Our Spell of Rain has Broken

near sunset

sunlight poured through a parting of clouds

and 

alpine glow happened on this handful of trees

in the cloak of the forest

witch's butter oozes from old wood

( Dacrymyces chrysospermus)

I found my first teeny tiny

sphere thrower fungi

(see that clear jelly ball? it gets thrown from it's cup)

above is another view of this tiny scene

(Sphaerobolus stellatus, sphere thrower)

the fungi continue to pop up 

(Suillus Grevillei, tamarack Jack)

a friend, spur of the moment, took us up in his plane

autumn looked beautiful from the sky!

Thank you Bill!

~

*

 

So much Rain lately

3 times the average rainfall this month!

when the wet earth is warmer than the air

mist rises

in the rainy seasons

mushrooms push up through pine needle soil

rain a perfect environment for lichens and moss to thrive

in the high mountains

rain becomes snow

~

*

The Rookery

hot summer day beckoned
i headed to the forest in search of a rookery a friend told me about
 
from the tree tops

wonderful strange sounds filled the air

the calls of Sand Hill Cranes

*Later: not Sand Hill Cranes, they are Blue Herons*

do you see the chicks head (high center)

i know it is hard to see:

at the base of three different trees i found eggs from the chicks in shades of light blue

the warm day inspired a sweet heavy scent of flowers 

 inside these little bells

was quite a surprise:

and fruit to fill the air

I wandered on

Good Creek:

 old homesteads:

at the above spot.... 

a large crashing sound of a spooked animal filled the air

i think we scared one another

most likely moose or bear

and beautifully colored mushrooms

 

I hope you enjoyed your wander with me. 

I sure did. 

~

thank you Elaine
*