Tweets,

Susan and I took a New Years hike up the south flank of Rattlesnake Ridge
behind our home north of Wapato WA. Part way up, on a steep, south-facing
lithosol, she found a small patch of "salt and pepper" lomatium in bloom
(Lomatium gormanii).The first spring wildflower of 1998? On nearby slopes
not quite-so steep, there were no salt and pepper out. We reversed our
binoculars to get close-up views of these exquisite little blooms. What
will happen to them when more typical winter weather returns?

This is the earliest we've ever seen this very early flowering plant in
bloom; my previous earliest date was 18 January on the same slopes. El
Nino? The weather east of the Cascades so far this winter has been mostly
mild and unsettled with almost no snow, with only a few periods of the
typical somber low clouds and freezing fogs.

Birds were few: Red-tailed Hawk (1), Horned Lark (3) and Common Raven (1).

Now to catch some of the Rose Bowl.

Happy New Year to all.

Andy Stepniewski
Wapato WA