Barbarians at the gate

 

The back lot next to our house is empty and filled with debris and weeds (welcome to Twisp.) My least favorite being these Russian Thistles, aka tumbleweeds. A most hateful weed, it's my lot in life to keep them beaten back along the property line. We all know that feeling.

This plant is actually native to Russia and Siberia and was introduced into the United States as a contaminant of flax seed in 1873. Within 20 years, it had spread to 16 western states and several Canadian provinces.

It grows as an annual bush with a strong taproot-- then the prickly dead plant breaks free in the fall to scatter seeds hither and tither. Quite efficient. From Russia with love.

But it looks as harmless as pine seedlings when it first comes up.

Anyway. What a perfect September day yesterday. I took an easy morning walk on the Rex Derr Trail which winds through the sagebrush hills above Pearrygin Lake. The trail looks like a well-used nmountain bike race track, so glad I went early on a weekday. 

No one was out and about; the state park below was almost deserted. The one nice thing about walking alone is you can pause whenever to gawk at this and that without annoying your hiking companions, who might be out for more serious exercise. 

I should do something a little more ambitious today. Since I'm accustomed to cooking for at least two, I've been eating too much just because it's "there." 

My gosh, look at this amazing tofu salad I gobbled up for lunch in Winthrop. 

The round things are crispy garbanzo beans...