Monday, July 10, 2006

The beauty of God's creation in California's Eastern Sierra Nevada

I spent a few days in the Bishop/Mammoth Lakes area of California's Eastern Sierra Nevada. I've loved this area since I was maybe five years old, when coffee was five cents a cup, and gas was... well, let's not go there.

I've taken many solo retreats there as a bachelor, my wife and I honeymooned in that area, I've brought all my kids there as many times as I could. I've tried to teach them to love it, as I caught that love from my father.

Here are just a few of the photographs I took. Mouse-over for captions, and click on the picture for fuller views.


11 comments:

Rebecca Stark said...

The bottom flower is lupin (or lupine). The Texans call them blue bonnets. I've written more on them here.

Chris said...

I'll have to spend some more time in that area. The closest I've ever made it was recently (my Silver Lake trip).

The eastern side is nice, but I grew up exploring the western side... so, I'm kind of biased.

candy said...

An interesting aside. Usually Lupine and Indian Paintbrush grow close together. I think...not sure...that Paintbrush is parasitic, thriving off of other plants, especially Lupine.

Glad you had a good time on my side of the mountains.

Mike Y said...

Dan,

These are some great pics! Thanks for sharing them with us.

-Mike

Anonymous said...

beautiful!

DJP said...

Thanks, y'all; and thanks, Rebecca. Chris, I wish I knew the west side better, since it's closer. But it strikes me as croded with trees and people, and thus claustrophobic. I love the wide-opens and the craggy granite of the east side.

Chris said...

Dan,
It just depends on where you go on the west side. You know... away from the gangs.

Screaming Pirate said...

... now the true test, of your love for your wife... did you climb up that rock to get the flowers for your wife?

DJP said...

LOL; though I'm not much of a tree hugger (well... except for that one time, years ago), I'd have been reluctant to pick them, they were so beautiful and in such a great spot.

Besides, I wouldn't have been able to have given them to Valerie for three days. They'd've wilted.

C. T. Lillies said...

Ah, but you brought her a picture! At least she knows you were thinking of her!

Good pics. I didn't know blubonnets were lupine. Didn't have too many this year in this part of the country becasue of the rain situation. Could they be a different species? They look a lot different. I am particularly fond of the mountains too though I've spent most of my time slightly Southeast of there.

Josh

candy said...

That pink blossoming plant high on the granite looks like mountain heather from my viewpoint.