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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A May-December romance

As I sit at my desk writing this, it’s early December and the weather outside is grey, windy, and very wet. And while there’s a part of me that absolutely loves rainy winter days, I also look back with longing on the warm spring mornings like the one in late May when I took a stroll around the Turtle Pond […]

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Conjuring spring

I do love the season of autumn; but for right now I’m finding comfort in memories of last spring, a season of hope and optimism, when wildflowers sprang up all around and I was able to go out to the Phoenix Park vernal ponds in between rain showers to breathe the fresh air and practice my macro photography skills with […]

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A visit to the vernal ponds

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 […]

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Bird bath

I was exploring at Sailor Bar one morning last May, following a trail around to the more overgrown portion of the Turtle Pond, when I heard loud splashing sounds from up ahead. Creeping forward, I managed to catch this California Towhee in the middle of a bath. These little brown birds may be terrifically plain in color, but they are […]

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Beautiful Berryessa

It was early May, with cool temperatures and the skies threatening rain. At the end of a 2-hour drive from home, we did some exploring along the west shore of Lake Berryessa and found only a handful of other people — and no one at all in this quiet spot. The wildflowers were abundant, and the day seemed just about […]

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On the Dorn Nature Trail

One day during our stay in Nice last month, the Big Guy suggested that I drive around to the opposite side of Clear Lake and explore the trails at Clear Lake State Park. I’d been to the state park a few times in the past but only to launch the boat and go fishing. He was convinced that I’d find […]

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