Friday, March 09, 2007

Desert Sandwort


Arenaria franklinii (Desert Sandwort)
photo by FossilGuy
In a month or so, wildflowers will begin to bloom in the sagebrush steppes flowing east of Ellensburg. A wide variety of desert flowers will carpet the sagelands for a few weeks. The violet hues of of the Mariposa Lily (we called them sage lilies) and the Narrow-leafed Phacelia. The white blossoms of Yarrow and Thread-leafed Daisies and Desert Sandwort. The Orange Globe Mallow. The Bitterroot. Wild Sunflowers ... and on and on. One of my favorite spots: traveling east from Ellensburg to Vantage, at the top of the Saddle Mountain range, there's a rest stop. In the triangle of stoney scrub between the parking lot and the highway (a short and easy stroll) are a wealth of wildflowers. Once, early in May, I counted nine different flowers in bloom there.
At the Smyrna School, it was always considered the first sign of Spring when March brought a smattering of Yellow Bells to the brushy southern reaches of the schoolyard. Amongst the things I remember fondly.
I think I'd best cut this short and hie me out to Barnes and Noble and lay on a couple three good paperback thrillers to take to the ocean next week.

Comments:
You were not wrankly today, Dear Fossilguy...you looked and sounded downright spring-like!

I came to write today, it's true, but mostly I came to see you...I need to do that more often!

Enjoy the ocean!
 
Thank you for your lovely words, noapologies! There's no way around it but that I have to elevate you to a 'daughtership' .... and hold you in my heart alongside Kelly, Erin, and Angela.
.....FossilGuy
 
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