We are having a long brilliant leaf season. The vine maples started turning out on the west end at the end of August, and are now just barely past their peak up on the Sol Duc.
And it's been raining. The moss in the forest is magically soft again, the rivers jumped up at last. MP and I went to the Sol Duc yesterday. The forest was speckled with leaf color, and there was SO much water we couldn't see (still, again, just not going to see them this year) any salmon jumping. Probably they are hanging out in eddies, avoiding being swept downstream. We focussed on one who had gotten somehow to a little side pool way up on the rocks, and was trying to figure out how to go onward. We'd gasp and shout each time he tried and failed to get further. My whole body wriggled along with him, rose up on toes, trying to help him make it. We held our hands over our mouths to keep from screaming, shouting out at him go-Go-GO. Eventually he tried one more time, got stuck in a bad spot, and was flooded back down into the body of the river. And that was the only fish we saw.
It rained a whole lot last night. I went back late this afternoon, of course I did, and there was even more water.
I'll try again tomorrow, try again Monday. Then I go see my ma, and when I come back I'll have missed them.
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