseverance. So, here's the State of the Garden, July 21, 2019.

POPPIES

I must start with the poppies. Last fall, when we scattered the 30 pounds of grass/wildflower seed, I knew not what to expect. Imagine, then, my delight when red poppies began to bloom! I especially felt redeemed because I had painstakingly weeded these areas and ensured that these fragile-looking sprouts were not disturbed. Voila! The poppy.

I always tear up when I think of my husband's

grandfather, and how he always called me "Flower"

It seems that they begin the classic red color and fade as the days pass - hence, the pink poppy above. At the first sight of the red poppy, I immediately thought of my husband's grandfather, who fought valiantly for his country and returned home safe and sound. Many were not so blessed. How fitting, I thought, that we should have red poppies in our prairie garden!

The red poppy is worn in many western nations as a symbol of

remembrance of those people who lost their lives during WWI

and other military conflicts

Well, I am not sure anything can quite follow that act, but we shall Keep Calm and Carry On!

CHIVES

Most of us are familiar with this kitchen staple. What I didn't know is that rabbits also find it tasty! Head Chef has co-opted some chives for his cooking, and I am puff-out-my-chest proud.

"Volunteer" chives are coming up around the main plants

ROCKY MOUNTAIN PENSTEMON
Have you heard of penstemon? I first encountered this western United States native during our first hikes in Glacier National Park 13 years ago. Found in many colors and sizes, all penstemon share tubular flowers on spikes. This prairie plant thrives in hot, sunny conditions, and another common name is beardtongue. As you can see in the collage below, this variety features large purple flowers. Its stalks are thick and strong - maybe that is how it earned its name.

YELLOW PENSTEMON

This penstemon is much more delicate, with abundant stems and smaller flowers. In early June, I discovered black aphids on the burning bushes, which prompted a close inspection of ALL plants. I pulled open some yellow penstemon flower buds due to their gnarled appearance, and found small white caterpillars inside. Another one of these plants had such an intense aphid infestation that I took the radical step to remove all flower heads. Over the next couple of weeks, I fought black and green aphids by removing parts of plants, spraying others with soapy water, and scattering Sevin on others. It only took about three weeks to declare victory. Next year, I will be mindful to start checking for the little devils sooner!

THE BEST OFFENSE IS A GOOD FENCE

This is as good a time as any to write about de-fence, and no folks, I am not referring to football. Over the winter, I read somewhere about stringing fishing wire and cans between posts in order to fend off deer. This idea is based on the notion that deer are creatures of habit - they follow the same routes every day to feed. Since the deer can't see the fishing wire, walking into it will knock down the cans and make enough clatter to scare them off. Even one time is probably enough to ensure your garden is not part of the breakfast or dinner buffet!

Wild Alyssum

I am pleased to report that we have not had deer in the garden until very recently, but neither have we had the cans knocked down. Maybe just the sound of the cans clinking in the wind may have been enough to put them off. (I have joked to some guests that these are Hillbilly Wind Chimes!) Recently, we've had some deer activity on the southeast slope, which did have a gap in the defense to allow access to the firepit. I have since reinforced this area and we have not had any recurrence. Stay tuned for further reports.

PEARLY EVERLASTING

Isn't this just a delightful name for a plant? I surmise that the color of the flower, plus the fact that the flowers last for weeks, inspired the name. I should have three of these in my garden but only one has come back with vigor. The other two have only one small sprout of the blue-green leaves. In mid-June, I fertilized them without much effect. Maybe they will get a sudden spurt on with the warmer weather we are having.

NORTHERN BEDSTRAW

The bedstraw shot up quickly, and showed growth away from the base. Unfortunately, two of the plants fell victim to either nibbling or aphids, which has affected the blooms. My consolation here is that we have many native bedstraw plants around the property that I can draw on if need be.

MOCK ORANGE

This shrub is so named in reference to its flowers, which look similar to those of oranges at first glance, and are purported to have a perfume akin to orange flowers and jasmine. This spring, I was pleasantly surprised by the vitality of the leaves, since last summer this was the shrub that browned up quickly in the face of no rain. The flowers are reminiscent of oranges, but I am not catching the scent. And now that the plant is blooming, the leaves are browning. Perhaps this is the normal cycle. But the butterflies do not seem to mind!

SALVIA MAY NIGHT
I was skeptical about this plant at first - the basal leaves over-winter well, and therefore it's hard to determine if any growth is taking place in the spring. But by June 2, it had new leaves and had already started to form flower heads. A week later, it had fully bloomed, and I am sold on it. It has a rounded, symmetrical look, and tall purple flower spikes - a striking plant!

NODDING ONION
Initially, only my landscaping design with the names of the plants helped me to distinguish the Nodding Onion from the Chives. However, as both plants start to develop flower heads, you can tell the difference at a glance - the buds on the chives stand straight, whereas those on the Nodding Onion droop. A member of the genus Allium, the Nodding Onion is also known as the Lady's Leek - I love that name!!!

Near Many Glacier, July 2018

BLANKET FLOWER
This plant is the opposite of the Salvia - sprawling and disorderly. But I can embrace disorderly in exchange for the prolific and stunning blooms! (Fertilizer on the two scrawnier plants did not seem to have much impact - maybe they are meant to be skinny!) The plant gets its name in areas where fields are filled with them … they "blanket" the field in blooms.

You can imagine my dismay the morning I saw a small bunny hop over to it and start to nibble away. While the deer defence system is pretty effective, warding off rabbits and Columbian ground squirrels is almost impossible unless you take the impractical step of installing chicken wire around every plant. In the future, I am confident I will have a garden with more than enough for everyone to have a nibble, but for now we have had to take some dramatic steps with these nibblers (and no, I won't go into details here).

WALKER'S LOW CAT MINT
I was unfamiliar with this plant, but it has earned a place of honor in my garden - the foliage has a unique color and texture, and when blooming, it has an understated elegance that befits Montana. It was one of the first plants to bloom, and it has lasting power that impresses even work-aholic me!

LEAFY ASTER AND ASPEN FLEABANE
As I journaled about these 2 plants, it took 4 weeks for me to realize I was mixing them up. Clearly, my hand-drawn landscaping "map" was not very clear! The leafy aster has some basal leaves and quickly devotes it energy to producing tall stalks that will eventually bear flowers. This was another set of plants beset by green aphids; soapy water was quite effective to eliminate them.

The aspen fleabane is a shorter, bushier plant that produces abundant blooms. I am fascinated by the narrow, plentiful petals that radiate out from the head of the flower. I must admit (but don't tell the rest of the plants) that this is now one of my favorite plants in the garden - it is fast-growing, has required no protection from critters or other special treatment, and has stunning flowers.

Yes, the rewards of patience and pottering (verb particle: to move around without hurrying, and in a relaxed and pleasant way).

Mosaic Monday

Sunday, July 14, 2019

Mosaic Monday #36: Spokane City Parks

Wisteria along the river

Do you remember my admiration for Spokane's river walkways in my June 16 post? My love affair with its city parks deepened on the fourth day of our May visit. We began with another walk along the river; marmots and Canada geese shared the morning sunshine free of the rain from previous days. After a leisurely stroll, we hopped into the truck. The Crown Jewel of Spokane City Parks - Manito Park - awaited us across town.

In 1904, ninety-five acres of land was donated to the City of Spokane. Montrose Park was re-named, "Manito", a Native American word meaning "a supernatural force that pervades nature." After reveling in the glory of its gardens, I can tell you that the name choice is ideal!

Mirror Pond: I was struck by the appearance of a park nestled in a

residential area; I assume the homes were built AFTER the park.

Wouldn't you love to have this park across the street from your house?

For many years, Manito's main attractions were its exhibition gardens and small zoo. In 1912, a conservatory was added, followed by a three-acre sunken garden in 1913. Given that we were visiting Spokane in part for the Lilac Festival, it was fitting that the Lilac Garden at Manito was in top form. The variety and the aroma was almost too much for the senses to take in! Trust me that I took many more pictures than this, but you get only the best!

In 1912, John Duncan obtained 128 named lilac cultivars from Rochester, NY.

This marked the beginning of the Lilac Garden. Today, this garden contains well

over 100 named cultivars from 23 distinct species, making it one of the most

important lilac gardens in the west.

Japanese Garden

By its Centennial Celebration in 2004, numerous additions and improvements had been made. Additional signage was introduced throughout the park; pergolas in the Rose Garden, changes in the Japanese Garden and the gazebo in Duncan Gardens all enhance the setting.

The simplicity and serenity of a Japanese garden is soothing and always appeals to me on many levels - the colors, water features, bridges, stone work. It was only later, upon reading the garden brochure thoroughly, that I learned photography is not permitted in the Japanese garden. Oops.

After 12 years of planning, the Japanese garden became a reality in the spring of 1974.

Duncan Garden was originally called the Sunken Garden. The garden was designed in a formal European style

with bilateral symmetry, a central water feature and geometrical planting beds. I am sure later in the year it

would be stunning with the annuals in full bloom.

Today the park is one of the few in the nation with such a diverse horticultural display. Manito Park has a reputation as the primary garden showplace in Spokane and is toured by over 150,000 visitors every year. It's easy to see why, right?

Perennial Garden

By now we had worked up an appetite. As faithful readers know, we tend to seek out unique restaurants. And if it's been featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives", all the better. And if it serves all-day breakfast, it's a lock. The Satellite Diner and Lounge fit the profile, and we were not disappointed. Strong coffee, efficient staff, and a light sheen of grease in the air soon gave us to know we had chosen wisely. Even now my taste buds can recall this eminently satisfying dish!

I had "Hen Fruit on the Red River" - an egg on chili!!!

The rest of our day was spent attending the Spokane Lilac Festival Parade - but you'll have to wait for a future post to see glittering floats, pretty princesses and booming marching bands. Until then ...

Panorama of rock garden

Horse Chestnut Tree

Mosaic Monday