Tag Archives: leaves

Dogwood Blossoms and Leaves

Dogwood Blossoms and Leaves

Dogwood Blossoms and Leaves. Yosemite Valley, California. May 9, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Spring dogwood tree blossoms and new leaves, Yosemite Valley.

I found this pair of dogwood blossoms and the accompanying diagonal arrangement of new leaves when I left the crowded “Mirror Lake Trail” (which is, in reality, a road…) and instead walked the parallel and much more attractive footpath through the forest. It can be hard to get a full view of the dogwood flowers from above since the great majority of the flowers grow above eye level. Here I found a large boulder parked next to a tree, and while the leaves were a good distance up in the tree, by climbing onto the boulder and setting my tripod up on top I was able to find a good high position to photograph them.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: california, sierra nevada, travel, Yosemite, valley, national, park, usa, dogwood, tree, leaf, bloom, blossom, bracht, petal, white, leaf, leaves, branch, dark, forest, bokeh, sun, light, nature, scenic, mirror lake, trail, sun, sierra, nevada, mountians, stock

Miners Lettuce and Ferns

Miners Lettuce and Ferns

Miners Lettuce and Ferns. Almaden Quicksilver Park, California. April 12, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A single miners lettuce plant in bloom among ferns, Almaden Quicksilver Park, California.

As a kid growing up in central California I always heard how one could “make a salad” out of miners lettuce, so this is one of the first wild plants I can remember. (By the way, I have no idea if this plant is actually edible – or deadly poison – so don’t go eating it because you saw my post – ask an expert first!) This single leaf and stem of the plant was growing in a very lush section of a trail at Almaden Quicksilver Park every spring during wildflower season.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: green, foliage, leaves, leaf, flower, white, miners lettuce, round, fern, branch, twig, stem, almaden, quicksilver, county, park, santa clara, san jose, california, usa, spring, wet, drop, water, reflection, shade, lush, nature, foliage, stock, close up, macro, plant

Red Alder Leaves, Spring

Red Alder Leaves, Spring

Red Alder Leaves, Spring. Muir Woods National Monument, California. April 11, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Spring red alder leaves branch out above the creek at Muir Woods National Monument, California.

More red alder leaves from Muir Woods National Monument. I’m fascinated by the delicate patterns of the branches of this tree – in fact I have photographed these very same branches (yes, the same tree) a couple of time previously.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: red, alder, leaf, leaves, branch, twig, green, spring, new, growth, delicate, bokeh, nature, tree, forest, grove, muir woods, national, monument, golden gate, recreation, area, marin county, california, usa, redwood, foliage, creek, stock, green

Red Alder Leaves

Red Alder Leaves

Red Alder Leaves. Muir Woods National Monument, California. April 11, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Spring Red Alder leaves at Muir Woods National Monument, California.

I made another visit to Muir Woods National Monument this weekend – probably the fourth or fifth visit in the last month and a half or so. This is obviously quite a contrast with the Death Valley photos that I’ve been posting. (There are still a few more of those to come.) When I started visiting Muir Woods this past winter, my first visit coincided with the very first buds appearing on the red alder trees. Now, some weeks later, the new growth has largely filled in, though there are still some trees that seem to be just getting started.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: red, alder, leaf, leaves, twig, branch, tree, foliage, plant, nature, spine, new, spring, season, bokeh, muir woods, national, monument, park, golden gate, recreation, area, marin county, california, usa, redwood, forest, morning, diffused, light, travel, scenic, landscape, stock, green