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Sunday, February 12, 2017

More flowers from yesterday

Amazingly neither my sister, Andrea (Ann to me), nor I are any worse off for the wear after our five hour mountain climb yesterday. Can't wait to do it again. And I even had one minor fall. We were walking on a rather steep area of her trail where there were steep switchbacks. The soil on the edge of the narrow trail (better than no trail like before) was loose and when I planted my walking stick and weight on the stick (probably simultaneously) I tumbled down the slope to where Ann was on the switchback below me. I was in fear that I would knock her down, while she was afraid that I'd fall all the way down the slope. I knew I could stop myself. Wasn't worried about that. As it was, I ended up against her legs. We didn't laugh at the time, but I laugh now every time I think about it. What I wouldn't give to have a video of it! Two old ladies (75 and 76 yrs. old) who aren't giving up.*

Still working on identifying my photos. And filing them in the right family folders. Doing that is supposed to be a learning experience for me, but if I'm learning, it sure is taking a long time! This first one we think is Wedgeleaf Draba (Draba cuneifolia). Ann calls it Whitlow-wort. Name variations only add to our confusion, but we soldier on. (See post of Jan 22) There was a lot of this blooming on the mountain slopes.


Next is a Cerastium, which is my first flower of the Carnation family. Not sure which species of Cerastium. Will try for a better photo next time. For now, I'm leaning toward C. brachypodium.


I've been photographing ferns a lot, but haven't yet tried to sort them out. For now they just go into a fern folder. Same for a bunch of generic looking yellow flowers. Here's a common one I shot yesterday and gonna leave it go for now.


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*The composition of the terrain is totally different between our trails. So is the vegetation. That couldn't have happened on my trail as the ground is rockier and more stable, with no switchbacks along steep slopes. Furthermore, the tumble happened as we were descending and were both exhausted. That's when it's easier for missteps to happen. It probably won't be the last one. I was also focused on protecting my camera and binoculars, which slows down one's ability to catch oneself. Happy to report no harm to them. Only damage to me was a slightly scraped elbow and some thorns in one hand.

2 comments:

  1. Nah, it probably won't be the last one - fall that is, but it was one that worked out OK! The best kind. Over 70 and you both lived to tell the tale.

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