Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Here we go again--ABC Wednesday--A is for...

I start out this ABC round with A is for Avalanche Lily. These delicate blooms are the first to bloom in the meadows of Mt. Rainier, announcing that "Winter is over, everyone come hike and enjoy!"

They are followed by their yellow cousins the Glacier Lily. And soon enough both are gone, to be replaced by a colorful panorama of blooms. When camped at White River and hiking at Sunrise ten days ago I was able to identify over 40 varieties. The Avalanche Lilies were already gone then there, and the Glacier Lilies were in abundance.

But in Paradise this week, it was the turn of the Avalanche Lilies. The difference just across the mountain and 2000 feet lower in elevation makes the season later by about three weeks.


ABC Wednesday starts its fifth season. I did not go back and look to see if I used Avalanche Lilies when I first participated in round two, two years ago, with a theme of Mt. Rainier's flowers and sights. I may have, but I don't think I could have had better photos than the ones we got this week while camping and hiking with wonderful bloggy friends.
Visit the ABC Wednesday blog to see who else is participating and what wonders they have come up with for the letter A. And thank Denise for bearing with us in sponsoring the meme for so long.

7 comments:

Janie said...

Beautiful photos! I've seen glacier lilies around here, but the avalanche lily is new to me.

Joy said...

How lucky you were to see, and capture these beautiful flowers in your photos.

Richard Lawry said...

lovely photos. My wife just bout a ticket yesterday to go visit her sister who lives near Enumclaw at the foot of Mt. Ranier

An Arkies Musings

Jay said...

Oh, aren't those lilies gorgeous!! Especially en masse like that! I'd love to see them one day.

Mary said...

These are beautiful! I've never seen this lily, but would love to.

Rune Eide said...

The names of these flowers tells a lot. Very fitting for the area as far as I can see, and you have shown them off very well.

Regina said...

Gorgeous lilies.