A mass of purple & white Downingia

We are now in the midst of summer, and while the sizzling temperatures have eased — for the moment — every day seems to bring warnings of new wildland fires somewhere in California. Per my weather app, the nearest active fire to me this afternoon is 44 miles away. Yesterday though, the Sac Metro Fire Department responded to two separate brush fires within a mile of each other along the bluffs above Lake Natoma; thankfully they were both relatively small and no structures were lost.

All this is to say, this morning I was pleased to find a few spring wildflower photos that I hadn’t yet shared! I found these gorgeous blooms in and around Phoenix Park last April. Although the vernal pool area currently looks dry and uninviting, the promise of spring wildflowers will always get me through the longest day of summer heat. (You can click on any image to get a closer look.)