1 - February 2025
Elaine was out of town, and I felt like doing a little exploring. I didn't want to drive
anywhere, so decided to hike some of the lower Eagle Mtn north slopes near us.
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I first came across this fire-box from an old still
along a creek a few years ago, but it was during
the growing season, so I got a cleaner shot now.
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I saw these minute light tan colored dots on a rock in a creek,
and thought they might be tiny fungi. But when I zoomed the
image in my camera, I could see that they were teeny leaves.
I think this might be one of the Rhizomnium mosses,
perhaps Dotted Thyme-Moss (Rhizomnium punctatum).
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These woods used to be pretty open for walking, but
there's been a lot of blow-down the past few years.
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Giant root-ball.
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More dead-fall.
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Shelf brackets growing on an old fallen tree.
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I find old tree stumps like this very interesting.
This tree was cut when these woods were last logged over a half century ago,
yet the tree is still alive. It sacrificed its heartwood (the center) to decay, while
using what energy remained to form callus and bark over top of the sapwood
and cambium layers; protecting its vascular system. It probably puts out some
sprouts each spring, which probably get browsed by deer and other wildlife.
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Small icy waterfall on branch of Bell Creek.
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Little cascade
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More small, icy falls.
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One more small waterfall.
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1 - Early August 2025
After photographing a small TBO bloom, I decided to head up
Bell Creek and see if the Club-spur Orchids might be in bloom.
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After Ghost Pipes, aka Indian Pipes (Monotropa uniflora) are pollinated,
the flowers turn upward. Eventually they dry out and look like this.
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Green Woodland Orchid, aka Club-spur Orchid (Plantanthera clavellata)
Unfortunately they were all bloomed out and going to seed.
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I've always loved Snakewort, aka Cat-tongue Liverwort (Conocephalum salebrosum),
which grows on many of the large rocks in the creek.
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Cascades on Upper Bell Creek.
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Seed pods from Fraser Magnolia (Magnolia fraseri).
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