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You had to go all the way up to Rock Spring
to get above the fog this morning.
I didn't go up with a plan to shoot anything in particular, so I strolled along the edge of the fog, thinking I might see something interesting.
Given the interesting light, the quest was on to find interesting subjects to photograph. I liked the juxtaposition of the two stones here, as well as the tiny red buckwheat and wind-combed waves of dead grass. Although I didn't photograph them, I saw numerous long lines of foraging ants carrying grass seeds into their subterranean nests.
Fogbows work along the same line as rainbows, forming at the antisolar point (i.e., with the sun at your back), making it easy enough to get this little Doug fir tree to line up in the middle of the bow.
It's one dry watershed this high up the mountain. There was a fair amount of fog-drip dripping, but nowhere near enough to make the stream cobbles damp in Cataract Creek.
My stroll along the fog's edge took me along this ridge
of serpentine near Rock Spring.
Serpentine is California's state rock. There was a legislative attempt (SF Gate article) to repeal Section 425.2 of the Government Code which would have removed its designation, but the bill, though still alive, has languished in committee since August 2010.
I spent so much time with the fog that by the time I chanced to see a group of wild turkeys and, a little later, a buck deer foraging on fresh fir leaves, the good light was gone. I meandered into the forest to follow a trail I'd never used before, and it led me to one of the most excellent sit-spots I've ever encountered up there. It was comfortable and secluded despite being close to a main trail and commanded a satisfying view into the surrounding forest. I lay down my camera backpack and tripod and sat with my five physical senses alert, and one or two spiritual senses too, just taking in the natural surroundings. It was almost hypnotic. Eventually a big black ant dug its pincers into my leg and snapped me out of it. Time to move on.
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