On Friday afternoon, we headed out to Fire Road 15 to see what was happening outside.
After a mild winter's sleep, the woods were waking.
We were, to the day, exactly two months earlier than our walk here last year. Things are only beginning to green, and the greens are still wintry -- desaturated, grayish, and cool.
But it's happening. It's definitely happening.
Or, at least, you can sense that it wants to happen.
It wants to happen.
In a couple of months, this meadow will be filled with wild daffodils and dandelions.
Trillium and yellow violets will cover the floor here. We'll be back.
I said to Andy that it reminded me of a stage set for a ballet that takes place in the forest, how they paint those layers of screens to make the fake forest look all distant and hazy and you say, "Man, that looks so real." And then you realize when you are in the forest that the stage sets look real because that's exactly how it is in the forest, and it's the forest that doesn't look "real," somehow. It's the forest that looks like the painting of the forest. Or something like that.
When you come out of the woods for a moment, you are on a hill overlooking the river. On the right is flat-topped Mt. St. Helens.
The small valley along whose edge we walk is studded by gigantic towers and huge strands of electric power lines.
It's hard to get a sense of how deep and wide it is from this photo.
But it gives you a strange sense of vertigo.
Big, little.
Wow. You know?
Tiny square-dancing skirts for forest frolics.
[Muffled footsteps, sparrow sounds, the smell of mud.]
So sorry about the power lines... Beautiful, beautiful woods!
ok, you've inspired me. I take my dog up to the mountains every weekend, or somewhere and we have our own little version of that. slowly turning green, and don't those fungus skirts remind you of Kaffe Fassett fabric? he's got one of wood burls and one of lichen. which to me, is the prettiest thing ever. one Christmas eve day we gathered some lichen for Santa's reindeer. I just love that color
Oh gosh! Such beautiful photos of spring. We still have 50cm (20 inches!!) of snow. I'm waiting for spring with a foreboding of wading ankle-deep in slush...
Things.Are.Green.Where.You.Live! And I'm so jealous. We're still covered in "snirt" (snow+dirt) here in Minnesota and I want green so bad I can hardly stand it. What a gorgeous walk you took. And what a sweet post from yesterday. If you could clone those two, you'd create a perfect world.
I am so glad I will be heading home to portland this weekend. This post makes me miss my new home so much...
Your last few pictures and final line invoke memories from my childhood. My Dad was an Oregon logger and I spent lots of time in the woods, exploring, discovering conks of all sizes and playing in the mud.
You are lucky for your early spring. I am jealous. Today is 60 degrees in Buffalo, so I feel a little better. We still have a long way to go! Isn't spring wonderful?
Tiny square dancing skirts -- absolutely perfect! I'll have to check around here to see if I can find any doing the Virginia Reel....
Loving your oyster-shaped mushrooms!
i just stumbled upon your blog, and i love this series of photographs. i grew up across the street from an entrance to forest park, and the "fire lane" is where we took frequent walks when i was a kid. i recognize some of the spots in these photos, and it's beautiful. thank you!