Today I walked to the top of Hamilton Mountain, a basalt wonder on the north side of the Columbia Gorge. When I did it last spring, I was pleased to find some Lady Slippers (calypso), one of my favorite flowers. This year I came earlier and they weren’t to be found, although there were millions of trilliums …. glorious. Near the top, I ventured up a scramble trail to the side where I expected a good high view of the River downstream; at the end disappointed to find an intervening ridge blocking the view. Oh well. Glancing down, I caught sight of this lonely paintbrush, illuminated in the first hazy rays of sunlight. Although they will be numerous later in the spring, this was the only one I saw on the whole mountain. A Gift.