Desert Blooms

The more I explore Arizona, the more I am amazed by how many different varieties of cactus there are.   This spring I visited the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix and the Boyce Thompson Arboretum in Superior.  Both places are well worth exploring and provide a safe environment (i.e. cleared paths with no rattlesnakes!) to view cactus and other native plants.  Or I can just take a walk through my neighborhood and see some wonderful cactus blooms this time of year.

Spring Wildflowers - Mariposa County

The spring wildflowers in Mariposa County this year are more beautiful than I've seen since the drought began in California several years ago.   These photos of lupine, poppies and other local wildflowers were taken during March and April along Hornitos Road and on Hwy 49 between Mariposa and Coulterville. 

Birthday Trip to the Eastern Sierra

Last year on my birthday I made a trip to Bishop where I was born and lived until I was 16.  It is now one of my favorite places to photograph and to visit.  My trip from Mariposa took me through Yosemite National Park and across Tioga Pass to Lee Vining.  Bishop lies approximately 65 miles south of Lee Vining in the Owens Valley and is well known to outdoor enthusiasts who like to ski, fish, hunt, hike and take photographs.  The mountains on the eastern side of the Sierras rise steeply and dramatically, unlike the gradual rise of the mountains on the western side where I now live in Mariposa.  Inyo and Mono counties offer an incredible variety of scenery and interesting places to photograph.  These are a few images that I captured on my birthday trip.  Locations include North Lake, Bishop, Silver Lake, Mono Lake, and  Hwy 395. 

Watson Lake, Arizona

I had saved an article from Outdoor Photographer magazine featuring the lakes near Prescott, Arizona, in hopes of checking them out.  On 4/27/16 I was able to make the trip to Prescott.  Of the four lakes in the area, Watson Lake was the most photogenic.  The rock formations surrounding the lake are interesting and provide endless composition possibilities for photos.  I had to hurry to capture as many images as I could before the rain came, adding even more interest to this beautiful area. 

Desert Storm

While traveling to Arizona on 5/17/16, a rainstorm rolled into the area near Kingman.  The first image was taken on a road leading off of Hwy 40 toward Joshua Tree National Forest.  I love the variation in the colors of the mountains and the wind-whipped desert brush in the foreground.  I only had about 15 minutes in this area and plan to return for further exploration, hopefully when another storm comes in.