I arrived and began acclimating to this altitude, and decided to pay close attention to valley wildflowers left over from a summer of bloom and drought-- classic in this valley.
Alpine wildflowers are so different, but each day I noticed more and more examples...some in full bloom and some with seed pods, past their prime and waiting for the first snow to come...
Beautiful blue-gray sagebrush that, after a rain, perfumes the valley with the aroma of wild sage; heady and pungent and distinctive. not blooming but the fine seed heads are wispy and blow in the breeze.....
past its prime, but seed heads are beautiful...
the seedheads are the beauty of what is left!...
tiny white starflowers...so delicate...in more ways than one way!
the remains after a cold night, just as delicate and beautiful as when it was in bloom.
on the West Bank of the Snake River, closer to our cabin and away from the arid valley we found more lush flowers, but still the same in many ways...tiny, delicate,
the classic nodding heads of the thistle plant....tough yet beautiful! All of the plants in this high arid plains, with vast extremes in climate, struggle and succeed in their own beauty!
On another day we entered the lake area forest, another story,
Here we were warned of a recent attack on people in this beautiful forest by a calm and quiet lake
armed with bear spray and wearing our "bear bells" we walked through the deep forest in quiet and peace....
it was stormy and moody this day, but beautiful....
and the threatening grey skies gave way to blue skies and quickly moving, heavy white clouds.
The change of seasons has begun!
but the treasure lay deep in the woods on this day....luxurious and green, moist and rich.....
tiny jewels deep in the forest...
this is where my heart resides, richly blessed and filled with the presence of God.
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