Takhini River

We made it to the river today!
In the morning. i first ski out to the little lake, to get a closer look at the lichen. I didn't look at it with a microscope, but i think it is safe to say that it is indeed the Xanthoria candelaria. Plants of Northern British Columbia, states that it does grow on wood, dead and alive. And that it is more common at the coast. This being a 'salty' lake, why not.

In the afternoon Margriet is here to pick me up. We are off to Virginia's. I didn't want to take my car, as it scooped up quite a bit of snow yesterday.
Margriet borrowed her husband's car, because her husband took her's today, for unknown reason to me, but as it turns out this car stops half way.
Well be! We leave the car, hitch hike home. (We do get a kick out of the whole thing.) Thanks whoever you were. He brings us to my doorstep. Margriet and I hop in the orange van and try again. (the broken cars, i have to admit, we leave solely to the care of our husbands, they like it that way.)
At Virginia's we hop on the skis, and of we are.
The weather is gorgeous. -10 C or something like that, the best! It feels like spring, ( the Redpolls agree, they finally arrived, lots of twitter in the garden.)
The skiing is fast, we are skiing on set tracks, and in no time we come to the first bank. We all make it down safely.
We come into an open aspen forest, the trees very old but really not that big.
Soon we get views from the opposite banks of the river, Under the sun, the bank shines silver.
Ah...,too soon we stand above that big river.
We ski a little ways along it and then turn back. Again glorious views, now of the Stony Creek Range. The sun shining on it and some dappled shadows from the few clouds. Beautiful.
Thanks! lots of laughter, us 3 Dutch gals!

ps The fox seemed to have been sleeping in it's snow den again.













Xanthoria candelaria.
Moose skull lake, Mendenhall subdivision.
Xantho is Greek for yellow; yellow candle.