Ladybug land

When I first noticed these yellow-and-white irises growing wild at Lake Berryessa’s Steele Canyon Campground, I had no idea that ladybugs had already moved in and were making themselves at home. It was difficult for me to get close enough to see precisely how many of these bright red insects were there; but I did also spot at least a […]

Read More →

Doggy Day 2022

It’s been a few years since I was last able to attend the annual Doggy Day dachsund races at Denio’s in Roseville. My last time was back in 2017, and the event has been on hiatus for the past two years. This year’s festivities were actually pushed back from their originally scheduled date of March 19 to April 23. But […]

Read More →

Loco for lupine

Most of the photographers hoping to capture the lupine at Folsom Lake right now seem to make a beeline for Beeks Bight, accessible through the Granite Bay entrance on the north fork. Very much like last spring, when we had a genuine superbloom, the social media posts have popped up and the news helicopters have been hovering. Visitors have been […]

Read More →

Schweitzer Grove

As I sit at my computer this morning, watching and listening to the rain coming down in bucketfuls, punctuated by occasional thunder and lightning, I’m extremely relieved that I chose yesterday for my outing to Schweitzer Grove Nature Area instead of today! I had been scheduled for a visit with my Facebook photography group last Saturday, but since that was […]

Read More →

Rivals

I’ve noticed more Red-winged blackbirds this spring than in any other year; I’m not sure if that means there are more of them around or if I’ve just been lucky. I do find it funny that I drove three hours to Lake County hoping to see a few around Clear Lake — only to come home and spot a larger […]

Read More →

California quail

I normally have a very difficult time getting close enough to photograph the local quail; they’re extremely shy and are usually fleeing long before I even notice their presence. Many times when I do manage to shoot them, they’re hiding in the bushes so I don’t exactly have a clear view. It’s all rather frustrating to me — mostly because […]

Read More →

Castle of dreams

Ever since I saw an old black-and-white photo on a brochure promoting historic sites around Lake County, I’d been eager to go in search of the lost gem that was the Lucerne Hotel — sometimes referred to as “The Castle.” I’d actually built it up in my mind, certain that it was hidden away at the top of a steep, […]

Read More →

View from the top

If I have a free day in the spring, it’s hard for me to resist going out to Folsom Lake — and this is one of my favorite spots this time of year. Yes, I sometimes run into a few people, many of them on mountain bikes. But that’s okay, we can co-exist! And really, the views up here are […]

Read More →