Cherry Springs

Yesterday afternoon, I wandered down the old Bannock Highway. I wanted to take a short hike, and had a vague idea that I might go back to West Mink Creek, but then I stopped at Cherry Springs instead. It's very gorgeous up there right now. Lots of pictures below the fold, but I'll put the picture of the moose above:


I wouldn't even have known there was a moose up there, except that just as I was heading back to my car, a group of teenage boys asked me if I'd seen it. I said no, and they told me that if I went down the path to the gazebo, I'd be able to see it. At first I couldn't, but finally it moved. Up until then, it had looked like a rock on the hillside. :^)





First up, there were a whole lot of wild violets in bloom. And it seems that what I thought might be wild ginger last summer was probably wild violet instead. *sighs*




Lots of trees and shrubs were starting to bloom. I have no idea what this one is, but it's sure pretty. Ones that I recognized were currants and chokecherries.




Here we have half a tree, laying down. The other half of the tree was just as large, and standing upright, but seemed to be dead.




And I'll close with a bunch of butterfly pictures. This one is another mourning cloak. There were quite a few of these.




This one is very tiny, maybe a one inch wingspan. I think it's a gossamer-winged butterfly, maybe a Boisduval's Blue or a Greenish-Blue. *shrugs*.




And I think this one is a California Tortoiseshell. I'm sure it's a tortoiseshell, and that one seems to be the best match. *shrugs*