Nature Walk

I've been inspired by a few other bloggers that I follow to invite you to come along on a walk with me. One of my favorite spots is directly across the valley in Garland Ranch Regional Park. It is a wonderful spot at any time of the year, but from late fall through early summer is my favorite. We've had about 2 inches of rain in the last month (6 months really) so things are starting to turn green. In a couple of months the first wildflowers will start to bloom. It should be green and blooming until about June when everything starts going dormant because of our normal summer drought.

We had a clear cool day yesterday and my scale was telling me that I needed to get off my fanny, away from the computer and get some exercise. So, off to the park I went.

The start of the Buckeye trail.

The sun had already gone down behind the ridge by this time of the day so everything seems a bit gloomy.

An old oak trunk.

This old oak has seen better days. It has lost many large limbs but is still vigorous.

Snowberry

Lace Lichen festooned oaks on the Mesa trail.

Toyon berries

Peeling Madrone bark with Lace Lichen

I forgot the rosehips in the first time I posted!

Monterey Pine cone on granite

The gloaming on the Carmel River

Another beautiful sunset over Garland Ranch