Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Spring, Spring, Spring!

We just got access to another 600 acres of private hiking trails ACROSS the STREET from our house. Woo hoo!!!! So, Ella and I went out for a quick walk and photo session. I am trying to use the "advanced" features on my digital SLR, which I have only had for FOUR years and never thought to pick up the instruction manual.

Go Ella, Go!


Ella is standing among rusty popcorn flower (Plagiobothrys nothofulvus)-white specks, miniature lupine (Lupinus bicolor)-purple specks and fiddleneck (Amsinckia menziesii)-yellow specks. My photo does not do them justice.

The wildflowers are blooming everywhere.
Thus, you see the real reason I decided to get academic with the camera.

Wanting to take close up pictures of flowers, I was having trouble with field of view. Only one flower was coming into focus and the others remained blurred. So working with the aperture setting I have been able to get better close ups, or rather better flower pornography.


These California golden violets (Viola pedunculata) are blooming on the grassy northern slopes of the hills right now. They form small clusters and are not very abundant in the midst of the non-natives which have rampaged our grasslands.

I think this one could be Blue Violets alter ego........Golden Violet.

21 comments:

Michelle Jackson said...

Great pics! Makes me want to go on a nature walk! :)

Anonymous said...

Love it! Looks orange!

And I just wanna pinch Ella's cheeks!

That's great news about the use of extra land!

theUngourmet said...

Pretty! I want to live there!

Olde Dame Penniwig said...

Such nice wildflowers. Even tumbleweeds struggle out here...!

Grand Pooba said...

What? ONLY 600 acres? That's it? Well, I guess it's better than nothing. lol (I'm so jealous!)

Thanks for the flower pornography and I'm sure blue violet will be extra excited that you included her in it!

Anonymous said...

There is just so much beauty that you are privy to and I love that you take advantage of it. Ella looks happy out there!

The Silver Age Sara said...

The pictures were fantastic. I think you've mastered the advanced features. Ella is such an adorable doll too.
I'm really happy to hear there is still 600 acres of undeveloped land in California. Made my day.

Anonymous said...

beautiful! and I am so jealous, 600 acres of gorgeous trails

Anonymous said...

That's what I get for reading it so early in the morning! I didn't even catch that alter ego statement. I read it because I remember that sentence but it didn't even register with me. Duh!

You're a little trickster, you are.

I'm going to have to read your blog later in the day when the words make more sense to me.

Why do I have to be the one with the darker side, by the way? I want to be the sunny, golden, luminous beauty.

Oh, I did that to myself, didn't I?

Elizabeth Leigh said...

wow - that amount of acreage across from you house?!? thats awesome!! i'm sure you will definitely take advantage of it. great pics. ella is such a cutie!

brokenteepee said...

The publicist asks, what's an instruction manual?
Perhaps this is why she cannot operate her Rebel appropriately....hmmmm.

Ryan Ashley Scott said...

Lots of hiking for you this year, then. I love the top picture with Ella in her bright pink shirt - she stands out like a magnificent flower herself. So cute.

Of course the actual flowers are gorgeous, too - but I'm partial to pink. ;)

Frogs in my formula said...

I am so jealous. I keep thinking I see buds on the trees here in CT but then they shrivel and die from lack of sun and pelting rain. I wish I could climb into your blog. Sigh.

Anonymous said...

Ella is soooo stinking cute!! Awesome pictures!

Anonymous said...

Does this mean you wont be taking long walks at your friend Ann's house? What should she tell Silvie Sue? Oh no this just can't be happening:-((!

Unknown said...

that looks amazing!

Staci A said...

I would love to see all those flowers right now. Your photos are beautiful!

Debbie said...

600 acres? That is amazing.

Julia said...

There are days when I feel like I must be the luckiest person alive! We are so fortunate to live in our little beautiful valley.

Everyone deserves to enjoy the outdoors. I wish everybody could go for a hike in such great habitat.

Anonymous said...

Wow! Nice job on the pictures. Looks like a great field and lots of funny to run around in! Wish I could have been there.

LifeRamblings said...

lovely captures especially the 1st photo.

The Day the Swallows Came Home

The tree swallows are here already.  They arrived January 30 much to my dismay.  Swooping and calling and chirping their merry song over my ...