Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Hiking not so hot, or even warm

We've had a cold snap the last day or two. I've covered up my tomato and basil plants in hopes that they will not freeze to death overnight. This could be called dogwood winter, except that the dogwoods have pretty much finished blooming, and it could definitely be called blackberry winter, since the blackberry vines are indeed blooming.

I made myself go out for a very brief hike after work. I'm afraid my new hiking boots really are a half size too small--just enough to be annoying, not enough to be devastating. I'm too much of a cheapskate to buy another pair.

I hiked up to the place where I've blackberry picked since I was a kid. It stays brushy because there are two sets of huge electric pylons, or whatever they're called, that I guess bring us power from the dam, and the utility company keeps the growth under them mowed down. Every few years they mow down to the bare dirt, and recently they've started using a defoliant to kill the plants more effectively. So every few years there are no blackberries. I think next year will be a dead year.

Mostly I went there because I wanted to scope out what was growing in that dead zone besides blackberry vines. I figure the plants will be killed anyway, I might as well help myself to start my wildflower garden. I poked around at the top of the ridge for a while with an icy breeze blowing on me. I was just wearing a T-shirt and jeans, and even with my hands in my jeans pockets I was freezing. Even the discovery of a number of ferns and some little brown jug plants didn't cheer me. I toughed it out for a few minutes longer, but my nose was running and my arms were all goosebumped, so I gave up and came home. It was probably only around 55 degrees F.

And that's why I never hike in winter. Because in winter it's cold like that all the time.

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