July 28, 2017
In the thick of things
What can be found in a thick tangle of brush like this? Well, there is water, and a few rays of sunlight filtering through the trees, and the green things of the wilderness will find and use both, and as you push your way through the foliage, interesting things appear.
Blue Elderberry ~ Sambuscus caerulea
Pathfinder
Clustered Thistle ~ Cirsium brevistylum
Great Mullein~ Verbascum thapsus
Devil’s Club ~ Oplopanax horridus
Enchanter’s Nightshade ~ Circaea alpina
Clustered Thistle
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Montana Outdoors 
Ah, devil’s club. How well I remember that from my younger years. You only had to make its acquaintance once …
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Comment by Sally — July 28, 2017 @ 11:27 pm
Yes, it lives up to its scientific name “Oplopanax horridus”! Several years ago I hiked on a trail in the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness called the “Devil’s Club ” trail. You can imagine what that was like!
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Comment by montucky — July 28, 2017 @ 11:34 pm
Glad it was you and not me! 🙂
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Comment by Sally — July 28, 2017 @ 11:35 pm
I think everyone ought to have the pleasure of meeting Devil’s Club. It would make them feel much more benevolent about thistles and cactus, among other things.
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Comment by montucky — July 28, 2017 @ 11:44 pm
And porcupines and slivers 🙂
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Comment by Sally — July 29, 2017 @ 7:52 am
Very beautiful images!
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Comment by Adela Teban — July 28, 2017 @ 11:47 pm
Thank you! I try my best to display reasonably good images of the many beautiful things that I encounter in my wanderings through the wild country of western Montana, USA.
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Comment by montucky — July 28, 2017 @ 11:55 pm
I love nature too and I have made some wildlife photos if you want to visit my blog you’ll see pictures from Romania, Europe. I have a beautiful country too. 🙂 I wish in the future to visit USA and I can’t wait to see America’s wildlife.
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Comment by Adela Teban — July 29, 2017 @ 1:15 am
I really like your blog, Adela and am now a subscriber. Your photos are gorgeous!
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Comment by montucky — July 29, 2017 @ 8:16 pm
Thank you very much!
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Comment by Adela Teban — July 29, 2017 @ 11:11 pm
Your photos are so beautiful they almost leave me breathless. I’m of an age where I can’t get out to see these things any more. I really appreciate blogs like yours that show me the things I miss so much. 🙂
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Comment by Pat — July 29, 2017 @ 4:54 am
I’m glad that you enjoy seeing the pictures Pat! I started taking pictures on my hikes and wanderings to show my wife what I saw because she couldn’t get out there herself, and then started posting them to the blog for others who might enjoy them as well. Thank you for the feedback!
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Comment by montucky — July 29, 2017 @ 7:51 am
Beautiful images and the large shot……….superb 🙂
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Comment by Vicki — July 29, 2017 @ 7:39 am
Thanks Vicki! That first photo was taken about a hundred feet above where that stream goes underground for a mile or so this time of year. An amazing place!
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Comment by montucky — July 29, 2017 @ 7:52 am
Beautiful photos. Whenever I see devil’s club, I think of going mushroom picking, losing my footing, grabbing for the nearest branch, and touching a devil’s club stalk. NOT something you want to hold onto for stability. Its thorns remind you to let go instantly.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — July 29, 2017 @ 8:23 am
They are about the last thing you would want to grab!
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Comment by montucky — July 29, 2017 @ 9:39 am
I found that out the hard way when there was nothing else around. Just a forest of these stalks.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — July 30, 2017 @ 1:11 pm
That is not a very good memory, is it!
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Comment by montucky — July 30, 2017 @ 7:02 pm
No it’s not, but one that’s hard to forget. Lesson learned!
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — July 31, 2017 @ 9:00 am
And of course, a pocket of cool. moist air — YUM!
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Comment by Anonymous — July 29, 2017 @ 9:00 am
And the water is ice cold too!
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Comment by montucky — July 29, 2017 @ 9:40 am
That’s my kind of place!
The devil’s club looks like a good one to stay away from. I’d hate to fall into it.
The pathfinder is an unusual plant that I haven’t ever heard of. It looks like it would float like a bladderwort.
I don’t recognize the unknown flower. It almost looks like a colored enchanter’s nightshade.
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Comment by New Hampshire Garden Solutions — July 29, 2017 @ 3:26 pm
Devil’s club is the nastiest plant that we have in Montana. Those thorns are brutal!
THe unknown flower will be difficult to ID because it is so small, Each blossom is less than 1/8 inch across.
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Comment by montucky — July 29, 2017 @ 8:07 pm
That last photo of the thistle is gorgeous. Did you notice that the blue elderberry looks like a heart? That tickled me. As for your mention of cold water and cool temperatures — well, let’s just say we broke 100 today, and no one’s completely pleased about it!
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Comment by shoreacres — July 29, 2017 @ 7:00 pm
It is supposed to be near 100 every day for the coming week. That’s very hot for here and no one is pleased either. There are now well over 20 fires burning in Montana and those fire fighters are seeing some really hot days on the fire lines! Been there, done that, didn’t enjoy it.
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Comment by montucky — July 29, 2017 @ 8:10 pm
What beautiful discoveries on your walks, montucky ! I love this little nook where the water, cool I imagine, is flowing slowly and the heart shaped white flower, elderberry. All your photos of plants and flowers are a pleasure to look at. Thank you.
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Comment by isathreadsoflife — July 30, 2017 @ 11:21 am
Thank you Isa! Our summer has been exceptionally hot this year, and that little stream is like an oasis in an otherwise hot and very dry forest.
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Comment by montucky — July 30, 2017 @ 7:08 pm
Nice pics! Saw some Devil’s Club today along the Pulaski Tunnel trail. Nasty stuff…
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Comment by naughtyhiker — July 30, 2017 @ 11:22 pm
It’s a toss-up between Devil’s Club and some of the southwestern cactus.
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Comment by montucky — July 31, 2017 @ 7:44 am
Great set of photos. Devil’s Club is incredible looking. Very scaring.
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Comment by Sartenada — August 1, 2017 @ 12:17 am
The Devil’s club is rather pretty with its huge leaves, but it’s not very friendly!
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Comment by montucky — August 1, 2017 @ 7:06 am
Super images thank you for sharing 🙂
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Comment by Julie@frogpondfarm — August 1, 2017 @ 1:23 am
Thanks Julie! There seems to be something interesting everywhere, but the flowers are just about at an end for this year.
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Comment by montucky — August 1, 2017 @ 7:07 am
Fun to find all those things when you’re actually looking.
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Comment by Candace — August 3, 2017 @ 9:58 pm
I never know what it will be, but there’s always something. Of course it helps when you are a member of the consortium for the easily amused.
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Comment by montucky — August 3, 2017 @ 10:16 pm