Purple Jelly Drops, Ascocoryne sarcoides

While tromping through the woods today, a fallen Alder branch blocked my path and these tiny fungi were right at eye level. The largest one is only about 1/4" long.

Western Wahoo, Euonymus occidentalis

Thanks to seedmoney on gardenweb.com for identifying this plant for me.

Also known as Western Burning Bush, this plant has very unusual flowers and was found growing near the East Fork of the Lewis River in SW Washington.
 


 

5-10-2012 update, the immature flowers look pretty strange, too:

Coast garter snake, Thamnophis elegans terrestris

I was walking through the woods today and came across this colorful snake staring back at me.

Canada Goldenrod, Solidago canadensis

This native perennial, often considered a weed, can be used to make tea.

Queen Anne's Lace, Daucus carota

Much to my wife's distress, here is a picture of an immature Queen Anne's Lace flower in our back yard.

Wall Flower, Lactuca muralis

This common weed has flowers that are pretty but nothing special-


But occasionally, they give way to an awesome geometric pattern-

Oregon Bedstraw, Galium oreganum

This plant is in the same family as Cleavers (10-25-09 blog post). I found it growing along a logging road on Spotted Dear Mountain in Clark County, Washington. I was surprised to see that my reference books don't have any reports of this plant being spotted in Clark County before.