Wildflowers in the Sierra Foothills

Spring is plentiful with flowers here and even with the lack of rain there is no shortage of them! On my recent outing I was able to snap photos of quite an assortment of them. Would you like to take a look? Let’s go then!

There is nothing so vetching as this lovely flower!

Milk vetch

It climbs on fences and is truly lovely! Here it is up close!

A vetching photo!

Let’s wander through the rest! The photos are labeled with the name!

Bur Chervil

False Dandelion

Long beaked filaree

Long stalked clover

Lupine and false dandelion

Menzies Fiddleneck

Miners lettuce

Seep Spring Monkey Flower

Wild carnation

One final shot! Here is another variety of lupine: It’s yellow!

Yellow Lupine

Well, thanks again for stopping by today! Have a great day!

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Lovely Lupine

I am returning from a much needed vacation! 

Lupine is a wonderful beautiful blue and white flower that grows here in the spring. It is one perennial that I look forward to seeing every spring! As with the California Poppy, they grow in masses too! And to come across a mass of these lovely flowers is breathtaking! Texas has these flowers too, but there they call them bluebonnets!

So let’s go take a gander at these lovely flowers!

Thick patches of lupine abound in the foothills

Aren’t they glorious?

At one point on my trip with EB I was able to get this shot which is a mixture on lupine and lovely pink clover!

Pink clover and the vibrant purple blue of lupine

I got lucky while shooting photos and I was able to catch a visitor who was enjoying the lupine maybe more than me!

A bumble bee visits the lupine

Let’s get a bit closer to the lupine, shall we?

Up close to lupine

Here is a shot with one flower and a bud that is waiting to open.

A lupine blossom before opening

While this shot is a bit blurry, can you spot the face?

Do you see a face?

One final shot of a patch that I discovered along the banks of the South Fork of the American River.

A mass of lupine near the river

Aren’t they amazing flowers? Stay tuned for more of the Sierra Wildflowers! Thanks for stopping by today!

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California Poppies!

One of the best sights in the spring season is the vibrant California Poppy, which is the State Flower! The reason for the adventure with EB on Saturday was to go in search of this beautiful gleaming flower and the lovely lupine. We did not find the mass of flowers we were looking for, because of the lack of rain over the winter, but find them we did!

Each and every poppy is unique. The colors slightly vary as does the size. Here is a shot that I was able to catch at the side of the road as we were heading into Coloma.

The Glory of the California Poppy

As I said each is unique, as these next photos will show!

Each one is unique

Bi-color poppy

Up close to a poppy

The center is a bit frilly and it truly glows!

The beauty found it the center

There is something spectacular when you find them in a mass!

A swath of poppies along the roadside

Lovely clusters

I hope that you enjoyed these photos! I hope that you have a great Monday, and thank you for stopping by today!

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Rafting On the River

Yesterday EB and I took a ride in search of lupine and the California poppies. Our little day trip was quite the adventure! We had headed out towards Coloma, the site where gold was found here in the Sierra Foothills. At one point in the road we stopped so I could get photos of the South Fork of the American River. I hopped out of the car and caught an amazing series of photos of five people rafting on the river. Here is the series of shots that I caught.

When I looked up the river I noticed the rafters.

I spot river rafters

Here is the full view of the river. You will see the rafters at the upper middle left.

A view of the river

Looking down the river I see where they are headed.

What is in their future

The next few photos are of these folks navigating the rapids.

Above the rapids

Heading into the rapids

At the top of the rapids

The prow of the boat is out of the water

Going down

Going under

Coming up and out

Leveling out

Can you just imagine the thrill of this? Here is a shot of the rafters looking back at where they came from. Notice that the fellow in the green hat? When the raft was going down the rapids he was at the back of the raft. In this shot, after the raft had been spun by the churning rapids, he is now in the front.

Looking back

If you are interested in white water rafting, there are a number of businesses here that offer the adventure. Here is a link to a bit more information on rafting: River Rafting in El Dorado County. There is a link on this page that will take you to the companies who offer rafting.

I hope that you enjoyed this adventure! Thank you EB for driving, lunch and the adventure. To my readers: Thank you for stopping by today, and may every day be an adventure for you!

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Bird Rescue

The other day, enjoying the comfortable temperatures of the approaching evening, I went to sit in the screened in patio room. As I looked out into the yard before sitting down I saw a covey of quail scratching the ground for bugs.

Quail in the yard

I took a seat and was enjoying the peace and quiet.

All of a sudden the quail flew off in a panic. I have heard them before being startled, but this was a completely different call as they rapidly flew away. I got up to look and see what scared the birds. I did not see anything. So, I sat back down.

Toby, the ever watchful cat, was sitting at the door making a chirping sound and his eyes were glued on something in the yard. I got up and then hunkered down so that maybe I could see what had so captivated him. A flutter along our fence caught my eye! There was a hawk stuck in the fence!

How could this be you might ask. When we moved into this house, it had and still does have a four foot high metal fence that has four inch squares which surrounds the property. When our neighbors built their house they ran deer fencing around the property. It is made of a plastic mesh with one inch squares and is seven feet high. They butted this fence against our four foot fence, and this poor hawk was stuck between the two.

I ran into the house, told my husband of the birds dilemma, and ran outside grabbing a scissors on the way. As I got to where the bird was, I slowly moved towards it. The bird was almost at ground level with its wings stuck in two of the four inch squares, and his head stuck within one of the one inch squares on the neighbors fence.

I sat on the ground as I had to move a log that was nestled against the fence so I could really get a good look. The bird was watching me with its orange golden eye. My husband showed up at this point with a pair of wire cutters and nippers in case I needed to cut the virginia creeper. Gloveless, I reached my hand out to the bird speaking to it softly. It allowed me to touch its wings as I gently felt for a break. Not feeling anything amiss it let me move its wings out of the four inch squares so that it was not encumbered by that part of the fence.

Quickly, I cut the wire fencing. Grabbing the scissors next, I reached back to the bird and stroked its back still speaking softly and telling it that I was trying to help get it free. It watched as I snipped the plastic fencing away from the sides of its face. With the last snip the bird turned its head and looked at me, and then it flew off!

What an amazing experience to have saved this beautiful bird. Also amazing was that the bird did not feel threatened by me and allowed me to touch it several times with my bare hands. My husband said to me after the bird released and I sat there stunned on the ground, that I should have had a pair of gloves on. Somehow I just knew that this bird would not peck at me.

Yesterday afternoon the quail were back to scratching the ground in almost the same spot. They flew off again in a panic, and I saw the majesty of a hawk fly in. We think that this is a Coopers Hawk. I ran for the camera and this is the shot I was able to get of what could be or was the bird that I saved.

Coopers Hawk

I wanted to share this incredible experience with you, and now that I have, go out and have a wonderful Saturday! And, thank you for stopping by!

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I’ve Been Pollinated!

Once spring gets into full swing here in the Foothills, get the Benedryl! Pollen is everywhere! At night when we take the dog out there is so much in the air that it looks like it is snowing, but what is falling is floating pollen. And what does pollen do very well? It sticks to everything! Everything! To give you an idea of what the pollen is like here in the Foothills…I have dedicated this post to pollen!

My post title indicates that I have been pollinated! I have, and to prove it here is a photo!

I’ve been pollinated!

Stay tuned for the results!

What I really wanted to capture were photos of the pollen in the puddles after the recent rain, but nature was against me on this…But there is still plenty of pollen to share, so we will start with how it covers the decking…

Pollen covers our decks

The above photo is where the rain hit the deck. Here is what it looked like where it has accumulated over the last 3 days.

It is so thick that I can write in it!

Sticky stuff that this is, it loves to attach to the vehicles.

It’s on the bumper of the car

Where the rain missed…

It covers the rocks in our driveway

Where the rain washed the rocks…

A rain washed area free of pollen

Quite a difference, don’t you think?

Now I know that the bird bath, which has not been used since last fall, needs to be washed, but this next photo shows a ring of yellow pollen. The actual width of the yellow band is about a half inch.

It resides at the edge of the water in the bird bath that needs a cleaning

Here is a shot of the pine flowers giving off the pollen. I suggest clicking on this photo twice for a really good view of the pollen coming off the blossoms!

Pollen flying off the pine blossoms

Right now all the pines and oaks are blooming. Many others are as well. When I came back inside after taking these photos I had to clean off the pollen that coated my camera!

Well needless to say, I have been pollinated, as you saw in the first photo! In a few months I should expect this to come my way!

They tell me this is what the baby will look like!

Now don’t you just want to tickle that cute cheek?

Tickling the cheek!

Well, I need to go and take a Benedryl and blow my nose! I hope that you enjoyed this post, and I thank you for putting up with my silly humor! Now go and have a good Wednesday, OK? And, thanks for stopping by!

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The Green of Spring

Spring seems so early this year. The last two years spring came along in late April and early May. This year it arrived at the beginning of this month. Leaves on the trees appeared seemingly overnight. Wildflowers and weeds are showing their beauty rapidly. So I thought that today I would share with you some of the varying greens in my yard.

Where do I start? I took this shot from my deck looking over the vegetable garden. I found the many green colors amazing, and the breaking of dawn really made their colors pop!

Amazing greens in my yard

Check out the vivid green on the oaks to the muted greens of the digger pines.

Oaks and pine

Looking to the end of the fruit orchard, I am amazed at the colors.

Looking off the deck

The island in the center of our driveway is chock full of weeds, mostly grasses, but the colors are amazing. The redbud tree just left of center, with its leaves just opening, seem to be floating in the air.

The island as the sun rises

The contrast of colors from the old to the new are amazing too. Here is a shot of our night blooming jasmine with last year’s leaves and the new growth that will bear those amazing aromatic flowers.

Old and new

Grasses that were not there the other day come up around the daffodils.

Newly sprouted grasses

And the lambs ears have a lovely blue green leave that in the winter is almost a pale white.

The blue green of lamb ears

We will end with a view of the park like setting that spring gives to us in our backyard.

Park like setting of our back yard

Well, I hope that you have enjoyed the greens in my yard as much as I do each and every morning. Now go out and have a great Tuesday, and thanks for visiting today!

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The Lizards are Back!

As spring advances more of the local critters make their appearance, and the lizards are something to see. I am not sure what type of lizard we have here. It could be a fence lizard or the western sage lizard. No matter which, they are a joy to watch as they zip along, or bask in the sun. I got lucky that I was able to catch the following photos. They watched me warily as I snapped off photos…

The first one that I spot is on top of one of the boulders in our yard. I had to creep along at a slow pace so that I did not scare the little guy. It watches me…

It watches me as I approach slowly

I discover a pair watching from atop another boulder.

A pair watch me too!

I move in slowly and they shift position.

They shift around

Notice that the one in front is a bit chunky. Pregnant maybe?

The one in the front is a bit chunky

They are very scaly if you look closely. You might want to click on this photo twice to see the detail.

Scaly!

Now check out the color under the throat and sides.

Notice the coloring on the sides and throat

As I watch the color blue starts to appear under the chin and on the sides of the longer and skinnier lizard! Maybe this is a defense mechanism.

The color blue shows up

And the color deepens.

The colors deepen and now there is a hint of green

One of the funny things about this lizard is it does pushups. Check out the elbows in these two photos!

The front elbow is down

Now its straight

If I can get close enough at some time in the future I will try to capture a video of them in action!

I hope you enjoyed this visit with one of our local foothill critters! Have a great Monday and thanks for stopping by!

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A Day at the Lake

I woke up this morning with a case of ants in the pants and just had to get outdoors and admire spring here in the foothills. What could be better than taking a stroll around one of the local area lakes? Would you care to join me?

We arrive at Trout Lake. The winds are calm, and the day is starting to warm up. From across the lake swims the welcoming committee.

The welcoming committee

It is so peaceful here. The only sounds are those of the ducks and geese on the lake. The lake is amazingly calm.

The lake

We are greeted by one of the locals.

Greeted with a smile

You and me and the locals are enjoying the peace and tranquility.

Overlooking the lake

It’s a perfect day for a swim!

Canadian Geese

The remains of last year’s cattails still stand proud and tall.

Last year’s cattails

We see a family on the beach. There are three geese and a bunch of goslings. They see us approach and head into the water.

The family is out for an early morning swim

I get lucky and catch a photo of the family lined up in a row. They are followed by a white goose who runs interference.

All in a row

Walking along further around the lake we spy one of the resident snapping turtles.

A snapping turtle

Lupine are starting to bloom and their colors are just glorious!

A mass of lupine

We come across an area where water plants are floating. The colors from the red stems that are under water are striking.

Future water lilies

Looking into the waters edge we can see trout swimming about. Some of them are as big as 14″! I was not sure if the photos of the fish would turn out, but I did catch this fish as it looked at me.

A trout looks at me

A short distance away is another snapping turtle basking in the sun!

Basking in the sun

Heading away from the lake and back to my car we discover this patch of lupine breaking through the tarmac…such lovely flowers!

Breaking through the tarmac

Well it’s time to head home. Thanks for taking this stroll with me! Have a wonderful Sunday!

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The Beauty of Weeds

In a garden there is the rule of the 3 P’s. The first P is plant. The second is place, and the third is perception. A weed is a “plant,” that is in a “place,” where our “perception” tells us they should not be, particularly in our garden beds. But if you stop and take the time to really look at some of these unwanted plants you will find a world of beauty! Shall we take a look at some of the “weeds” in my backyard? Let’s go!

In no particular order…

Purple Striped Weedicus

A buttercup

A lovely pair

A dandelion

Another dandelion

Fairies in the garden

More fairies!

Lavender Weedicus

Light Blue Weedicus

Teeny, tiny blurry baby blues

White Weedicus

Yellow Weedicus

The largest weed is the dandelion. The rest are about 1/4 to 1/16th of the size of the dandelion! Amazing isn’t it, what you can find in the yard if you look close enough? What’s in your garden?

Have a great Saturday! And, thanks for stopping by!

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