analog – Page 64 – Ink, Yarn & Beer

In Bloom

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!

The Road Beyond

This was taken late in the day, and really underexposed. Cleanup was not the best, nor composition, but I rather like it despite that. Roads leading into the horizon are always fascinating.

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.

Lizard’s Mouth at Sunrise

Lizard’s Mouth is a promontory toward the eastern edge of the park, and as the sun rises in the west, it begins to glow.