Tiny Tuesday : : Woodland Star….

Lithophragma Affine
We walked through fields of wildflowers this morning on the way to the creek, but I think I chose this one for two reasons…its shy, unassuming presence in the shade, and its wonderful botanical name.

The weather was beautiful this morning, promising to reach 85 degrees by afternoon, so we decided to take the road that goes behind our house,  for almost five miles up  the hill to Hood Mountain Regional Park. The effort involved to get to the park gates with expansive views in all directions involves a rapidly deteriorating, sometimes one lane road, and is more than most people are willing to make on a Tuesday morning .We had the place to ourselves as we walked down the trail to the Santa Rosa Creek crossing, which is now deep enough for Ozzie to swim.

We only had time to throw a few sticks for Ozzie, and admire the gnarly exposed roots of a tree growing next to the creek and the open, emerald green meadows studded with wildflowers, when we  needed to get home to receive Tim and Joni's dog, Olive, who will be staying here until Saturday while her family is on vacation. 

It was Sod's Law that, badly as our roads need repair, we ran into the county road crew on the way home, randomly flinging hot asphalt off the back of their truck in the general direction of the biggest of the potholes. I could hear it rattling around under my car and sticking to the sides as we drove over it saving them the trouble of tamping it into the holes.

I have included in the extras a picture of Maya and Owen and their friends having lunch at our kitchen counter. Olive must think she's at summer camp because she didn't even seem to notice when they all left for home without her….