Sunday, May 22, 2022

Sunny Days

 


Along the path where I often walk, native Camas Lilies (camas quamash) bloom in clouds of blue. Morning shadows lie long across the brown trail. For the past couple of weeks I've been out walking in the morning, trying to catch the best weather. It feels good to get my first 5000 steps in before 8:30.

The lily bulbs were a staple in the First Nations Peoples' diet. Pit roasting the bulbs results in a soft, buttery, nutlike flavour that is highly prized. The bulbs are eaten freshly roasted, or dried and pounded into flour. 


Harvest time only occurs when the blue flower is visible, for another similar bulb, with white flowers, is known as the Death Camas. I have a small patch of Camas Lilies in my garden, but they are not yet in bloom, and I do not plan to eat them!


On Thursday morning, I came to a rather abrupt halt when faced with a massive tangle of a downed Garry Oak tree. A fierce windstorm the night before uprooted the tree and tossed it like a matchstick across the trail. I debated turning back, but instead clambered over the branches and thick trunk, and continued on my way pondering the power of the wind.  


It's a long weekend here, and extra long for me. Friday was a Pro-D day at school, but I'm exempt, so I spent the day in the garden. The sun shone and the birds sang as I planted and weeded and watered. I was so happy to see several types of bees among the flowers. Tomorrow, Monday, I plan to spend more time out there, tidying my potting bench and the patio. There's no hurry to pull out the patio furniture, however, as clouds, rain, and cool temperatures are forecast for the rest of the week. 

21 comments:

  1. You are busy early in the Morning. My activities are Tautreten ... I don't know the english word = it's walking in the fresh, wet Gras. And each day collecting snails from the blooms away.

    Interesting Information about the bulbs.

    Happy MosaicMonday

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  2. Those blue lilies are beautiful and fascinating that you can eat the bulbs. I will have to look them up. Enjoy the rest of your long weekend. We have ours next weekend. B x

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  3. I too have blue Camassia growing in the garden, but sadly they are now over for this year. I recall seeing white one growing in abundance along the cliff tops in Cyprus with a backdrop of a wonderful azure sea.

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  4. What a lovely place to walk! Enjoy your week.

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  5. I think that is the same as my Camassia plants? I put the bulbs in some years ago and they have extended themselves nicely. they are just over now, having produced a lovley small sea of blue.

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  6. I am so impressed with 5000 steps before 8:30. I hope you continue to enjoy your long weekend, accomplishing much in the garden at a restful pace.

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  7. Enjoy another day in the garden. Great photos!

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  8. Cooler weather here in Vermont today as well. Gardening time!

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  9. I did not know about these plants we don’t have them here.
    I like your walk it is a nice place.
    I am looking after our garden especially roses and strawberries!

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  10. I know you're enjoying the last of your long-weekend! The bleeding heart in the last photo is so lovely; among the (many) old-favorite blossoms I miss by spending Spring here in the subtropics of Florida. Thank you for the shares and the memories.

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  11. Not familiar with the Camas Lilies but enjoyed hearing how important they were in days long ago.
    You seem to be having severe weather now and then, do you, like me, get really nervous when the winds are so high and the trees move much more than we like? Hurricane season has already started here altho there haven't been any yet - later I'll be a 'nervous Nelly' when the forecast is full of gloom.
    Those double fuchsia are gorgeous Lorrie - we grew them everywhere in our garden in England when I was a child - my mum had a green thumb!
    They don't do really well here due to the heat and humidity I think.
    Enjoy the garden chores - too hot here to stay outside for long working - high 90's over this past weekend.
    I'm gradually feeling better - food poisoning is really horrific!!!
    Please don't eat the lily bulbs, just in case!!!!
    Hugs, Mary

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  12. Thank you for sharing these beautiful flowers. I didn't know you can eat lily bulbs.

    And just like that, another long weekend draws to an end...

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  13. The sunny days were a wonderful break in the cloudy showery weather. Your fuchsia is stunning. Camas Lilies are pretty. I don't know if they grow here or not. I can't remember ever seeing any in bloom.

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  14. The flowers are so pretty. I dislike wind and it seems that we all have so much of it.

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  15. You captured some sunshine and some beautiful photos. We hear we'll get a warm Thursday, warmest this week but then they are talking rain for our Memorial Monday. It's raining as I type. Happy Victoria Day to you!

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  16. The camas lilies are quite an interesting flower. Have you roasted them or do you just enjoy their beauty? Your weather sounds a bit like ours: cold, windy, but not a wet as we need. And to think that it is nearly June.

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  17. The flowers are so pretty, Lorrie. I remember my mom speaking of Camas Lilies. She most likely discovered them in our mountains. It is truly amazing what wind can do. The way it tossed the tree about almost sounds like a tornado. Enjoy these remaining spring days, they are moving too fast to suit me.

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  18. Yet another lovely post... Words pictures and photos. Thank you.

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  19. Talking about edible flowers and bulbs reminds me of a the show we’ve been watching, called Alone. It’s about survival skills and always interesting to see what they find to eat. Not so interesting when they get super desperate! Funny, me who likes to use flour, was wondering how I could bake something on a fire in the wild. 🤣

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  20. Having 5000 steps before 8:30 sounds like a satisfying way to begin your day. Very impressive.
    Interesting about the lily bulbs. The way you describe them almost makes me want to sample them.
    Hope you enjoyed your long weekend.

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  21. Lorrie - I am familiar with both the Blue Camas and Death Camas. What surprised me greatly was seeing Blue Camas in a garden in the UK on our last trip! My neighbor the rancher works hard to eradicate Death Camas from their pastures lest the cattle eat it! Glad you are getting some garden time. I look forward to doing the same when we get home from our current vacation.

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