Wildflowers

These incredible lupines were down on Division creek south of Big Pine, CA.

If it wasn't for a neighbor I would never have found this glorious spot. We drove down the other day and went west on Black Rock Springs road and then turned onto a dirt road heading up Division creek past an old hydro-electric plant built in 1908. The lupines follow a dry creek bed up the mountain forming a ribbon of blue and purple. Beautiful banks of lupine

undulating in the wind (which got to be quite strong that day) the fragrance intoxicating! Interspersed between white granite boulders and other flowering bushes there were bright red splashes of color from Indian Paintbrush, large pink thistles with multiple flowers on large 3' stems, and any number of other wildflowers that I do not know. On the hillsides above there were wide bands of pink bushes, carpets of yellow and in one instance a lone pine tree surrounded by a large carpet of lupine. It was a dramatic picture.

Near the top I looked out on the valley far below...tiny cars and trucks heading north and south on 395. As the drivers speed by do they even notice the colors, the clouds, the birds flying over head? Oh what they are missing. I felt blessed to have found this beautiful spot.

Beauty is everywhere if you take the time to look and it is so nurturing and nourishing to your soul. No matter where you are you can find a special place. I guarantee you will feel recharged and renewed...I did. Stop to smell the flowers.

Alabama Hills

We decided to drive down to Lone Pine the other day to see the wildflowers. I had never stopped to see the Alabama Hills either so we spent the whole afternoon exploring and it was awesome with these awesome rock formations.

Apparently miners back in the 1860's named their claims in honor of the CSS Alabama, a Confederate warship, and eventually the area became known as the Alabama Hills. Then in the 1920's Hollywood came to town and all sorts of movies were shot out here. As you drive around there are markers telling you what movies were shot in the particular areas. There is "Movie" Road and the Lone Ranger, Hopalong Cassidy and various other Westerns were shot out there. If you stop at the visitor center in Lone Pine you can get a map but I found it to be rather confusing. Never-the-less it was fun to try and find all the rock formations with names like the BullFrog, The Spooks and the Baboon. There are a few arches too. What is nice is that the whole area is really accessible either by car, on foot or bike. The rock formations are incredible; more rounded and flowing in contrast to the rigid, sharp rocks of the Sierra above. There is an arch with a heart shaped hole in the center

We decided to keep climbing and and drove up to Mt Whitney portal. What a view and the summit of Mt Whitney is 10,000' above your head!

On the trip down too there were acres of Desert Gold wildflowers that were in bloom as well as a lot of other flowers that I am still researching but they were beautiful and just added to the day. It was a great day.