As Summer is slowing fading into Fall

This weekend not only did I have the need to wear my down jacket in the evening to take the chill off I also noticed a lot of trucks coming home from up north full of firewood.

By no means am I ready to even think about the recent rain turning to snow, and I LOVE the snow, so I am posting lots and lots of wildflowers I've found throughout the summer to warm me up a bit.

Subaplpine spiraea, Spiraea splendens or wild rose
Found in the backyard.

Ciliate bluebell, Mertensia ciliata
Found in Slaughterhouse Canyon where we take our daily dog walk. Just behind the house.

Sitka columbine, Aquilegia formosa
Scarlet paintbrush, Castilleja miniata
Elephant-head, Pedicularis groenlandica or pink elephants
Elegant camas, Anticlea elegans
Slender cinquefoil, Potentilla gracilis

All found at Washington Lake in the White Cloud Mountains while hiking with Mom and Dad. What a treat.

Closeup of pink elephants.

Closeup of elegant camas.

A lone Silver lupine, Lupinus argenteus
found in a field of Twin arnica, Arnica sororia.

Following are a couple of my favorite
wildflower photos from this summer.
Both were taken while on a hike
to Betty, Baptie and Goat Lakes.
The same hike I found the white bog orchid on
mentioned in my previous post.

Lewis's monkey-flower, Mimulus lewisii
Oregon bluebell, Mertensia bella
Spear leafed arnica, Arnica longifolia

California false hellebore, Veratrum californicum

While working in early July I was lucky enough to be up in Copper Basin during some of the height of the wildflower season.

Prairie smoke, Geum triflorum

Taper-leaf penstemon, Penstemon attenuatus
Spear leafed arnica, Arnica longifolia
with the Pioneer Mountains in the background.

Pioneer Mountains in the background again. Only this time from the other side. The field of wildflowers consists mostly of American bistort (white), Bistorta bistortoides, Mountain sheep sorrel (red), Rumex paucifolius, and Upland larkspur (blue), Delphinium nuttallianum.

Another view of the Pioneers with
Longspur lupine, Lupinus arbustus in the foreground.

And last but not least some cactus flowers.
They are some of my favorites
as they grow in extreme heat and dryness,
they are very delicate, their color is amazing
and they last for only but a day or two.

Spiny prickly pear, Opuntia polyacantha

Brittle cactus, Opuntia fragilis

And...
an Aztec poem

From within the Heavens
by Ayocuan Cuetzpaltzin

From within the heavens they come,
the beautiful flowers, the beautiful songs,
but our yearning spoils them,
our inventiveness makes them lose their fragrance,
although not those of the Chichimec prince Tecayehuatzin.
With his, rejoice!

Friendship is a shower of precious flowers
White tufts of heron feathers
are woven with precious red flowers,
among the branches of the trees
under which stroll and sip
the lords and nobles

Your beautiful song
is a golden wood thrush
most beautiful, you raise it up.
You are in a field of flowers.
Among the flowery bushes you sing.
Are you perchance a precious bird of the Giver of Life?
Perchance you have spoken with God?
As soon as you saw the dawn,
you began to sing.
Would that I exert myself, that my heart desire,
the flowers of the shield,
the flowers of the Giver of Life.

What can my heart do?
In vain we have come,
we have blossomed forth on earth.
Will I have to go alone
like the flowers that perish?
Will nothing remain of my name?
Nothing of my fame here on earth?
At least my flowers, at least my songs!
What can my heart do?
In vain we have come,
we have blossomed forth on earth.

Let us enjoy, O friends,
here we can embrace.
We stroll over the flowery earth.
No one here can do away
with the flowers and the songs,
they will endure in the house of the Giver of Life

Earth is the region of the fleeting moment.
Is it also thus in the Place
Where in Some Way One Lives?

Is one happy there?
Is there friendship?
Or is it only here on earth
we come to know our faces?

(as translated by Miguel Leon-Portilla)


With a little bit about Aztec poetry.