Late Summer Adventures Part 1 – Redwoods and Beaches (18-38)

September 20, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

We were looking forward to a long planned trip to Crater Lake and Mt Lassen, but with forest fires and smoke in those areas, we rescheduled to Brookings and Sisters, keeping one of our Ashland days in the mix.

Ashland, Oregon 9/8/2018

It was smoky/hazy when we arrived in Ashland. We walked around downtown, including a stop at Websters, the yarn store, and a walk through Lithia Park. We had an early dinner at one of the restaurants along Lithia Creek, then saw the play ‘Snow In Midsummer’ at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The story was a modernized Chinese tale about a woman who had been wronged and was seeking justice. Very well done and thought provoking regarding harm that descends through generations.

The pond in Lithia Park, Ashland, Oregon

Darlingtonia, Redwoods and Whaleshead Beach 9/9/2018

The way to the southern Oregon Coast is through the redwood forests of Northern California. We stopped at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, first at the botanical trail where we viewed the Darlingtonia bog:

Darlingtonia are carnivorous pitcher plants – they eat insects. This bog is one of the rare preserves for these plants.

Next we took a short hike (#47) through Stout Grove along the middle fork of the Smith River.

Then we drove north on Hwy 101 back into Oregon to our lodgings near Whales Head Beach. After dinner we took a long walk on the beach as the tide ebbed.

Whalehead Island from the beach

View south

Ebb tide sand patterns

Wind ripples

Boy Scout Tree Redwood Trail and Point St George, CA 9/10/2018

We saw a rainbow at Rainbow Rock while driving south this morning:

Rainbow over Rainbow Rock

Zoom in view of Rainbow Rock folds

We drove south into Jedediah Smith State Park again to hike the Boy Scout Tree Trail (#48). The forest is lined with oxalis and fern and it is awe inspiring to walk among these very tall, old beautiful trees.

Dwarfed by trees

The Boy Scout Tree

Late Oxalis bloom

The undersides of the oxalis leaves are this beautiful red violet color.

After our hike, we drove to the coast just north of Crescent City, to Point St George, where the tide was receding and we had a chance to explore the tide pools.

Redwood flotsam

sea anemones

clam, anemones

snails

snail trails

Boardman Corridor Beaches 9/11/2018

We spent the day exploring the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, a series of viewpoints, short trails and beaches along the southern Oregon coast north of Brookings.

Arch Rock

Natural Bridges

Whalehead Island

We took a longer hike at Cape Ferrelo (#49),

and another low tide beach walk at sunset at Lone Ranch Beach.

Knitting

I made progress on the back panel of the Ivy Lace Cardigan while traveling:

Cloud Cap and Timberline Trail, Mt Hood, Oregon (18-37)

September 5, 2018 / margaretquilts / 1 Comment

Eliot East Moraine and Timberline Trail High Point 8/31/18 (Hike#46)

We have hiked here a few times. This is our first time taking the Eliot East Moraine trail along the crest of the moraine.

Once up the steep sandy ascent to the crest of the moraine, there is a fabulous view to the Eliot Glacier, and the glacial valley below, the entire way to the Cloud Cap Shelter.

Mt Hood and the Eliot Glacier

Looking east to the high desert

I enjoy zooming in on the textures, crevasses, and steep edges of the Eliot Glacier and the rocky exposed top of Mt Hood in late summer.

The moraine trail joins the Timberline Trail near Cloud Cap Shelter:

Approaching Cloud Cap Shelter.

Cloud Cap Shelter; Cooper Spur and Mt Hood beyond.

After visiting the Cloud Cap Shelter we continued south on the Timberline trail, up and down the wrinkles of the mountains’ flank, to the 7300’ high point of the trail. Clouds intermittently floated across the top of Mt Hood. We could see the faraway peaks of Mt Adams, Rainier and Jefferson above the blanket of clouds in the distance.

The only snowfield we crossed this year.

North view to Mts Rainier and Adams

South view to Mt Jefferson, Lamberson Butte and the Timberline Trail continuing south.

By the time we retraced our steps north, the clouds had diminished.

Cloud Cap Shelter again.

The high desert beyond the clouds

We saw a marmot on the Eliot Moraine, and a blue bird on the Timberline Trail.

marmot

blue bird on the rock, Mt Adams beyond

Not many flowers.

Tiny lupine

Aster

Pink monkeyflower

yarrow

buckwheat

goldenweed

The rusty, red and yellow fall hues are beginning to color the vegetation on the rocky alpine slopes.

6 miles, 1600 feet.

Lookback:

I like to review my photos from previous hikes to compare conditions. There was a lot more snow during our hike a month earlier last year.

Mt Hood from Timberline trail, August 31, 2018

Mt Hood from Timberline trail, July 28, 2017

And a lot more flowers, and a better view of the distant mountains last year.

August 31, 2018

July 28, 2017 – lupine, Mt St Helens, Rainier and Adams

CRAFTING

I cast on another round washcloth, and I have been swatching the Song yarn, trying decide what to make with it.

We walked through the Art In The Pearl street fair on Labor Day and admired the beautiful artwork. This piece, by artist Kathy Ross, I found especially inspiring.

Kathy Ross, artist, Art in the Pearl, Portland, Oregon, September 2018

Fringed Grass of Parnassus at Burnt Lake, Mt Hood, OR (18-36)

August 28, 2018 / margaretquilts / 1 Comment

Burnt Lake Trail. 8-24-2018 (hike#45)

The Burnt Lake Trail on the west side of Mt Hood leads through a quiet green shady forest that was ravaged by wildfires over a hundred years ago – offering an interesting historical perspective on the present day fires. The trail climbs at a gentle gradient for the first 2.5 miles through second growth forest along the Lost Creek drainage. Sounds of water are never far.

Green understory foliage includes a plethora of plants with white blooming spring flowers (trillium, vanilla leaf, inside-out, bunchberry, Solomon seals, lilies, oxalis).

Today we only see the pops of color that are seeds and berries.

bunchberry

Devil’s club

fairy bells

Devil’s club

thimble berry

salmonberry

After crossing Lost Creek we pass several giant burned out trees – remnants from the Victorian era fire that burned this forest.

The last mile of the trail is steeper, and traverses many creeks and springs with a few flowers still blooming – though red berry clusters of Devils club are the most noticeable color along the trail today.

Fireweed and cloudy horizon

Pine drops

Stinky currant

Hedge nettle

Baneberry

Pearly everlasting

Devil’s club

Baneberry

We drop down into Burnt Lake basin and are awed by the mist rising from the lake and roiling about on its surface while we walk the half mile shoreline trail.

Although the promised reflection of Mt Hood eludes us, the misty atmosphere creates its own moment of grace. We sit quietly for our lunch break and hear a few fish jump, watch the concentric ripples expand and interrupt the reflections and mist patterns.

Fading pink spirea line the lake shore path that leads past a small bog near the inlet where we see, for the first time for me, a wildflower called the Fringed Grass of Parnassus.

Cascade Fringed Grass of Parnassus

Such an elegant name – it has been on my watch list. The flower heads were much bigger than I imagined, and deserve a great name! The white petals are indeed fringed elaborately and glow in the light. I am glad to have finally seen this flower!

8.3 miles/1600 feet.

CRAFTING:

I finished another tortilla dishcloth

I added some cross stitched foliage to Jane Austen’s house.

I am still trying to decided what to cast on next…

Smoky week in Portland / Return to Vista Ridge (18-35)

August 21, 2018 / margaretquilts / 1 Comment

Northward view from the Timberline Trail on Mt Hood. Mt St Helens, Mt Rainier and Mt Adams float above the gray smoke layer.

August 16, 2018

I mailed the baby and Welcome Blanket quilts while breathing wildfire smoke. While feeling a papery dry sand feeling in my mouth. While watching the blood red sun set though the haze.

Today there is an orange sky at noon. It is too hot to go outside, and there is an ashy taste on my tongue.

It’s wildfire season.

Smoke is disseminated through the atmosphere blotting out the sun, the views, and the cool air we are supposed to get from the ocean.

If this keeps up, if global temperatures continue to rise, will we find out what it was like to be the dinosaurs when they died?

It was supposed to be a meteor, but there were also Deccan flood basalts, and/or a climate change with wild fires – all valid hypotheses and maybe all had a combined role…

Meanwhile, oppressive haze and heat keep me indoors instead of outside where I could be walking, hiking or gardening.

The air feels dusty and my lungs feel the burn –

It reminds me of the San Fernando Valley of my youth, before cars had smog devices, when we could hardly ever see the Santa Monica Mountains, or the San Gabriel Mountains, but on really bad days we couldn’t even see the Mission Hills.

Now we have fire season. Our beautiful forests burn and the smoke infiltrates our adjacent valleys, so even though we are not in the burn zone, we must breathe the smoke or alter our activities to avoid breathing outside. This is the second August in a row that has been the season of burning, of wildfires, of dreading the views of the torched landscape, not to mention the threat to lives and livelihood of those that live closer to or in the forest. Of knowing that the beautiful places that we hike into for recreation and healing are changed beyond recognition, and though they may return to green someday, they will not be a comforting place to go for years….

Return to Vista Ridge 8/17/18 (Hike # 44)

Speaking of burn zones – this is our sixth year hiking up Vista Ridge on Mt Hood. Today the regional smoke and heat have decreased enough to allow us to go for a hike.

Pearly everlasting and fireweed along the Vista Ridge trail.

Once again through the burn zone with fireweed and pearly everlasting, huckleberries, goldenrod and berries of Sitka mountain ash.

Stka Mountain Ash

Fireweed

Pearly everlasting

Goldenrod and fireweed

Once again through the meadows along the Timberline Trail, this time to the west, toward Ladd Creek.

Mt Hood from the Timberline Trail near Wyeast Basin

Close up of Coe and Ladd Glaciers

Meadows along the trail

Paintbrush

Partridgefoot

Pasque flower

Monkey flower

By the time we reached the Ladd crossing it was too late in the day, too deep to cross without wading.

We stopped there for lunch then retraced our steps, back to the Wyeast basin with far reaching views of snow capped peaks floating above the smoke shroud that covers the Washington landscape.

Clear Branch Creek in Wyeast Basin. Mts Rainier and Adams beyond.

Back down through fireweed in the burn zone, we say ‘Hi’ to a few ghost trees again, nibble the huckleberries, and make our way to the trailhead.

My legs were feeling it today – I am getting back into shape, but still have a ways to go to recover my fitness. Photo note – many of the photos in this post were taken by my husband – I only had my cell phone with me.

8 miles/1600 feet

Knitting

I finished the Cornwall socks!

Lan Su Chinese Garden, Portland, OR (18-33)

August 15, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

August 6, 2018

One last garden visit with my sister: We spent a morning strolling through this peaceful setting, a haven of tranquility surrounded by bustling Old Town in the heart of Portland. The Lan Su Garden, modeled after 16th century Suzhou-style Chinese gardens, was assembled by Chinese artisans in China and reassembled in Portland in 2000.

The entrance garden sets the tone –

We walked through the portal to the lily ponds beyond.

Blooming water lilies and colorful koi are visually captivating.

Paths through the garden wend through outdoor rooms and intricately carved and ornamented buildings.

bonsai

Calligraphy studio

An art exhibit displayed exotic and ordinary biota fashioned from clay.

In another room, we drew fortune sticks, and then found our numbered fortunes in a drawer.

My hard working teacher sister had number 6. I am lucky to be her sister, and lucky about many other things, so I felt good about pulling number 38.

Another path leads by a waterfall grotto and views of a different kind of blooming lotus:

The paths are made of patterned stone – each stone carefully placed. Some remind me of quilting patterns.

Windows are also patterned beautifully.

We stopped in the tea room for some delicious iced tea and almond cookies.

Tea room

View from the tea room, city rooftops beyond the garden

Back in the entrance way for a parting view, including the dragon fish on the roof.

Afterward, we paid a short visit to nearby Powell’s City of Books – she found a title she was looking for, and I saw this beautifully covered collection of science and math books.

Crafting:

I have turned the heel on my second Cornwall sock and so am racing toward the toe and contemplating what to knit next…

My daughter returned to college in Ohio, leaving me one of her latest creations as a parting gift.

James, the sock monkey

Once again no hike this week – we were trying for Burnt Lake on Friday, but it was sooo hot, and the air still smoky, and many dominoes fell out of place so we abandoned that trip. It might be a good fall hike.

One of the new bowls I bought for my birthday.

Gardens of Eugene, Oregon (18-32)

August 10, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

August 4th and 5th, 2018

I spent lots of time in gardens while visiting family and celebrating my birthday in Eugene last weekend.

Owen Rose Garden

We took a slow lap around the still blooming rose beds.

View across the Willamette River

Dahlias galore!

Family members have been curating this backyard garden since the early 1980’s, and it is one of my favorite places in the world.

Side entry

So many flowers, especially dahlias right now:

fuchsia

butterfly bush

lily

gladiola

jasmine

amaranth

echinacea

cosmo

Late summer veggies and fruit:

grapes

squash

blueberries

tomato

corn

ground cherries

rhubarb

peppers

garden dog

Hendricks Park

We took an evening stroll along the roads and tree-lined paths.

Serenity Garden with Buddha

Another peaceful family garden has a new statue.

buddha

balloon flower

oregano

Around town

We visited several fine restaurants (Chapala, Ta Ra Rin Thai, McMenamins, and Prince Pucklers Ice Cream) and shopping areas (5th St Market, Saturday Market and both branches of Hiron’s).

Looking down on Saturday Market

We walked through Washburne Park where the One More Time Around Marching Band had just finished a show. We saw a trombone player wearing mardi gras beads and a rubber chicken on his head. The sun was setting blood red through the wild fire smoke haze.

Birthday Cake and More Flowers

Elk and Summit Meadows, Mt Hood, Oregon, and ‘Tour de Craft’ (18-29)

July 17, 2018July 17, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Elk Meadows trail 7/13/18 (Hike #41)

We started this hike on a hot day. The shade of the forest didn’t really take the edge off and my “condition” has been affecting me this week.

By the time we started up the eight long switchbacks, about a mile and a half into the hike, I realized I was never going to make it to the top of the hill. We decided to turn back. I had been hoping to see bog orchids and gentians, but I did see the mountain blue bells for the first time this year.

Lots of other flowers along the way:

Mariposa lily

Columbine, penstemon

Penstemon

Hemlock

Paintbrush

Meanwhile, we braved the log crossing on the Newton Creek twice.

Here is a “real” cairn doing a cairn’s job – marking the trail to the log crossing.

Zooming in on Mt Hood’s Newton/Clark Glacier:

Today we only went 3.2 miles, 500 feet. Last year we made it all the way to Elk Meadows and saw all the flowers.

Summit Meadows

We stopped and poked around in this meadow off the Trillium Lake road on our way home. We have skied or snowshoed this road a few times,

November 2017

and always wondered what the meadows would look like in summer.

I think we are late for the bigger bloom, as the paintbrush were faded, but the pink spirea along the road were lovely.

Paintbrush

Aster

Spirea

I zoomed in on Mt Hood for a closeup view of the ski area above Timberline Lodge.

Tour de Craft

I have only dabbled in spinning, so can’t really participate in the Tour de Fleece, but I do love to watch the Tour de France – for the views of France, and the drama and the stunning athletic effort that goes into these races. We DVR the coverage, then watch/fast forward through in the evening while I knit or quilt.

I have made a lot of progress on my Welcome quilt – I was planning to whip it together quickly, but I keep getting new design ideas….but that is the point for me – to play with the fabrics till I am satisfied and have learned something new by trying something new. Fun.

And I finished the first Cornwall sock and cast on the second.

Garden

Red, White and Purple at Three Corner Rock, WA (18-28)

July 8, 2018 / margaretquilts / 2 Comments

Three Corner Rock 4th of July, 2018 (Hike#40)

This easy hike follows the Pacific Crest Trail south from the 2090 road in Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The beautifully maintained and graded trail switchbacks up a ridge lined with a variety of summer wildflowers. The last 3/4 mile is on a rutted red access road which goes to the saddle – and to the volcanic pile of Three Corner Rock that is holding down the ridge from blowing away on this windy July 4th.

We scramble part way up the rock to a windbreak and have lunch – only one of our hiking party braves the blast to scramble all the way to the top.

Meanwhile, we admire our five volcano view: Jefferson, Hood, Adams, St Helens, Rainier, along with views of the Columbia River all the way to Portland to the west. This was a good place for a lookout back in the day!

Mts Hood and Jefferson beyond the cell tower.

Mts St Helens, Rainier and Adams.

Silver Star Mountain

Among the flower palette are tons of red paintbrush, white bunch berry, and purple penstemon – nothing blue blooming up here today.

paintbrush

bunchberry

penstemon

Other wildflowers – some are first sightings this year:

columbine sparkler

twin flower

Prince’s pine

lousewort

Oregon grapes and foam flower

tiger lily opening

anemone? seedpods

The map and June flower comparison is on my blog post from last year. 4.4 miles/1200 feet.

We stopped in Cascade Locks on the way home to buy fresh salmon for our 4th of July barbecue dinner.

Bridge of the Gods over the Columbia River.

Native fish market at Bridge of the Gods. The burned skyline shows how close the Eagle Creek fire was to Cascade Locks.

CRAFTING

Pinwheel Quilt completed and just waiting for baby:

Fabric baskets for a sister’s birthday:

I started a quilt for the Welcome Blanket project:

Lookout Mountain hike (18-27)

July 5, 2018 / margaretquilts / 1 Comment

Lookout Mountain, east of Mt Hood June 30, 2018 (Hike#39)

Walking through High Prairie,

Lots of purple shooting stars and yellow cinquefoil

Heather

up a gentle grade through the forest to the ridge punctuated by red volcanic soil and a pinnacle.

Views of Mt Hood all along the ridge:

The top of Lookout Mountain comes into view:

From the top, views as far south as Broken Top,

Broken Top, North and Middle Sisters, Mt Washington, Mt Jefferson, Badger Lake, and a resident chipmunk.

and north to Mt Adams with lenticular clouds.

Mt Adams

The eastern high desert:

Plenty of flowers, but there will be more! based on our past visits. 3.9 miles/800 feet.

cinquefoil and shooting star

bistort

fleabane

penstemon

mariposa lily

buckwheat

scarlet gillia

An interesting stump

sandwort

Oregon sunshine

heather

Jacob’s ladder

lupine and twin berry honeysuckle

white cress

Crafting:

Pinwheel quilt basted and ready for quilting.

Jane Austen’s House emerging in cross stitch.

In the Garden:

Lewisia

Tiger Lily

Penstemon

Jacob’s Ladder

Tomatoes

Acantha

Blanket flower

Sumac

Some quilting! and Chinidere Mtn hike (18-26)

June 28, 2018 / margaretquilts / 1 Comment

Quilting!

I started the Pinwheel Baby Quilt I am making for an expected family member.

Chinidere Mountain 6/22/2018 (Hike#38)

This trail starts at Wahtum Lake, on the upper end of the Eagle Creek fire zone. The area has been off limits since last September, but this particular trail recently reopened to public use. Connecting trails down Eagle Creek are still closed.

6 miles/1200 feet

The trail immediately descends down 250 steps to Wahtum Lake.

From the shore we can just see the rocky promontory that we are hiking to – Chinidere Mountain.

(Photo taken on the return trip after the fog had lifted)

We continued on the Pacific Crest Trail around the east side of the lake, through an area with several hanging gardens and lots of flowers. The Chinidere cutoff at about 2.5 miles switchbacks up the side of this rocky promontory that stands above the forest. When we arrived, the top was still covered in fog and a cold wind swept the spine of the mountain.

Approaching the top

Cliff penstemon

Summit

Flowers, fog, wind

Mt Hood beyond the clouds

Just 10 feet away we could sit comfortably in the windless sunshine and enjoy our lunch, hoping for the clouds on Mt Hood to lift.

Wahtum Lake from the summit

Wahtum Lake after the clouds lifted

Below us to the north, we could see the mosaic burn of the upper part of the Eagle Creek fire.

Brown areas burned by the Eagle Creek Fire

As we headed down the trail we walked out onto the ridge viewpoints to admire the wildflowers growing in the sunny rocky meadows and watched the clouds blow across Mt Hood.