We took another day trip on Monday, this time to the
Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve.
Our friends
Don & Evalyn told us about it and because it's at a higher altitude (2600-3000') it's just reaching peak blooming, while the wildflowers down here are already gone.
I have never seen so many poppies, nor so much orange. Fantastic!
Contrary to the pictures, there were a lot of people at the reserve. There is a lot of trail to spread out on though. We were lucky enough to see Don & Evalyn who were leaving as we came in! Erik and I looked around the visitor center for a little bit and then took a walk.
We saw a couple of horned larks, who I think were working on a nest (his partner was carrying something in her mouth). I love that you can see the "horns" in this picture.
We also saw a multitude of lizards. This little rainbow of color is called a Side-Blotched Lizard. Isn't he pretty?
This little guy let me get really close before he finally dropped down and scurried into his hole.
This strange and wonderful thing is called a Silver Puff. Apparently this showy seed stage lasts much longer than it's flower stage.
More poppies :-)
After our walk (Erik figured we went about 3.5 miles on the trails we chose), we decided to take the pamphlet's advice and visit the
Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park on our way home. It's just a few miles down the road from the poppy reserve. I think we somehow expected it to be similarly big and busy and showy. It was none of those things. It's more what I think of as high desert--easy to picture a vaquero winding his way through, isn't it?
There were a number of Joshua Trees, always weird and wonderful.
We had a nice quiet short walk, and were assailed by the amazing scent of California Juniper . . .
and Blue Sage. I cannot describe how wonderfully pungent they smell in the heat of the day!
This is a prickly place!
This is called a
Beavertail Cactus; you can see why. It's getting ready to bloom all over the place!
We passed some gorgeous landscape on our way to and from the reserve. Erik said it looked like someone dabbled with a paintbrush (click to make larger).
We stopped for a late lunch and also at an antique shop where I tried on some hats. I'm going to an English tea and movie night this weekend and a hat would be fun . . . but I wasn't willing to spend $25-35 for a one-time-use hat. I had fun trying them on though!
Goodnight! :-)
Our friends Don & Evalyn told us about it and because it's at a higher altitude (2600-3000') it's just reaching peak blooming, while the wildflowers down here are already gone.
I have never seen so many poppies, nor so much orange. Fantastic!
Contrary to the pictures, there were a lot of people at the reserve. There is a lot of trail to spread out on though. We were lucky enough to see Don & Evalyn who were leaving as we came in! Erik and I looked around the visitor center for a little bit and then took a walk.
We saw a couple of horned larks, who I think were working on a nest (his partner was carrying something in her mouth). I love that you can see the "horns" in this picture.
We also saw a multitude of lizards. This little rainbow of color is called a Side-Blotched Lizard. Isn't he pretty?
This little guy let me get really close before he finally dropped down and scurried into his hole.
This strange and wonderful thing is called a Silver Puff. Apparently this showy seed stage lasts much longer than it's flower stage.
More poppies :-)
After our walk (Erik figured we went about 3.5 miles on the trails we chose), we decided to take the pamphlet's advice and visit the Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park on our way home. It's just a few miles down the road from the poppy reserve. I think we somehow expected it to be similarly big and busy and showy. It was none of those things. It's more what I think of as high desert--easy to picture a vaquero winding his way through, isn't it?
There were a number of Joshua Trees, always weird and wonderful.
We had a nice quiet short walk, and were assailed by the amazing scent of California Juniper . . .
and Blue Sage. I cannot describe how wonderfully pungent they smell in the heat of the day!
This is a prickly place!
This is called a Beavertail Cactus; you can see why. It's getting ready to bloom all over the place!
We passed some gorgeous landscape on our way to and from the reserve. Erik said it looked like someone dabbled with a paintbrush (click to make larger).
We stopped for a late lunch and also at an antique shop where I tried on some hats. I'm going to an English tea and movie night this weekend and a hat would be fun . . . but I wasn't willing to spend $25-35 for a one-time-use hat. I had fun trying them on though!
Goodnight! :-)
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3 comments:
I wish I had known! There are some hats here!
I like the flowered one on you! Too bad they are not the style anymore!
I love, love, love your pictures (as usual). Sure doesn't look like spring in WI, but it's so beautiful. I would vote for the flowered hat, too. k
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