tulip tree flower

It's been very windy lately and when I took Sparky on a walk today I found this flower from a tulip tree that had been torn off and fallen onto the ground.



Usually the only way I see these flowers is from the ground looking up several feet and I had never had a chance to see one close up before.





My first thought is to press little finds of mine like this for use in artworks later, but this flower wasn't going to lend itself to such methods, especially with the leaves and branch it was attached to, so I figured I'd just photograph it flat & use it that way in a piece.





One thing led to another & I found myself just shooting and enjoying the images I was capturing.





Sometimes I forget that's part of why I fell in love with photography for in the first place.

pope creek

April 25 - late afternoon - Pope Creek
Pope Valley Rd

Out for a ride with Scott through Napa Valley area & around Lake Berryessa



Old highway bridge over Pope Creek - water fairly high after all the rain this year - turtles swimming in the pool just below the bridge - above the bridge a steep little canyon cut & little rapids form a contrast to the still pool.



A few middle aged guys ride up on Harleys, get off & talk about how "if this place could talk" it would tell tales of high school kids, late night parties and young foolishness... Once there was a tire swing hanging from the big tree there - and some that jumped from the bridge to the pool below - aiming, I'm sure, for the deep spot between the huge boulders just under the surface.

Walking back to our bike on the road, goats grazing nearby give us the eye, and we don't stop to see what they'll do.

new tree story at auburn old town gallery

Spent the day driving to Auburn, then to El Dorado Hills, then back to Auburn and back home again, all just to deliver and move art from gallery to gallery. At least I only have to hang my own work at the Auburn Old Town Gallery, because it's a co-op - so here's my wallspace there, with fresh work straight off the work table. The big one in the middle is "Tahoe Snow" from my Tree Stories series.

I'm also very thankful for Dave at Hang It Up Gallery in El Dorado Hills, for taking care of everything there!