Hiking up the Dorn Nature Trail at Clear Lake State Park two months ago was one of my most enjoyable outings this year. I had the trail nearly to myself, and while the sun frequently vanished behind clouds, leaving behind a chilly wind, I was able to take things at my own pace and spend time just listening to the […]
Secret Ravine is not actually a river but a somewhat seasonal creek running through southern Placer County. It’s connected to Miner’s Ravine and, eventually, to Dry Creek (formerly Linda Creek), a smaller tributary of the Sacramento River. It’s not necessary to know all this, however, to be able to enjoy a quiet morning in the shade beside the creek, listening […]
I wrote about a month ago about our forest hike along the Big River in Mendocino County. here are a few more of the photos I shot on that outing. Even though at the time we weren’t sure exactly where we were or where our chosen trail was taking us, we had a great time and the scenery was really […]
I’m not sure if there’s a name for this phenomenon, but maybe you’ve noticed that whenever you’re driving carefully along a winding, narrow, possibly dirt road full of potholes searching for a specific location in the middle of nowhere, three miles can feel more like 50 miles. Just a few miles up Little Lake Road in Mendocino, not far from […]
The dirt trail running parallel to Hinkle Creek is roughly a half mile in length, passing through oak woodland inhabited by a variety of wildlife. The murmur of the creek is never far away even though much of its banks are crowded with prickly blackberry bushes. The location is not exactly isolated; visible just up the steep hill to the […]
Whenever I head over to Phoenix Park in Fair Oaks, I usually try to find time to walk a little farther, through the neighborhood behind the park and over to the bluffs. There I can always find a slightly different view of Lake Natoma than the one I normally see, with a wide vista of Mississippi Bar below me. On […]
A week ago I mentioned that I was surprised to discover some forgotten photos from my trip to the Sonoma Coast back in September. I was sure I had posted all my pictures already; but the great thing about carrying three different cameras is that I can capture three times as many images! Today I’m sharing the photos I shot […]
I was so certain I had already blogged about exploring the neighborhood trails when we stayed at The Sea Ranch last September — but none of the photos are showing up in my media library. I guess my attempt at being organized has failed me again, but this time I don’t mind so much because it gives me an excuse […]
I’m doing a slightly different Memory Monday today only partly because I discovered a few previously overlooked family slides. Another reason, strange as it may seem, has to do with trees. With all the powerful storms that have been blowing through our region this month, a lot of neighborhood trees have come down — many landing on vehicles and houses. […]