Seeing California’s spring wildflowers has long been on my bucket list. With the long drought quenched by soaking rains the past few months, this year’s bloom promised to be a big one. I am most fortunate to have friends in SoCal willing to take me to see the show at Walker Canyon, Lake Elsinore and wow, what a mind-blowing event it was. The tiny people on the far ridge above give you an idea of how vast the coverage was, 180 degrees of mountain vistas covered with California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) and several other wildflowers.
Below is a slideshow to enjoy–
Oak leaf encased in ice after being repeatedly splashed by the waterfall.
Since it’s snowing here and they’re forecasting frigid temperatures to follow, I thought I’d head back to Florida (virtually, that is).
Plants lay one upon another, trees, vines and moss; every ray of sunshine has a tendril reaching toward it. A startling jungle filled with birds, insects and various critters!
I was astonished to see the height of the river yesterday afternoon on my walk. Rain had poured down all day with totals above two inches, breaking up the 8-10″ thick river ice. With the ground frozen, all that water sheeted off directly into the watershed. The grinding, backed up ice seen here is at least ten feet deep, a scary thing if any one or animal got too close and fell in.
