Kayaking To The North End

Looking back I find it hard to believe I only kayaked once this summer. Granted, I prefer my own two feet, but I must admit there is something almost magical about an early morning kayak. So. . .I really cannot give a valid reason for my lack. I just didn't kayak. In fact, this seems even more odd as I puruse the pictures of the one paddle I did take - and enjoy!

It really is hard to beat a kayak excursion on Elk Lake in July. The flora and fauna (especially the young) are at their peak. And, while every trip does not reveal every species, every trip does include delights. My one trip this summer was no exception.

The day belonged to the birds. Yellow-Headed Black Birds and waterfowl predominated. Water lilies and other plants created the perfect backdrop - sometimes a very colorful one. Yet the sounds are a large part of the drama when one journeys to the lake's north end.

The birds which nest in and around this marshy area make quite a racket. Sometimes it can seem positively deafening. As I am not an expert on bird calls, I can only guess the Black Birds (particularly the Yellow-Headed Blackbirds which seem to predominate the area) dominate the air waves.

I began my trip as the pre-dawn light began to change to something more substantial. The row down was a quiet affair, just the gentle splash of the water against my craft's hull as I rowed. I must admit I was a little surprised I did not catch a doe and fawns or some other four-footed beast roaming the shoreline. Also, unlike other trips, I did not see any otters. Even with no wildlife to entertain me, the quickly lightening skies, the sunlight sliding down the hillsides, and the early-morning colors on the mountains provided ample eye-candy.

As I neared the north end, the morning seemed to come to life. Not only did the sun's rays reach the water - making it dance and sway - I found myself in the nursery. The waterfowl nursery, that is. Several families could been seen swimming in the sun-dappled waters. While most were too far away for me to capture on film, a Red-Neck Grebe pair with their three babies were in the vicinity. As I result, I was able to capture this photo of parent and babe.

The lake's north end is shallow, a perfect depth for the large patches of reeds and the brilliantly colored Water Lilies which predominate the area. The water lilies, at the least, provide splashes of color (although I suspect they serve a larger purpose). The reeds, on the other hand, although quite unremarkable, provide cover and nesting grounds for a variety of birds.

The bird on display today was the Yellow-Headed Blackbird. Blackbirds are not uncommon in the Centennial. I see Red-winged Blackbirds frequently along Elk Lake Road. However, the only place I can be assured of spotting a Yellow-Headed Blackbird (within my normal range of travel) is at Elk Lake's north end.

Red-Winged Blackbirds are just another black bird - until you catch the splash of brilliant red on their wings. Yellow-Headed Blackbirds, on the other hand, can never disguise themselves as just another bird. The male's brilliant yellow head and breast are anything but subtle. Not even the gloriously yellow water lily can outshine this bird.

Even the female Yellow-Headed Blackbird has distinct - and brilliant when compared to most female birds - colors. When I first spotted this little lady, I wondered if 'she' was a girl or an immature of the species.

Remember this excursion occured in July. In my mind, July is when the babies leave the nest. Of course I have lived in the Centennial long enough to have disproved that assumption. Still I had seen waterfowl with young who appeared partially grown. Thus I was not sure how far along the blackbirds were in their baby-raising. However, if you look closely at the second photo, you will see this is definitely a female as her beak is full of insects - obviously the next meal for some lucky youngster!

However, these birds - particularly that beautiful male - are not as nice as they are beautiful (isn't that too often true). Not only does the larger Yellow-Headed Blackbird dominate the prime breading grounds, driving the Red-Winged Blackbirds and Marsh Wrens from the area, but if he's lucky, he manages to attract several females to 'his' breeding grounds. Once the babies, arive, however, he only helps the first female care for their young. The other females are on their own. Perhaps that is why I managed to catch this particular female hard at work.

Leaving the birds I headed up into the lake's most northern reaches - more a marsh with just enough water to float a kayak than lake. My time was running out so I just took time to snap a shot of some interesting tiny flowers. These flowers (which have distinct white petals and a brilliant yellow center) are smaller than a dime. They grow in shallow water (no dry ground in sight). I have not identified them as yet - so if you know what they are, pass along the information, and I'll update the blog to include their name.

The sun was coming on strong, and it was time for me to get to work. However, as I came around the last bunch of reeds prepared to re-enter the open water, I came across another Red-Neck Grebe family. This time I managed to capture a picture of both parents and two young.

From here on it was a steady paddle against a moderate breeze (not enough to constitute a head wind - just enough to keep me from taking more than a few seconds breather) back down the lake. Along the way I saw a few Spotted Sandpipers skirting the shore and a Red-Headed Merganser with her young on her back. Due to the choppy water, I could not get a decent shot - a near impossibility if you AND your subject are moving! Yet, because this was such a rare sight I took a few pictures anyway. This is as 'cleaned up' as it gets:

Thus I came to the close of yet another morning in my corner of paradise!

Lady of the Lake

Centennial Sand Dunes

I know! It's about time! Where have I been? What have I been doing? Well -
- - contrary to my 'typical' plans, the end of the season has kept me hopping.
I always hope for a slow down to catch my breath and catch up. Alas, not this
year. However, I have a TON to share, so I hope to get these posts back on
track and keep them coming at you!

This week I am focusing on something any Centennial Valley visitor can see but few will bother to take the time. Sad! Of course, I cannot say much as I did not go hunting for these treasures until my seventh summer.

Treasures they are. These plants are small and unobstrusive and take a bit of effort to find. But, if you enjoy plants or unusual things or just a treasure hunt, you really should look them up on your next visit (particularly if you visit in late June through late July). Perhaps, however, the main reason you should take time to find these plants is they really are very rare as you will see.

The Centennial Sand Dunes are not obvious sand dunes. I do not know about you, but when I think of 'sand dunes', I think of sand. Lots of sand. Hills of sand. Sand blowing in the wind. Sand hills moving and shifting and never stable. The Centennial Sand Dunes do not really resemble this picture. In fact, except for a sandy road - a sign - and, for the close observer, a few patches of exposed sand, the Centennial Sandhills not only look little like sand dunes - the really look quite unremarkable. That is until you take a closer look.

To reach the sand dunes, one must travel the road less traveled - the north road. Several miles from where it "T's" into Elk Lake Road, the Northside Road is quite sandy. However, the hills which start just a mile or so west of Elk Lake Road, look like every other hill in the area - sage covered and, well, normal. Yet, about 9 miles west of the junction with Elk Lake Road, a little road - much like the other little roads in the area - heads off to the north.

One of the things which made this road 'the road to choose' is it travels along the edge of last year's burn. The burned land was acquired by The Nature Conservancy as part of their purchase of the 7L Ranch from the Staudenmeyer family. Because of their desire to improve growing conditions for some unique and rare species found only in the Centennial Sandhills, they chose to retain several hundred acres of the sandhills. Because studies have shown these plants do best in areas which experience regular disruptions (such as a burn every 20 to 30 years), the TNC burned their section of the sandhills (which, by the way, is only a small portion of the total dunes).

As I turned onto this side road - I noticed a distinct difference between the left and the right side of the road.

The left side of the road shows the sandhills post-burn. As you can see, the ground cover appears to be mostly sparse grass and lush lupine. While the lupine is not certainly not a 'threatened' species, it certainly is a beautiful one. Perhaps that is why the comparison to the other side appeared so stark.

The right side of the burn looks just like any other hillside in the Centennial Valley. Now, don't get me wrong, sagebrush is beautiful. In fact, I love the high desert - and sagebrush is a major part of a high desert landscape. But. . .when compared to the post-burn side, this pre-burn side looks inundated with sage. And, perhaps that best explains the fire's purpose - to clear out the heavy overgrowth and expose the ground (thus the sand) to the wind and weather - two necessary forces in the creation of 'blow outs' - areas of exposed sand so crucial to these rare and endangered species.

As I said, the sandhills are really quite unremarkable. However, considering these photos were taken in late July - they were incredibly green and had a beauty all there own. Yet, at this point, they just do not look like 'sand dunes' to me. Furthermore, I see nothing rare or unique about the plant life. However, the treasures were waiting, just up the road and around a few bends.

The flora and fauna which call these sandy hills home is quite diverese. In this photo, alone, one can observe at least 6 or 7 different species of plants - and, if you look close, you can see one of the rare species thriving among the more common plants.

The plants seen in the two photos above as well as the photo and the beginning of this post are called "Painted Milk Vetch". The tiny, delicate seed pods on the milk vetch look like a hand-painted work of art. Each one is unique. Each one is brilliantly colored masterpiece.

Each one is no bigger than the end of my eight-year-olds index finger. Yet, this little plant is considered a species of special concern. Why? Because it only occurs in the Centennial Valley Sand Dunes!

While the plant does produce a small, pea-like flower, it is the seed pod which, as you can see, is so unique. Growing on a slender, hairy stem, which reach no more than about 6 1/2 inches long, these seed pods seem to nearly float in mid-air. However, because they are so small, one has to be looking for them. Furthermore, because they prefer areas where the sand has experienced disturbance - from fire, pocket gophers, and ungulate grazing - they are not visible just anywhere. Yet, if one is willing to take the time, they are there, and they are worth the effort.

Another species of special concern which is also limited to the Centennial Sandhills is the Pale Evening Primrose. While I did not find this unique plant (thus the photo is not mine), a friend brought back some lovely pictures of these beautiful flowers growing in the same area as the Painted Milk Vetch.

These plants also rely upon sand dune disturbances for optimum growing conditions. Unlike the Painted Milk Vetch, these flowers cluster and thus appear much more substantial when seen in their natural environment. However, appearances are not everything - and these plants, too, are a rare treat to see.

As beautiful and unque as they are, Pale Evening Primrose and the Painted Milk Vetch are not the only beautiful plants growing in the Centennial Valley Sandhills. In fact, it amazed me to find a plant growing in the sandhills which, while not uncommon, I had never encountered on any of my many treks in the hills and valley around Elk Lake. However, a few minutes spent in their company made me extremely glad they were not too wide-spread.

The Brittle Prickly-Pear Cactus flowers are gorgeous, but the thorns are wicked! Low growing, these spiny plants appear in clumps all over the sand dunes. Not content to merely poke you with their thorns, the cactus 'balls' seem to jump out and attach themselves to one's pants, shoes and even skin! And, as we learned during our search for Painted Milk Vetch and Pale Evening Primrose, these things are EVERYWHERE! The sand dunes are littered with them.

Yet their flowers are as beautiful as their thorns are wicked. Deep golden yellow, each boasted a green five part nodule in its very center. The flower petals were waxy and the stamine more fuzzy. This cactus is one of the most northern-growing species. It prefers areas dominated by big sagebrush, and it is very drought tolerant. At the time of our visit, it was also very busy showing forth its beauty to any who would pause long enough to enjoy it. So, pause we did!

Still, these were not the only plant species on display that day.

I found this small yellow flower growing in the shade of some larger plants. While I cannot identify it with certainty (I should have taken more time to photograph it more carefully), I believe it is either a type of Arnica or Hawks Weed. However, I am open for suggestions. Other flowers, however, were more common and easier to identify. What surprised me, however, were the color variations I noted.

As we have seen, the lupine were abundant in the burned areas. However, they were to be found in other areas as well. While always beautiful, there was nothing different or unique about the lupine I found in the sand hills that day.

Not so with this showy yellow flower. These flowers are not uncommon. I recognized them on sight. I see them on my hikes on a regular basis. What, however, was unique was their color. All the Cushion Buckwheat which I had seen previously were white with, at the most, a hint of yellow. These guys weren't into anything that subtle. Their yellow is vivid. Nothing pale about them. It makes me wonder if the soil content or the growing conditions or something else contribute to the difference in color.

Here is a plant I've seen before (although, to date, I had never formally identified it), but, again, never this color. Typically this plant bears white flowers which, at the most, hint toward a pale pink. Not in the sandhills. Here all the Dusty Maiden I found bore a strong tendency toward a true pink.

Another 'common' plant blooming an 'uncommon' color were these Meadow Asters. Not only were they not blooming in a meadow, like the others above, they are the wrong color. While my wildflower book does say they can come in shades of lavendar, the photo in the book shows them as white. Obviously the flowers growing in the sandhills are not white. They are not even shades of lavendar. These are a striking, deep purple. Quite beautiful!

One more 'common' flower - in fact, this one grows in my yard at Elk Lake - which I found to have uncommonly brilliant colors growing in the sand dunes was the Wild Blue Flax. Again, this is a plant I see regularly. However, the depth of color displayed by the blossoms I beheld in the Centennial Sandhills surpassed anything I'd seen elsewhere.

Thus I learned, once again, there is a LOT MORE to the Centennial Valley than one might expect. Even after 7 summers exploring its nooks and crannies, every once in awhile I am reminded I have really only scratched the surface. Thus I am so glad I remain the

Lady of the Lake

Huckleberries (2)!

To all my loyal readers: Sorry for the delay. I've been busy - working (of course), but also enjoying a GRAND adventure which I will share in a later post. In the mean time, as promised, I am sharing the second installment of our huckleberry advenuture. Next time we will return to outdoor adventures of a more 'normal' kind as I have much to share just lack the time to get it into 'publishable' form.

In the continuing Huckleberry Saga, I thought I'd share my second huckleberry picking experience - you'll see there is a good reason - as well as get a glimpse at the 'fruits' of our labors.

I must admit, this year's abundant huckleberry crop coupled with the absolutely wonderful patch we found on our first outing went to my head. No, I wasn't seeing dollar signs (in fact, I doubt I'd ever 'sell' huckleberries since I have a hard time parting with the little gems). I wasn't even seeing a freezer full of berries. However, I was thinking about how much we'd enjoy those tasty treats this fall and winter (and spring, if they last that long) and wondering if it was possible to speed the picking process.

I may live in the middle of nowhere, but as my husband will attest, I am quite adept at using the Internet! Thus, my search for better ideas soon turned up a promising tool - a Huckleberry Rake.

The advertisements claimed an experienced picker (interpret that an 'experienced Huckleberry Rake picker' can pick double the amount of berries picked when compared to hand-picking). The sticker on the side of the rake claims you can pick 'pick longer with less hand stress'. Having used the product, I really cannot really speak to the truth of either statement.

First, I'm quick to admit I'm no experienced Huckleberry Rake picker. I suspect, in all fairness, it will take more than 2 1/2 hours use to claim 'experienced' status. Second, I have never experienced hand stress when picking berries. Back stress - sure, I'll admit to that. 'Not enough in my bucket stress' - always! But hand stress is something I have never experienced. So. . .I can't speak to that claim either.

However, at this point I can speak to what it is like to use a huckleberry rake versus hand picking. Like any berry picking trip, the first job (the most important job) is to find the berries. While I cannot complain about the berry patches I found on this second excursion, in all fairness I must admit they were not as abundant as those we enjoyed during our hand-picking trip. Yet, as you can see, the bushes were still nicely covered.

This bush is in 'pre-rake' condition.

This bush is in 'post-rake' condition. By the end of my picking excursion it took me less than 5 seconds to strip a bush like this.

It doesn't take much training to learn how to pick huckleberries. My kids and dogs have always learned the technique in no time. In fact, I've found the hardest thing to train is by-passing the mouth to put the berries into the bucket! However, a huckleberry rake definitely comes with a learning curve.

First off, one has to learn it takes TWO hands to use the rake. One hand (for me, the right) runs the rake. And, as you can see, it rarely ever touches the fruit.

The other hand (for me, the left) is going to get dirty! After all, without this hand, I doubt I would have gotten any berries into the bucket.

In fact, the hardest part of learning to use the rake is figuring out the proper hand and wrist action to capture the berries without either flipping them onto the ground (my initial problem) or filling the rake with leaves (my other problem).

As you can see, my first attempts produed a LOT of leaves and green berries and bruised berries and - well, everything I try to avoid when I pick.

However, by the end, I was finally figuring out how to get more berries than leaves in less time.

Final analysis: I picked about the same amount of berries 'per hour' with the rake as I did by hand. However, if you take into account a realistic learning curve AND the super-abundant berry patch we'd picked the first time out, I believe the huckleberry rake will be a tool I will return to year after year. There are only two down sides: One - you are moving from bush to bush so quickly you cannot sit down. Thus my back ended up more sore from using the rake than from picking by hand. Two - while picking time may end up greatly reduced, cleaning time is increased (at this point, perhaps proportionately). Nonetheless, I would recommend this item to any fellow huckleberry lover out there.

However, the goal in picking any fruit is the end result - something wonderful and delicious to eat and share with others. Thus once the berries are clean and in the freezer, the real 'work' begins: preparing and preserving the fruits of our labors.

One of the most enjoyable things about making huckleberry jam is the fruit is as beautiful as it is fragrant.

As you can see, the end results are varied - Huckleberry Jam (Syrup on the way, too), Chokecherry Jelly, Chokecherry Syrup, Strawberry Jam (no, I did NOT go picking those little tiny wild berries although, if I had, I would have ended up using a LOT less sugar), and Raspberry Jam (the wild raspberries were abundant this year!). Obviously we will be enjoying this summer's fruits when our world is covered with white and all the plants lie dormant. Now, that is one advantage I hadn't taken into account when I became

Lady of the Lake

Huckleberries!

In many ways my seventh summer in the Centennial has been a summer of firsts. I have been blessed to catch my first glimpse of some different wildlife species - primarily birds - some even considered rare or unusual to the area. I have enjoyed ‘first’ hikes on trails I've never before traveled. And, I have enjoyed harvesting and preserving some of our local ‘wild’ bounty.

A couple of years ago an employee and I harvested a boatload of chokecherries. These small, tart cherries grow in abundance near Elk Lake. Some years they produce a remarkable harvest. Two years ago the trees were loaded. We gathered in as many as we could pick in the time available.

But, that was as far as we progressed. We never did process those berries. Yet I kept promising myself 'one day'. Two years later, the day arrived. With the help of yet another employee, I have been turning our two-year-old chokecherry harvest into jelly and syrup. Yum!

However, I must admit, chokecherries are not my favorite wild fruit. In fact, while I have no doubt this syrup and jelly will be consumed over the next few months, I also suspect it will not be the most relished fruit we will preserve this year.

That honor belongs to a smaller, less obvious berry: the huckleberry. Prior to moving to Montana, I enjoyed a late summer huckleberry picking tradition. A couple of good friends and I would plan the day, pack our lunches, load up the kids, dogs and picking buckets, and head for the hills. We always had a grand time, returning with stained hands (and stained-faced kids), sore backs, and as many huckleberries as we could get into our buckets that day.

Since moving to the Centennial, I have heard rumors of huckleberries, but never managed to find any. Until this year! I suspect the regular moisture we have enjoyed this summer has produced a somewhat spectacular crop. I base this not only on the abundant huckleberries but the overloaded wild raspberries, fruit studded gooseberries, heavy-branched soapberries, and weighed down thimbleberries I have encountered on recent hikes.

Finding these huckleberries occurred quite by accident. However, I believe pure Providence led us to the most fantastic huckleberry picking I have ever enjoyed. In fact, in less than 5 hours, a friend and I picked about 1 3/4 gallons of huckleberries in an area which measured less than 50' x 50'.

By huckleberry standards, these berries were abundant. Many times I picked two berries at a time. Lots of times three at a time. A few times four at a time! In other words, these were berries were growing close enough together on the stem I could grab several at a time with the fingers of one hand. Not only that, these berries were large. A typical huckleberry is about 3/4 mm in diameter. These huckleberries average about 1 1/4 mm in diameter. Now that may not sound like much of a difference, but when you are picking berries that small, it makes a huge difference in the end. Take a look.

Our adventure began with a mid-morning hike. The crew was fresh and full of the spirit of adventure.

It didn't take long to reach the berry patch - and we were eager to get started!

From picking to cleaning to preserving, we determined to complete the entire process. And, since food is a key element at Elk Lake, it seemed only appropriate to serve Chocolate-Huckleberry Mousse and Pork Tenderloin with Huckleberry Sauce and Huckleberry Sundaes! What a special treat!!

From the bush

To the bucket

Equals stained hands

And stained seats

But also - full buckets!

And, tired, but proud pickers!

Back down the mountain we packed our precious cargo.

Then its wash 'em up

And freeze 'em up!

All of that just so we can eat 'em up!!!

Of course, we didn't just eat them on ice cream - especially since this kid doesn't do well with dairy! Thus, next time I'll share a bit more about this summer's most 'tasty' adventure!

Lady of the Lake