The little pika is a fascinating alpine creature and I was intrigued by it’s methods of collecting and drying little haystacks of grasses and flowers to store for the winter -a tiny farmer whose roundness and penchant for munching flowers helps me to slow down and smile.

The American pika can be found throughout the mountains of western North America, from central British Columbia and Alberta in Canada to the US states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, and New Mexico. The Alpine Avens (Rose family)is the favorite food of pikas, who gather and dry this plant for winter consumption. Alpine avens blooms from June to August.