We are soon approaching our one year mark living in Chico, California. The rain has been non-stop and the ground has soaked it up nicely. The rivers and lakes are full!! I have never lived anywhere as green as this! The flowers are everywhere and so many happy bees as well.Last weekend I hosted the first Shasta EsScents contest with the prize being a lovely oil perfume that was won by Michelle Labrie from Waterville, Maine. Congratulations Michelle!
The participants had to list 3 wildflowers that grow on Mt. Shasta. I loved looking up the flowers myself and learning about the huge varieties and looking at the fabulous photos.
Shasta Wildflowers http://www.shastawildflowers.com/index.html is a extraordinary website and offers some field guides and CD roms. I think I must have one for my next hike on the mountain...once the snow melts.
When living in Mt. Shasta, one of the things I loved to do in the early summer was a hike to Castle lake or up to Horse Camp to enjoy the wildflowers. I couldn't really identify more than a half dozen or so and probably still can't. Many years ago I took a few weekend classes that consisted of hiking around Castle Lake or on Mt. Shasta to learn about wildflowers. Imagine that. I could not believe that I was actually given biology credit for this amazing experience. The instructor, Dr. Kenneth Beatty was a curious and gentle man. He was an incredible teacher and had a real love of botany and life science. I am sad to say that he passed away in February of this year. It is hard for me to imagine the many lives he touched in his 40+ year career at College of the Siskiyous teaching Biology. I will always remember him...and while I was a marginal student, he planted a seed in my heart that grew my love of flowers. I am sure Dr. Beatty is resting in peace-- in a bed of beautiful wildflowers.
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