It's interesting watching local life respond to current conditions. Thirteen years ago after a very wet previous year, meadows bloomed twice. The first blooming event was in early spring. The second in August. Both times carpets of flowers graced high meadows with abundant color and fragrance.
A dry spring and early summer this year convinced plants to delay prolific blossom production, allowing last autumn's golden grasses to dominate meadow coloration.
Slow, steady monsoon rains every evening and into the nights this past week have throughly soaked the land, prompting green grass to sprout and stunted blooming plants to suddenly increase growth rates, raising possibility for a decent August blooming event this year.
Walking quietly through still-dripping high forest yesterday led to an encounter with a herd of elk cows and calves also responding to the new moisture, moving uphill to more remote meadows where grasses are growing fast. They took note of me as they passed but did not bolt, possibly already aware I live here too and prefer not to be pose any threat to them.
Sunrise this chilly morning reflects off of the still-moist roof of the house all gold and red, promising more rain later today after a dose of sunlight to warm the land and energize photosynthesis processes churning away in encompassing plant life. Bring on the blossoms!
