Twenty years ago this month I left the exquisite beauty of northwestern Montana and moved to Tacoma, Washington. I'd spent five summers living near Glacier Park, one of our country's most beautiful national parks. So, I was delighted to accompany my son Rue and his family back to the Park for some hiking, and to spend time with my sister and her family for a few days.
Bonnie, shown on the left, and her husband Frank frequently hike in the Park, taking people on treks and climbs. Frank led our two major hikes, one eight mile hike through the Jewel Basin, and a 10-hour 10 mile hike along the Ridge Walk around Mt. Reynolds in Glacier.
Frank pointing out landmarks above Hidden Lake where we stopped for our lunch.
We began our day by rising at 5:30 a.m., driving into Columbia Falls for an early breakfast (steak, hashbrowns and eggs), and ordered sack lunches to go (avocado-veggie wraps and fresh fruit). It is about a 45 minute drive up to the Park, up Logan Pass along the Going to the Sun Highway. We hiked the Hidden Lake Trail, then veered over to the Ridge Trail along Mt. Reynolds. This is rugged tundra with exquisite vista.
The trails can become quite narrow in places. 
Rue's wife Annie had to overcome her fear of heights as we all inched sideways along narrow portions of the trail. 
Best not to look 'down' along some of it, but just pretend it is a pathway in your backyard. One slip, and you'd be tumbling down thousands of feet of rubble (or at least I would be).
Bonnie and Frank know how to 'skree run' down this kind of terrain.
To get up to the Ridge Trail we had to traverse four ice fields. 
All of us had to use poles to avoid slipping and falling. I hiked above this ice field, to avoid slipping and falling, although I traversed it on the way back. I was overly-cautious because I was wearing my Asics running shoes rather than my hiking boots - they performed better/longer than my hiking boots which began to hurt my feet after 6 hours on the final descent on the Jewel Basin hike. In fact, my Asics were so comfortable I jogged downhill the final mile of our descent into the Logan Pass visitors center. 
We had to let these goats have the trail. There was a herd of 9 that we saw often in the Park.
We hiked over onto this long expanse of bluff, thousands of feet in elevation. From every direction the views were incredible, just beyond description. The air was so exhilarating, so fresh, and not a soul around. We'd hiked beyond the usual tourist destinations to see country that most people never see. It was phenomenal, the spiritual rejuvenation, pushing limits, and the sheer physical exertion that is required for a 10 hour hike. My calves were stiff for 2 days following our two hikes which were 'back to back' - 18 miles in 2 days!While we were visiting Glacier Park signs were posted everywhere for a missing hiker who had gone off alone on a weekend excursion. He'd made the mistake of not planning an itinerary and telling someone of his exact destination. Helicopters were circling areas of the Park where he may possibly have had an accident. He'd been missing for 11 days.
Hiking in Glacier, as fun as it is, is a serious undertaking which requires taking every precaution. Sufficient wholesome food and water, changes of clothing for sudden weather changes (we had 5 - 6 layers), poles for traversing glaciers, good boots and gloves, emergency medical supplies, and good common sense like meeting destination deadlines in timely fashion. Turn around time - 4:00, to safely descend the mountain.
Frank cautioned all of us that the descent is the most dangerous part of the climb - muscles are weakened and tired and one's attention may not be as focused.
Bonnie and Frank 'catching their breath'.
We made sure that we had plenty of rest stops the entire trip, and we stayed close together on the trail. That is a safety strategy for protection against bear encounters (we saw only one big ole blackbear at Logan Pass, very indifferent to the people watching him.)
I've posted more photos in our Flickr account.
I'll finish this post with Bonnie's fantastic Millet Pancakes - just so good, with Wild Huckleberry Syrup. 
Bonnie served these with peaches and yogurt.
I couldn't resist bringing home more sweet peas and dahlias from the garden. Next to the rose, the Sweet Pea is my favorite floral fragrance. After I picked them, and put them in a jar of water in my car, I felt a little disappointed. I had picked them too late. The freshest fragrance of new blooms was gone. But, as I drove home the heat in the car activated the fragrance. I had to laugh, the fragrance was so overwhelming.
I've got an entire long row of these pink dahlias bordering my garden plot. I'm not sure what the weed is that has these little seed-berries, but an old friend of mine collects them for her parrot, who considers them a treat.
When I went to my garden today, I noticed that one of the two eggplants that I've grown was pilfered, broken off neatly at the bud and taken. It was the larger of the two, and was almost ready to be picked, so ...... I picked the other one, a smaller one that had been nibbled by mice. (I'd actually transplanted these eggplants from my flowerbed at home, so they'd benefit from better soil at the Community Garden Plots.)
I chopped up the little eggplant - about three cups of meat - and stirfried it with onions, garlic, hot red peppers and Mrs. Dash in a little bacon grease. Then I crumbled the bacon onto the top of the veggies, adding two beaten eggs which I rolled around in the pan much like you'd roll a crepe. I sprinkled shredded cheese on top, placing bread crumbs on top of the cheese. I put the lid on top of the skillet (cast iron), and let it bubble and cook together. When the egg was cooked I flipped half of the omelette over onto the other half, with the bread-crumbs and cheese in the middle. It turned out very flavorful - my one and only eggplant from the garden this year! I served it with hot cornbread, butter and honey.
When I unpacked our coolers from the camping trip, I had odds and ends that just begged for a salad. So I made this 'Red Onion Salad', with finely chopped fresh green beans, tomatoes, orange and yellow bell pepper, hot red and green peppers, fresh basil, oregano, tiny yellow onions and zucchini from my garden, and a sprinkling of chopped green olives. I mixed the vegetables with red wine vinegar and olive oil, then ground a savory Latin spice blend over everything. (That decorative thistle near the kale was just for decoration. Ouch!)
Ruhiyyih, in her comment in the last post, noticed that I didn't take any food photos during our trip - I figured we'd better eat the food quick or it would get cold! Also, appetites at the ocean rule out aesthetics. I just heaped it generously on paper plates and covered it so the crows wouldn't get it. Since George was doing the sound for the conference, I brought food to him in covered containers, so he could eat at his leisure while playing music. That did catch a little attention, as he uncovered gnocchi in a meat-tomato sauce with stir-fried vegetables. He was like the 'little Prince', with his private servant. Naw, he didn't mind that attention, not a bit!
I've got a lot of yellow squash coming up. All year these squash are priced high, and I don't often buy them. Now, they are piling up, and I'm feeling that urgency, to use all of them in meals. Stuffed zucchini, zucchini parmesan, zucchini relish, zucchini with garlic and chili peppers, zucchini with mustard sauce, Mexican zucchini soup, batter-fried zucchini sticks, zucchini quiche, zucchini and feta cheese phyllo, zucchini bread, zucchini chocolate cake - I'm swamped with ideas!
I made this large zucchini boat, filling it with stir-fried vegetables, rice and meat, and cheddar topping. I reheated some tofu, rice, and hamburger pieces as a side dish.
Zucchini boats can be filled with couscous and raisins, okra and black beans in an east-Indian curry sauce. They require about 45 minutes in the oven, 350 degrees, covered.
I'm headed over to Montana for a few days, to visit my sister and her family, and I plan to make some zucchini brownies for my grand-daughter, Daisy. She says she doesn't like vegetables - but, she'll love these brownies. 
A thin slice, served warm with Greek God Yogurt and a kiss of Hershey's syrup.
Since I'll be gone almost a week, George will take care of the garden while I'm gone, a necessity now that I've started new plant starts - mustard greens, beets, onion bunches, spinach and lettuce. I picked these Sweet Peas this morning.....
This was the late afternoon fog rolling in from the ocean at Neah Bay, Washington. It was peaceful, with just the sound of the ocean, and incredibly intoxicating fresh air. In the far distance a solitary figure walked along the beach.
We'd just made camp at the Hobuck Campground on the Makah Reservation in preparation for a 3 day Baha'i Conference. George set up the sound system underneath a large canopy, and I set up my camp-kitchen under a tree. While he got his music going, I got busy chopping vegetables, slicing fruit for a salad, stuffing a large tilapia with dressing, and grilling some corn and eggplant.
While I prepared our meal (an early dinner at 4:30), I noticed that the campground was filling up very quickly, with surfers, kayakers, fishermen, RV'ers, and scuba-divers. The family camping next to us were fishing for salmon and diving for cod. I'd never heard of diving for cod, so when I asked the fisherman how they do that, I said, "Do you just stab them?" He laughed, and showed me the powerful rods that they use, and said that they spear them! He caught 100 pounds of salmon last year during a two-week stay, with 5 of his buddies bringing in the fish.
Another camper next to us came to surf, as he has for many years. He grew up in Hawaii, and has surfed for 30 years. He said it is enjoyable to experience 'the texture of water', as well as the currants and undertows. Riding the waves refreshes him, and he surfs all year somewhere along the coast.
Hobuck Campground is so remote, in the far northwestern corner of Washington state, that only serious recreationists bother to make the long drive there (ours was a 6 hour drive). The advantage to this, is that everyone comes with the intention of getting out on the waves, or into the water, and very little 'party attitude' permeates the facility. By 9:30 the place was quiet, except for the lovely sounds of a keyboard at the Baha'i enclave and some Native drums and songs.
I've posted all of the photos of our weekend in our Flickr account. However, the following are some of my favorites:
The reverence of these Makah dancers was so touching. They sang a prayer but did not do any dances out of respect for someone in their village who had recently passed away. The entire Neah Bay community shut down all services (stores, etc.) for several hours Friday afternoon so that everyone could attend the funeral.
Our host told stories, one of which was about the ancestors who came to this land and made it their home. That was so long ago that the people refer to it as "From time out of memory". They lived a communal lifestyle, in long-houses, and lived off the salmon and the abundant berries and roots in the forest. They shared their food and looked after each other's families, being like one family, one heart.
It is always an honor to experience the reverence in Native people, in their simple words and heart-felt stories. For me, it resonates in the most natural, deep way, as if someone was finally speaking my language. It made me feel like I was finally 'home', with my true family, living the way we were meant to live.
When they told their stories they spoke with respect for the land and the ocean, which gives them their sustenance. Our host acknowledged with respect all the residents of Neah Bay who allowed us to visit their home.
Baha'is sang songs, chanted Persian prayers, told stories of their service in foreign lands, and spent hours together every evening around a Council Fire. I took a turn roasting a couple of marshmallows, and the group of onlookers said that mine were the best they'd ever seen. Well, one just has to squat down close to the fire so the stick is pointed upwards, and be patient so that they will not burn. Otherwise, the melted part will side off the stick. The kids had the worst time waiting for the marshmallows to soften and brown. Instead, they charred the outside quickly, and gobbled them down.
This girl worked on her drum decorations. Other children were instructed in mask-making. They put them on, tying them under their chins, and pretended to be ravens, wolves, whales and bears.
Native people came to visit their relatives. They pitched tents close together and had bonfires going into the night, and enjoyed hot dogs roasting on long sticks. Children laughed and played in the shadows where their dogs were tethered.
Tents in the forest, near the ocean. In the early morning the crows and ravens called to one another. They were a loud rowdy bunch, waiting for us to start breakfast so they could eat some of the scraps. I had to learn the hard way to keep my garbage pail covered.
We were so fortunate to have good weather for our trip - fog in the morning and early evening, but sunshine and balmy temperatures during the mid-day. 
We walked along the beach and enjoyed the fresh salty air and warm sunshine.
I love this little house in Clallam Bay, on main street, (which is so short you'll miss the house if you blink). After I saw it, I asked George to drive back, so I could really appreciate the efforts of the gardener who made this nasturtium bed so charming.
Next door was a delightful Bed and Breakfast.
I pulled some of the celery from my garden and made this celery soup using an oxbone for the broth; onion, garlic, celery, carrots, zucchini and kale; and a blend of spices - cumin, star anise, tarragon, tumeric, fresh oregano, parsley and cilantro, and salt and pepper. After the veggies cooked, I put about 1/3 of them through the blender, but left the rest so it would not be a creamy soup. It was so good, it was addictive - one bowl led to another, and then another. I took a quart jar of it on our camping trip last weekend, and it was the first thing we wanted for a meal when we arrived at our campsite. I finished canning one whole box of peaches - actually, the top layers of two boxes. The rest do not seem so ripe, so I'm leaving them to ripen over the weekend. Depending on that, I'll either can the rest or make some peach pies or shortcake. 
This was the subdued early morning image of my kitchen counter following an intense day of processing peaches. It is not only the bottle-scrubbing, the sterilizing, the fruit-sorting, the blanching of skins, the syrup making, but learning how to pack the jars right, clearing out the bubbles, setting the seal correctly, and then doing the clean-up. I finally finished mopping the floor and washing up the dishes at 9:30 p.m. It is only upon waking the next morning that a feeling of appreciation can set in, and I can breathe a sigh of relief that it is over. However, now I must go through all my preserves - the apricot jam, plum syrup, strawberry jam, applesauce...and find room for all these peaches.We are going up to Neah Bay on the Makah Reservation today, to spend three days at a Baha'i conference. We'll be camping, and cooking our own meals, and George will provide the sound system. Wouldn't you know it - just as it finally warmed up here in Tacoma (90's, with full sun) we'll be camping where it will be 61-65 degrees during the day, cloudy, and in the low 50's at night...with fog. Now, that sounds like a damp cold weekend, but fog nestled in the bluffs at the ocean sure sounds tranquil and lovely. I'm looking forward to it!
I researched images of Neah Bay, and most of them were of happy fishermen, holding up chinook salmon, quillback, yellow rockfish, tiger rockfish, ling cod, halibut and a lot of seagulls flying around waiting for those fish to be gutted.
It is also a down-to-earth practical place, no nonsense, where things die and hunker down.
Rusting in the truck cemetary. (josiehen's photostream)
And - a beheaded truck.
This photo was taken about 6:30 in the morning on the second day of a 3 day camping trip that George and I took over the weekend.
Our destination was the magnificent Columbia Wildlife Refuge in eastern Washington. We had a fantastic trip, which included everything I wanted - a great day hiking, several canoe paddles, time to do some camp-cooking, and clear skies at night so we could enjoy the Milky Way.
The weather was perfect, with temperatures around 80 degrees, a few scattered clouds in the morning and then full sun the rest of the day. 
We made morning coffee, loaded up the canoe, and explored Lake Susan.
Little Lake Susan is nestled in the Columbia Wildlife Refuge, a 23,00 acre tract that hugs the Pothole area. It abounds with seep lakes:
"Columbia Refuge is a scenic mixture of rugged cliffs, canyons, lakes, and sagebrush grasslands. Formed by fire, ice, floods, and volcanic tempest, carved by periods of extreme violence of natural forces, the refuge lies in the middle of the Drumheller Channeled Scablands of central Washington. The area reveals a rich geologic history highlighted by periods of dramatic activity, each playing a major role in shaping the land. The northern half of the refuge, south of Potholes Reservoir, is a rugged jumble of cliffs, canyons, lakes, and remnants of lava flows. This part of the Scablands, known as the Drumheller Channels, is the most spectacularly eroded area of its size in the world and was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1986."
Lake Susan, Katy Lake, Canal Lake, Heart Lake, Windmill Lake are all lakes we have canoed - all kinds of potholes. 
We decided to camp at Lake Susan because the camping area was in a grassy pasture, it was right on the water, and hiking options were perfect. 
Within just a few feet from camp there were cliffs and boulders ready for exploring, and cattle trails that meandered all over the open range.
The trick was to explore all the expansive gullies without bothering the cattle. As it was, they had their grazing patterns, and kept on the move. 
We had to climb up to this bluff though, to check out our options for trails. At one point a thundering herd of about 8 ran past us through a ravine, eager to put some space between us and them. The cattle were here first, so we just chose trails that got us from 'point A to point B', away from them, which took up most of the afternoon.
Last year we camped for a few days on the bluffs overlooking Katy Lake, one of my favorite destinations in the Refuge. 
We hiked around this lake, and further beyond by several miles, until we explored two more lakes. I packed trail-mix, fresh apricots, some zucchini bread, green tea, garlic bread grilled with olive oil, and feta cheese. 
Rather than bring a jar of brushetta, we just carried along a few packets of prepared Salsa, to pour over the toast.By late afternoon we were back in camp, and while George sat and read I set up my cook station, with a place for my charcoal grill, my pots and pans and my cooler. I'm so accustomed to camping in remote areas, that I seldom set up a kitchen around a fire-grate or picnic table. I just have a 'sit-down' kitchen, with my stuff in a circle. I sit on one of the coolers, and place a large cutting board on my lap. I use it to cut and chop, like a counter. I think these 'outdoor kitchens' are my favorite - with expansive views and the sounds of birds (cattle and bullfrogs!)
On Sunday I grilled tilapia, a fine-tasting white, flakey sunfish found throughout the world. It was one of the most delicious meals I've ever had! I prepared a stuffing for the fish, grilled it with 3 ears of corn, and had assorted veggies on the side. 
The tilapia was stuffed with cooked celery, onions, tiny colored carrots, garlic, chorizo sausage, finely cubed Greek pita bread,cumin, salt and pepper. (I found patches of sweet wild celery (Apium graveolens) along Lake Susan, so picked a large bunch for the dressing. It was better and sweeter than anything I've grown in my garden. It must be triple-washed, though, as a precaution against giardia).
I put the tilapia in a wired basket, so that it would hold it's shape and not loose it's stuffing.
I basted the tilapia with fresh lime juice and olive oil, then placed the squeezed lime peel near the opening of the fish, to keep the stuffing in.
It only took a few minutes to grill the corn in their jackets.
Once done, it was super sweet, crisp yet tender.
I made pancakes both mornings, a banana-apricot buttermilk pancake on Sunday, that I served with chorizo sausage, and this blueberry type on Saturday. 
I put berries inside this pancake and sprinkled some outside. Of the two, I loved the apricot-banana one the most - it was so good I didn't take time to photograph it. Just gobbled it down!
I also grilled steak, bratwurst, fried potato skins, and marinated veggies - sweet peppers, carrots and celery, cauliflower, tomatoes, zucchini, onions, etc. Additional photos and text are in our Flickr account. Check out the 'innovative' sagebrush basting brush that I made from desert sage and cattail threads - an emergency tool I quickly made, to baste the fish and veggies! I swear, I was meant to forget my basting brush just so I could make it!
This is a Flaxmeal Omlette (cut in half), filled with zucchini, mushrooms, onion and garlic. It is topped with a light drizzle of Hosein Sauce and minced garlic. I made it for lunch today served with a fluffy bed of sliced zucchini from my garden.
Recipe for the Flaxmeal Omelette, with improvisation:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup flaxmeal (ground flaxseed) 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese- pureed
1 - 2 cups warm water, depending on how light or heavy you want the omelette.
I put all of the liquid ingredients, including the cottage cheese, in my blender, then added them to the dry ingredients.
Spray a saute pan with olive oil Pam, then sprinkle crushed Asian rice wafers onto the oil. Immediately pour the omelette batter into the pan, swirling it thin over to the sides. While the first side is cooking, sprinkle the top surface with salt, cinnamon and more of the crushed Asian rice crackers. This will give a savory, aromatic spicy flavor to the omelette and add a playful crunch. Flip onto the other side, and dust the cooked side with cinnamon (this is a powerful anti-inflammatory, and I use a lot of it.) When both sides are done, place on a cooling rack and fill with the mushroom/zucchini filling. Drizzle a tad bit of Hosein Sauce over the top, and a sprinkling of finely diced garlic.
Mushroom-Zucchini Filling for the Flaxmeal Omelette:
4 cups whole mushrooms
4 cups of yellow and green zucchini
sliced walla walla sweet onion
chopped fresh garlic
1/2 tsp of nutmeg
1 tsp of cumin
1 Tbs Panch Puran (a blend of fenugreek seeds, yellow mustard seeds, fennel seeds)
Briefly stirfry the mushrooms, onions, garlic, and zucchini. Don't let the mushrooms liquify. Add a little Hosein Sauce, about a tablespoon. Fry (activate) the Panch Puran in a hot cast-iron skillet and crush while warm, then add to the veggies.
My Flaxmeal Omelette is low in salt, high in protein, and has a refreshing flavor and aroma. The vanilla and cinnamon in the omelette and the nutmeg and cumin in the vegetables all work together beautifully. The Hosein sauce, garlic and Paunch Puran add punch and act as a counter-balance to the sweeter aromas. Since the omelettes have cottage cheese, they should be refrigerated after they are filled, if not eaten immediately.
I sliced up the remainder of my zucchini, added fresh oregano, and heated it for only a few seconds in my microwave, as a side dish to the omelette. 
No salt, no spices to these - just the vitality of 'fresh picked', so they would not be in competition with the omelette.
I've finished out my week pulling stuff out of the vegetable garden, stuff that was hidden - like huge yellow and green zucchini. They just get carried away, and when you do finally find them, you've got about five servings too much! So, I also made a zucchini cake, using up my sour cream and the zucchini. 
This is served with Greek God's Honey Yogurt and a sprinkling of pecans.
Since we are leaving on a camping trip tomorrow morning, I wanted to clean out the refrigerator, to use up all my eggs, milk, sour cream, ricotta, and yogurt. I made Apple-Apricot Crepes also, and plan to take some on our camping trip (I freeze the rest). 
The crepe batter was modified, so that it is more like a thin, moist pancake. Apple-Apricot Crepes can be put over the campfire in the morning on a little tray, and will stay soft and warm, like a filled pancake. They are 'dressed up' with a pecan glaze - just enough sweetness to entice the palette but not detract from the fruit filling.
Bonnie, shown on the left, and her husband Frank frequently hike in the Park, taking people on treks and climbs. Frank led our two major hikes, one eight mile hike through the Jewel Basin, and a 10-hour 10 mile hike along the Ridge Walk around Mt. Reynolds in Glacier.
Frank pointing out landmarks above Hidden Lake where we stopped for our lunch.
Rue's wife Annie had to overcome her fear of heights as we all inched sideways along narrow portions of the trail. 
Best not to look 'down' along some of it, but just pretend it is a pathway in your backyard. One slip, and you'd be tumbling down thousands of feet of rubble (or at least I would be).
Bonnie and Frank know how to 'skree run' down this kind of terrain. 
All of us had to use poles to avoid slipping and falling. I hiked above this ice field, to avoid slipping and falling, although I traversed it on the way back. I was overly-cautious because I was wearing my Asics running shoes rather than my hiking boots - they performed better/longer than my hiking boots which began to hurt my feet after 6 hours on the final descent on the Jewel Basin hike. In fact, my Asics were so comfortable I jogged downhill the final mile of our descent into the Logan Pass visitors center. 
We had to let these goats have the trail. There was a herd of 9 that we saw often in the Park. 
We hiked over onto this long expanse of bluff, thousands of feet in elevation. From every direction the views were incredible, just beyond description. The air was so exhilarating, so fresh, and not a soul around. We'd hiked beyond the usual tourist destinations to see country that most people never see. It was phenomenal, the spiritual rejuvenation, pushing limits, and the sheer physical exertion that is required for a 10 hour hike. My calves were stiff for 2 days following our two hikes which were 'back to back' - 18 miles in 2 days!
Bonnie and Frank 'catching their breath'.
We made sure that we had plenty of rest stops the entire trip, and we stayed close together on the trail. That is a safety strategy for protection against bear encounters (we saw only one big ole blackbear at Logan Pass, very indifferent to the people watching him.)
I've posted more photos in our Flickr account. 
Bonnie served these with peaches and yogurt.
