As I wandered around an abandoned and overgrown portion of Spanish Flat Campground at Lake Berryessa, I found an oak woodland covered in foxtails and invasive vetch as well as a surprising variety of flowers growing wild alongside forgotten pieces of roadway and cement pads. I can only guess at what this hilltop headland looked like in its prime; these […]
I can always be pretty sure of spotting Western Fence Lizards (also called Blue-bellies) on my outdoor adventures during the spring, usually perched atop sun-warmed rocks or old logs. Sometimes it takes sharp eyes to spot their camouflage. Still, for all the many times I’ve seen and photographed these little guys, I never knew until today that they have the […]
Spring is an excellent time to explore around the shores of Lake Berryessa, as we recently did on our day trip during the first week of April. I discovered this unobtrusive trail near the Lupine Shores campground — guarded by a rather suspicious ground squirrel — which took me around the headland in a wide loop. I found the peace […]
After recovering from a drop in numbers some 25+ years ago, Ospreys seem to be thriving again in Northern California. I see them frequently whenever I visit Clear Lake or Lake Berryessa — especially in February through August, when they’re always busy nesting and raising their young. On our recent day trip to Steele Canyon at Lake Berryessa, I noticed […]
When I made this year’s first trip to Phoenix Park last week I was hoping to see a lot of wildflowers after all the rain storms we’ve had. I was a little surprised that the various pools didn’t seem to be overflowing, although I know that only the earliest flowers are blooming right now. All in all, it was a […]
A couple of days ago I drove over to Lake Berryessa with the Big Guy, and we spent the day at Steele Canyon Campground, near the south end of the lake. There is so much to explore all around this gorgeous lake that anytime we go over there, I find something new! Of course, my very favorite time of year […]
I guess this is the time of year when I usually start looking forward to August — when I spend a week in San Francisco, using public transportation to get around and exploring various parts of the city. Part of the fun is photographing some of the views from my window seat on the Amtrak California Corridor train. Empire State […]
Sitting in a small cabin on top of a mountain watching a storm pass can get your mind thinking about all sorts of things. And for lack of anything better to do, I decided to write down some of my thoughts. I’ve read a lot of posts lately in my Facebook group dedicated to the TV show Northern Exposure where […]
The small coastal town of Point Arena has become one of my favorite places to stay and explore the Mendocino coast; and the Big Guy likes it too, because he can reliably find a nice, secluded spot along the shore to cast a line within the Stornetta Public Lands. With miles of trail covering a variety of terrain and beautiful […]