At the end of May, to have rain is quite normal. However, we had five days of rain, with three or four of them involving steady and heavy rain. There were high winds from the cold north as well. On the day before the end of the great storm, we had snow. The snow was thick and heavy. There was much damage to many trees and plants.
I had been holding the intention of hiking up Mount Echo to see the Lady Slipper Orchids in bloom. It is their time now.
It is a hike of about 45 minutes to reach the one spot where these wild flowers bloom in our area.
My friend Eva accompanied me on this epic journey through the devastated landscape and the wreckage of the storm's aftermath yesterday.
We were almost forced to turn back near the beginning of our adventure, because the streams and brooks are running so fast that we had no hope of spanning the small stream that blocked our way without ending up with soaking wet feet. And since the temperature was close to the freezing mark, we couldn't afford to have wet feet. So, we ranged upstream, looking for a way to cross.
Eva was so resourceful! She found a fallen sapling that was strong enough to bear our weight if we crossed one at a time. She hauled it to the stream's edge and with my help, slung it across the raging stream. With the help of my hiking poles and a friendly tree branch above us, we made it across!
Another heavy flowing stream awaited us a little further along the trail. We were able to span that stream using the rocks that were just above the water's rush.
Heavy mud and many fallen trees and tree branches made our progress slow. But helping each other as we went along, and speaking of such important matters as the heavenly music of J.S. Bach, we eventually approached the site of the orchids.
I didn't know what to hope for, to be honest. All along we had seen terrible damage to the trout lilies and the Clintonia borealis (Blue Bead Lily) which luckily are plentiful in those woods. There was rain wash out damage, snow damage and wind damage. Many plants had their leaves broken and torn by the storm's fury.
As we approached the place where I knew the orchids had been growing well last year, my heart beat fast and I became a big anxious.
They were hard pressed by fallen branches from a huge dead tree just there where they were growing. They were growing so bravely through the snow!
What I have found, time and time again, is that those things that we love will always survive the storms and trials of life here on Earth. That which we treasure, will endure. The challenges of extreme weather and constant change are not enough to break the orchids or to break us. We, and all that is beautiful, will endure, will grow and will evolve.
Bowed down somewhat, perhaps, but unbroken and still so precious!
Breakfast by the orchids, photo opportunities, and then the careful trek back down the mountainside made our adventure complete.
Eva was a wonderful companion on my adventure and we both hope to have more such in the days to come.
I hope that you who read this will also enjoy your experiences, be they calm and peaceful, or challenging through storm and strife. This is life!
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