ABC Wednesday -- P

You can get the details of ABC Wednesday at Mrs. Nesbitt's.
She sponsors the meme and keeps track of all the participants.

Back to Mt. Rainier National Park for Pp. I just realized that I could post anything from the Park and it would be a P.

But instead I give you Spreading Phlox. This grows extensively in the high meadows from late June to the end of the season. A great ground cover that helps to keep the soil in place, the domestic version is called Creeping Phlox. Sometimes it appears to be pink or pale lavender, but always fades to white.

Cow Parsley also grows in the meadows in July and August. I have to look closely at it because it resembles both Sitka Valerian and Yarrow.
I used an August picture of Pasqueflower for A here because it is also called Anenome. Here is Pasqueflower in late June. Check the difference.
We camp with the grandkids every summer for a few days. Sometimes there are four, sometimes eight; I'm hoping that this summer there might be eleven or even twelve of them. In 2006 we camped at Ipsut Creek on the far northwest corner of the Park. On our hike to Carbon Glacier, we were resting on the trail and this fellow joined us. He is a Pika, and though you sometimes see them scurrying through the rocky places, it was definitely a treat to have him stop to pose for my camera.

At the end of my J post, I showed you the New visitor center at Paradise which will be completed this fall to replace the aging Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center. This National Park Volunteer got a chance to tour Inside new visitor center and shared some of his pictures and thoughts.

~

Nearby stands the Paradise Inn, which has been undergoing restoration work over the last two years.

This National Historic Building is a delightful place to stay. It is our choice for our anniversary--either to stay or to eat in the wonderful restaurant. (Since we couldn't celebrate our 40th there last August because of the construction, we had to appease ourselves with a cruise to Alaska.) It will reopen this month.

~

And so ends the tour of Mount Rainier National Park's Ps for today.