Digitalis

My Columbia River Collection: Roll On, Columbia, Roll On

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Before I left for San Francisco I spent some time along the Mighty Columbia River. For me—and for my garden—this is my happy place. I love the Bay Area and NorCal too, but the Northwest is home. Following are pictures from a trip to the Astoria, Oregon area and to Cascade Locks, Oregon.
Astoria looks at the Columbia as it enters into the ocean and Cascade Locks is where the Columbia River cuts through the Cascade Mountains. It is also just above Bonneville Dam.
These scenes are sprinkled with lyrics from “Roll On, Columbia, Roll On” written by Woody Guthrie. Hired by the Bonneville Power Administration, this song was recorded on an album of propaganda songs about the federal public works created to make hydroelectricity along the Columbia back during the early twentieth century.
The tune is set to “Good Night Irene,” ironically, the song which contained the lyric that inspired the author Ken Kesey to write Sometimes a Great Notion—a Northwestern classic about loggers.
Lower Columbia
Wikiki Beach, Cape Disappointment, Washington State.
Green Douglas firs where the waters cut through
Down her wild mountains and canyons she flew
Canadian Northwest to the ocean so blue
It’s roll on, Columbia, roll on!
Wikiki Beach, Cape Disappointment, Washington State.

Tom Jefferson’s vision would not let him rest
An empire he saw in the Pacific Northwest
Sent Lewis and Clark and they did the rest
Roll on, Columbia, roll on

Confluence Project, Cape Disappointment, Washington State (designed by Maya Lin).
Roll on, Columbia, roll on
Roll on, Columbia, roll on
Your power is turning our darkness to dawn
Roll on, Columbia, roll on!
Pearly Everlasting, Anaphalis margaritacea.
Other great rivers add power to you
Yakima, Snake, and the Klickitat, too
Sandy, Willamette and Hood River too
Roll on, Columbia, roll on!
Confluence Project, Cape Disappointment, Washington State (designed by Maya Lin).
It’s there on your banks that we fought many a fight
Sheridan’s boys in the blockhouse that night
They saw us in death but never in flight
Roll on Columbia, roll on!
Snake.
Roll on, Columbia, roll on
Roll on, Columbia, roll on
Your power is turning our darkness to dawn
Roll on, Columbia, roll on!
Digitalis sp with native bee.
Our loved ones we lost there at Coe’s little store,
By fireball and rifle, a dozen or more, 
We won by the Mary and soldiers she bore,
Roll on, Columbia, roll on!
Leathery Polypody Fern, Polypodium scouleri.
Remember the trial when the battle was won?
The wild Indian warriors to the tall timber run
We hung every Indian with smoke in his gun
Roll on, Columbia, roll on!
Licorice Fern, Polypodium glycyrrhiza.
Roll on, Columbia, roll on
Roll on, Columbia, roll on
Your power is turning our darkness to dawn

Roll on, Columbia, roll on!

Upper Columbia
At Bonneville now there is ships in the locks
The waters have risen and drowned the rocks 
Shiploads of plenty will steam in the docks
Roll on, Columbia, roll on!
Wind surfer.
On up the river is Grand Coulee Dam
The mightiest thing ever built by a man
To run the great factories for ole Uncle Sam
Roll on, Columbia, roll on
An island where the Native Americans used to leave the bones of their ancestors.
Roll on, Columbia, roll on
Roll on, Columbia, roll on
Your power is turning our darkness to dawn
Roll on, Columbia, roll on!
Bonneville Dam in the distance and smoke from forest fires.
Roll on, Columbia, roll on
Roll on, Columbia, roll on
Your power is turning our darkness to dawn
Roll on, Columbia, roll on!
When Bonneville Dam was built it destroyed Celilo Falls where the Native Americans once fished. Although the falls are still gone, they’ve adapted their platforms and you see them from the sternwheeler up and down the river above the dam during the fishing season. Here you see a sister and her little brother carrying on that tradition on their grandpa’s platform.

Roll on, Columbia, roll on

Roll on, Columbia, roll on
Your power is turning our darkness to dawn
Roll on, Columbia, roll on!
Hope you enjoyed that little trip that jumped from the mouth of the Columbia River up past Portland to Cascade Locks in the Columbia River Gorge. It may have seemed strange to see all of this on a gardening blog but as a descendant of both pioneers, and a native American woman from the state of Montana, it is hard for me not to see the garden around me everywhere no matter where I land.

City People’s Garden Store, Seattle (Washington)

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During the Seattle Garden Bloggers Fling last month I was unable to sneak over to City People’s Garden Store to go shopping. I really wanted to, but once I was told I’d be coming back in a few weeks with the husband for a wine pouring, I relaxed and vowed to return then—and I did!

I’ve only been here twice before and both of those visits took place during the wintertime when I was looking for houseplants. This time I shopped inside AND outside.

Reiger Begonias are a hybrid cross between tuberous and wax Begonias.

There were so many things I wanted to buy, but since our garden is currently unkempt, and with the impending threat of the serial casting process for two injured fingers on my right hand being planned, I was just looking and not shopping.

I would buy one of these for every girl who came through my door if I could because ever the cynical foster teens melt when anyone mentions fairies. It is nice to see that a door can still open to their inner child sometimes.

I don’t grow Kangaroo Paw plants, but the green blooms on this one were so tempting.

Having been the black sheep oftentimes during Lenten activities at my Catholic school makes some place deep inside of me want a black sheep for my garden. This one is not quite black, but it’s close!

The salmon was interesting in its rusticity. I liked that the artist got the hooked snout just right.

It was so pretty that day but I was so sad it was already August. With my birthday looming, I knew that fall was near. The nursery was already stocking mums, so that made the inevitability of the changing season that much clearer.

I am sure that others around me would have understood how I felt that day if they’d known so I continued to take in as much as I could along with the rest of them. Oh the lies we tell ourselves to justify the things that satisfy us!

Sometimes you really need to gawk.

The colors are like Valium for your eyes—at least in my case they are.

And even though I have seen these blooms many times before, I still always want to see them again.

Digitalis obscura.
Delphinium hybid.
Gentiana acaulis hybrid ‘Holzmann’.
Silene ‘Jack Flash’.
The native plant corner was where I rested my eyes for a minute or two.

When I turned around I saw the Aucuba on the right with the solid green leaf. I’ve wanted one of these for awhile, but I passed on it. Sometimes it is sooooo hard to say “No” though.

This year my Fuchsia plants do not look quite this happy.

I wanted to crawl into this seat to rest a spell because my finger injuries were really making my tired. Sometimes it is such hard work looking at plants but somebody has to do it.