Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Pacific Crest Trail

On a long weekend trip to Eugene with Cyndi we had the good fortune and pleasure of camping in the mountains.  The first morning we woke up and walked on a Forest Service road that was well off the beaten path.  We were rewarded with views of an incredible trillium and a Life Bird, the Hermit Warbler.






Flowering Currant



Hermit Warbler



On the second morning, we awoke next to the Pacific Crest Trail.  Cyndi on the Pacific Crest Trail.



The lichens were hanging densely off every available branch.



We saw this beautiful butterfly with deeply serrated wing shapes.  It is a Hoary Comma butterfly, Polygonia gracilis.  It is called by a few different names over its range.  Some call it a Hoary Angelwing.  This is one of the few North American butterflies that hibernate during the winter and wake up in the spring to feed and lay eggs.


We photographed a number of pollinators.  This interesting fly with a long proboscis was probing the Manzanita.

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Nature's Languages

Have you ever been fascinated by all the different ways we communicate?  I think of ancient Celtic runes that look to me like leafless trees in autumn, the dots and dashes of Morse Code or Braille, the bird heads and loincloth-clad figures in Egyptian hieroglyphics, and Japanese grass writing (which is the equivalent of our cursive hand).  As I walked in the forest I came across many patterns and textures that made me think of the varied ways we preserve and transmit information, and took this series of photos in case any cryptographers out there are interested in trying to break nature's code to find out what is being relayed.



This is a tree, returning to the particles from which it formed.


With just a little imagination, you'll see a woodland sprite, seated,  Maybe it will take a lot of imagination.


This was in a burned-over area.


This is the one that reminded me of Morse Code.


These are some large and very regular woodpecker holes.  I suppose it could be a sapsucker that made them.  Looks like dragon scales to me.


I believe these to be wood fibers, or the layer that held the bark to the tree, perhaps.


Have you seen the petroglyphs left by ancient peoples, the ones that are maps of their travels?  This, too, is a map of some creature's travels.

Saturday, May 9, 2015

Happy Mother's Day

To all mothers everywhere, but especially to mine ... 

Happy Mother's Day!