Water! (tree following in July)

We’re having a wet summer here in normally-sunny Wyoming.  Field botanists sit in soggy tents, waiting.  Fire lookouts sit in their towers reading book after book in fog, mist and rain.  Impassable dirt roads stay impassible as plants grow, bloom and go to seed, unobserved.  I come home to a yard that's a jungle and too wet to mow except that … 

This no longer applies.  I’m retired.  But I haven’t forgotten.

Those memories were vivid this morning.  I needed to check my tree, as the monthly gathering of tree-followers is upon us.  But it was raining again.  So I rounded up my anorak, inexpensive camera and field assistant, and headed out.

I hoped with all the rain there would be water in the dry canyon where my willow grows.

Willow Canyon is upstream from the notch on the right skyline.

Sure enough – in the normally dry wash about a quarter mile below Willow Canyon, a creek was flowing out toward the prairie (above).  Further upstream it ran over limestone outcrops. The drought-tolerant plants in the cracks had their feet in water.

Limber pine (Pinus flexilis) in shallow water – barely visible as slightly darker limestone.

Gumweed (Grindelia squarrosa) had its head just above water.  The creek must have been higher earlier … there's debris hanging off the flower head.

The field assistant was extra happy with the pools.

I reported the exciting news and soon additional recruits arrived.

We reached Willow Canyon – the creek was flowing there too.  Fortunately it wasn't raining, but I still had to wear my anorak because the mosquitos were so thick.

Willow is on the left – the slightly shorter tree against the cliff, between two junipers.

The willow grows where a side drainage meets the canyon, sending water down off the rim.  In fact, this side drainage was providing all the water for the creek below.  The main canyon upstream was dry.

There was even a sizable pool at the base of the willow.  Today this looks very much like willow habitat!

Willow nook a month ago.

Willow nook today.

The little waterfall was well hidden.  But I climbed around just east of the willow and recorded singing water falling from sky to pool.

North of the canyon we followed the creek downstream to the rim.

The creek runs over limestone pavement.

Getting close – bright green patch between two junipers upper left is top of willow.

Looking for kitties in the lush canopy (this is the American pussy willow, Salix discolor).

The creek at the canyon rim.  But it doesn't jump off here.

Instead, it runs into a crevice to become the waterfall below.

How nice that Nature provides such interesting things to ponder!

You should!  Read more about tree following here.