Roses love sunshine
Irresistible roses from up the street.
Snipes-Pershing Ravine
About 18 years ago, the State of California acquired the roughly 45 acres of land known as Snipes-Pershing Ravine. Several groups and individuals, including the Sacramento Valley Open Space Conservancy, had been pushing for a long time for preservation of the area. It’s surrounded on three sides by suburban housing, with Lake Natoma to the east. It’s a great place […]
Great escape
At the moment it seems like most of the northern hemisphere is experiencing a fairly miserable heat wave — and I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s more than ready for cooler weather. If I could just take off and head to the coast or the mountains, I’d be gone! Today the projected high temperature in my part of […]
Sunny days
We are about to enter a big heat wave, so any walking I’m doing will be early in the morning. Not too many people about — which is nice — but still plenty of bright, cheerful flowers to keep me company. Can’t really complain about that.
Persian silk tree
I know them as mimosa trees, and they spread and grow like weeds in this area. We’ve been fighting to keep them out of our back yard, especially since one fell over a few years ago, knocking down part of our fence and damaging the roof of our garage. Currently, neighbors on both sides have multiple trees that have sprung […]
Persistence
It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop — CONFUCIUS
Luck Be A Lady(bug)
What do you suppose it is about the Coccinellidae that makes us smile rather than cringe when we see one? They are beetles, like so many other insects, and they can sometimes be a pest and have even been known to bite humans (although rarely, I suspect). Still, just about everyone can recognize the red ladybug beetle with black spots, and we’re […]
On Slate Bar
On the north side of the American, between Folsom Prison and the town of Folsom, is a ledge of solid granite called Slate Bar. The ledge permitted only what was called “crevice mining”… and mining was not as extensive as on other bars. In 1850 James Smith built a store on the bar. He built a sawmill the following year… […]
The little things
As much as I love capturing big scenic landscapes with my camera, I also can’t resist getting down on the ground for smaller subjects! An unexpected turtle: Another secret caterpillar spot: Snails on the sidewalk… …or in the state park. A sunbathing butterfly: And some rattlesnake grass (Briza maxima):