Sagebrush Empire

Yesterday I drove over to Fort Rock, in the Oregon desert about 75 miles southeast of Bend. This is a volcanic formation that was created by an explosive eruption. Magma heading for the surface hit water and went boom, sending masses of lava and mud into the air, creating a circular rock formation when everything cooled and hardened. This ocurred during the Ice Age, when, amazingly, a huge lake covered the area instead of today's sagebrush desert. The prevailing south winds brought waves lapping up against the formation, eventually eroding away the southern wall. What's left is a crescent shaped amphitheatre open to the south.

There are some wiiiiide open spaces around here. In the early 20th century many homesteaders came here, taking advantage of free land, and tried to make a living by farming. Most of them went bust...only 10-12 inches of rain fall here in an average year. Today there's some farming where efficient irrigation is employed, but most of the area remains a vast sagebrush desert. This part of Oregon reminds me of remote areas of Australia, and indeed the region is now promoted as Oregon's outback. It's an apt description.

Up close, the sage presents a myriad of tangled forms. It's blooming, adding some color to the landscape. If you take a sprig of sage and crush it between your fingers, you can enjoy its fragrant aroma. This also occurs after rain, but that can be rare.