Catherine Creek, WA and Blogiversary! (18-16)

April 24, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Bitterroot Trail- Rowland Wall Loop 4/20/18 (hike#16)

The Bitterroot Trail branches off north of the vernal pools/fairyland swales that are just above the main parking area.

View up Sunflower Hill, where we are going.

Fairy ponds with camus

The trail follows the steep western edge of Catherine Creek, and we get great views of the arch as we continue north.

Bitterroot Trail

Catherine Creek Arch

Long distance views appear as we gain elevation.

Mt Hood to the west

View to the east of the Columbia River

A variety of spring flowers line the trail all the way up to our destination above the power line corridor on Sunflower Hill (named before cattle grazed away all the balsamroot).

Filaree and tomcat clover

Slender phlox

Tritelia

Shooting stars, camus

Manroot

The first clump of balsamroot we see marks a trail junction.

We have gone up to the top of the hill from here in the past. Today we decide to head downhill on the Rowland Wall trail.

We find a rocky promontory for a lunch perch. On this beautiful blue sky day we have a clear view of Mt Hood.

View to the west – the Labyrinth area and Mt Hood

As we continue down the rocky cliffs atop the wall east of Rowland Creek

we see our first blooming paintbrush of the season, and bitteroot foliage whorls, one of which is massive!

paintbrush

bitterroot foliage

buckwheat

I note the trails that criss cross Rowland basin below us, spying out options for future hikes.

Camus swale

Vernal pool

3.5 miles, 1000 feet.

Bitterroot-Rowland Wall Loop

Some of the other trails we have hiked at Catherine Creek

CRAFTING

The Elgol Cross Stitch is getting closer to completion; just the sky colors of pale pink, cream and white remain to be filled in.

I cast on the Cornwall socks for travel knitting; k2p2 ribbing, top down vanilla sock.

Blogiversary!

My first post, April 22nd, 2017, documented a hike up Coyote Wall. I have posted just about every week since then. I will be traveling for the next three weeks, so there will most likely be a delay in posting about our upcoming adventures.

The Labyrinth in bloom with a side of Poison Oak (18-15)

April 17, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Labyrinth Trail, WA 4/15/2018 (#15)

So many hikers in the eastern gorge today – predicted to be the best weather day of the weekend. We opted for the Labyrinth trail, teased by the blooming balsamroot near the waterfall off Hwy 14. We were not disappointed.

From the trailhead, we could see our destination – a tall fir tree on the cliff above.

We began by hiking along the old highway, then up the trail through the basalt labyrinth:

Waterfall on the old highway

Balsamroot near the trailhead

We hiked up past the upper waterfall,

Through the oak woodlands,

Over the desert parsley rocky balds,

Desert parsley cliffs

Bitter root foliage – to bloom next month

From here we could see west to the Coyote Wall meadows:

Our trail continued east, toward the prominent oak tree on the cliff edge:

Above here the views to the east,

and toward our destination (that tall fir tree) opened up:

When we reached the viewpoint near the fir tree, we could see our car parked below, near Rowland Lake:

Swaths of small flowers tinted many of the grassy areas:

Popcorn flower and filaree

Two-colored lupine

Miner’s lettuce and buttercups

Tomcat clover

Many other spring flowers were blooming along the trail:

Waterleaf

Lupine

Columbia desert parsley

Prairie stars, gold stars, broomrape

Shooting stars

Balsamroot

Blicolored cluster lilies

Fiddleneck

Serviceberry

Big leaf maple

On the way down, we looked back in the lovely afternoon light at the glowing landscape.

And just to add an element of risk to the venture, in addition to the (mostly polite) mountain bikers bombing down the trail, every nearly bare stick and twig, from the vines on the rock walls,

climbing poison oak

to the trail side shrubs,

glowing red poison oak leaf buds

to the grassy swathes,

chocolate lilies, buttercups, larkspur and poison oak

even the bare rocky talus piles,

poison oak shoots

were sporting the shiny deep red oily gloss of newly budding poison oak leaves. We tiptoed around them, knowing this place is my nemesis for the rash. Despite a lifetime of hiking and many years of of bushwhacking with geologists through the scrublands of the western US, and being exposed but never reacting, I finally got the rash after a hike here a few years ago, and have gotten it twice since, each time a little worse. This is my favorite trail in the eastern gorge, so I proceed with caution! Hopefully no rash this week.

One-eyed ghost tree along the trail – ogling the waterfall, or fleeing the poison oak?

New sock yarn for travel knitting –

Klickitat Trail; Poetry to the Rescue (18-14)

April 10, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Swale Canyon, Klickitat Trail, WA 4/8/2018 (Hike #14)

Chasing east out of the rain, we started from the Harms Road trailhead north of Lyle, WA, and walked 8 miles round trip on this nearly flat former rail bed. We began on a high grassy plateau, then slowly dropped between rim rock cliffs.

Bright yellow parsley lined the trail and slopes, and other spring flowers were blooming locally.

yellow parsley with gold stars

grass widows

a duck

Oregon grape

Columbia desert parsley

shooting stars and saxifrage

message written with old nails

Dutchman breeches

yellow parsley, red shrub

golden currant

We saw large marmots on the cliffs across the river

marmot in the center

the marmot across the river

and a couple of smaller ones near the trail.

A waterfall and some rocky pools marked our turnaround point, about 4 miles in.

waterfall

rock pools

The trail continues, but we turned around here.

This was a great trail for a long walk with friends on an overcast windy day.

My first post-surgery 8 mile day, a good omen for the upcoming trip to Cornwall.

GPS track – Swale Canyon trail

Crafting:

I have been playing with leftover Smithsonian reproduction fabrics, including a feathered star and a lot of four patches that I pieced before I was inspired to use the collection for the Jane Austen quilt.

I have been filling in cross stitches on Elgol.

I need to choose a knitting project for upcoming travel – probably socks.

Garden:

Crabapple blooming

Other Adventures:

Another trip through the MRI this week – the neurosurgeon was able to show me the small void in my brain where the tumor had been. I am grateful for a good outcome and still contemplating additional medication going forward.

Poetry to the rescue!

I silently recite verses memorized long ago to take my mind off of the enclosed space and noise inside the MRI.

Lochinvar rides by my side, then I walk along the beach with the Walrus and the Carpenter as the clanging alternates between jack hammer and diesel engine.

I compose bad haiku to describe the experience-

dissociation/I pretend all is normal/while the machine clangs

poetry verses/distract from the jack hammers/of the MRI

Time passes. I wonder how Emily completed mental tasks while inside an MRI machine and participating in a scientific study.

Then Alexander Hamilton drops in from a forgotten spot in the middle of the Caribbean to keep me company.

I don’t mind the journey so much with my poetry companions, but I also think I need to learn some new verses before the next trip in six months.

Spring Flowers, Mitchell Point, Oregon (18-13)

April 3, 2018April 3, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Mitchell Point trail 3/31/2018 (#13)

Mitchell Point is a steep promontory east of the burn area and west of Hood River on the Oregon side of the Columbia RIver Gorge. It has been closed since the fire last fall, but has recently reopened. We took this short, steep hike (3 miles/1300 feet) to both upper and lower points. Oaks toothwort, Oregon grape and red currant were blooming along the lower trail.

View of Mitchell Point from the trailhead

red currant

Oregon grape

After crossing the rocky scree slope I found one trillium, my first of the season, in the upper wooded trail on the way up.

Hounds tongue and glacier lilies were blooming in the upper saddle and power line corridor.

hounds tongue

glacier lilies

At the top we enjoyed the steep hillside meadows full of gold stars, grass widows, prairie stars, yellow and white parsleys, slender phlox, blue eyed Mary, popcorn flower, filaree, and saxifrages.

yellow parsley, prairie stars,

grass widows, yellow bells, salt and pepper

lots of gold stars

phlox, blue eyed Mary, grass widows

The upper trail traverses the spine of the ridge, with great views in every direction along the Columbia River. We stopped for lunch on the rocky crest.

Yellow meadows near the top

West view from the top

North view

East view, with saxifrage

On the way down, I found two fairy slipper orchids in the upper wooded trail area where I remembered them being abundant the last time we were here in April of 2015.

fairy slipper

douglas fir

saxifrages

We crossed the rocky scree field again.

Trail across the scree slope

Looking directly up at Mitchell Point, where we ate lunch

NW view

We then took the spur trail to the lower point, and found another grassy and flowered meadow, and also some blooming larkspur and a good view of where we had been. We missed this trail the last time we were here.

Mitchell Point from the Spur Trail

The grassy slope of lower Mitchell Point

View across the river and meadow flowers

Looking east

Looking back up at Mitchell Point

Closer view of the top

Balsamroot

Tomcat clover

Larkspur, gold stars

Lookback:

In midApril of 2015, the tiny meadow flowers were past bloom, but the balsam root was in full flower. Since one can’t be everywhere at once, it is a joy to see each location in a different season of bloom.

March 2018

April 2015

Easter eggs

Garden

Tulips

Weldon Wagon Road (18-12)

March 27, 2018March 27, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Weldon Wagon Road trail 3-25-2018 (#12)

Early flowers were out along this trail through the oak woodlands and open slopes in southwest Washington above the White Salmon River near Husum. This was my most elevation gained so far as I recover (4.5 miles/1300 foot rise), and I felt good. Progress!

Lower trail through oak woodlands

Views to the open slopes ahead.

A seat with a view at the halfway point

Last spring, the exposed upper slopes were a bright green and yellow balsam root meadow. Today we saw just one plant blooming along the trail,

and otherwise, the meadows and woodlands were still waking up, sprinkled with grass widows, buttercups, a few prairie stars, toothwort, yellow bells, blue eyed Mary, and Columbia Desert Parsley.

hound’s tongue

lupine foliage

blue-eyed Mary

yellow bells

grass widows and buttercups

yellow parsley

Columbia Desert Parsley

buttercups

Heading down in the afternoon

LOOKBACK: to May 2017 when the balsam root was in bloom-

May 2017

Knitting

Another scrappy tortilla washcloth for the 2018 stack:

I reknit the toes of the socks I finished last week so that the stripes would match.

The reknit toes

Elgol Cross Stitch update

I have been filling in the foreground with shadows and light – mostly pinks:

Cross stitch depicting the view from Elgol on the Isle of Skye.

Blooming in the garden

Tulips opening

Euphorbia

Shadows on a neighborhood stair

Rooster Rock and Memaloose Hills (18-11)

March 20, 2018April 9, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Rooster Rock 3/15/2018 (#10)

We took a short afternoon to explore the trails at Rooster Rock State Park. To the east, the beach trail gives views of Sand Island and the burned skylines in the gorge.

Looking east toward Sand Island and the beach trail

Sand Island

Burned Angel’s Rest and trees along the skyline

To the west we hiked to a close view of Rooster Rock. This park is very popular in the summer, but quiet today in the off season. (3 miles).

To the west

To the east

The waterfall above Hidden Lake

A robin

Looking east, Rooster Rock

Reflections

Rooster rock

Memaloose Hills 3/18/2017 (#11)

This is the earliest we have hiked this April-May wildflower eden between Mosier and Rowena in the eastern gorge.

Pinnacles along the lower trail between I-84 and Rt 30

Grass widows, gold stars, and a view across the Columbia River toward the labyrinth.

From the ledge above the lower trail one can look over to a cliff that hosts a great blue heron rookery. We only saw a few birds here today (grey spots), but in a previous year there were countless herons on this cliff.

Look for the grey blobs on the green slope near the top of the cliff

From the Hwy 30 Memaloose viewpoint one can look directly across the river at Catherine Creek in Washington.

It was interesting to see the early season flowers – gold stars, yellow bells, glacier lilies, early buttercups, Columbia desert parsley, and a few others.

Columbia Desert Parsley

Grass widows

Yellow bells and blue eyed Mary

Buttercup

Oaks toothwort

Yellow parsley

Glacier lilies

Fern

We hiked up a nearly barren Chatfield Hill, with extensive views at the top.

Hiking up

View to the west from the top

To the north and east

To the east, Tom McCall Point and Columbia desert parsley

Since the full flower bloom was not out, we returned by the loop through the oak woodlands on the north side of Chatfield Hill.

I hope the next time we take this hike it will be in full wildflower glory: a view from today compared with April 2015.

March 2018

April 2015

4 miles/800 feet.

Quilting

I spent a day photographing 13 of my quilts, and adding labels where omitted. I am getting closer to writing the stories of these quilts, which is why I actually started this blog!

Knitting

I finished the Strong Heel Socks, though I plan to reknit the toe where the knot in the yarn interupted the stripe sequence.

And in the garden:

Star magnolia

Crawford Oaks Trail (18-9)

March 5, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Columbia Hills State Park, WA, Vista Loop 3/3/2018 (#9)

We walked the lower loop from the Crawford Oaks trailhead, passing Eight Mile Falls.

Eight Mile Falls from the trailhead

Signs along the way document the depth of the Missoula floodwaters – always an exercise for the imagination that this landscape was scoured many times!

Eight Mile Falls from the trail

Back toward the river and Horse Thief Butte

Eight Mile Falls from the trail

The trail continues on a oak lined road along the creek, then crosses the creek.

Gold Stars and oak trees

We then headed south toward the river on the Vista Loop, along along the Missoula Flood scoured benches of volcanic rock, with views east and west in wide angle view.

View east along the Columbia River

West view back toward The Dalles; shoulders of Mt Hood behind the clouds on the right.

The trail crosses the power line corridor a couple of times.

Mt Hood is behind those clouds.

The crest of the Columbia Hills was draped with snow.

Dalles Mountain Ranch and Columbia Hills

Early spring blooms were sprinkled throughout the dried grasslands.

Gold Stars

gold stars

grass widows

parsley

fillaree, salt and pepper

yellow bells

A lovely 5 mile/1000foot hike – I had no problems, but I could feel my quads and triceps were a bit out of shape.

Quilting

I finished the crosshatch quilting in the center of the Jane Austen quilt, and made the binding. Still pondering center motifs.

Knitting

One sock done, another started. The strong heel fits fine – not sure why it isn’t more widely known, especially for people who don’t like to pick up stitches, and don’t like the wrap and turn short row heel.

Also, another scrappy tortilla is in the pile.

In my garden:

The first wind flower

In the meantime:

It has been almost two months since my surgery. I feel almost normal, but unfortunately, the growth hormone levels have not actually decreased as low as expected. It could still happen, but if not, then there will be trials of medication in store for me. I am visualizing a completely healthy and functional pituitary.

A Painterly Mist (18-7)

February 20, 2018February 20, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Catherine Creek Arch Loop, WA 2/16/2018 (#7)

Sunshine and clouds, spring flowers and just enough misting rain to create wandering rainbows.

We walked the arch loop counterclockwise while noticing the latest spring flowers to emerge. Purple grass widows sprinkled everywhere in the green, and the first parsleys – yellow, white and purple, as well as white saxigfrage, gold stars, pink prairie stars, and the whorls of green bitterroot foliage.

Grass widows, gold stars

Salt and pepper

Columbia deserts parsley

Saxifrage

Bitterroot foliage

Gold and prairie stars

Yellow parsley

The bare oak trees around the arch stand out in a textured gray palette.

After crossing the bridge we sidestepped up the next hill to the fairyland ponds.

Constantly changing light created a sense of walking through a painting.

A short, easy hike and I feel I am slowly regaining stamina. 2.5 miles, 500 feet.

More rainbows and clouds driving through the gorge:

Quilting: Thread choices for the Jane Austen Quilt

Knitting: Girl in the Nuerosurgery Ward Shawl – Ravellenic WIP Dancing.

Shawl with light dusting of snow

New socks: Berocco Sox yarn knit top down with a simple k7p1 leg, then a Strong Heel – a new to me technique. If it doesn’t fit I will rip back and go with a traditional heel flap.

First daffodils in my front yard.

Beacon Rock, Cooper Mountain, Hats, Flowers (18-6)

February 12, 2018February 12, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

River to Rock Trail, Beacon Rock State Park, WA 2/10/2018 (#5)

From the switchback staircases on Beacon Rock we have looked down to see a dock on the Columbia River.

August 2015

Today we looked up at the ant-sized people climbing the Beacon Rock stairs from the dock. We walked to the dock from the Doetsch Ranch Trailhead. There are great views of Beacon Rock,

Beacon Rock boat dock

Beacon Rock from the boat dock

Beacon Rock, Table Mountain, Aldrich Butte

Stairs and switchbacks

History

and of the burnt trees along the ridge line on the Oregon side of the Gorge.

We had planned to continue up the River to Rock trail toward Beacon Rock, but they remove an all important bridge during the winter.

No bridge.

It is parked across the road.

After completing the loop around the former Doetsch Ranch area, we parked at the upper River to Rock trailhead and walked down to the viewpoints around Riddell Lake.

Riddell Lake

Closest view of the stairs and switchbacks.

Spring plants and natural history – the Missoula Floodwaters were 200 feet above the top of Beacon Rock!

violets

Oregon Grape foliage

Missoula Floods

Although I have been feeling well, like I turned a corner in stamina this week, I was glad to reach the top of the small hill back to the trailhead. Today was not the day to climb Beacon Rock, but it was great get a close view of its columnar structure from a new vantage.

3 miles/200 feet

Lookback: Switchbacks and stairs on the Beacon Rock trail.

November 2013

August 2015

Cooper Mountain Nature Park, OR 2/11/2018 (#6)

We walked the 2.8 mile loop with friends on a clear cold Sunday. Nice to continue stretching my legs, and the 300 feet elevation change was plenty. We enjoyed the view of the Tualatin Hills as we ate our lunch from a well placed bench on the overlook trail. There should be a good wildflower display here come spring.

Cooper Mountain GPS track

Knitting

I finished the second Sonic Six hat, easily winning at yarn chicken, and in good time for Valentines Day.

I cast on and finished a bulky weight Brassica hat, out of Collinette Prism yarn in the Fresco colorway. This is the last of the yarn I bought in Scotland last year.

Flowers in the neighborhood:

My yard:

crocus

primroses return from last year

rosemary

witch hazel

lily seedhead

Down the street:

First cherry trees blooming!

heather

Chinese paper bush

Back on the Trail – Grass Widows, Bald Eagles and Osage Oranges (18-4)

January 30, 2018January 30, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

This has mostly been a recovery week – taking things very slowly, and with awareness to my limitations. I have been able to walk more, drive the slow back way, and gradually increase all my activities.

Catherine Creek Trail, WA 1/28/2018 (#3)

I saved my weekend energy for a walk on one of the easiest trails – the Universal Access trail at Catherine Creek just east of Hood River along the Columbia River. We often include this trail as a quick stop on our hiking trips to see the latest blooms. Today at my slow pace I appreciated the paved surface and benches along the way, the small details and micro landscapes. Grass widows are beginning to bloom.

View to the west, labyrinth waterfall in the distance

grass widow

bitterroot foliage

mushrooms

ponderosa needles

moss

oak leaves

reflection

1.5 miles, 120 feet

Lookback: A couple of pictures with snow, and with more flowers:

1/27/2017

2/26/2016

Balfour-Klickitat Eagles

We also stopped at the Balfour-Klickitat trail near Lyle, WA to look for bald eagles in their nesting area. We saw about a dozen, mostly juveniles, perched in the trees around the pond, and taking occasional practice flights.

White spots are bald eagles

Another highlight of this location are the Osage oranges, at this point, mostly lying on the ground in colorful curious piles. Signage explains that the fruit is inedible, but that the thorny dense foliage was used as a natural fencing material by settlers in the west in the 1800’s.

.75 miles, 100 feet

Lookback : A couple of pictures from snowier days:

12/28/2015 Six eagles

12/30/2016 Osage oranges

Knitting and quilting

Progress on the Girl in the Neurosurgery Ward Shawl:

My sister sent me a bouquet of fabric as a get well gift – a beautiful rainbow of batiks that will fit beautifully into my collection for my rainbow themed quilts in planning stages.

And the first crocus peaked up in my front yard: