Although the rain continues to chase me from the forest (thanks to my concern over my equipment), I did find a few new species that were blooming in meadow #1 on Saturday. Rain has been with us every day. Luckily, it's not the 40 days and 40 nights variety, but comes in thunderstorms with an hour or two or three break between storms. I was able to get out into meadow #1 for a few minutes before the next storm started and I decided to head back.


One of the most ubiquitous flowers of the region is finally blooming. The Silver Lupine (Lupinus argenteus) is most probably the species found here, but it could be the Silky lupine (Lupinus sericeus). I'll continue to try to identify the exact one. In any case they add a beautiful purple to any landscape. Down below, along US20, they are mixing with the white Mule's Ear's to form a white and purple mat in large fields.


I also saw a couple Yellow Mule's Ear's blooming next to the hybrid yellow Mule's Ear's. On one of the yellow flowers was an interesting moth. On closer examination (at the computer), it appears that a Goldenrod Spider has caught two moths. The top moth seems upside down with another moth below it. The spider is apprantly holding the bottom one and most probably eating it. Nature's food chain in full swing here!



Another beautiful little plant is this groundsel, but I'm not sure which one it is. I suspect it's the balsam groundsel (Packera paupercula). It has long leaves at the base, with small teeth along the edge, but the ends are somewhat rounded, unlike the arrowleaf groundsel which has very sharp points on the leaves. It makes a lovely head of yellow flowers, each with 8 spaced petals.


I found this yellow flower that looks to me like Annual Hawksbeard (Crepis tectorum). Again, not sure. It's not fully developed yet, so I'll check back and see what it turns out to be later.



As the rain started, I turned around, short of my normal path through meadow #1 and as I was leaving noticed the Rosy Pussytoes (Antennaria microphylla) blooming. These look like a head of rose colored flowers that never unfold. This is a great little accent flower throughout parts of the forest.

Well, as usual, I beseech you to come and see for yourself at RedRock RV Park in Island Park, Idaho. We are next door to Yellowstone National Park and Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, not to mention Henry's Lake for you fishermen.