It was a great day for a hike in the Boise Foothills, and some of the fall colors were still hanging on, especially in the valley below. I took a picture of a Pin Oak, (Quercus palustris) which had been planted as an ornamental in front of some one's home, which was showing off its colors. The tree was a stout tree, about 40 feet tall, and many of the leaves were a robins breast-red color, blotted with a few yellows and light greens.
The foothills were in full winter dress, with only a few straggler cottonwoods in the creek bottoms, stubbornly hanging on to their yellow colors. The shade lines knifed deep into the canyons, with the December sun low on the winter horizon. The shady areas contrasted with the white snows and the green conifer trees on the far ridges. The dry bunch grasses dominated the hillsides, with scattered stands of bitterbrush and sage brush, and rabbit brush.
I hiked into what was the upper reaches of Freestone Creek, which reaches far into the foothills, knifing and gorging a snaky course to summit of the mountains. The hillsides were slick with mud in a few places and snow on the north slopes, which made for difficult footing.
The winter foothills grudgingly show colors, dominated by grays and browns. Granite-gray, atlantic-gray, tiger cat-gray, dust-gray, coyote-gray. Dirt-brown, soil-brown, wood-brown, dry-brown, sod-brown, dung-brown, adobe-brown. It may be dull looking but its full of life, if you know where to look, and it's excellent deer and elk wintering range. The bright colors will return in the spring, as dormant wildflowers and bunch grasses renew their growth.
Until then, I will wait patiently, through short arctic like winter days of Idaho, and keep my snow skis well tuned, and enjoy sluicing through deep powder-perfect snow!
