Nothing much, how about you?

Yes I am back.

I was never really gone but it certainly seems my Summer was long and, I have to admit, filled with ennui.  Between a virus that hit me hard and frequent trips into work on the weekends, I never felt greatly inspired for blogging.  Fires late in the Summer kept me home from so many of my favorite areas.  I did some fun stuff and I visited an amazing place I will tell you about later.

    
It seemed that Summer would never arrive and rain persistently kept me from my favorite areas.  I even got turned back by snow in early June.  I had some nice visits to Eastern Washington and one of my favorite encounters was with this Great Horned Owl nest.

I paid a quick visit to my favorite hike to Red Top, but was turned back by snow.  I stopped at the little abandoned cabin to check on an orchid I know blooms there and encountered this feral peony bloom with a butterfly, perfect timing.

Late in  June I left for a vacation to England and Madeira.  On Madeira I hiked from hotel to hotel using a Sherpa service to transport my bags.  This method of travel is quite popular in Europe and I am aiming for another trip next Summer. 

I was in London for the solstice.

Madeira is remarkable for its rugged volcanic mountains.  I will certainly return to hike in this area.  I fell ill a few days into my visit and did not feel up to the 20Km hike along the spine of the island.  At ~ 6000 feet, I didn't feel totally confident I could easily and safely cover the distance.  I contented myself with spending the day at the hotel enjoying the view and drinking tea.

My neighbor and I had a trip rock hounding.  Augite crystals are found no other place in Washington but this one location.  It was a blazing hot day and we were introduced to several methods of finding rocks.

One new activity that I have really embraced is Mud Racing, or MOB events; Mud Obstacles and Beer.  Warrior Dash is one of the larger events but I am finding smaller events sponsored by local community groups to be just as much fun.  I did eight events this summer and look forward to the next one.  I braved the North Bend Warrior Dash along with some co-workers.

I had two nice hikes, both of which involved trains.  Lester is a ghost town in the Cascades that served as a railroad stop back in the day.  For a long time I have wanted to hike up the abandoned road to pay a visit. 

A second hike took me to the Iron Goat trail.  I need to go back as my visit was highlighted by a fall that broke my camera.  This Pika was the final subject for my Olympus.

My friend Ron suggested a few cameras for me and I was instantly in love with the Nikon Coolpix 510.  I have been out and about snapping pictures for my projects.  I was able to capture the August Blue Moon

This fearsome Isopod on International Rock Flipping Day

A handsome rooster at the Evergreen State Fair.

The stretch of 80+ sunny days was finally broken last weekend with rain.  I feel all is right with the world now.  I even see a hit of new snow on some of the higher mountains today.  I ran out to Snoqualmie Falls on Sunday and got this pictures of the clouds for my Scavenger Hunt.

and Kubota Gardens for the Fall color in the rain

I will probably be heading to the beach soon.  I saw a kite there that I cannot get out of my mind.  My little place in Neah Bay, Bullman Beach, is not going to be open in the winter this year, so I am looking for a little snuggery for the holiday week.

So that's about everything.  I will try to do some stories on Madeira soon.  It is a lot like here, only different.

All Creatures Great and Small

A lot of critter encounters in the last few weeks.

American Robin in the early morning sun

   Great Horned  Owl and Owlet.

"Look how far down!"

"Whooos Dat?!??!

Fancy digs for Spiders

Crab Spider finds a home in a rare Trillium parviflorum

Cannot miss these colorful standouts.  There were many Ladybugs in these field of Camas

I didn't see the spider, I only saw the butterfly.  My friend Ron mentioned he could see it and sure enough, my computer showed me.  A Crab Spider eating a Field Crescent

It is a happy day when I see a frog.  Even happier when I capture a good picture.

A very tiny Pacific Treefrog

Green Commas in abundance on the road to Red Top

A Mourning Cloak was shy and flighty

These two were pretty preoccupied with each other, allowing some rather personal pictures.
They will continue for 24 hours like this.

Elgaria coerulea principis - Northwestern Alligator Lizards

This was my first time sighting what the field guide says is a somewhat common lizard.

Checking Out The Burn

Last July there was a big fire over in the Yakima Valley. This is not too unusual, as wildfire often starts in the dry side. Earlier that year I had observed the workers at the Hanford reservation cutting and burning back the edges along the road to protect the reservation from fires due to careless drivers and the wildfires that swept down the hills onto the reservation.

When I heard on the news that the fire was on the Snow Mountain Ranch, my heart sank.

This beautiful property is held by the Cowechee Canyon Conservancy and I had paid (and told you about) a visit in March of 2010. Saturday I wanted to escape, yet again, the dreary weather of Puget Sound. Yakima is usually a good bet for fair skies. Usually.

Not today.

As soon as I gained the properly I saw evidence of the fire, a burned corral fence.

I selected a trail that would take me all the way up to the top of the mountain. The environment struck me as fairly quiet and I certainly expected more advanced seasonal bloom. Look at that Sky!!! Try to ignore the dark bits to the right, I did.

Then, it started raining. Not horrid drenching rain, rather the polite pitter splatter type rain. Then it stopped. Then it started, then stopped. And the sun came out.

and it was good.

As I gained some elevation, I noted that there was distinct plant groups and populations. The lupin is starting...

and the larkspur really loves the places where rocks over-ride the soil

As I cut up-slope into the more open area I was astounded at the abundance of Big-head Clover. I have never seen it so bountiful. Oregon Sunshine makes a pretty addition to the carpets.

The Gold Star is going strong.

But overall the flowers feel sparse. During my last visit it was impossible to make progress along the trail as there was such an abundance of flowers in such a variety that it was like a feast.

And bugs, tons of bugs.

Now it feels a bit sterile. Fire does sterilize the soil. It can be both good and bad. In many places the ground is burned and exposed.

The Conservancy will study the area well and see what effect the fire has in the short and long term. Some seeds in the July soil might certainly have been lost. The burn residue might add nutrients back to the soil. I found evidence of invading weeds and there was indication that steps were being taken to keep them out.

Upslope looks like a happy hike and I was heading there (still ignoring the sky)

but it started hailing...then raining...and then hailing again.

One thing about the dry side soils. In many places it is not rocky soil. It is sandy clayish soil, and when wet turns into "gumbo mud" as slick as boiled okra. My shoes were quickly enrobed with slippery muck and walking on the level was treacherous. Walking on any kind of slope darn near impossible.

I have to admit I threw in the towel pretty easily. I am sorry for it, a long drive for only a short time on the ground. I love the drive over here. Some day I need to stop and share the vision of the landscape between Ellensburg and Yakima. Many might feel it is a barren wasteland but I love the roll and contour of the shrub steppe hills.

So I cautiously picked my way back down. I encountered happy Fiddlenecks.

Brodiaea was abundant.

This slope certainly demonstrates the effect of the burn. Last year this area was riot with flowers.

The low area of the property is near meadows and marshes. Here I encountered more birds. The lighting didn't favor pictures for the most and the active wary nesting behaviors certainly made getting aim a challenge.

But I could look and I even remembered my binoculars today. I cannot remember what bird got me to look up in this old oak. I am glad I did.

Three Great Horned Owl fledgelings. Look at the downy pantaloons. These young birds will be flying next month. The angle and lighting was a misery so I could only capture one well.

But he has his "cool look" on. I have had owls every weekend for the last three. I am amazed as I almost never spot owls. They have been nemisis birds.

I am not sure when I can get back to this lovely place. I am sure time will heal all the wounds. Perhaps some delightful rarity will spring up having awaited the fire event. Perhaps the birds will find more bugs to eat in the exposed soils and the rotting deadwood.

We will see.