Saturday, September 25, 2010

Mirror Lake: Then, Then, Then & Now

We don't often repeat hikes, but this one to Mirror Lake (6 miles) we've now done four times, three of those prior to me blogging and all in late September. I have combined pictures from then, then, then, and now. As you'll see, this trail offers a variety of terrain, which must explain our return visits. Happily and sadly, everything and nothing has changed.

As we rounded a bend in the forest service road, these brilliant
trees took our breath away. (2003)

The huckleberry bushes and frog ponds near the trail head. (2010)

Huckleberry Hunt (2008)

We were fascinated by our first digital camera, and the fall colors
gave us gorgeous subject matter. (2003)

Different camera, still gorgeous up there. (2010)

Crossing the scree field with Otter. (2003)

In the sun-dappled forest. (2010)

It was just pretty. (2003)

Me and my huckleberry hound. (2008)

I don't know what they're called, but I liked 'em. (2010)

When we were a two-dog family with Sheila and Otter. (2003)

The lavender stems of these flowers are as pretty without the blooms
as with, maybe prettier. (2010)

At the overflow where we stop for lunch every time. (2003)

Lunch with Zuli. (2010)

Mirror Lake (2007)

Our beautiful Sheila and Otter on their first hike to Mirror Lake. (2003) Pulling this photo up today made me so melancholy because neither of them could come today. They were happy at home, but we were woebegone without them.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Tiger Mountain 9-6-10

We went in search of red huckleberries. There were exactly zero. Plus it was kind of rainy and cool for this time of year. But here's the thing. If you go with a happy heart, because it's just good to finally have a day together again,

and you don't worry about not finding what you set out to find, but realize that perhaps you'll find something else like a few Chanterelles and puff balls,

and you bring along a funny little fern-jumper to make you laugh,

and you go out in your own field when you get home to fill buckets with fat blackberries, then it's all good. It's all great.

Then Possum grabs my camera cord and says "That's plenty of pictures. Now go make some cobbler."