California poppies are the most stunning vivid shade of orange you can imagine. Here a cluster of them glow inside a nest of scrubby greenery
I always forget what these are called, even though I planted about 5000 seeds of them after my first spring living in Northern California. They are kind of like paintbrush, they rise 5 to 6 inches above the ground, and these at least are a beautiful magenta
today's hike - 4.6 miles, 1000' elevation gain - provided the most visceral and lovely embodiment of Shelley's lines "If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?"
#California #Wildflowers #Poppies
#hiking #ElSobrante #RidgeTrail