#cyanpixel

Picnickers at Salmon’s Island Park will have no trouble staying hydrated this weekend. The river is at flood stage and the National Weather Service-issued flood warning is in effect until June 7. Logs and other debris are carried by the rushing water as if they weigh nothing at all. Dog-walkers that I met are anxious for the water to recede so they can once again bring their canine friends to Island Park, where leash laws are not in effect for most of the day. The bridge to this park, as well as the pedestrian bridge spanning the river, are closed. 

The Lemhi County Farmers Market opens for the season Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park adjacent to the river. As excited as residents may be to buy locally grown food and handmade crafts items, it may be the Salmon that is the main attraction.

Rhubarb was a long-forgotten ingredient until coming to Idaho. It was hidden beneath the snow when we first toured what would become our house. A friend was the first to notice those immense ruffled green leaves when we moved in months later, post-snow. It went ignored last year and was flattened beyond recognition by cattle that made their way into the yard. It survived and came back even stronger this year. 

Rhubarb is not shy in front of the camera. It is just begging to be photographed. It’s hard to resist the backlit veins, the way the leaves became giant snow cones a few weeks ago, and the intriguing flower that shot up this week (it’s history now, but the photo remains). 

Rhubarb grew along the fence when I was growing up in Minneapolis. Grandma Christie made strawberry rhubarb sauce using the fruit* grown in her garden. I still remember the always-too-small bowls she ladled it into. Today, I made my first-ever rhubarb crisp using this easy-to-follow recipe. It has just the right mix of tart fruit* and sweet topping: http://thriftyjinxy.com/classic-rhubarb-crisp-recipe/

Facts: Technically, rhubarb is a vegetable but was classified as a fruit in 1947 by a New York customs court. That meant lower tariffs for importers. The leaves are high in toxic oxalic acid.

We were under a winter storm warning that affected much of Idaho and Western Montana. I’d be surprised if an inch fell at the Little House by the Lemhi River, which is still running strong. No time-lapse showing a pica pole buried in snow. That may have to wait for another year. Still, it was fun to have some snow for Syttende Mai, aka Norwegian Independence Day. And as the Norwegians say, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.” 

I checked out flooding along the Salmon River, which is expected to peak at 8.5 feet on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. That’s 1 foot above flood stage. Some homes near the river may be affected. The road leading to where the Lemhi River flows into the Salmon is closed. A newcomer like me is impressed, while also overjoyed that there isn’t major damage so far. Lifelong residents say they haven’t seen water this high before. The Main Street Bridge has become a gathering spot. In other years, they may have gathered around a picnic table at Island Park, currently submerged. Here’s an Adobe Spark video showing how high the water is at the Shoup Bridge and in town. 

I wasn’t sure I’d get back to Salmon before the start of next year, but lucky me. I caught a ride on a Cessna 182 (more on that later) and expect to be here for a few weeks. The haze of summer from nearby fires has given way to crisp, clear air and vibrant autumn colors. This scene is what made me jump out of bed this morning and grab the camera.