Here are more visions of the California landscape from springs of years past. Vast surfaces of dusty brown that characterize the rolling hills and fallow lands during summer acquire a fresh coat of green. And out in the Central Valley, dry dustpans suddenly become wetlands harboring migratory birds. This is often the time I seek out hiking trails that take me out of civilization, to witness biomes and climate as it once had been.
Visions of Spring
The fallow lands in the agricultural plains of California are often a shade of rusty brown through most of the year, a side effect of the hot and dry climate experienced by the interior of the state for most of the year. These conditions do not spare the rounded hills that run along the western spine of the state. But the spring rains rejuvenate these lands, adding a fresh coat of green, and a dash of color from wildflowers.
Wild mustards, with their distinct lemon-yellow blooms, are the first ones to crop up on vast swathes of fallow lands. Soon after, the still-moist meadows proliferate with various flowering plants and spring grasses. The California black oak, a tree well adapted to this climate, acquires a fresh set of leaves after laying dormant all winter, and quickly envelop any mistletoe growing on their branches.
Driving through these lands often provide a window into the past, of how California used to be before it got as densely populated as it is now.
Central Valley
CA USA
Gentle Giants
I recently watched 'The Last Tourist', which tries to encapsulate the economic, environmental and socio-cultural cost of tourism on a region. While I was aware of some these impact, this movie served as an eye-opening experience. I was especially taken aback by the toll of wildlife tourism in Thailand, as it rekindled some of my own memories of animal experiences in the night markets of Chiang Mai. I remember seeing sad looking tiger cubs being used as show-pieces, leashed monkeys used for performing tricks, and several other endangered animals treated with wanton cruelty.
But it was learning about inhumane treatment of elephants in the various 'nature' parks showcased in the movie that brought me to tears. These intelligent gentle giants were chained up with very little ability to move, or being prodded with sharp metal rods to perform tricks. This 'tourism' experience certainly did not earn any sympathy from me. While I was glad I didn't venture on such an experience, I would have rather not traveled to such a destination that supports such inhumane experiences.
This specific elephant was living its retirement years at the Elephant Nature Park, one of the parks that cares for rehabilitating and improving the lives of elephants.
Thailand
Is it a superbloom year?
It may be too early to tell whether the deluge of winter rains in California will lead to a superbloom. Last years spectacular blooms were attributed to the right amount of rain at the right time. Will the same happen this year?
Here are a few scenes of colorful poppies covering the sun-drenched slopes of the Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve.
Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve
CA USA
Awaiting Tulips
The warmer temperatures and long sunny days of the upcoming spring in the Pacific Northwest have re-awakened memories of exploring the colorful blossoms that dot the fertile Skagit Valley. I long to see the uniform rows of colorful tulips layered against the foothills of the North Cascades. Especially in the early morning hours when the low angle of light adds a beautiful rimlight to the kaleidoscopic blossoms. And if I am lucky, I would be greeted by a soft fog that descended to ground level the prior night, and adds an ethereal dimension to the scene. Here is to hoping that this happens once again.
Skagit Valley
WA USA
Nestled in Nature
With a density of 181 / sq. km, Western Europe is quite densely populated (twice as high as California, and comparable to NY state). And yet, it is quite easy to find and meld into nature. Compact villages with a small footprint nestled in the countryside offered a more harmonious experience than the sprawling suburbs I was quite used to. And exploring the countryside on the narrow mountain roads made for a delightful few days.
Schwarzwald
Baden-Württemberg Germany
Watered Down
I was quite surprised when I learnt that the state of Washington may have the largest number of waterfalls in the lower 48, including this icy falls near Snoqualmie Pass, but I reckon that the most beautiful falls in the Pacific Northwest reside in the state of Oregon. Between the multitude of falls that tumble down the walls of the Columbia Gorge, and those scattered across its state parks, Oregon has no dearth of falls. And thanks to the volcanic basalt rocks that frame many of the falls in this state, Oregon offers photographers a bounty of photogenic falls to capture.
Here are a couple from that state, which while similar to each other, are still unique in their own way.
Pacific Northwest
Summer Greens
I use the long slow winter days to pour over archives to see if I found anything interesting. While going through thousands of photos I had shot in the Palouse region over the past few years, I found these four classic pastoral landscapes. Often, these would be of rusting shacks or vibrant red barns set against a lush farmland framed by a deep blue sky. It took a while to find these locations and find matching compositions, but these four worked.
Palouse
WA USA
Into the Fog
Hiking above the inversion layer, a thick layer of fog below you, is certainly alluring. It feels like you are above a sea of clouds. But hiking into the inversion layer is a whole new experience. The harsh light and the associated shadows get soft while trees and rocks now have a gentle blur. Occasionally, the fog highlights shafts of sunlight passing through the trees.
In this winter scene, all these effects came into play on a sunny day in a snow-covered landscape. I captured a few shots of this fleeting scene just as the fog started to thicken again.
Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
WA USA
Still Waters
As the kayak drifted slowly through the shallow waters of Cedar creek, I passed by baldcypress trees with their broad ribs and towering tupelo trees cradling the riverbank. The morning light of late fall lit up the faded yellows and orange of the swamp cottonwoods. The still waters of the creek created a sublime and moving reflection of the entire scene. The gentle chorus of songbirds as they were starting their morning flight echoed throughout the forest.
The everchanging pattern of colors, light and sound captured, in my mind, the essence of Congaree National Park, which preserves the last old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the United States. This scene from Cedar creek in the National Park is the featured image for November in my 2024 calendar available at this link.
Congaree National Park
SC USA