Friday, November 6, 2020

Snow Day


Snowy Fall Morning on the Merced River, Yosemite Valley
November 2012



There's snow in the forecast for the mountains this weekend. Roaming around a freshly snowed-on landscape in Yosemite Valley is among the best experiences I've ever had.



The city noises of San Francisco have been left far behind. Now the soft munching of deer browsing a few feet away competes with the soft patter of snowflakes landing in the surrounding woods.



Although you can't help stopping at Tunnel View to take in the grand vista...



...it's also great to roam around quietly to hear the landscape's more intimate voices.



The beauty of an early snowstorm is having color in the trees instead of bare branches.



Cloak of Ferns



Gates of the Valley



Riverside Brushstrokes



Sealed in Ice



Dipper Catches a Morsel



Snow Pillows in the Merced



El Capitan Fog Factory



November Morning



Scouring Rush



Yosemite Valley


Not even a memory of summer crowds.

* * *

Sunday, November 1, 2020

Yosemite is Open

Yosemite Valley
November 1, 2013

 

Now that the park has lifted entry restrictions it feels tempting to head on up for a couple of days. Judging by the park's webcams it doesn't appear that fall color is as advanced yet as these images show from this date several years ago.



Another difference is that the air quality is probably not as good. I was a little disheartened this morning to see that Bay Area air quality has deteriorated a bit even since yesterday's disappointingly high numbers.



This seems more like a year of wistful memories of clean air and beautiful landscapes.



The month is young, though, and things might be looking a lot better before November fades.



Might as well be optimistic.



These two webcam screenshots were taken at about the same time this morning. Not sure why El Capitan looks so funky while Half Dome looks fine.


* * *

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

A Walk in the Park

 

Yellow-Rumped Warbler
Golden Gate Park, October 2009



Reaching for the Prize



Birdy Num-Nums



Yellow-Rumper in the Manzanita



Townsend's Warbler



Heading for the Border



Black-Throated Gray Warbler



Red-Shouldered Hawk



Fox Sparrow



Orange-Crowned Warbler



Fluffy Goldfinch



Chestnut-Backed Chickadee

* * *

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Pt. Reyes Medley

Sunrise at White House Pool




Elk Bull Scents the Sunrise



Dawn at Pierce Ranch



Cypress in Sun & Fog



Abbott's Lagoon



Lagunitas Creek



Bull Between Bugles



Making Some Noise



Sculptured Beach



Feeding Phalanx of Starfish



Sense of Direction



Tomales Point



Moon Unit

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