My elderly friend Billie has a master degree in biology. She loves Oregon Blue Anemones. For years, I have taken Billie up to Ski Hill in Leavenworth to find anemone flowers. We found a few there in the past.

"At Camas Meadows, I saw thousands of anemones!" my hiking partner Karen texted last week. Where? "By the road."

Worried anemones would be dried up, Billie and I headed to nearby Camas Meadows today. The meadow was surprisingly dry in the heat. No anemone flowers.

"We need to gain elevation," I told Billie. "Let's take this road that parallels Camas Meadows," I suggested. "I believe it goes uphill. That's the direction we go to climb ridges."

Viola! Hundreds of Oregon Blue Anemones blooming in filtered shade. It was beautiful.

Now we know where to go. We were thrilled.

I wore sandals (can't get a shoe or boot on). Tried scrambling up a steep hill like I usually do. Feet slid sideways in the sandals. Owie! Will get a second x-ray on Wednesday, 5/8.

Photos:

1. Camas Meadows from a higher ridge, WA. May 2017.

2. Oregon Blue Anemones.

3. Dwarf Hesperochiron, a whopper of a name for such a tiny fella.

4. Wenatchee Mountains

5. Tall Mountain Bluebells