These long shots always have such an interesting sense of depth – all squashed and magnified at the same time. Above is a detail from the photo below.
Author: -N-
Dreaming of Snow
Our cold winter thus far has hit a low of 64F or so in the past several weeks. No snow, certainly; sadly, no rain, either. Perfect for the next fire season, which is becoming a longer and longer annual event.
So, I dream of snow, and pull up memories of living in upstate New York, hiking for miles across woodlands and farms in the early morning or early evening. The light slants, the air mists, and a winter wonderland becomes a magical world filled with rivers and creeks, trees, and trails left behind by others.
Oak Leaves
I grew up in the midwest, surrounded by oak trees. In California, the trees are still recognizably oaks, but adapted to a dryer climate, and green for most of the year. I think this may be an import as its leaves are bigger, and changing with the season.
Santa Paula Ranch in Winter
California is filled with open space and ranchlands; in fact, according to the US Department of Agriculture:
Over a third of the country’s vegetables and two-thirds of the country’s fruits and nuts are grown in California. California is the leading US state for cash farm receipts, accounting for over 13 percent of the nation’s total agricultural value.
So, California is far more than rich people, Los Angeles, and movie stars. Where I live, agriculture is a major industry. It is around little towns and large suburban areas that you find ranches, for flowers, avocados, citrus, strawberries, and vegetables. Here, a view of a ranch in Santa Paula, taken from a train ride several years ago. The original photo is below.
Pepper Tree at Sunset
Pepper trees are common where I live, providing bright spots of green against the barren beige of California’s winter hills. The branches are like those of willows – long, slender leaves – with the addition of beautiful, pale red peppers.
Ink, Yarn & Beer 