Art Chowder November | December, Issue 24 | Page 13

L
ikewise, the scenery of Nora’s
painting is peaceful and filled with
poufy clouds, pastures, horses and
livestock, rolling hills, dirt roads,
the winding Columbia River, and
the sagebrush that blankets the
Scablands. This has earned her the
nickname “Sagebrush Nora.”
Sagebrush is not the only plant
to thrive in the shrub-steppe
ecosystem where the summers are
hot and dry, the winters cold, and
the rainfall low. A variety of sweet
smelling bunchgrass, arrowleaf
balsamroot, bitterroot, and spring
wildflowers add a splash of color
against the clay, dust, and silt.
Geologists have studied the
enigma of the Channeled
Scablands for more than 100
years. The ancient riverbed
formed channels that carved 50
cubic miles — Grand Coulee is
the longest and deepest with two
canyons and an open basin in the
middle. Grand Coulee Dam is
positioned on bedrock between
two geologic zones, one being the
Columbia Plateau.
More than geologists appreciate
these dry streambeds between
Spokane and the Columbia River
Gorge. Hikers, boaters, anglers,
and sportsmen alike are flocking
to the Coulee area. Based on
Nora’s Facebook page, outdoor
activity is common for her. She
hikes in desert canyons with
friends or family and cross-
country skis at Mt. Spokane
during the winter months.
“Art taught me how to
observe nature. I get out
there to fulfill my soul.”
November | December 2019
13