Monday, August 1, 2011

Flowers Along My Way

It's my birthday and to celebrate, let's take a hike.


We'll walk from the cabin in search of wildflowers.  Spring came late to my mountains and when the snow finally left the plants seemed to say "look how long the days are, we better all bloom at once before winter sets in".








Up by the lake the meadow was filled with wild iris.










Leaving the lake we pick up the trail on a more arid section.  Here we find mule ears, paint brush, lupine and pennyroyal.




Pennyroyal









Have you ever had the pleasure of walking along a  trail with 
pennyroyal?  No?  Oh how I wish I could share the aroma through the internet.  It has a wonderful minty fragrance.  On a warm day it freely perfumes the air.  If it is being stingy with its scent, just rub your hand across its leaves.

















There were several varieties of lupine.  I find these hard to identify but the most likely candidate seems to be spurred lupine







Dagger pod--Phoenicaulis cheiranthoides
Dagger pod is one of several species in the mustard family.  More common along the trail was its cousin, the yellow wallflower.

Copeland's Owl Clover--orthocarpus coplandii

















The snapdragon family was well represented.  This lovely owl clover is one of my favorites but I saw several other paintbrush type flowers, in scarlet, orange and gold.









Davidson's Penstemon--penstemon davidsonii


















There were two different penstemons in bloom

Elephants Head--pedicularis groenlandica
















It's hard not to smile when encountering this member of the snapdragon family.



Another aromatic, this in the Amaryllis family, the wild onion.   I think this is a Swamp Onion as it was growing in a marshy area.
The snow has not entirely left my mountains.  These two were enjoying a little play in the snow below Cooney Lake.  I lingered a while at the lake.  I watched a gull watching a fisherman.  The bird kept flying over the fisherman's line.  I think the gull was hoping to make the fisherman's catch its own.
On my return to the cabin, I paused to enjoy the view.  I could see all the way to Nevada but Mono Lake is hidden from view.  It is behind the mountains on the right.

I hope that you enjoyed this view of my world, see more of our wonderful world at That's My World, Tuesday, hosted for us by Klaus, Sandy, Wren and Sylvia.

28 comments:

Sylvia K said...

First of all, Happy Birthday!! Hope you have/had a wonderful day! Mine is Thursday!! And what a fantastic walk you've taken us on, Martha! Such a gorgeous place and the flowers are exquisite! You do indeed have a beautiful world! Enjoy!

Sylvia

fredamans said...

Happy Birthday Martha!

Unknown said...

Happy happy birthday! What a lovely area of the country you live in! Such beautiful flowers to behold! I could just sit there in your last photo and enjoy that view all day.

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Diane AZ said...

Happy Birthday, Martha! What a delightful hike with so many flowers along the way. I think the little Elephants Heads are really cute. :)

EG CameraGirl said...

It's hard to believe you still have snow when it has been so doggone hot here!


I love seeing all the wildflowers, many of which are so different from what we have here.

Happy Birthday!

Unknown said...

Aren't wildflowers amazing!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

eileeninmd said...

Happy Birthday! What a great hike, I love all the pretty wildflowers. Beautiful photos from your world. Have a great week!

John @ Beans and I on the Loose said...

That happens to be my ideal way to spend a birthday also. I can tell you had a happy one. Wonderful flower photos all.

Gaelyn said...

How delightful to see so many wildflowers outside your cabin door.

Unknown said...

Very beautiful! Thanks for the lovely walk and the view of all the colorful wildflowers.

Indrani said...

A Very Happy Birthday to you! Hugs!
You have such delightful virtual treats for us. :)

Kay L. Davies said...

Happy birthday, Martha. I love your photos, the wildflowers are gorgeous, and I laughed about the gull waiting for the fisherman to catch something.
— K

Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

Barb said...

Martha, I'm glad to see you're finally in the cabin! Your wildflower show is spectacular as is your view.

Linnea said...

It's kind of nice that spring arrived so late this year. Now everyone can enjoy the beauty during the summertime!

Arija said...

Thank you for including us in your birthday treat. Such lovely bouquets of flowers for you all over the mountain.

Have a wonderfully happy and healthy year ahead my friend!

Stewart M said...

Happy Birthday!

What a great place to walk about it. I dont think I'd ever come home!

Cheers - Stewart M - Australia

jennyfreckles said...

Happy birthday Martha. I enjoyed the 'virtual walk' through your photos. Such lovely flowers, I don't think we have any of those here. And what a view at the end...

Katney said...

Happy Birthday, Martha.

MunirGhiasuddin said...

The view of your world is beautiful. I may have seen the purple flowers but I did not know their names. We live by Storm King Mountain in Orange County in New York. I have to get in practise with digital camera so I can post some pictures too.

Altax said...

Awesome photography.
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Janie said...

I hope you had a happy birthday.
The elephanthead always makes me smile, too.
Beautiful flower photos, and a great view from up high!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Oh what a terrible time to get behind on my blog reading. I hope your birthday was wonderful (and if you are at your cabin and getting in hikes like that, I'm sure it was!).... the pictures are wonderful -- except for not being able to smell the penny royal, I felt like I was hiking with you!

BTW, you share a birthday with my husband!

TheChieftess said...

Your macro shot of the wild onion flower is superb!!!

TheChieftess said...

Ohhh!!! And Happy Birthday!!! Hope it was happy!!!

Anonymous said...

A beautiful walk, and views!
A perfect place to be on your birthday!
Love your shadow shots. :)

Raine said...

A great time spent enjoying your birthday. :D Great shots.

johnpeterjohn said...

nice flowers pictures:)
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Unknown said...

Amazing post.....Awesome captures...Nice to saw.........
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