It just occurred to me today that because of the flurry of activity over the holidays, the three-year reunion of The Trowbridge Chronicles passed uneventfully on January 1. It was then, just before midnight in 2006, that I posted the first page from Mrs. Trowbridge's journal. Happy Anniversary, Mrs. T.!
A reunion with my cousins over the holidays prompted me to post this page from Mrs. T.'s journal regarding a reunion with
her cousins so long ago. Her reunion took place inside this nurse log that served as a tea shop. Note the tiny Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga pinaceae) seedling growing on the mossy top of the log. The little Banana slug (Ariolamax columbianus) looks on from above.
Nurse logs are a vital part of the rain forest ecosystem. As the log decays over time, it provides the vital nutrients necessary to turn a tiny seedling into a rain forest giant. Many other forest flora, like ferns and mushrooms, get their start on a nurse log. Death brings life.
This is a rather rare page from Mrs. Trowbridge's journal. The only miniatures in her journal were painted over the course of a few weeks during one summer. This one was so small, only about 3/16 of an inch high, that I could only make out the image through a magnifying glass. I hope it helps to lift you from the doldrums of winter.
Though lovely in appearance, the Baldhip, or Wild Rose is not as exotic as it may appear in Mrs. T's journal page. I've seen them many times in the Olympic wilderness, but they are also commonly seen along the highways and byways of Western Washington. I shot this one along Highway 101 near Gardner, Washington, in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains.
