Tag Archives: grass

Photographs: England, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Travel

The Shores of Loch Ness

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The Shores of Loch Ness
“The Shores of Loch Ness” — Trees grow next to sheep pastures along the shore of Loch Ness near Drumnadrochit, Scotland.

Perhaps you noticed — Patty and I were traveling from mid-May through early June. We spent three weeks in Scotland, followed by a visit to York and London. The main focus of the trip was to complete the “Great Glen Walk,” a weeklong 80 mile trek from Fort William to Inverness. It was, in almost all ways, quite different from our familiar Sierra Nevada pack trips and hikes — the terrain was almost entirely different, and we stayed in various civilized accommodations each night. So civilized, in fact, that they served us breakfast and packed lunches for us!

I made this photograph of the very green Scottish landscape on the second-to-last day of our walk, which ended in Drumnadrochit, very close to Loch Ness. It was a bit of an odd day. For one thing, we hiked this section “in reverse,” starting well north of town and walking back there. It also took us to one of the highest points on the walk, a wild and windy place above timberline. That aside, much of the hike was through lush and green forests, and here through an area of sheep pastures. Stay tuned: there are many more photographs to come!

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: Nature

A Spring Garden

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A Spring Garden
“A Spring Garden” — A green corner of the Japanese garden at Hakone Estate and Gardens.

In early spring we found time to spend an evening at the Hakone Estate and Gardens, where a celebration of spring in general and cherry blossoms specifically was taking place. One can go there at almost any time of day, but evenings are special. We arrived in late afternoon light and then, as we wandered the garden, the light faded to sunset and then twilight as colorful lights came on to illuminate the cherry trees.

Of course, there is much more to see there than just the cherry trees. The buildings of the estate are fascinating, there are pools and streams, bridges, and also sorts of flooring plants, bushes, and trees. In one corner of the garden, on a hilly path, I came upon this corner filled with extremely lush spring plants.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Southern California

Gravel Road, Carrizo Plain

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Gravel Road, Carrizo Plain
“Gravel Road, Carrizo Plain” — A one-lane gravel road winds across the Carrizo Plain as spring vegetation comes to life.

OK, I admit it. This is a bit of a “record shot,” considering how this place can look like the peak of the spring bloom in an exceptional year. However, it does give me a chance to write a bit about the location and how I came to be here on this day. I was doing the long drive from the SF Bay Area to Death Valley from the San Francisco Bay Area. Since I had decided to stop overnight in Ridgecrest before continuing to the valley, I had a bit of extra time on the first day’s drive. So I detoured through the Carrizo Plain. (Yes, I have driven that gravel single-track, though not on this visit.)

At its best, this place can be remarkably full of spring wildflowers. But my mid-March visit was too early for that, so I had to settle for a landscape just beginning to build toward that climax. In this photograph, the wildflower bloom is just getting started. In exchange, I had the place largely to myself, without the huge crowds that come later. While most who visit for the flowers think of this as a green and wildflower-colorful place, the truth is that most of the time it is quite dry and desertlike.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Photographs: Agriculture, Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Ocean & Coast

Coastal Gully

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Coastal Gully
“Coastal Gully” — The jagged ravine of a coastal creek crosses a pasture before reaching the sea, Big Sur coast.

Recently a meme about California seasons has been circulating on social media. The idea is that our weather always tricks us — we see early signs of spring only to be hit with a cold winter-like storm. The end of winter is an odd one in the state. It is still the rainy (and snowy in the mountains) season, but unlike many other states, here it is the green season. This process of turning green accelerates in March, and it looks more like spring than winter.

This striking, zig-zag gully crosses a bit of level land above the Pacific Ocean along the Big Sur coast near Point Sur. In this season, it is a jagged and dark gash in a remarkably green landscape. A close look reveals the history of this spot as pasture-land, evidenced by the fact that it is criss-crossed by fencing.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | Post | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.