Lake Cachuma/Santa Ynez River Photo Shoot

 I've been lusting after this graceful curve of the lake with or without lake water for years. One day I'll stop and photograph this at sunrise. So I did, sunrise 12/9/12

It helped my motivation that the deep red color was at its fullest saturation and seemed so lovely the evening before.

Everyone asks, just what is that plant? Perhaps you can supply the answer. I think it's not buckwheat though the color for the fruit is right.

On the river there is finally water  following rains of the past week and a grand number of germinating green plants that all look rather like grass at first. As I stooped to inspect them it became clear there are grasses but many, perhaps more that are not. At the size of many of the mature valley oak, the coastal live oak below has that grand architecture that must take 250 years to approach.

Thinking of the tears in two of my favorite pairs of pants, I decided to forgo the adventure of crossing the 5 strand, barbed wire fence. A short ramble past the fence would improve my angle on the lake. Instead, I headed for the river. A week later and I'm sitting in the fog after chasing a roof leak in our house. Drips are down to one every eight seconds, is that decreased rain or repaired roof?