The Golden State has a remarkable ability of turning green during spring. Rolling landscapes take on a green sheen as the winter turns to spring, paving way for the black oaks to sprout new leaves, and for colorful wildflowers to paint the landscape with a palette of pink, purple, blue, red, yellow and white. With a bountiful winter rain this year signaling the end of the drought, the parched landscape has once again renewed its cycle afresh.
Seeing images of the California greens brought back wonderful memories of a hike I took a couple of years ago in the hillscapes of Pacheco State Park nestled amidst the Diablo Range near Central California. I still vividly remember the journey as the trail wound its way around the parks' many geographical features. Every turn brought surprising delights, whether it was a small rancher's pond, replete with quacking mallards and dancing dragonflies, or a small gorge filled with multi-colored shooting stars glowing in the warm afternoon sunlight, or ridge-top vistas of the vast rolling scenery landscape with budding oak trees as far as the eye could see.
Here was one such vista taken in the late afternoon light, as the the slowly setting sun lengthened the shadows the oak trees cast on the green meadows all around, while patches of wildflowers colored the landscape yellow, orange and pink.
Pacheco State Park
CA USA