I'll begin this Chapter 3 featuring my 2nd climb up to the

VALLEY VIEW SPOT

as depicted above, with details that follow, also including some documentation of the area on shorter hikes made every other day between the first two major hikes for me this season.

OF GREAT IMPORTANCE & INTEREST

We meet in this chapter on the first hike described

THE UTAH STATE'S BEAUTIFUL and ELEGANT

STATE FLOWER

I came up the hill from the Grove Creek Trailhead you see in the distance right center. Then over into an area east of the Pleasant Grove water reservoir tank, an area of sagebrush, and lush grasses of several types coming up, as well as berry bushes of a number of varieties on the right as well as Wood's Rose.

We see feeding on the green vegetation our first

VISION of NATURE

....... a camoflauged green

PRAYING MANTIS

Later with hot dry weather, and vegetation through its growing season and dry, I photographed another PRAYING MANTIS adeptly camolauged again to blend in with the background. This is one of the wonders of our natural world, and certainly an

AMAZING VISION of NATURE!

As I passed near the berry bushes there was a rustling

movement going on....

......and with my very slow STALKING PACE I was able to get two good shots of

one of the most common mammals of the foothills, a

ROCK SQUIRREL.

Squirrels and other small mammals have to always be on

the alert for predators in the area, such as the.....

RED FOX

.......you'll see if you look carefully in an area near my route

as you see below.

Below we see a footprint of a fox, or a dog, recognizable by seeing the claw marks of the canine family. I show this with a purpose, as along the very route I was taking, near the grassy area after a rainfall....

.... I noticed below a foot print of a different mammal. The animal track or print is different. It is wider than canine footprints, and importantly shows no claw marks.....meaning we are seeing a feline foot print. Feline meaning of the cat family:

Cat, bobcat, cougar, etc.

They retract their claws when walking.

The width of this print, about 2.5 inches, indicate it was likely a

BOBCAT

like the one inserted in the picture below.

A cougar footprint would be 4 inches wide or more. I haven't seen one of them....yet, but hope to so I can add it in a later chapter.

BOBCATS weight between 25-35 pounds, and are not known to attack humans....unless cornered when they will defend themselves. They are highly adaptable and are curious, usually extremely cautious about humans, but sometimes their curiousity has them carefully watching humans who don't seem to be a danger to them.

Usually they are only dangerous for dogs, cats, chickens, and such. They are carniverous, their food generally mice, rats, squirrels, rabbits, etc. Mule deer are generally much too large for a bobcat to attack, except for young fawns in their early stages of life.

On another occasion I was coming back through the same area and felt strange like something was watching me and it could have been a BOBCAT, although I never saw anything!

The truth is that BOBCATS, we see one of above, sometimes are curious and it could have been one but from a very concealed position much more distant, observing a human. This picture was obviously put together on Photoshop hoping it would be a good opener on FACEBOOK to announce Chapter 3 is done, and I thought I might as well share that effort with all of you, so here it is.

But there is more on BOBCATS that, by the way are beautiful animals!

On another occasion I photographed in about the same location another footprint of a BOBCAT, and if you will look closely next to the edge of the photo directly above....another partial footprint much smaller but enough of it to identify it as a young bobcat....so we are likely seeing a small one accompanying its mother.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES FROM MY YOUTH

I have seen bobcats in the High Uintas, and in the Uintah Basin, both of them running across the road in front of my car. In the Uintah Basin, on the south side driving down a dry wash one ran in front of us and into a thicket. I stalked it and got a shot with my .22 rifle....back at a time when it was legal to do so...I found a blood trail and carefully followed it through the thicket of reeds, the trail finally ending.

When I was a hunter and trapper on a wildlife project at Dugway Proving Grounds in 1954 I got a bobcat on one of my assignments off of the Proving Grounds and since it wasn't my assignment, was permitted to keep it. On skinning it I noticed the meat looked real good and I recalled a book about 40 mammals that I was required to study and know about those of our interest, but each mammal section ended commenting on what the Indians and the mountainmen thought about the edibility of each. I recalled bobcat was considered one of the best.

So I saved the hind quarters and one day prepared them with condiments and cooked them in an autoclave (like a pressure cooker), and served them on paper plates to all the guys in the lab.

They all thanked me and raved about how delicious it was, but then one of the G.I.'s from Brooklyn who was Jewish asked me what kind of meat it was.

I WAS IN DEEP TROUBLE as such meat is prohibited under Jewish law! There was almost another crucifixtion!

Cottontail rabbits

were also glimpsed, but usually gone so quickly photographs were nearly impossible....

Continuing the hike up the face of the hills....

I went through the grassy area and to a ravine sort of hidden by the vegetation and pinpointed by the arrow. As I was climbing up the ravine I wandered off the beaten track as I usually do to find things others miss, and noticed ahead some

BRIGHT YELLOW!

It was on a bush, about the same size as most of the scrub oak.

I was more than happy to discover a wildflower

that I'd never seen before, and never seen again, except an offspring or two nearby as it is spreading.

I have gone through all my reference books, page by page and I finally pictured and identified I thought. For a long time I was sure it was Siberian Pea Shrub, but with red markings on the yellow flower, and I'm sure it has to be closely related, but now sure it is....

28. COMMON BLADDER SENNA

Colutea arborescens

So, until I know better we'll call it that. See explanation below....

NOTE: I have spent literally many hours searching for the identity of this beautiful bush or shrub and finally concluded I was getting close finding the Russian Pea shrub, but the leaf structure was completely different with four leafs all growing from the same spot on the stems and branches. I then searched for similar plants and found the SIBERIAN PEA SHRUB, that has a leaf structure and shape the same, and a similar yellow flower, but smaller than this one, and with a pea pod very similar to normal pods like the thin ones we eat, rather than the enlarged ones we see below. The peas, or seeds look about the same.

As stated in the beginning I finally was convinced it was

Common Bladder Senna,

because of the inflated seed pod which gives it the name "bladder."

We begin seeing its reproductive system beginning with that large

sort of tongue as the lower part of the flower....

....it will develop eventually into the seed pod

as seen in the pictures below.

Below we see it later with the seed pods dried up

and releasing their seeds for the future generations.

BENEFITS OF THIS SHRUB

The main benefit of this shrub is that it is a LEGUME, fixing nitrogen into the soil. It is drought resistent and so when using as an ornamental, it won't require much water.

Apparenty the entire bush is slightly POISONOUS.

Especially the seeds or peas in this plant are POISONOUS.

Above all the flowers are gone and now with mature pods.

To understand any edible or medicinal benefits of this bush we must understand the "SENNA" portion of its name. Let's go to:

https://nameberry.com/b/girl-baby-name-senna

By Pamela Redmond

Updated Wed Jan 01 2025

Senna Origin and Meaning

The name Senna is a girl's name of Arabic origin meaning "brightness".

Senna is a flowering bush common in the tropics, with bright yellow flowers. In herbal medicine, Senna has gained some notice as the active ingredient in so-called "dieter's teas," which works mainly as a laxative. While that is a less-than-savory association, Senna has a pretty sound and is a fresh entry in the flourishing botanical names genus

Scroll down to understand how to use it as a tea.

Picture taken on November 5th

MEDICAL NEWS TODAY

Is senna tea safe to drink?

Some people drink senna tea to help relieve constipation. However, it is important to be aware of the possible side effects and drug interactions.

Senna is an herb that comes from several different flowering species of the Cassia plants. People have used the leaves, flowers, and fruits of the senna plant as a laxative or stimulant for centuries

Types of Cassia senna plants include the C. acutifolia and C. angustifolia plants, which grow in the Middle East and India.

Read on to learn more about the possible uses and benefits of senna tea. This article also looks at the side effects and drug interactions it can cause.

CLICK ON THE TITLE to get the entire article

********************

More legitimate?

29. SIBERIAN PEA SHRUB

A few years ago in the foothills of Springville, 15 miles or so south of Grove Canyon and Mount Timpanogos I found and photographed the following shrub and flower that seems to be more exactly Siberian Pea.

Below is the one from the Springville foothills that matches the one from the website quoted as applicable in information on.....

Common Bladder Senna

NOTE: In the Chapter 8 summation of all the plants photographed,

I will add this as the legitimate #29. Siberian Pea shrub. The one from the Grove Creek area will be listed as 24. Common Bladder Senna. Additionally when the growing season begins I will make trips to the Springville foothills and find this shrub which by now should have multiplied, then follow and photograph its evolution during the season and add anything necessary for better understanding. Update: I have not been able to find it yet.

The Morton Arboretum
Siberian pea-shrub is a hardy, sun-loving, large shrub which is tolerant of drought, wind, deer, and varying soil conditions. Prized for its light green, fern-like foliage and bright yellow spring flowers.
So here is the flower of the Siberian Pea shrub that looks about as
close as anything I have found so far to our Foothill's shrub.
From:
Minnesota Wildflowers
Notes:
Siberian Peashrub is a shrub or small tree that was commonly planted as a windbreak, for wildlife, and as an ornamental in landscapes, then escaped cultivation and is now considered invasive in many locations, including Minnesota and Wisconsin. While not as problematic or widespread as buckthorn, it does establish itself in forests, woodland edges, savannas and roadsides. It is much more widespread in Minnesota than the distribution maps indicate, since planted populations are not included and the distinction between planted and escaped populations can be ambiguous. You may even have spotted it in campgrounds and trail edges in some of our state parks. It tolerates a wide range of soil and moisture conditions and several cultivars are available in the nursery trade. Siberian Peashrub is easy to identify from the abundant yellow flowers and bean-like fruits, compound leaves that lack a terminal leaflet, and the spine-like stipules at leaf nodes.
The Siberian Pea shrub is a native of Siberia and Eastern Asia and
brought to the U.S. by immigrants, and has spread.....but not reported yet to have arrived in Utah....until NOW!

*********

From the ravine we continue climbing and get to the top

of the hill we could see to the north from the grassy area,

and it was here

where on June 1st I found the first blossoming of the

30. SEGO LILY

https://www.visitutah.com/things-to-do/wildflowers

TELLS US:

Utah's State Flower

If you attended grade school in Utah, you know that the sego lily is the state’s flower. For out-of-towners, here’s a quick lesson: Western Native Americans taught Mormon pioneers to use the sego lily bulb as a food source in the mid-1800’s after an infestation of crickets (later called “Mormon crickets”) destroyed their crops. Voila! The sego lily becomes the state flower in 1911. Sego lily season occurs in May, June and July in open sagebrush foothills and valleys and open ponderosa pine stands. Sego lilies are drought-tolerant and thrive in dry, sandy soil.

Latin Name: Calochortus nuttallii
Elevation: 4,500 to 8,000 feet
Flowering Season: May, June, July
Colors: White, lilac, or yellow flowers

As it worked out, due to the increased rainful, 2023 saw more SEGO LILIES blossom than during any of the previous summers of my experience. But in 2024 with a very wet Spring I found even more.

I recall from my Pioneer heritage that the Mormon pioneers at times had to rely on the bulb of the Sego Lily to survive, as did the Native Americans before and after them. I have resisted the temptation to dig one up as they don't seem to be all that plentiful, and have recently learned that it is actually against the law to do so.

Above we see the reproductive system with the seeds down inside the pod. Might as well also insert a large photo of the insect....

..... that coincidentally seemed to be camoflauged with the same colors as the pod.
So we bid farewell to our beautiful

UTAH STATE FLOWER

until 2024, as its blossoming period was quite short....

..with our wet Spring 2024 I saw even more

Sego Lilies

CLICK for entire article

SEGO LILY

Brigham Young declared the sego lily “a heaven sent source of food.” Friendly Native Americans taught Mormon settlers how to harvest and prepare the bulbs for much needed survival food when a devastating cricket infestation destroyed crops.

Native Americans considered the sego lily a sacred plant and developed culinary uses for its bulbs, seeds, and flowers. Many tribes created a healthful porridge from roasted or boiled sego lily bulbs. Several tribes considered it sacred. For the Navajo it was one of the “Life Plants” used for ceremonial purposes. Sego was derived from the Indian word Sego. Many Indian women were named Sego or Sego-go-chee. The Spanish named it mariposa, their word for butterfly for these beautiful mountainside flowers looked like butterflies.

The sego lily was formally designated as the Utah State Flower in 1911 chosen for its natural beauty as well as its historical significance.

The lily gets its scientific name Calochortus Nuttalli, from Thomas Nuttall, a naturalist, who collected the sego lily in 1811 while traveling along the Missouri River. It’s found throughout the western states. Please do not disturb this iconic beauty. Photos are encouraged!

SEED PRODUCTION

***********

Among the sagebrush and our Sego Lily we

see another beautiful wildflower which is

31. SHOWY RUSHPINK

It is a perrenial plant commonly called Skeletonplant, which isn't a very pretty name, so I prefer

Showy Rushpink

Googling uses by Native Americans I found in

https://wildflowerswest.org/lygodesmia_grandiflora.htm

USES: From the website Native American Ethnobotany are the following uses by Native American tribes: Gosiute - plant used as horse medicine. Navajo, Kayenta - Plant milk applied to sores caused by sunburn. Used for greens in foods. Hopi - Leaves chewed to increase mother's milk supply. Boiled with a certain kind of mush for flavor. Leaves boiled with meat..

Seeing upclose the flower above, then below with insects very busy...apparently eating the interior parts of the flower......

....but some survive and proceeds with it's own unique reproduction and distribution system, apparently with most of the seeds on their way....maybe to your backyard!

********************

From up here where I found the SEGO LILY I have to continue climbing.....

.....up to that upper level.

As you can see this hike was made before the scrub oak came alive.....

As I climb I get an increasingly better view of UTAH VALLEY.

I finally make it up to that upper level and can see

far to the south the VALLEY VIEW SPOT on the edge of

Grove Canyon.

And, 10 or 15 miniutes later....I see all of

UTAH VALLEY & UTAH LAKE

spread out before me.

Up at the VALLEY VIEW SPOT where I

was resting and having a bit of lunch,I spotted right at my

feet for the first time this season the.....

32. UTAH MILKVETCH or LADYFINGER

It is a legume that injects nitgrogent into the soil.

Native Americans used it to treat mentrual pains, and for purification rituals. And,

FOR YOU HUNTERS,

Native Americans used it to improve hunting luck! I heard that somewhere but Google doesn't help.....perhaps AI has gone out for a coffee break!.

The Utah Native Plant Society

www.unps.org

Utah Ladyfinger Milkvetch

Says....this attractive little plant was chosen as our poster child for the Utah Heritage Garden Program. It is abundant along the foothills of the Wastach Front. Its sprawling habit makes the plant a natural for rock gardens and also as a ground cover on hot, hard to water areas of the yard. It does not do well in the company of taller plants due to its high light requirement. The pretty magenta flowers are followed by interesting fruits, pods that resemble little wolly chicks. Seeds are readily collected by shaking them out of the gaping "beak:" of the pod.

The reproductive system was producing

a wooley covered seed pod we see below and in the next few photos.

Depending on the kind of Milk Vetch, there are possibly medicinal and edible uses, but you should do your own research carefully.

It is sometimes called loco weed being dangerous for cattle, so best use it in your rock garden as I will be doing.......where there aren't any livestock that will nibble at it.

*********************

Also up high in the foothills, near the VALLEY VIEW SPOT, I saw there the first time this season....

33. DWARF CAT'S EYES

or Cryptantha Utahensis, Scented Cats-Eye

NOTE: Previously I was mistaken calling this flower the WESTERN SMELOWSKIA, which I have learned rather is found high in the mountains usually above timberline. More information follows from Wikipedia.

Information from Wikipedia

Cryptantha is a genus of flowering plants in the borage family, Boraginaceae. They are known commonly as cat's eyes and popcorn flowers (the latter name is also used to refer to the closely related genus Plagiobothrys,^[1] and members of the subtribe of Amsinckiinae).^[2]

They are distributed throughout western North America and western South America, but they are absent from the regions in between.^[1]

These are annual or perennial herbs usually coated in rough hairs and bearing rounded flower corollas that are almost always white, but are yellow in a few species.^[1]

From GOOGLE:

Cryptantha has been used medicinally by the Hopi, Navajo Nation in Kayenta, and Zuni Pueblo according to documents in the Native American Ethnobotany Database. The plant could be used to relieve swelling, stimulate fatigued limbs, and to help with itching.

The crushed leaves are used as a hot infusion or lotion that is placed on the affected area. The Western Keres Nation viewed Cryptantha as a poisonous weed. (Note: Ethnobotanical reports often lack important contextual information and relevant traditional ecological knowledge.) The tiny hairs on this plant can be irritating to the touch.

This is just one of many plants I hope to be able to follow, observe and learn more about during the 2024 growing season, from germination early in the season, to blossoming and the reproduction.

*************************

At the Valley View Spot you can

choose to follow the main trail that continues up the canyon....but it goes way up high above the creek, and contiues to climb until you get to the bench, the water falls, then the bridge.....I'll show you to that point in just a minute.....the trail continuing up to where it meets a road, or swinging around and down Battle Creek Canyon.

I'm now heading down the switchbacks into Grove Canyon....the safest route down, and as we get closer to the creek we'll begin seeing plants more adaptable to shade and moisture.

We're now down below the long switchback and getting a wonderful view of a portion of Utah Valley that in my youth the upper half was all agricultural land, but now being replaced by industry, business buildings and housing developments in one of the fastest growing areas of the country.

On the way down I meet up with

34. SPREADING FLEABANE,

(some experts call it SHOWY FLEABANE)

It is one of the prettiest of the fleabane family not usually found in the desert-like foothills, rather up the canyon at moderate elevations or in shaddier areas near the creek that we come to as we go down the canyon.

I have a list of 18 different Fleabanes, but apparently one characteristic is from where the name comes, flea bane, or flea banisment or repellant, as it has a smell fleas don't like.

MEDICINAL USES: A tea can be made that was used to break fevers. The plant was boiled and mixed with tallow to make a balm that could be spread upon sores on the skin. It was used for as an eye medicine to treat “dimness of sight.” It was used as an astringent, a diuretic, and as an aid for kidneys or the gout.

*********************

Then this pretty plant below that has a sort of strange name, which is

35. COMMON HOUNDS TONGUE

also known as

THE GYPSY FLOWER

It's the one below among the first spotted early in the season.... is a young Hound's Tongue growing up.

This is a plant that is not native to America, rather for some reason introduced from Europe and has spread across North America. In addition to photographing it up Grove Canyon, I have photographed it also near Defa's Dude Ranch on the North Fork of the Duchesne River in the High Uintas....but at low elevations very close to the ranch.

Teas made from the roots and leaves have been used to treat coughs, colds, hemorroids, diarrhea and dystentery, but these plants with some cause skin reaction, so do your research and be careful....as is the case with many of our wild plants.

The rough surface of the nutlets, seen here, or possibly the leaves of some species, was thought to resemble the surface of a dog's tongue, thus the name HOUND'S TONGUE.

I assume that the Gypsy Flower designation comes from the nutlet's burrs that easily get attached to animals or humans and carried far and wide, like the reputation of wandering gypsies.

**************

Upper panel: 36. WILD PARSNIP POISONOUS

Lower panel:

37. NINE-LEAVED DESERT PARSLEY

ONE OF THEM IS VERY POISONOUS.....SO LET'S LEARN TO DISTINGUISH THEM

The plant in the upper panel...I have reproduced here... is of the

Carrot Family (Apeaceae) Genera its name:

#36. WILD PARSNIP which is POISONOUS

The leaves are like those of the carrot we grow in our vegetable gardens, but....

The University of Illinois Extension Division

https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/garden-scoop/2021-06-12-wild-carrot-family-full-harmful-plants

WARNS US:

Although weedy in habit, this plant is actually kind of alluring, with abundant yellow blooms that often attract a variety of pollinators. However, humans need to exercise extreme caution in the presence of this plant as it has an insidious side that is little known.

When the sap of this plant contacts your skin and is exposed to sunlight, a reaction occurs that can result in painful burns and blisters. Since burns don’t appear for 24 hours and often don’t reach peak effects until 72 hours later, the source of this reaction can often be a puzzle to figure out.

**************

In the lower row of the panel, and below, we see the

37. NINE-LEAVED DESERT PARSLEY

Note carefully the stems and leaves are totally different

from the carrot-like leaves of the

poisonous WILD PARSNIP

GOOGLING it we learn:

What is NINE-LEAFED DESERT PARSLEY used for?

Plant Guide for Nineleaf biscuitroot

(Lomatium triternatum)

The roots of this plant are used to make medicine. Desert parsley is used for asthma, flu, other lung problems, wound healing, and other
conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support its use
for any condition. Some types of desert parsley are eaten as food.
The roots were cooked or dried and ground into flour, which could be
shaped into cakes and stored for later use. Nineleaf biscuitroot flowers
and eaves were used to flavor meats and stews by the
Okanagan-Colville. Plants were used as food by the Yakama, and
spring roots were earten by tribes in Montana.

And, below it's reproductive system.

The Blackfeet used the roots to make a medicinal tea for treating coughs and sore throats. Their long distance runners chewed on the seeds to prevent side aches.

***************

Now we come to a shrub or a small tree that produces....

38. CHOKE CHERRIES

CHOKE CHERRIES....

....are edible but when not fully ripe will pucker the mouth. Some gather then to make jellies or wine. Indians ate them fresh and also dried them in cakes for winter. The Lewis and Clark Expedition ate them when other food was hard to come by, as did the mountainmen and fur trappers. Birds eat them as do some mammals as seen two pictures down....

Apparently a lot of them go into the stomach of a mammal the size of a coyote and out the other end as we see above.

*******************

Just before getting to the

"SQUARE RESTING ROCK"

mentioned in Chapter 2....the section about Poison Ivy, along the creek edge of the trail...but high above the creek.... is a beautiful leafed plant with clusters of tiny flowers. It is

39. SPREADING DOGBANE

also called

INDIAN HEMP

POISONOUS for dogs & maybe humans so don't eat it!

You should remember the beautiful leaf and photos of this plant from Chapter 1 when we were focusing on Poison Ivy. I'll insert a few of them below.

Let's get real close to appreciate the beauty of these

very tiny flowers.....

We have to say WOW to the beauty of these tiny flowers, but have to exercise caution as explained below.

The name is derived from the Greek meaning "noxious to dogs." Dog's usually avoid this plant as it is poisonous to them. In fact, from ancient times this plant was used to poison dogs.

GOOGLING it we get:

All parts of the plant are said to be poisonous to dogs, humans, livestock, and other mammals. The sap that emerges when you break a stem or leaf of Spreading Dogbane contains cardiac glycosides that are toxic to humans.

Also:

Apocynum cannabinum is a perennial herbaceous plant that grows throughout much of North America—in the southern half of Canada and throughout the United States. It is poisonous to humans, dogs, cats, and horses. All parts of the plant are toxic and can cause cardiac arrest if ingested. Wikipedia

But, getting close to SPREADING DOGBANE, there is little

doubt that it is a beautiful wildflower.

************************

Also higher up the canyon near the creek I found this absolutely beautiful little blue flower that I have discovered is...

40. CREEPING SPEEDWELL
or
BIRD'S EYE

As I have researched this tiny flower, I lament having lost track of it in my wanderings in the hills. It is my favorite color as well as having a bunch of characteristics and benefits that appeal to me. So, I hope in 2024 I can find it again, follow it, get seeds and when I'm in my 90th year have it growing around me rather than a bunch of noxious weeds!

You Can learn more about it clicking below:

Also we learn at:

The Heath Speedwell, also called Gypsyweed, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the plantain family, native to Europe and western Asia. It forms wide mats in open areas, such as fields, meadows and gardens, sending up short vertical shoots with soft violet flowers from May to August. Speedwell is mainly used as a medicinal remedy for a range of ailments, but can also be used to produce washes, tinctures and teas, or be finely chopped and added to salads, stews, sauces and pesto.
Its leaves and flowers are edible,

☕️ Beverage - Flowers and leaves can be used to make teas or other drinks.
🥗 Salad - The flowers and leaves can be eaten raw and added to salads.
🌺 Garnish - Flowers can be used as a pretty garnish.
🥬 Green - The leaves can be cooked as a vegetable and added to stews.
🧉 Condiment - Leaves can be used to make pestos and sauces.
💊 Herbal Remedy - Is often used medicinally.

Speedwell is mainly used as a medicinal remedy for a range of ailments, but can also be used to produce washes, tinctures and teas, or be finely chopped and added to salads, stews, sauces and pesto. Gypsyweed is commonly used to make a very popular tea called Thé D'Europe.

More beautiful leaves.

****************

After such beautiful and unique leaves above, we come to a very common wild plant...

Early on I photographed the plant, below all too familiar for most of us, in fact I've got one right outside my backdoor, but I followed it's development and wasn't surprised at all to find it had many tiny beautiful flowers, as well as an interesting decoration on the edge of its leaves....all worth focusing on. Because of its leaves it is named:

41. PRICKLY LETTUCE....

....for understandable reasons once we see the leaves, but I have found another plant that at first glance seems similar.....so let's see our Prickley Lettuce, and then compare it to the new plant below and note it's own characteristics.

So, here we go with a new sprouting of

Prickly Lettuce

that soon will grow tall like we see below.

Potentially to 6 feet tall.

Not too surprising the Prickly Lettuce has some edible and medicinal values. It is called by some

LETTUCE OPIUM

If you break off a leaf a white milky latex-like sap will bleed which contains "" which is used in medicine as a pain reliever, also with digestive, diuretic and even hypnotic and sedative properties, and was used to treat insomnia, anxiety, hyperactivity, and coughs. It will not cause digestive upset, nor is it addictive.

Additionally the sap is sticky and can be used to remove some minor warts by applying it, then later peeling it off, reapply several times and some warts will actually peel off with the sap.

Best to Google "medicinal uses of Prickly Lettuce," to guide you in this new adventure. You will find videos to guide you in identification, and edibility of the plant.

We can see that often there are clusters of this tiny flower.

For food, the flower buds, before blossoming, can be cooked for about 5 minutes and eaten like broccoli. Young leaves can also be cooked and eaten like done with dandelions and...with younger leaves best as there will be little or no bitterness, while more mature leaves are sometimes too bitter for most people....

..... younger leaves they say are quite tasty.

I'll insert below pictures of the flowers and then of of its leaves.

No problem understanding why its name begins with Prickly, but the spines won't likely hurt you...much, as they will bend quite easily.

There are notable differences in the tiny yellow flowers

each plant has....that we can see once we zoom in on each that at best are1/4th of an inch wide.

Below is a montage with Prickly lettuce in the upper half,

then asimilar plant I have dubbed.....

42. PRICKLY LETTUCE family

in the lower half, followed

by enlargements of its characteristics.

It's prickly too, but somewhat less than Prickly Lettuce.

The spines we see on the 2nd plant are quite different too,

seen better below with an enlargment of the leaf.

I first was thinking that the 2nd plant was SOW THISTLE, which is very similar to Prickly thistle, and is also edible, but sow thistle doesn't have prickly leaves on the front and back ribs, so until I learn differently I'll go with Prickly lettuce family and keep an eye on both next season

DO YOUR RESEARCH....as will I, watching more carefully the various types of plants of this type, of which dandelions also belong.

Early on I photographed the plant below all too familiar for most of us, in fact I've got one right outside my backdoor, but I followed it's development and.....

Soon the reproductive period comes as seen below, once again using the parachute, or hang-glider methods.

**************

Also just outside my back door I couldn't resist taking a portrait of this cute little bunny rabbit that is a cross between....at least its tail saying it's part Cottontail, crossed with who knows what. We are developing some new breeds in American Fork.

************

HEDGE MUSTARD

A quite common plant that goes unnoticed....

Further investigation showed that Hedge mustard had thorny or hairy stems, but the one I photographed had smooth stems, and I have concluded that what we have is ...

43. JIM HILL MUSTARD

It is also known as Tumbleweed Mustard as often it grows as tall as 5 feet and when dry ends up being a tumbleweed blown by the wind. This plant was mistakenly imported mixed with other seeds, and transported all over....assumed to be by the railroad, thus called after JIM HILL......who was a railroad magnate in the 20th century.

....but as almost always, zooming in we see a tiny beautiful flower....

GOOGLING it you come up with all kinds of suggested uses:

A few species are edible and may either be eaten as a vegetable or be ground into a seasoning.The leaves, stems, and flowers are used to make medicine.

EDIBILITY

The leaves and shoots of Jim Hill Mustard are eaten raw or cooked and have a pungent, spicy flavor tasty in tossed salads. Some dry the plant, then grind it up to use as a flavoring in soups and stews.

AS A MEDICINE
Jim Hill Mustard's leaves and flowers are known to be an astringent, and the plant was used to avoid scurvy among the Indians and mountain men, or extreme vitamin C deficiency.

*************

PRODUCTION OF SEEDS

Usually the Jim Hill Mustard flower is yellow, but here I photographed a rare white and yellow tipped flower.

We will see it again later in Chapter 7 when we discuss the DROUGHT & PLAGUE of 2024.

*****************************

Now we come to a portion of the trail, just before the road that some have had trouble with, and so it is called....

"THE ROCK & ROLL"

I always do it with caution, and since I manuevered it again safely I again let my imagination go a bit overboard.......

IMAGINING MY SELF BACKPACKING AGAIN IN THE HIGH UINTAS.....

......but down the trail a bit I ran into some real BACKPACKERS seen below ........

....and realized I was more in their league and got down off my high horse to reality...and started working on making some progress swinging my trekking poles up behind me on safe stretches to not become totally dependant on them.

*************

Soon I found another beautiful wildflower developing as we see below.

44. EVENING PRIMEROSE

By mid-February the older perrenial plants were springing to life again as we see below.

And in March and early April I began finding new plants germinating like the ones below.

By mid-April I began finding the new leaves of growing plants being eaten by deer as seen below.

By May the blossoming was in full swing with beautiful flowers warming my hikes up the canyon.

Most Primeroses are yellow like the one below I photographed in the foothills of the Uinta Mountain's South Slope....

.......where I also found a desert variety seen below.

There are world-wide 675 species and I'm not sure which of the many is the one I photographed in our foothills.......

....but it is a beautiful variety in our area with both

red and white flowers.

Seeing all the leaves of the Evening Primrose as late as September and even October, I wondered how it would be for an afternoon salad.....so on to my trusty reference books and learned the plant is popular with foragers, since the roots, leaves, flowers, and seeds of evening primrose are all edible, but only the roots are really worth harvesting. Google it for details, but I did learn that one with bleeding disorders should not eat it, and if you're going for surgery stop eating it several weeks before.

Native Americans made poultices from the evening primrose plant for bruises and wounds and used its stem and leaf juices as topical remedies for skin inflammations. The leaves were taken orally for gastrointestinal complaints and sore throats.

Then late in the season...NOVEMBER....I photographed Evening Primrose sprouting again.

By early February 2024 the perrenial Evening Primrose plants were coming to life again as we see below.

Even on December 31, 2024 I photographed Evening Primerose plants, including one recent sprout from this perrenial plant....DO YOU SEE IT?

I'll zoom in to help us see it....and then follow with other shots actually made on January 1, 2025!

*************

In the Canyon we also find early in the season a wildflower usually known in residential areas as a noxious weed that everybody trys to kill and is usually the first to grow and blossom each year, but also the last before winter. Among those who know....it is recognized as

"THE SPINACH OF THE WEED WORLD"

45. DANDELIONS

One of my first recollections in this life, when about 5 years old in Cincinnati, Ohio, was in the city parks with what to me seemed to be vast seas of grass....where I was seeing the African Americans picking bags full of dandelion leaves. I asked my mom why they were doing that. She replied,

"They are very nutritious and eaten by the poor people!"

We'll, guess who is eating them now?

See a couple of paragraphs down who confesses to that.

Both flowers, leaves and roots are edibile and are more nutritious than most of the vegetables we pay big bucks for at the Supermarket!

The above plant is surrounded by tiny Redstem Filaree, which provided my salad for my evening meal today...February 6, 2024.

The variety of Dandelions most of us know is a native of Eurasia and suspected to have been brought to American on the Mayflower for it's medicinal benefits. It is known in most countries and has been used for thousands of years..

THE CONFESSION:

I have eaten their leaves in soups in Guatemala, and also in the High Uinta Mountains. Here in civilization, where they are abundant, I eat them all the time, including today here in American Fork, Utah.

The flowers and leaves can be eaten raw, but leaves have a slight bitter taste. Blanching or cooking will reduce or eliminate said bitterness.

Early each season I could gather leaves in many places, but eventually they were mostly poisoned as we see being done below in late Spring or early Summer.

From that point on I could only get them along ditches or edges of city parks unreached by poison, but they need water and were out of reach of the sprinklers, so I transplanted a bunch of plants into my garden and for several years had my own patch of dandelions.

But then the rabbits increased ....eating my dandelions.

Yes, they here are eating purslane as they had already mowed down

the dandelions and I had plenty of purslane, so no problem, except I didn't get to harvest dandelions....now for 3 years!

By then the rest of my garden was planted with "Bledo" or Amaranth, Macuy from Guatemala, and purslane (verdolaga).

Note: I don't plant them anymore, they take care of that, but I do have to thin...

...pulling up in bunches which I process...

...including the roots:

The white roots are Macuy, the red bledo or amaranth....both so used by the Mayans that the Spanish conquerors tried to prohibit their use in an effort to destroy their religion....which didn't work and they helped saved the Mayans. Bledo is now taking over my garden, along with purslane, and all three are better anyway.

Back to the processing, I then rinsed out the dirt, cut in inch long segments, blanched, and put in shopping bags and into the freezer. By mid-summer I already had frozen enough to last me until the next harvest. I eat them daily, mixed with 1 egg, a few carrots, 1/2 banana incuding well washed peel, sometimes washed mango peelings, apple cores, or other fruit, then red beet powder plus some flavored fake sugar and blend to make a smoothie which is my morning meal every day.......until a picknic-like dinner.

The rabbits would eat any of the weeds, but preferred the Dandelions, and have kept them mowed as though with a lawnmower. So I have stopped eating dandelions, going with the other three which are all about as nutritious, if not more than dandelions and are more tasty.

But, in this section I will give you below lots of info on

"the spinach of the weed world,"

so you can consider saving on poison and eat out of your front lawn

and not worry about vegetable gardening anymore......at least for the green stuff!

THE BENEFITS OF DANDELIONS

Follows a very detailed review

From:

1. Highly nutritiou s
From root to flower, dandelions are highly nutritious plants loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Dandelion greens can be eaten cooked or raw and are an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K. They also contain vitamin E, folate, and small amounts of other B vitamins. Dandelion greens provide several minerals, including iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium (1Trusted Source).
Dandelion root is rich in the carbohydrate inulin, a type of soluble fiber found in plants that supports the growth and maintenance of healthy gut bacteria in your digestive tract (2Trusted Source).
Dandelion root is often dried and made into tea, but you can also eat it whole like other root vegetables.
SUMMARY
The nutritional content of dandelion extends to all parts of the plant. Dandelion is a rich source of fiber and many vitamins and minerals..Trusted Source
SUMMARY
Fresh leaves: 4–10 grams daily
Dried leaves: 4–10 grams daily
Leaf tincture: 0.4–1 teaspoon (2–5 mL) three times per day
Fresh leaf juice: 1 teaspoon (5 mL) twice daily
Fluid extract: 1–2 teaspoons (5–10 mL) daily
Fresh roots: 2–8 grams daily
Dried powder: 250–1,000 mg four times per day
2. Contains potent antioxidants
From root to flower, dandelions are highly nutritious plants loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Dandelion greens can be eaten cooked or raw and are an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K. They also contain vitamin E, folate, and small amounts of other B vitamins. Dandelion greens provide several minerals, including iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium (1
Dandelion root is rich in the carbohydrate inulin, a type of soluble fiber found in plants that supports the growth and maintenance of healthy gut bacteria in your digestive tract (2
Dandelion root is often dried and made into tea, but you can also eat it whole like other root vegetables.
The nutritional content of dandelion extends to all parts of the plant. Dandelion is a rich source of fiber and many vitamins and minerals.
Dandelion contains potent antioxidants, which may explain many of its medicinal properties.
Antioxidants are compounds that help neutralize free radicals — molecules that are a product of normal metabolism but contribute to chronic disease risk if levels get too high in your body. Therefore, antioxidants are crucial for your overall health (3Trusted Source).
Dandelions contain high levels of the antioxidant beta-carotene, which may protect against cell damage and oxidative stress (4Trusted Source).
They’re also rich in another type of antioxidants called polyphenols, which are found mainly in the flower but occur in the roots, leaves, and stems (5Trusted Source).
SUMMARY
Dandelions are a rich source of beta carotene and polyphenol compounds, both of which may neutralize harmful free radicals and protect against chronic disease.
3. May help fight inflammation
Dandelion may reduce inflammation thanks to compounds such as polyphenols.
Inflammation is a natural immune system response to injury or infection. However, long-term inflammation may permanently damage body tissues and DNA.
Some test-tube studies note significantly reduced markers of inflammation in cells treated with compounds extracted from dandelion (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).
One study in rats determined that a tincture made from dandelion reduced oxidative stress and had cardioprotective effects (8Trusted Source).
Still, human research is needed.
SUMMARY
Limited animal and test-tube research suggests that dandelion has anti-inflammatory properties, though human studies are lacking.
4. May aid in blood sugar management
Chicoric and chlorogenic acid are two bioactive compounds in dandelion that may help decrease blood sugar levels.
Test-tube and animal studies show that these compounds may improve the secretion of insulin — a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels — and the absorption of glucose (sugar) in your muscles.
This process improves insulin sensitivity and reduces blood sugar levels (9Trusted Source).
Chicoric and chlorogenic acid may also limit the digestion of starchy, high carb foods, which may further contribute to dandelion’s ability to lower blood sugar levels (5Trusted Source).
Although these results are encouraging, more research is needed in humans.
SUMMARY
Dandelion contains bioactive compounds that have been shown to reduce blood sugar in animal and test-tube studies. However, human research is still needed.
5. May reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels
Some compounds in dandelion may decrease triglyceride and cholesterol levels, which are key risk factors for heart disease.
Some of the polyphenols in dandelion, such as flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, may have cholesterol and triglyceride-lowering properties (5Trusted Source).
Another review noted that dandelion may have cardioprotective effects, including lowering cholesterol levels (10Trusted Source).
However, current research is limited to test-tube and animal studies, and studies in humans are needed.
SUMMARY
Some animal studies indicate that dandelion reduces cholesterol and triglyceride levels, but research in humans is needed.
6. May lower blood pressure
Although some claim that dandelion may reduce blood pressure, studies are limited.
In Western medicine, diuretic medications are used to rid the body of excess fluid, which may help decrease blood pressure levels (11Trusted Source).
One older human study found dandelion to be an effective diuretic. However, this study was brief and involved only 17 people (12Trusted Source).
Dandelion also contains potassium, a mineral associated with decreased blood pressure in those with previously elevated levels. Thus, this plant may indirectly affect blood pressure due to its potassium content (1Trusted Source, 1Trusted Source 0Trusted Source).
Notably, this effect isn’t unique to dandelion — it applies to any potassium-rich food eaten as part of a healthy diet.
SUMMARY
Dandelion may lower blood pressure as a result of its diuretic effect and potassium content. However, very little research is available.
7. May promote liver health
Some animal studies suggest that dandelion extract may protect against liver damage and disease.
One animal study found that dandelion root extract helped prevent liver damage in rats with induced liver failure (13Trusted Source).
Other animal studies have shown that dandelion extract may reduce excess fat stored in the liver and safeguard against oxidative stress (5Trusted Source).
However, human research is needed.
SUMMARY
Animal studies indicate that dandelion may protect against liver damage, but more research is needed in humans.
8. May aid weight loss
Some research indicates that dandelions and their compounds may support weight control, though the data isn’t conclusive.
Some researchers suggest that dandelion’s ability to improve carbohydrate metabolism and reduce fat absorption may lead to weight loss. However, this theory has yet to be scientifically proven (14Trusted Source).
One study in mice also suggests that dandelion extract may aid weight management by reducing fat absorption (15Trusted Source).
Another study in mice found that chlorogenic acid, a compound found in dandelion, reduced body weight, decreased fat accumulation, and altered levels of specific proteins involved in weight control (16Trusted Source).
Still, more high quality research with humans is necessary.
SUMMARY
Some animal studies note that dandelion compounds may support weight control, but no human studies have evaluated this effect.
9. May have anticancer effects
Perhaps one of the most intriguing health claims about dandelion extract is its potential to prevent the growth of cancerous cells in various organ systems.
A 4-week study in rats showed that administering dandelion root extract modified specific pathways involved in suppressing the growth and spread of breast cancer cells (17Trusted Source).
Other test-tube studies have found that dandelion root extract may slow the growth of cancer cells in liver, colon, prostate, and stomach tissue (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source, 20Trusted Source, 21).
These findings are encouraging, but human research is lacking.
SUMMARY
Several test-tube studies have determined that dandelion extract may slow the growth of certain types of cancer. However, research is needed in humans.
10. May support healthy digestion and treat constipation
Dandelion is often used in traditional medicine to treat constipation and improve digestive health.
One older animal study found a significant increase in the rates of stomach contractions and stomach emptying in rats treated with dandelion extract (22Trusted Source).
Dandelion root is also a rich source of the prebiotic fiber inulin, which has been shown to reduce constipation and promote the movement of food through the digestive system (2Trusted Source 3Trusted Source).
Furthermore, with more than 3 grams of fiber per cooked cup (105 grams), dandelion greens may bump up your fiber intake. Fiber supports bowel regularity and protects against various digestive conditions, including hemorrhoids and diverticulitis (24Trusted Source, 25Trusted Source).
SUMMARY
Dandelion is rich in fiber and prebiotic compounds such as inulin — both of which may support bowel regularity, among other digestive benefits.
11. May boost immune health
Some research indicates that dandelion may have antimicrobial and antiviral properties, which may support your body’s ability to fight infection.
Several test-tube studies have found that dandelion extract significantly reduces viruses’ ability to replicate (26Trusted Source, 27Trusted Source, 28).
Research also indicates that some active compounds in dandelion protect against harmful bacteria and fungi (2Trusted Source 8Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source 9Trusted Source).
Ultimately, more research is needed in humans.
SUMMARY
Although research in humans is lacking, some test-tube studies suggest that dandelion has antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties.
12. May be a useful skin care treatment
Animal and test-tube research notes that dandelion extract may protect against skin damage caused by sunlight, aging, and acne.
In one study, a fermented broth of dandelion extract prevented skin damage when applied just before or immediately after exposure to UVB radiation, which is the radiation you get from sunlight (30Trusted Source).
An older test-tube study showed that dandelion root extract increased the generation of new skin cells, which may support your skin’s appearance as you age (31Trusted Source).
Additionally, older research indicates that dandelion extract may reduce skin inflammation and irritation while increasing hydration and collagen production. This may be useful in preventing and treating certain types of acne (32Trusted Source).
However, recent research on the effects of dandelion on skin health is lacking, and studies are limited to test tubes and animals.
SUMMARY
Animal and test-tube studies suggest that dandelion may protect against skin damage caused by sun damage, aging, and acne. Further research in humans is needed.
13. May support healthy bones
Very little research has been conducted on dandelion’s effect on bone health, though some of its nutrients contribute to maintaining strong, healthy bones.
Dandelion greens are a good source of calcium and vitamin K, which play a crucial role in bone health (33Trusted Source, 34Trusted Source).
One small study linked an increased intake of vitamin K-rich leafy green vegetables to lower blood levels of osteocalcin, a protein found in your bones. This suggests that eating more leafy greens, such as dandelion, may help prevent bone loss (35Trusted Source).
Inulin, a fiber found in dandelion root, may also support healthy bones by improving digestion and gut health (3Trusted Source 6Trusted Source).
Additionally, some research suggests that the antioxidants in dandelion and other greens play a key role in bone health and protect against bone loss by decreasing oxidative stress (37Trusted Source, 38Trusted Source).
SUMMARY
Research on dandelion’s effects on bone health is lacking, though some components of the plant may support maintaining strong bones.
Dosage and supplement forms
People often consume dandelion leaves, stems, and flowers in their natural state. You can eat them cooked or raw. The root is usually dried, ground, and used as a tea or coffee substitute.
Dandelion is also available as a supplement in capsule, extract, or tincture form.
Currently, there are no clear dosage guidelines, as very little human research has been conducted. However, available data suggests the following dosages for different forms of dandelion (39Trusted Source):
SUMMARY
No clear dosage guidelines for dandelion supplements exist, as research is limited. Various forms of dandelion may require different doses.
Possible risks and side effects
Dandelion plants have low toxicity and are likely safe for most people, especially when consumed as food (40
Trusted Source).Trusted Source, 41Trusted Source Trusted Source, 42).Trusted Source).SUMMARY
However, remember that research is still limited and that dandelion isn’t entirely risk-free.
This plant may cause allergic reactions, particularly in people with allergies to related plants such as ragweed. Contact dermatitis may also occur in those with sensitive skin (40
According to an older review, dandelion may also interact with medications, including certain antibiotics, anticoagulants, and blood sugar drugs. If you’re taking prescription medications, consider consulting a healthcare professional before taking dandelion (43
Dandelion is likely safe for most people. However, it may cause allergic reactions and interact with certain medications.
REPRODUCTION
Each flower produces the head of seeds, each with their own little parachute...that we are all familiar with, and does so asexually without pollinization.
Googling Dandelions you will find some interesting videos that help us understand this quite misunderstood plant.
************

Now to ANOTHER BEAUTY we enjoy amidst the

sagebrush, and scrub oak for at least the

first half of each summer....

......it is is the

46. LONG LEAF PHLOX

OTHER THAN WARMING OUR HEARTS,

the PHLOX is also beneficial....GOOGLING it we learn:

Wild Blue Phlox had a few medicinal uses. A tea made from the entire plant was used for treating stomach and intestinal disorders. A leaf tea was used as either a blood purifier or for treating boils and eczema. The roots were steeped and were used as eyewash.

EDIBLE?

The leaves can be cooked as a green, and the water used as a tea that controls blood glucose. The bitter fruit is edible cooked and red arils around the seed –the arils not the seed — are edible and nearly all lycopene. And the fragrant blossoms can be used for flavoring.

****************

Then back down again TO THE TRAILHEAD....and SURPRISE,

SURPRISE finding again this great woman warming up for her hike way up the mountain.....

NOTE: I took the following pictures in the Fall of 2016 (Nov. 13th) before my hiking got complicated, and insert them here representing the hike of the special woman who was heading up the mountain.......

....far past the VALLEY VIEW SPOT, and to the waterfalls.....

.......to where there is a bench with a plaque remembering a 48 year old hiker who lost his life up here in 2002,

.......then a bridge crossing the creek and working up into the conifers and the Quaking Aspens--our Utah State Tree--the ones in the picture had lost their leaves already as

I took these pictures on November 13th!

Since with the above detour from 2023 explorations,

here actually up in the Quaking Aspens,

best also mention another somewhat worrisome plant found

up in this area, and photographed back when my hikes

took me up here.

It is

47. STINGING NETTLE

It is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant, originally from Europe, temperate Asia and western North Africa but is now found worldwide.

GENERALLY most know the plant because of suffering it has caused us, as explained quite well in:

https://www.britannica.com/plant/stinging-nettle

The stinging trichomes of the leaves and stems have bulbous tips that break off when brushed against, revealing needlelike tubes that pierce the skin. They inject a mix of acetylcholine, formic acid, histamine, and serotonin, causing an itchy, burning rash in humans and other animals that may last up to 12 hours. Hunting dogs running through stinging nettle thickets have been poisoned, sometimes lethally, by the massive accumulation of stings. This defense mechanism is an effective deterrent against most large herbivores, though the plant is important food for several butterfly species and aphids. The dried plant can be used as livestock feed, and heating or cooking the fresh leaves renders them safe for consumption.

The above noted website goes on saying:

Stinging nettle has a long history of use as a medicinal herb and is still used in folk medicine for a wide array of disorders, though there is limited clinical evidence supporting its efficacy. The rootstock is used as a diuretic and as an herbal treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate enlargement) and other urinary disorders. Tea made from the leaves has been used to treat hay fever, diabetes, gout, and arthritis, and fresh stinging leaves are sometimes applied to arthritic joints in a process known as urtification, which is said to stimulate blood flow. Topical creams have also been developed for joint pain and various skin ailments, including eczema and dandruff

In the foothills I have only found one mostly dried up

Stinging Nettle plant.

Here it is along one of the trails leading to the Trailhead.

In 2024 I monitored this spot to see if more plants would grow in the area, but there were none.....perhaps because of the drought and the lack of moisture at the time in the season when the temperature would be right for germination...there were none. What will 2025 produce. I'll keep an eye out and add anything new here.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM

Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman

In Season 5, Episode 2 entitled "Having It All"

I coincidentally watched just last night before reviewing this chapter before putting it on the internet.

Hank, the saloon owner was having a terrible time with some allergy causing unbearable congestion, sneezing and misery. Dr. Mike's partner had given him some of what we can call "white man's medicine"....which didn't work.
She smiled and said she had something that would help, giving him some dry Stinging Nettle leaves, instructing him to make a tea and take it every 2 hours.
Her partner, from Boston was shocked to hear her explanation that she learned that effective cure, among many others from a Cheyenne medicine man......cures that worked for her and her family when they moved to frontier Colorado Springs. It was her open mindedness that led her to many discoveries she used often. It worked for Hank too.
Dr. Michaela "Mike" Quinn, was given the Cheyenne name for "Medicine Woman."

*******************

Excuse me, I'll hang up this editing job now and retire as it's time to watch another episode of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, which helps me sleep peacefully.

***************

Now back to 2023 at the Trailhead, there was an

early blossoming of the

48. ARROW-LEAFED BALSAMROOT

on May 5th.

If I recall this is the only one of its kind I've seen and

photographed near Grove Canyon.

GOOGLE tells us:

Medicinally, Native Americans used the large coarse balsamroot leaves as a poultice for burns. Some tribes boiled the roots for a medicinal tea for tuberculosis and whooping cough, rheumatism, headaches, insect bites. Other tribes made an infusion to use as a poultice for wounds, cuts and bruises.

The roots may be baked or steamed and eaten, as well as the young shoots. The immature flower stems could be peeled and eaten; the flowers themselves are good browse for wildlife. Balsamroot seeds are nutritious and oil-rich, another good source of food. The root could be used as a coffee substitute.

The roots are tough and woody and taste like balsam. To make them more palatable, the Indians would bake them several days in a fire pit.

********************

Now up the trail to the foothills I've tread too many times to count in my at least every other day hike and see what kind of treasures I find I can share with you.

We go from the yellow GIANT Arrow-leafed Balsomroot above to a very tiny yellow one to the right of the trail.

I should have included this tiny flowering plant

in Chapter 2 as it was blossoming in April and even in March. It is the.....

49. BUR BUTTERCUP ot Curveseed butterwort

Ceratocephala testiculata

Early in the year, usually even in January we begin to see the germination of many plants, like the ones below. I'll follow them as they develop,

By late March we see all of a sudden a tiny yellow blossom.

As it develops we zoom in and find ourselves remembering the large Buttercup family with varieties from our deserts and foothills to the High Uinta Mountains with alpine varieties.

Then each of them begins to change turning themselves

into what for them are seed pods.....

....but wow, what SEED PODS!

They are called BURS! First soft and pretty, then.......

......dry with many sharp daggers that, if you

are barefoot, or sit on one......it will be

OUCH!

They will grab onto your shoes, pants, or the fur of animals and be carried far and wide to promulgate the

Divine Visions of Nature!

Is Bur Buttercup good for anything?

We learn from:

Description • Height is typically 2 to 4 in; plants often occur in dense mats and can cover a large area • Leaves are gray-green, very small, thick, and covered with fine hairs; leaf tips are forked in a way that resembles a bird’s foot • Flowers are produced on leafless stems; flowers measure less than 0.25 in across and have 5 bright to dull yellow petals • Flowers develop into many horned seed heads that form a spiky bur-like unit that becomes dry and hard • Blooming occurs in early- or mid-spring, and seed heads appear in late spring Interesting facts Bur buttercup is one of the first plants to produce seeds in the foothills. Tough burs formed at the end of the bur buttercup life cycle are easily attached to and transported by fur or clothing. Burs contain 5 to 80 seeds. Bur buttercup contains a toxic compound, which can cause serious health problems for livestock. Sap from green plants can irritate the skin.

And......

BUR BUTTERCUP is poisonous to humans and livestock, and is not edible.

MEDICINAL: It is used in traditional medicine in Central Asia to treat wounds, injuries, eczema, and other skin diseases.

TOXICITY: Bur buttercup contains ranunculin, which turns into protoanemonin when the plant is crushed. It is a highly toxic compound that can cause blistering of mucous membranes.

FOR SHEEP, HORSES AND COWS: It is lethal and can cause emaciation, diarrhea, weakness and paralysis.

SIGNS OF POISONING: Anorexia, labored breathing, diarrhea, weakness, depression, and fever.

CONTROL: Hoeing, pulling, and digging. Spraying with 2,4-D, Ally, Banvel+2,4-D, Finale, Liberty, or Roundup. Burning, if permitted in your area.

******

**************

50. GOAT HEAD or PUNCTURE WEED

Tells us

Puncturevine or goathead is a prostrate, summer annual, mat-forming, broadleaf plant with an extensive root system. Listed as a “C-rated*” noxious weed in California, puncturevine produces many burs with sharp spines that can injure humans and animals, as well puncture bicycle tires.

All parts of the plant are poisonous.

but the plant does have a positive side....

LIFE SEASONS website tells us:

In China, it is referred to as goat head and has been used for generations to tonify the kidneys, treat headache, vertigo and itchy skin caused by allergic reactions (1). Ayurvedic medicine utilizes extracts from the root and fruits for male virility, low libido and increasing overall vitality.

*******************

In the 2024 season I'll document this plant from germination. It was another plant affected by the DROUGHT which I will mention in Chapter 7.

*****************

**************

This beautiful very common flower is called

51. BINDWEED,

often thought to be Morning Glory. It is one of the early bloomers, and lasts all summer and into the Fall, with numbers that place it pretty well at the top of the numbers list in all of the Foothills.

GOOGLE says: Meadow Bindweed is a member of the Morning Glory or Convolvulaceae family and contains poisonous alkaloids including pseudotropine.Despite safety concerns, people take greater bindweed for treating fever, urinary tract problems, and constipation; and for increasing bile production. Flower tea used to reduce fever and heal wounds. Flowers are also laxatives. Roots have strong emetic effects. Root tea is a laxative.

.....and BINDWEED's uniquely pretty seed producing stage.

********************

In May also springs into life the

52. AMERICAN VETCH

with it's wonderfully beautiful flowers.

How could any flower be prettier?

And, its reproductive system.

https://www.americanmeadows.com/content/grass-and-groundcover-seeds/vetch-seeds/plant-vetch-as-cover-crop-and-reap-benefits

TEACHES US:
Plant Vetch as a Cover Crop and Reap the Benefits

If you are looking for a workhorse cover crop, look no further than vetch. Few legumes contribute as much nitrogen or biomass to the garden. Vetch produces an abundance of vining stems and fine foliage that help protect soils from wind and rain, while improving structure and adding nutrients. Plant vetch as a cover crop or green manure and reap the rewards of healthy, thriving soil.

Plant Vetch to Fix Nitrogen in the Soil

All plants need nitrogen to grow. Nitrogen is an essential component of proteins, DNA, and chlorophyll, the compound used to power photosynthesis. Without nitrogen plants could not produce or use energy and life as we know it would not exist. Luckily, our atmosphere is composed of 78% nitrogen. But plants can’t use nitrogen from the air. That’s where legumes come in.

Legumes are plants belonging to the bean and pea family. These plants contain beneficial bacteria called Rhizobia within nodules on their roots. With the help of Rhizobia, legumes fix nitrogen, converting atmospheric nitrogen from the soil into organic compounds that the plants use to grow. When the legumes die, the ‘fixed’ nitrogen is then released into the soil where it can be used by other plants. This is a natural source of fertilizer often called green manure.

From:

WHAT CAN AMERICAN VETCH BE USED FOR

The edible plarts of American Vetch are the young shoots of the plant when cooked and the seeds from the pods. There are other types of pea-like plants that are not considered edible so it is essential that you are careful in identifying the plant before foraging! Since it has obvious pea pods, vetch can be a commonly misidentified plant, and people might eat non edible varieties. So be careful when foraging for peas!

Vetch can also be used for medicinal purposes. It has antiseptic properties when mashed up into a paste and rubbed onto the body, or brewed into tea.

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Below appears a stunning flower

that blossomed high on the hills in June, appropiately named

53. GOLDEN PRINCES PLUME

DESERT PLUME

Up high on the way to the VALLEY VIEW SPOT on a later hike there was one plant along the trail and I noticed it's leaves were apparently liked by one of our friends from the insect world as seen below.

GOLDEN PRINCE'S PLUME

first flowered at the end of May, and early June, and continued adorning our foothills for nearly 3 months, with my last pictures in the reproduction phase taken in September. It would make a wonderful potted plant..A LARGE ONE, as it can grow to 4 or 5 feet tall, or decoration for your home site, but will not tolerate too much water, but loves full sun.

I have some seeds, but now in November as I write this, will go back TODAY (11/6) and see if I can find more seed and

likely add a photo of what I come back with.

Winter is on it's way as I made it to the foothills today to get GOLDEN PRI NCE'S PLUME seeds from the 4" long, narrow seed pods I'll insert a couple of pictures below and then the tiny seeds.

It decorated the very steepest slopes all summer and finally called it quits in late September .

BENEFITS OF

PRINCE'S GOLDEN PLUME

Prince's plume (Stanleya pinnata) has many benefits, including:

Attracts pollinators: The bright yellow flower spikes of this plant attract a wide variety of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds.
Deer-resistant: This plant is deer-resistant.
Water-wise: Prince's plume is very waterwise and can thrive in poor soil locations.
Can be used in xeriscapes: This plant can be used in xeriscapes in arid, semi-desert conditions.
Safe for human consumption: The seeds and leaves of prince's plume are safe for human consumption. The seeds can be ground and used in soups or other dishes.
Has medicinal properties: Indigenous Americans used prince's plume root to help treat rheumatic pain, toothaches, and earaches. A decoction of the root has been used as a tonic to treat general debility after an illness.
Absorbs selenium from soil: Prince's plume is able to absorb a chemical called selenium from the soil, which is toxic to livestock.

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SOMEWHERE AROUND MID-JUNE I ALL OF A SUDDEN NOTICED A TINY SPOT OF BRILLIANT ORANGE AT MY FEET AND CLICKED THE SHOT BELOW......

......then zoomed in.

.....and I pleasantly welcomed the blossoming of the

54. SCARLET GLOBEMALLOW

SEED REPRODUCTION

Below we see the plant in the seed production stage with seeds inside the round seed pods. Each plant usually produces about 1,800 seeds each year.

I somehow failed this year (2023) getting photographs of the dried seed pods, as well as not gathering any for my collection of seeds of important plants of the foothills, but I'll remedy that next year and insert photographs

In an interesting article in the

Article by Susan Bruneni

I got the following information on Scarlet Globemallow

Native Americans subsisted on the roots when other food was scarce.

The Northern Cheyenne and Dakota tribes used scarlet globemallow in their ceremonies. It was also used to rub hands to prevent scalds when removing meat from boiling water. (Please do not try this at home!)

The Dakota and Blackfoot Indians used a paste made from scarlet globemallow as a cooling agent for burns, scalds, and sores. A tea was used as a lotion for skin diseases, and a tonic to improve appetite. The Navajo used a tea for improving the taste of bitter medicinal herbs. Crushed leaves were used as a poultice for skin irritations and a shoe liner for blistered feet. Leonora Curtin wrote about similar uses of globemallows in New Mexico.

Late in the season..October 18th there are signs of this beautiful wildflower plant still trying to grow....AGAIN...as seen below with a new plant sprouting....

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In late Winter, February 21-23, 2024 I began finding another perrenial plant sprouting and coming to life with a beautiful leaf

By May (2023) this plant had developed into a real beauty we see below, with a fascinating leaf. It shows what I hope I've convinced you off that

LEAVES CAN BE ALMOST AS INTERESTING AS FLOWERS.

See what I'm saying?

Of course by early June the plant blossomed and continued blossoming for more than a month decorating our hills with wonderful color from the wonderful wildflower called....

55. UTAH SWEETVETCH

You will see how important and wonderful this wildflower as

we use it for the title page for Chapter 4. So let's learn about it to make understandable why I used it in such an important part of this book.

From GREAT BASIN SEED,

https://greatbasinseeds.com/product/utah-sweetvetch/

we learn:

Utah Sweetvetch, also known as Northern Sweetvetch, is a native perennial, cool season, herbaceous legume with deep taproots and several lateral roots. It blooms bright white, pinkish, purplish flowers and can grow to be 2 feet tall. This forb is adaptable to most anywhere in the US as is can grow in elevations of 3,000 to 5,000 feet. Grows best on soils ranging from sandy to clay. Utah Sweetvetch provides good palatability for wildlife and livestock and is valuable for range and wildlife habitat improvement. It is a legume capable of fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere.
It can be used as a complimentary species in rangeland seedings. It is considered succulent and its foliage is highly palatable to livestock and big game. Utah Sweetvetch also provides important habitat attributes for sage grouse. It has been rated as medium for cover value and excellent for food value.

We see that they are about as beautiful

as anything could be!

After about a month of blossoming, the plant enters

the reproduction phase with unique seeds as seen below.

FACT SHEET: Utah Sweetvetch

Instead of the usual pea pod, its seeds are borne in flattened, one-seeded segments called "loments", that are strung together like beads. The seeds are harvested by stripping the loments when they turn straw-colored. It can be quite a job to extract the seeds from these loments. For field seeding, they can be sown loment and all.

The Utah Sweet Vetch is an important component of sage grouse habitat. The roots were used as food by northern tribes and also as a substitute for licorice. It has the ability to fix nitrogen and improve the quality of the soil.

Wikipedia says:

The wild plant was considered poisonous by some Native American groups, but it was utilized as a food source, particularly the roots,^[8] which taste like licorice.^[6]

We learn from:

Edible, sort of

Bears aren’t the only ones who like Sweet-Vetch roots. The Indigenous peoples of North America ate Hedysarum. Sweet-Vetch can be eaten raw (they have a bit of a sweet, liquorice like flavour), or boiled, or baked, or fried — and then they taste like carrots. The Yellow variety is not nearly as tasty to us, so look for the Northern or Alpine species (but no picking plants in the Parks).

I have already scattered around my Cabin A some of these seeds,

as well as others from most of the magnificent wildflowers and wild shrubs I have featured , and look forward to 2025 and my kind of rustic landscaping decorating my home site.

Since this is originally an online BOOK, I'll add pictures of some of the results of my efforts.

DO YOUR RESEARCH CAREFULLY

************

On my way up to the VALLEY VIEW SPOT, after discovering the bush with the impressive yellow flowers, and thereafter the Utah Sweetvetch, also found this small tree, maybe classified as a bush, but it is

56. CRAB APPLE

The end to an amazing season for the CRAB APPLE comes in October.

*****************************

When going up there again to get the pictures of the fruit,

I noticed a BRILLIANT FLASH OF RED and found the first....

57. INDIAN PAINTBRUSH

to blossom.

And also,

58. DESERT PAINTBRUSH

This Paintbrush is a different variety with a slightly different red color both incredibly wonderful.

What I call INDIAN PAINTBRUSH is an example of some confusion I find in my three reference books, and not just for this wildflower. There are apparently 200 varieties of Paintbrush, one of them the Wyoming Paintbrush which is the Wyoming State Flower.

However, the NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY Field Guide to Wildflowers, doesn't mention that nor does it have in its index "Indian Paintbrush," just Paintbrush, but my other two reference books do.

But one interesting fact mentioned is that it is a semi-parasite the roots growing until they touch the roots of other plants, such as sagebrush, and pentrate the roots and acquire some of their nourishment from their neighbor(s).

*****

Later I returned to get a picture of the

REPRODUCTION SYSTEM

with the seeds seen below

BENEFITS OF

INDIAN PAINTBRUSH

The Indian paintbrush (Castilleja coccinea) has many benefits, including:

Ecological benefits
The Indian paintbrush is a hemiparasite, meaning it taps into the roots of other plants for nutrients. This promotes nutrient cycling in the soil, which can improve soil health and create a thriving environment for other plants and animals. The Indian paintbrush can also increase species diversity by reducing the competitive advantage of the plants it parasitizes.
Pollinator attraction
The Indian paintbrush's red color and long, tubular flowers attract hummingbirds and bees, which are well-suited to pollinate the plant.
Edible
The flowers of the Indian paintbrush are edible and can be eaten as a condiment with other greens. The nectar at the bottom of the flower is sweet and tasty.
Medicinal uses
Native American tribes used the Indian paintbrush for a variety of purposes, including treating rheumatism, sexually transmitted diseases, and enhancing the immune system.
Symbolism
In Native American culture, the Indian paintbrush symbolizes creativity and life.
Drought-resistant
The Indian paintbrush is drought-resistant, making it a good choice for eco-friendly gardens.

However, the Indian paintbrush can be toxic and should be eaten with caution. In some areas, like Colorado, the Indian paintbrush can accumulate high levels of selenium, which can be toxic.

******************

In the same area where I discovered Indian Paintbrush, I found:

59. REDROOT BUCKWHEAT

THE SOUTHWEST COLORADO website

tells us:

Red Root Buckwheat is common in low foothill and mountain dry meadows and sometimes numbers in the hundreds or thousands giving a white-to-pink tinge to the meadows. The long-lasting flowers are in elongated racemes atop a long-necked, leafless stem.

Buckwheat contains a number of healthy nutrients but needs to be

prepared properly, and eaten with caution. Check out sites like:

IRCONSERVANCY.ORG,

and

CALIFORNIA BUCKWHEAT - USDA Plants Database

REDROOT BUCKWHEAT groats,

or the hulled kernels or seeds are more nutritious than oats, but would require a lot of work to get enough to be worthwhile. They need to be boiled before adding to a salad unless you are an insect like we see below enjoying himself.

Native Americans used this plant for a number of health problems,

similar to what I read from bulletins that tell of its benefits, like the

one quoted below.

The Times of India

website tells us:

Buckwheat tea, also known as soba tea or 'soba-cha' in Japanese, is a type of tea made from roasted buckwheat groats, which are the hulled seeds of the buckwheat plant. Despite its name, buckwheat is not related to wheat and is gluten-free, making it a suitable choice for those with gluten sensitivities. Buckwheat is a grain-like seed. It's nutritious, rich in antioxidants, and often used in various food preparations like flour and noodles. In India, it is used to prepare food when people are observing a fast, especially during Navratri and Janmashtami.

To make buckwheat tea, the groats are first roasted to bring out their nutty and toasty flavor. After roasting, the groats can be steeped in hot water to make a fragrant and earthy-tasting tea. Buckwheat tea can be enjoyed hot or cold and is popular in East Asian countries, particularly Japan, however, it's quickly becoming popular worldwide due to the array of health benefits it can provide.

Buckwheat tea is packed with antioxidants like rutin and quercetin, along with other powerful compounds. These antioxidants work by fighting off harmful free radicals in your body. By doing this, they help lower the chances of chronic diseases. So, sipping on buckwheat tea is not only tasty but also a great way to keep your body healthy and strong.

Today Heart issues are rising at a fast pace and people are looking at incorporating natural remedies to manage certain conditions associated with it. Buckwheat tea's antioxidants may help lessen the chance of facing heart issues. They do this by lowering your blood pressure, cutting bad cholesterol, and making your blood vessels work better. Try to incorporate this healthy beverage into your diet in place of your regular caffeinated beverages.

The leaves are also edible, and used to make tea, but so far for me I just appreciate the beauty I see when I zoom in on the flowers.

******************

Now we come to a small tree or bush

that will be

the featured vegetation of the foothills for this

Chapter 3

60. CLIFF ROSE

We begin early when almost all of the vegetation is still dormant from the long Winter...our CLIFF ROSE in the dead center. Two months later the scene has drastically changed.

It is the lone tree on the cliffs high above as we see in the picture below, but of course, lucky for me, it is found scattered all around in the desert-like environment where I could get to it easily

and follow its amazing development.

So, the Cliff Rose shown in the opening panel will be followed throughout the two seasons, it blossoming with a flower I'll enlarge below that someone imagined looking like a rose.

It's wood is twisted and turned....you'll see below why that is important for my use of it.... covered by stringy bark that the Native Americans used for various purposes......

From: https://www.angelfire.com/art/nativeherb/cliffrose.html

we get the following information:

Latin Name: Cowania stansburiana or mexicana Common names: Quinine bush
HISTORY:
Cliffrose has been useful for many purposes since the time of the Maya, and is still being used today by contemporary Native American tribes. Cliffrose bark shreds easily and has traditionally been used for cradleboard stuffing by both the Navajo and Hopi. It is also one of the important dye plants for making a tan colored dye for rug weaving. Cliffrose is a medium to tall bush that grows frequently on hillsides, rocky slopes and cliffs- that's why it has the name "Cliffrose"! The leaves are small, crinkly and leathery, and the bark of older bushes is “shreddy” and grayish. It blooms profusely in May, with cream colored flowers that produce an intoxicating orange blossom-like scent. It produces long, showy seed plumes in the fall, shading from white to rosy pink.

USES:

The chopped and boiled stems and leaves make a somewhat bitter cough suppressant, and can be used to wash wounds and treat various skin problems. Gather the leaves and small stems early in the spring if possible, before the strength of the plant goes to flowers and seeds. Dry before using- the old "Brown Bag It and Forget It" method works fine. A tea may be made, but if you use the flowers, be sure to remove the bitter green calyx .

CAUTIONS:

Another fairly benign plant. Native Americans chew and swallow the bitter leaves to induce vomiting in case of stomach ache or nausea, so it seems sensible to brew a weak tea until individual tolerance is determined.

ALWAYS:
Be sure of the identity of the plant before you use it. If a preparation makes you sick or gives you a rash, don't use it, and throw it away! If your condition does not improve, see your doctor. Be sure to let your physician know EVERYTHING that you are taking!

My liking and use of Cliff Rose is because of its beautiful wood you see above in this case used as legs for a coffee table. In a few years when the hiking gets a bit too difficult I might just do this again, along with using Gambles Oak to make the most marvelously rustic picture frames.

The REPRODUCTIVE STAGE

begins this way, after blossoming, the flowers send out feathery plumes each of which will be attached to a seed that as the flower dries will be carried all over by the wind.

It gets beautifully extreme and then begins tappering off.

With my zoom lens we focus way up high in the cliffs and high ridges and get a picture of Cliff Rose totally loaded by the feathery plumes.

The flowers dry and the wind carries away plumes with their seeds, a process that goes on for a month or more until their purpose has been fulfilled.

October sees all the surrounding vegetation turning into

Autumn colors, including in the forfront

RABBIT BRUSH

with its flash of awakening color

November 8

....while others go from yellow to red, and from green to yellow.

A WONDERFUL TIME OF YEAR heading to Halloween, and then Thanksfgiving when this book was supposed to.....but it didn't and will continue through the oncoming Winter, and plersist through 2024.

NOTE:

I continued to do hikes in December to show further evolution of the Foothills, even with the cold of Winter and I survived those hikes, at least when there was sun and not too extreme cold and it made me even stronger for 2024.

**************

Backing up to early summer and my hikes to discover new plants to begin following them as well as do follow-up on all the previous ones found, the next one photographed and seen below in previous years in the foothills of Springville and Provo was declared by me at that time as

"THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WILDFLOWER OF THE FOOTHILLS."

It is

61. Holy Clover or Sainfoin

Tells us:

It is from the Pea family. The Google info goes on to say:

Sainfoin is a legume, with a bright pink flower (although they can also be white or purple), and leaves with 11-21 leaflets. It may grow a little taller than alfalfa in certain environments, but a lot of times we are seeing similar production results.

************

Holy Clover is today planted and

harvested much the same as alfalfa.

The flower doesn't last too long, and eventually follows the law of nature on to the

REPRODUCTIVE STAGE

with interesting seeds that I saved a bunch of to see if

I can replace the disliked weeds I have around my tiny house.

HEALTH BENEFITS

https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/sainfoin/

explains:

HEALTH BENEFITS

Support diabetes, neurotic disorders, hypochondriacal conditions, sleep disorders, impotence, constipation, colitis and menopause

DO YOUR RESEARCH TO LEARN MORE

& HOW TO USE IT

NOTE: In past years in the foothills in the Springville/Provo area I came to know this wildflower as Steppe Sweetpea but now in 2023 I'm not sure how I concluded that. The point is that I now realize the real identity of this plant is Holy Clover or Sainfoin. I'm doing my best to go through the book and correct this mistake and others.

*********************

You'll notice in the picture below, and others of the actual climb up to this SPOT were early in the season (May) before the scrub oak had come to life, as well as many other plants.

WOW! I limped up here again to end this Chapter 3....

.....but it won't be the last time as I've learned

"I HAVE TO KEEP MOVING.....or DIE!

Chapter 4

will show my attempt to go the short way....

....STRAIGHT UP THE MOUNTAIN....

....but of course it's the most dangerous. I will be frank about how it went and sometimes had me at a dead end with no safe way out....and how it turned out.

From high above Pleasant Grove and the Grove Creek Trailhead in late summer, we get a "fish eye lens" glimpse of pretty near the entire.....

....Utah Valley....

....on the far left the foothills of Timpanogos, next Provo Peak in the clouds and Y Mountain, then in the far distance Mt. Nebo, and on across the Valley north to West Mountain on whose slopes is found Saratoga Springs, then the Oquirrh Mountains at the foot of which is the city of Eagle Mountain.

So, in this picture we are seeing Pleasant Grove, Lindon, Orem, Provo, Springville, Mapleton, Spanish Fork, Salem, Woodland Hills, Payson, Santaquin, and coming back to the north, Saratoga Springs, and behind West Mountain, Eagle Mountain, Cedar Fort, then Lehi, and back to American Fork.

WOW! I LIMPED MY WAY THROUGH ANOTHER chapter...with CHAPTER 4 coming next

and hoping and

praying that you will enjoy the wonderful

DIVINE VISIONS of NATURE..

..that will feature my 2023 most difficult and dangerous climb to the

VALLEY VIEW SPOT...........NOW WHERE TO?

In Chapter 4, likely with Mike Packard as our pilot,

we will glide a bit south to

BATTLE CREEK CANYON.

So in Chapter 4.....

....I will take you on a quick hike up

this canyon and tell the history of this memorable

location as the city of PLEASANT GROVE was

originally named

"BATTLE CREEK"

location of the 1st fight between the

Native Americans and the Mormon pioneers.

Then, back to the Grove Creek Trailhead to begin my attempt to go straight up the ridge to the VALLEY VIEW SPOT, with unique

VISIONS of NATURE

along the way, and then on with some of the most rarely seen creations of nature.

*************

click to

RETURN TO HOME PAGE

*************

Pages

Saturday, January 13, 2024

CHAPTER 3 of my new book DIVINE VISIONS of NATURE from the FOOTHILLS of MT. TIMANOGOS.

Is senna tea safe to drink?

Notes:

Utah Ladyfinger Milkvetch

CONTROL: Hoeing, pulling, and digging. Spraying with 2,4-D, Ally, Banvel+2,4-D, Finale, Liberty, or Roundup. Burning, if permitted in your area.

******

Edible, sort of

CALIFORNIA BUCKWHEAT - USDA Plants Database

ALWAYS:
Be sure of the identity of the plant before you use it. If a preparation makes you sick or gives you a rash, don't use it, and throw it away! If your condition does not improve, see your doctor. Be sure to let your physician know EVERYTHING that you are taking!

Followers

Blog Archive

Pages

Saturday, January 13, 2024

CHAPTER 3 of my new book DIVINE VISIONS of NATURE from the FOOTHILLS of MT. TIMANOGOS.

Is senna tea safe to drink?

Notes:

Utah Ladyfinger Milkvetch

CONTROL: Hoeing, pulling, and digging. Spraying with 2,4-D, Ally, Banvel+2,4-D, Finale, Liberty, or Roundup. Burning, if permitted in your area. **************************

Edible, sort of

CALIFORNIA BUCKWHEAT - USDA Plants Database

ALWAYS:Be sure of the identity of the plant before you use it. If a preparation makes you sick or gives you a rash, don't use it, and throw it away! If your condition does not improve, see your doctor. Be sure to let your physician know EVERYTHING that you are taking!

Followers

Blog Archive

CONTROL: Hoeing, pulling, and digging. Spraying with 2,4-D, Ally, Banvel+2,4-D, Finale, Liberty, or Roundup. Burning, if permitted in your area.

******

ALWAYS:
Be sure of the identity of the plant before you use it. If a preparation makes you sick or gives you a rash, don't use it, and throw it away! If your condition does not improve, see your doctor. Be sure to let your physician know EVERYTHING that you are taking!