Tag Archives: plants

Photographs: Central California

Two Oak Trees, Morning

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Two Oak Trees, Morning

Two Oak Trees, Morning. Pacheco State Park, California. March 16, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Two oak trees and grassland in morning light. This scene was photographed at Pacheco State Park on the top of the mountain range between Santa Clara Valley and California’s Great Central Valley. This park is a great place to see spring wildflowers, though the persistent winds can make photography challenging.

I always think of one other connection when I pass by this area or, better yet, stop and visit. When John Muir first travelled to the Sierra he came through this pass, and he marveled (as Muir frequently did) at the carpet of wildflowers extending into and across the valley in front of him. While we no longer see the sight the he described, during a few weeks each spring the wildflowers are thick enough that you can almost imagine it.

keywords: oaks, trees, grass, hills, sun, light, morning, early, fence, ridge, sky, silhouette, pacheco, state park, california, pass, usa, travel, scenic, nature, plants, spring, landscape, stock

Photographs: Death Valley

Stovepipe Dunes, Evening

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Stovepipe Dunes, Evening

Stovepipe Dunes, Evening. Death Valley National Park, California. April 1, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Early evening light softly illuminates folded terrain of the Stovepipe Dunes, Death Valley National Park, California.

I’m just back from a four-day trip to Death Valley and this first photo I’ve posted is also one of the first I took – on the first evening after I arrived in the park.

keywords: death valley, national park, stovepipe, wells, sand, dunes, evening, twilight, plants, folds, mountains, waves, ripples, soft, light, desert, grapevine, california, usa, travel, scenic, landscape, stock