Palouse River
It was perfect. A little chilly at the beginning until the sun cleared the hills to the east, but after that, the day was certifiably perfect. The water was a reflective mirror, only rippled by the dip of a kayaker’s paddle or the passing of a Zodiac. There was no wind to speak of and it was quiet. Quiet enough to hear a northern flicker screech up canyon and to hear the ripple of water over rocks as we reached the free flow of the Palouse River upstream.
During our Zodiac cruises, we stopped to examine a native rose bush laden with juicy red rose hips. We liberated the fluffy seeds of a cattail to the whim of the wind, perhaps a material harvested by Sacajawea to keep her young son dry and comfortable. A reed of cattail was shredded and the making of cordage was demonstrated as we twisted individual bundles to the right and then wrapped them together to the left creating a stronger fiber in the end. We inspected a branch of the big leaf sage, examining, as had Meriwether Lewis, its subtle gray color, velvety texture, and pungent aroma. Unlike him, we did not chew on it and make note of its flavor.
We maneuvered to pick up sticks floating in the river. Scrutinizing the branch ends revealed pairs of teeth marks, sure signs of beaver activity. A half-dead tree along the bank revealed the girdled feeding pattern of a porcupine. With guidance from one of our naturalists, Lee, who had joined us for the morning, we managed to find a porcupine perched in the dense foliage of a willow.
The highlight for many was the sighting of golden eagles. Not only did we see three of these magnificent raptors soaring along the cliff face, we could hear them as well. We cut our engines and floated with the current, watching the adults, listening to the juveniles persistent “feed me” calls, and soaking in the warmth and the rejuvenating energy of a remote river on a quiet, perfect, fall morning.
Some may even argue that no day is perfect unless there is ice cream and hot fudge for dessert. We enjoyed that as well, with whipped cream and a cherry, too.
It was perfect. A little chilly at the beginning until the sun cleared the hills to the east, but after that, the day was certifiably perfect. The water was a reflective mirror, only rippled by the dip of a kayaker’s paddle or the passing of a Zodiac. There was no wind to speak of and it was quiet. Quiet enough to hear a northern flicker screech up canyon and to hear the ripple of water over rocks as we reached the free flow of the Palouse River upstream.
During our Zodiac cruises, we stopped to examine a native rose bush laden with juicy red rose hips. We liberated the fluffy seeds of a cattail to the whim of the wind, perhaps a material harvested by Sacajawea to keep her young son dry and comfortable. A reed of cattail was shredded and the making of cordage was demonstrated as we twisted individual bundles to the right and then wrapped them together to the left creating a stronger fiber in the end. We inspected a branch of the big leaf sage, examining, as had Meriwether Lewis, its subtle gray color, velvety texture, and pungent aroma. Unlike him, we did not chew on it and make note of its flavor.
We maneuvered to pick up sticks floating in the river. Scrutinizing the branch ends revealed pairs of teeth marks, sure signs of beaver activity. A half-dead tree along the bank revealed the girdled feeding pattern of a porcupine. With guidance from one of our naturalists, Lee, who had joined us for the morning, we managed to find a porcupine perched in the dense foliage of a willow.
The highlight for many was the sighting of golden eagles. Not only did we see three of these magnificent raptors soaring along the cliff face, we could hear them as well. We cut our engines and floated with the current, watching the adults, listening to the juveniles persistent “feed me” calls, and soaking in the warmth and the rejuvenating energy of a remote river on a quiet, perfect, fall morning.
Some may even argue that no day is perfect unless there is ice cream and hot fudge for dessert. We enjoyed that as well, with whipped cream and a cherry, too.
