Today was to be our first day over 80°F (27°C). Which made it an ideal time to wander through the cool shade along Jackson and Norling Creeks over in Jacksonville Forest Park. Yes, yes, we go there a lot (and probably blog about it too often 🙄 ) but this is a particularly magical time in the park. The trees and bushes are leafing out, various wildflowers are blooming, and noisy birds are working toward making more birds. Lots of twittering as potential mates and nest sites are contested. Which is the only twitter I can tolerate anymore coming as it does from small critters with wings, beaks, no opposable thumbs, and no knowledge of ALL CAPS. 
Unlike our state parks, this local park has stayed open, is not far away, and is big enough to allow you to keep your distance from anyone you encounter (today, just one person and their dog). So up the Jackson Creek Nature Trail, over Jackson Ridge on the Sofie’s and Legburner Trails, and back down along the Shade Creek and Canyon Falls Trails for a comfortable 4.3 mile, 1,000 feet of gain loop. Among the flowers we came upon were those of the California ground-cone (B. strobilacea), a plant that parasitizes the roots of nearby madrone trees and manzanita shrubs. They’re often mistaken for old pine cones. As are we… 😉
BOOTS on the TRAIL 
Thanks for the info! Yes, we will try to visit there when we can travel again. 🙂
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Thanks! And, yes, ground-cones are cool! A “pine cone” with flowers – what a fascinating adaptation. There are 3 species of ground-cones, each of which is host specific. Unfortunately, none of them are found in your part of Oregon. 😦 So use that as an excuse to visit Southern Oregon (when non-essential travel is available again).
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Lovely wildflower photos in this post! I never heard of ground cones before. They look cool!
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Thanks! We are very fortunate to live in a place where going outside (responsibly) is still possible. But kudos to those of you enduring (for the greater good) the “four walls” for days and days. 🙂
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Lovely seeing pictures of GREEN and LIFE while staring at four walls all day ❤
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