Cloudy Morning Walk

 

This morning I went to the farmers market and on my way back home I spontaneously decided to stop by the lake. It had rained the day and night before, so everything smelled so fresh. Some of the trails were a bit muddy but not too bad. Since I hadn't planned on this, I didn't have my camera with me. All of these photos were taken with my cellphone.

This little guy was my "greeter" when I left the parking lot - and he wasn't the only one. I hadn't seen that many Acorn Woodpeckers in this place before! 

It was a cloudy morning with still some rain dropping every now and then. The reflections were lovely. The lake seemed so calm.

There were wildflowers on the side of the path and up the slopes. Some of them I had seen in the other parks, some not.

California Buttercup (Ranunculus californicus), a native...

... Forktoothed Ookow (Dichelostemma congestum), another California native...

... and of course our state flower, the California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica).

More views of the lake:

This little family kept a safe distance from the shore.

There were several thistles, but I have a hard time identifying them exactly - there are so many different kinds that all look so similar.

Hairy Vetch (Vicia villosa) is found throughout much of North America where it is naturalized (it originated in Europe and Asia).  It's a very sweet flower that can cover large areas.

Rattlesnake Grass (Briza maxima) is not native, but located throughout the coastal ranges of California, and has spread into many grassland regions. It is quite invasive, but its ecological impact is minor. It's one of my favorite grasses and makes a great companion for the Hairy Vetch.

This, however, I wasn't happy to see - French Broom (Genista monspessulana), an aggressive invader that forms dense stands that exclude native plants and wildlife. It's increasing fire hazards. It looks beautiful, but appearances are deceptive. I hope that the goats will eat it to the ground (before it sets seed) when they will be brought in a bit later in the year (one of the Regional Parks' way to keep fuel for a wildfire to a minimum).

The Miniature Lupines (Lupinus bicolor), however, were a very welcome sight.

The lake area is not short of crooked and dead trees. The second one is my personal favorite.

It was a lovely walk.

Getting out and about makes hungry eventually. What about some cheesy and spicy black bean bake? It was quite filling! This is for Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date.