Sunday Out…

Our crew headed to Many Glaciers this past weekend.  We ended up hitting a pointy rock, popping a tire and having a flat, then after changing the tire and making it the rest of the way to Many Glacier it started to pour buckets and didn’t see any wildlife and couldn’t even get out of the car without getting soaked, so no hikes.  We decided we would head back home and then the kids ended up getting hungry, so we stopped a ways away in Two Medicine.  It was just cloudy there and we were able to enjoy a nice little picnic and do a little hiking and spotted many wildflowers and even a black bear.

At Two Medicine Lake, Glacier National Park…

On our little walk we discovered these gems.  A lot of these I’m not sure what they are… …

A big, fat Bumbler…

A Fairy Slipper, Calypso bulbosa…

Western Virgin’s Bower… Clematis occidentalis 

At the end of the hike was Running Eagle Falls, running at full bore.  Normally it’s just pouring out the cave in the middle of the falls…

Crossing the bridge…

Holding daddy’s hand…

The kids showing off their heart-shaped rocks…

We also spotted a Black Bear…

Dancing Aspens…

Lots of Shooting Stars..

More Blue wildflowers…

Cheers to long spring days spent in beautiful places…

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 Today’s Flowers

When?

Patiently awaiting the arrival of spring, we had temperatures in the low 60’s today!  It might just be here soon!

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Today’s Flowers

Mountain Hollyhock…

We spotted several of these beautiful, pink Mountain Hollyhocks on our hike to Bullhead Lake in Glacier Park…

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Today’s Flowers

Indian Paintbrush…

 

Castilleja species…

 

Indian paintbrush is a member of the figwort family, a perennial, having a cluster of stems that grow upward from the base, to 60 cm. tall. Indian Paintbrush is found throughout most of British Columbia. The interesting point is that, the top of the flower looks as if they have been dipped in bright red paint, hence the name Indian Paintbrush.

The Indian Paintbrush is a semi-parasitic plants. Indian Paintbrush plants are attached to the tubes of host plants by their roots. Indian paintbrushes suck their nutreints and even water from the host plants. The Indian paintbrush is propagated by dividing rhizomes, tubers, corms or bulbs (including offsets). The Indian paintbrush is grown from seed, when sown directly in fall.

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Today’s Flowers

Xerophyllum tenax

 

Bear Grass looks like a grass, but really belongs to the lily family. It is about 4.5 feet tall. Its olive-colored, grass-like leaves grow from the base of the plant and are tough and wiry. The outside leaves clasp around the stem. The leaves have toothed margins, and grow about 35 inches long, getting shorter as they near the flowers, looking very much like a fan.

The flowers of bear grass grow on a stalk that can be 6 feet tall with many small flowers. Each flower is creamy white, and saucer shaped, and has a sweet

aroma. The lowest flowers bloom first, creating a tight knot of buds at the top. The entire flower looks a little like fluffy, upside down ice cream cone. Bear grass tends to flower in 5 to 7 year cycles. After the fruit sets, the plant dies. It reproduces by seed, and by sending out offshoots from its rhizomes.

 

Bear grass is found in open forests and meadows at sub alpine and low alpine elevations in the western United States. It is commonly found under alpine larch (Larix lyallii) and whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) stands on cold, rocky sites at upper timberlines.

Bear grass is a fire-resistant species that is the first plant to grow after a fire. Bear grass, and many other native plants, need periodic burns to produce strong, new growth. After a fire bear grass sprouts from its rhizomes which lie just under the surface. Light fires of short duration are best. Intense fires which linger in the same place for a long time will kill the rhizomes under the ground, and prevent the bear grass from growing back.

Find more info here…

 

 

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Today’s Flowers

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Around a Pond

While driving to Many Glaciers, my poor, tired husband needed a bit of a nap.  He pulled over here and took quick nap while I  got out to explore a bit…

The Aspens trees were just leafing out…

 

Some Mallards…

Bufflehead ducks..

Glacier Lilies…

 

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Glacier Lilies…

 

A couple of weeks ago on our day trip through Many Glaciers, the Glacier Lilies were in full bloom.  They were so beautiful carpeting the floors beneath the Aspen trees…

Love the Glacier Lily dancing with the Shooting Stars…

 

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Pulsatilla Family…

Fuzzy petals…

Fuzzy leaves…

Common names include pasque flower (or pasqueflower), wind flower, prairie crocus, Easter Flower, and meadow anemone. Several species are valued ornamentals because of their finely-dissected leaves, solitary bell-shaped flowers, and plumed seed heads. The showy part of the flower consists of sepals, not petals.

The flower blooms early in spring, which leads to the common name Pasque flower, since Pasque refers to Easter (Passover).

Pulsatilla is highly toxic, and produces cardiogenic toxins and oxytoxins which slow the heart in humans. Excess use can lead to diarrhoea, vomiting and convulsions, hypotension and coma. It has been used as a medicine by Native Americans for centuries. Blackfoot Indians used it to induce abortions and childbirth. Pulsatilla should not be taken during pregnancy nor during lactation.

Extracts of Pulsatilla have been used to treat reproductive problems such as premenstrual syndrome and epididymitis. Additional applications of plant extracts include uses as a sedative and for treating coughs. It is also used as an initial ingredient in homeopathic remedies.

For more info please read here…

Evening view into Glacier National Park

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Trillium…

 

On our way up to East Glacier, we stopped  at this waterfall.  Normally, just a trickle it was roaring full bore due to the melting snow higher up.

There was enough water that there were two arms to the waterfall…

Below the falls in the moist soil were these beautiful white trilliums in full bloom…

 

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