Woodland Star

Small-flowered Woodland Star ~ Lithophragma parviflorum

(This could also be Lithophragma glabrum. I find it impossible to positively tell them apart.)

Another early arrival – Whitlow Grass

This is one of the very small wildflowers in these parts, at about 1/8” across, but very common (widely distributed across North America) and very early to bloom..

Spring Whitlow Grass ~ Draba verna

Spring photo practice

Spring is just beginning here and I’m using the time to get in a little practice to assure the photos I take later on the remote trails will be of decent quality. The macro lens that I use inherently has an extremely shallow depth of field, so practice controlling it will pay off later.

Aperture at f/32

Aperture at f/3.5

Beginning again

The Buttercups that began to bloom just one month ago met sub-zero temperatures and heavy snowfall the very next day. Yesterday they began to bloom again.

Sagebrush buttercup ~ ranunculus glaberrimus

Mission Mountains

The Mission Mountains photographed from along the lower Flathead River.

Flathead River on March 7

Quite a difference from only two weeks ago when ice chunks were piled up across the surface of the river from bank to bank, and quite different from this morning when clouds are sweeping in from the southwest bringing a rain/snow mix again.