Author: -N-

A View to Mono Lake

A View to Mono Lake

We spent the last week up in the area of Mammoth Lakes, located on the eastern slope of the Sierras, up Highway 395.  Can you believe I have never been up that road?!?

We hiked and ate and took pictures and saw the sites.  The weather was superb.  We had to adjust from living at 800 feet above sea level to going up to 8000 feet and higher – shortness of breath (SOB!), dry eyes and nose, and so on.  We got comfortable at 8000, but moving up, like in walking uphill, became a challenge at times, so we would rest and then continue.  This gave for a lot of wonderful opportunities to look around, take in a breath of sage and pine, and snap away.

This view of Mono Lake is from the Parker Lake Trail, and is created from a montage of about 8 images.  Click on the image for a bigger version.

West

West

These weeds – oat grass? – are typical grasses in open areas of southern California.  The seed heads are sharp and stick into your socks and shoes and work their way in.  Pity the poor dog who doesn’t get these removed . . . Mother Nature’s way to ensure a new generation is propagated someplace!

Prickly Pear

Prickly Pear

Prickly pear are everywhere in my area of California, dotting hillsides and roadsides.  They are really quite beautiful – from a distance – but also a wonderful food source.  The pears are sweet when ripe, with a deep red fruit.  The paddles are also edible, but a bit bland, and are used in making nopales.  To eat a prickly pear requires a prickly pear, a pair of gloves to pick what you want, and a fire or blow torch to remove the thorns, which are long and pointy.  I don’t go out harvesting, but I always enjoy photographing these cacti.  Oh, and before the pears show up, the flowers are really beautiful.