Winter sunshine

It still hasn’t fully sunk in with me that spring has arrived. Late last January we made a day trip over to Lake Berryessa and found the skies completely clear and the temperatures surprisingly warm. The only clues that we were still in the throes of winter were the absence of other people along the lakeshore and the fact that […]

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Deeper into the house

These are not pretty pictures. I’m still not really sure how I got the courage (or foolishness) to wander through the old farmhouse in Mendocino County last February. I do feel sure that, given the chance, I would absolutely not do it again. I have no desire to go back inside that lonely house. I’m honestly more than a little […]

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Fort Bragg forest

I’m so glad my curiosity led me to explore this tiny oasis of redwood forest in the middle of Fort Bragg, California, last November. Although it’s relatively small, this park is a priceless gem for anyone wishing to escape for a few minutes and soak in the sights, sounds, and smells of the coastal rain forest: nature at its most […]

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Lake Davis wetlands

I’m sure there are quite a lot of places named Davis Lake (or Lake Davis) throughout the country, but this one is located in Manchester Beach State Park in Mendocino County, a few miles north of Point Arena. I wasn’t even aware I was hiking in an area named Davis Lake Wetlands and Coastal Dunes Natural Preserve until I came […]

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Spring in Secret Ravine

It’s been nearly a year since I last visited Secret Ravine, tucked into one of the few remaining green spaces between Roseville and Rocklin. I’m never sure how much longer this tiny haven is going to remain, surrounded as it is by housing developments and major roadways, including Interstate 80. I had actually forgotten about this bunch of pictures which […]

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The abandoned, Part 3

Since I’ve now visited the area near Manchester Beach State Park a couple of times, I finally decided to do a bit of digging for more information. In doing so, I learned that the region to the west of Highway 1 and north of the park entrance on Kinney Road is called Lake Davis Wetlands and Coastal Dunes Natural Preserve. […]

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Scenes from the Garden

I always enjoy looking back at my visits to the Botanical Garden in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. The garden is large enough that I’m never sure if I’ve missed something; and since the only time I manage to get there is during August, I can only imagine what it must be like during the springtime. These images are from […]

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