Not all my photos of insects were a great success on my most recent trip to Lake County, but I am pleased that I spotted my very first Lorquin’s admiral. According to Wikipedia, these handsome butterflies are very territorial and sometimes go after larger animals rather aggressively; luckily, this one was in a peaceful mood! On this outing I also […]
It was easy enough for me to find this brightly painted (and lovingly cared for) historic site along Albion Street in the village of Mendocino. According to The Hiker’s Hip Pocket Guide to the Mendocino Coast by Bob Lorentzen, the first Chinese arrived in this area when their boat, headed for the gold rush, was shipwrecked on the Mendocino coast. […]
Even though the boardwalk along Kelsey Creek in Clear Lake State Park didn’t take me where I had been hoping to go, I really couldn’t complain as I turned around to retrace my steps. Unlike in a dry year, much of the shoreline was flooded; the views were fairly stunning; and I saw more birds up close here than anywhere […]
I have frequently admired the blue-green iridescence of the male Mallards’ heads, so it was a nice surprise yesterday to get a glimpse of royal purple on these relatively drab females. I was sitting in my car in Lucerne, on the shore of Clear Lake, when a small group of Mallards settled down very nearby. I think we were all […]
During our recent stay in Mendocino, I actually walked into town twice from our rental house on the east side of Highway 1. Of course there’s loads of amazing ocean views to take in along the Mendocino Headlands; but if you stroll along any of the village streets you’ll soon find all sorts of quirky touches and beautiful historic structures. […]
Even as winter hangs on for dear life, there are already tons of flowers blooming everywhere in the village of Mendocino. I didn’t have much time to explore, but I did shoot a few blooms on two separate days. The first day was overcast and rainy; the second day was mostly sunny and bright. I can’t help admiring the local […]
First today, a bit of housekeeping. Because of an odd and somewhat annoying WordPress quirk, the post that I published last Tuesday (21 February) is showing up as being published on Saturday 21 January; so I’m linking to it here — Victorian envy — just in case anyone would like to see it! With that out of the way, I’ve […]
My favorite part of spring-like weather this time of year is the appearance of many types of birds, each sporting unique and colorful plumage. I shot most of these images along the Hinkle Creek Trail; the bluebird, magpie and mallards were seen at Phoenix Park. Above, not a perfect capture, but I like it because this female Lesser Goldfinch seems […]
Here are some more colorful items I found as I wandered around at Denio’s flea market in Roseville. Even the bits and pieces I can’t identify are still fascinating! I wish I had managed a better shot of the lovely drawing above. It looks to me like a captain sitting by the wheel of his boat and smoking a long-stem […]