Looking for Wildflowers . . .

. . . finding clouds.

Friend Sherrie recently asked me if I'd gotten in any hikes yet, and until today, the answer was no. Some excuses more lame than others but I tend to be a Goldilocks about many things, conditions needing to be just right. However, I knew I'd have to get moving if I were to catch the wildflowers blooming along the Pend d'Oreille Bay Trail. I knew they were out there because people have been posting photos on the trail's Facebook page. And with a heat wave expected in a day or two, Goldilocks had to get moving before things got too hot.

But as I drove to the trail head, I spotted some unusual clouds (top photo). I know these have a name but I don't know what it is. As I headed down the trail in the opposite direction, more cloud formations filled the sky.

It was a beautiful time to be along the lake, gazing out across it and up into the sky.

I spotted wildflowers too, although my photos of them are not very good. For a beautiful closeup of this tiger lily, see this post on Vancouver Hiking Trails at the All About Moose Blog.

I'd seen this flower on the Facebook page and thought it looked so odd (hopefully you can see it in all its glory here). It was identified as a Lady Slipper, although it didn't look the way I remembered ones that my mother pointed out on our forest walks. A quick google showed that there are many variations and this is one of them. I think it is starting to fade and I caught it just in time.

Then there were patches of wild clover and daisies, so familiar from my childhood.

I'm pretty sure these are wild strawberries - sorry that the photo isn't sharper. As for the ones below, don't know their names but they are small and delicate and colorful. When walking along the lake, it's always a good idea to look on all sides of the path . . . and up at the sky as well!