From the look of the clouds, it was going to get windy.

Heading west into the foothills I could see the ragged edge of a chinook-type arch overhead and the oval shapes of the clouds above and below it. The wind was definitely blowing up there but, so far at least, it hadn’t made it down to the ground.

I was on my way up to the Ware Creek valley, an area I haven’t been to in quite a while, to look around for mushrooms. T’is the season for them, now that September is upon us, and though I never pick or eat them, I really enjoy taking their pictures.

So I headed west from Millarville up to the edge of the mountains to have a look around.

The countryside looks stunning out there right now. The pastures are all still green, the ridges that surge like bow waves ahead of the mountain prows are shadowed in shades of jade, the valleys sparkle with little streams like Threepoint and Ware Creeks. And except for a few county and gas plant vehicles, I had it pretty much all to myself.

Which made it nice to poke around the little campground by Threepoint Creek.

I don’t often stop in campgrounds to look around, mostly because they are often crowded. But here on a Tuesday morning, there were only a couple of trailers and a single tent. Beyond that, there was no one there as I drove slowly around.

This particular campground — North Fork, I think it’s called — sits right along the creek with sites that back onto the flood-protection berm and others tucked into the trees and because it is situated in this sheltered, south-facing valley, it encloses a nice variety of habitats.

Over against the shady north side, there are horsetails and moss and other damp-loving plants while out in the sunny spots, hawkweed, thistles and fireweed grow. The big trees in the deepest shade are hung with lichens. Aspens and poplars fill in the background while roses and raspberries — there were still a few sweet treats hanging on — cover the spots between the sites.

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Thistles, asters and a few fireweed are........

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