CRAZY FOR POPPIES - MARCH 2019

There were a number of reports this past week about the poppy explosion of color occurring in the Walker Canyon area around Lake Elsinore. I was attending a photography function in Riverside today so took camera gear so that if we had time we could stop in the area while passing through.

Well we just passed through. At 0900 the area was already full with viewers and flower lovers, and the start of traffic jams. 

LUPINE HILL

The above photos were taken with my iPhone while moving at about 40 mph.

On our return trip there were still people on the hillsides at 7:30 p.m. We got caught in the resulting traffic jam. As a result an 1.5 hour drive turned into a 3.0 hour drive. It was still  good to see hills, and experience the color show put on by Mother Nature.

DESERT WILDFLOWERS - COYOTE CANYON - FEB. 28

Up early to enjoy the early morning light in the Desert. It was very enjoyable. I drove out to Coyote Canyon and onto Desert Garden. The wind was already an issue as it was blowing about 10 mph. Due to the latest rains, about a week ago, the Canyon was closed to vehicle traffic beyond Desert Garden. 

That did not stop me. I decided to take advantage of the fact that there was no vehicle traffic and walked in about a mile and a half. It was delightful, as generally there are a lot of four wheel traffic going in to the area. 

MORNING LIGHT AND SHADOW

I really enjoyed the play of the clouds and shadows on the slopes.

SHAW AGAVE

Not bad for a phone image

VERBENA AND DESERT DANDELION

DESERT DANDELION ENTWINED IN DODDER

When I returned to my car i set up my breakfast table and enjoyed breakfast and the natural setting. Soon it was time to head for home, but I first had to check out of my motel. 

WILDFLOWER SPRING - FEBRUARY 27

The end of February I returned to Anza-Borrego State Park for some more enjoyment of the Spring Bloom. This was a solo trip and I spent the night out there so I could enjoy it a little more, and see a couple of different areas. Since the last trip we had had another good rain which reached Borrego Springs and caused some flooding in Borrego Palm Canyon and Coyote Canyon.

My first stop was at the end of Henderson Canyon which showed a large variety of Verbena and  Desert Primrose. The Desert Sunflower was also out.

I then returned to S-22, the Salton Sea Highway and revisited Arroyo Salado and then ventured into Coachwhip Canyon. The wind was a bit of an issue today so I tried to find flowers that were in the lee of a canyon wall.

GOLD POPPY

BLAZING STAR

BLUE PHACELIA

DESERT LILY

ARZIONA LUPINE

BROWN-EYED EVENING PRIMROSE

LUPINE HILLSIDE

After a mid-afternoon break I headed back out on the Salton Sea Highway and captured the late afternoon light on North side of the Badlands.

The skies remained clear with only a few clouds so there was not a need to go to Fonts Point for sunset. Oh darn. I enjoyed the light on the canyon walls though.  

DAY'S END

ANZA-BORREGO BLOOMS

Wild Wildflower shows are occurring in Southern California:

February 12

We have had a very moist winter season here in Southern California. As a result we are seeing a great show of wildflowers here in San Diego County and beyond. 

In mid-February Anza-Borrego Desert was starting to bloom, and has continued to get better each week.The highlight of the first trip was the prolific display of Desert Lillies. My friend, Lin and I went out for a day on February 12th. 

We met at Christmas Circle at 0800 and headed East on the S-22, the Salton Sea road.  It was reported that there were a number of good sightings of Verbena, and Desert Lillies. We bypassed the verbena show on the way out and headed for Arroyo Salada for the desert lillies. 

I do not believe I have ever seen such a showing of the lilies in one common area. We spent a good hour in the area, seeing and  photographing the various flowers in bloom:

Arizona Lupine

Arizona Lupine and Gold Poppies

Gold Poppy

Gold Poppies

Desert Lily

Desert Lily

Lily buds and blossoms

Desert Sunflower

Desert Chicory

Desert Primrose

We started our return to town, but had to stop to enjoy the fields of verbena that we had bypassed earlier in the day.

By noon we were ready to call it a day as the wind had picked up and the sun was almost directly overhead. We enjoyed lunch in town at Kendalls.
We did drive out to the beginning of Coyote Canyon, but there was not much of a show yet. The ocotillo were looking full, but there were only a few blooms to date. 

After picking up a bag of fresh, from the grove, tangerines, I headed home. 

I enjoyed this first trip and looked forward to another trip and a couple of weeks.