Monday, May 12, 2014

Wildflower Memories of Grindstone CG in May and the Oregon Coastal Highlands

For many years my birthday weekend was spent at Grindstone CG below Whitetop Mt. VA to enjoy the wildflower walks there.  So it was really fun to find that on the same days in Oregon on Forest Service Rd. 58 and along Big Creek Rd. many of the same flowers were waiting to greet us.  Both these roads had been calling to us last year on the many times we passed them between Florence and Yachats.  We hadn't found the time to head off into the dark unknown.  My birthday seemed like a good day to do some exploring.   We were first amazed by the awesomeness of the huge trees along the creek  and the tall, tall, Douglas Firs and Western Cedars on the high roads.


As we followed Big Creek down the mountain after over an hour on the ridge tops above, we began to see more and more wildflowers.  Bright yellow buttercups and white spring beauties started the show and soon soft pink Bleeding Hearts appeared- a little lighter in color than the VA ones.  It wasn't long until we knew we in Oregon for sure as orange Columbine and purple-pink Foxglove stole the scene.  It was wonderful to discover the back road forest beauty we never knew was all around us.  Another gift from venturing beyond the familiar.


Click on the Picture to find the little bleeding hearts on the bank above me.