Mount Diablo in the spring
Wildflower season on Mount Diablo is short and I often miss it for lack of planning or procrastination. I was determined that this would not be the case this year. We have had lots of late-season rain sprinkled with periods of warm, sunny days. This often makes for spectacular flower displays. I knew if I didn’t get out there soon though, the flowers would be gone in the face of the intense East Bay summer.
It was about 85 degrees when I got to the North Gate of Mt. Diablo State Park this afternoon. This was a little worrisome but I refused to be deterred! I had a route in mind but I asked the ranger at the gate anyway where he recommended I go if I wanted to see wildflowers. He directed me to Deer Flat, which was on my planned route, so that’s where I headed.
I set out on the “Grand Loop” route, 6 1/2 hot, dusty miles of trails that go all the way around the main (south) peak of the mountain. The sweeping views of the entire San Francisco Bay area, the Central Valley, and the Livermore Valley are breathtaking, even with the minimal visibility on a hazy day like today. I could still see the Golden Gate, about 40 miles to the west and the Port of Stockton, about 50 miles to the east.
The wildflowers did not disappoint. Here’s a partial list of what I saw: Indian warrior, Indian paintbrush, Baby blue eyes, Blue dicks, Blue-eyed grass, Chinese houses, lupine, California poppy (big, wide swaths of them!), larkspur, Canon delphinium (the sketch above), Mission bells, vetch, Owl clover, Shooting stars, mustard (also in large swaths), violet, buttercup. Again there were a number of flowers I could not identify but I was thrilled by the variety and number all along the trails. The Mission bells were a particular gift on a long, steep, rocky incline along the North Peak Trail. It’s incredible how such a small thing can make a difficult climb a little less torturous.
There was a lot to take in and digest today so I’ll end with one final highlight. Along a particularly exposed section of the Prospector’s Gap Trail, I heard something whizzing overhead and I looked up to see a blur of blue-grey and white: a Peregrine Falcon in full stoop! It was close! I heard and felt it more than I actually saw it. What a thrill! I watched for awhile to see if I could catch another glimpse of it but it had disappeared down into Mitchell Canyon.
the progress of the apple tree
There’s nothing quite like returning to the same subject again and again, especially during the growing season. It’s just amazing to see how something can change so much in the course of a few days.
beach sketching
It’s the first real day of Spring in San Francisco today! I headed straight for the beach dunes along Chrissy Field to do some wind-swept drawing. The birds wouldn’t cooperate but the dune plants did so I set to it while soaking up some rays.
Apple blossoms
Just a quick sketch of the earliest blossoms on a tree in my favorite garden. Next week, the tree will be full of flowers and the week after that, they’ll all be gone. This transience is why we have to enjoy it while it lasts.
it’s nesting season!
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…and that means that birds have on their breeding plumage and are busy incubating or already raising young. Pelagic Cormorants are no exception and I got a great view of a small group near the Monterey Bay Aquarium this past weekend. I love how shiny green- and purple-black these birds are, especially in their fresh [...]
Demo at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
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This past Saturday, April 14, Maria Cecilia (Cissy) Freeman and I were at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History as part of the annual Art of Nature exhibit. We were there to demonstrate our skills, tools, and techniques for visitors. Cissy worked on a preliminary graphite drawing of a Coast Live Oak gall. She [...]
back in the garden
The wind blew our recent storm away and I woke to a sparkling blue morning today. So back to my favorite garden I went. It really feels like Spring there now and I was overwhelmed by the amount of activity and growth that only increases every time I’m there lately. After some wandering, stunned by all that was blooming and buzzing, it was the old fig tree that caught my attention. The fig, putting out leaves and fruit simultaneously, is high in the northeast corner of the garden and the view there is spectacular. The bench beneath the fig tree is one of my favorite places to draw. I’ll visit here again and again as the season progresses, recording the constant changes. Today is just the beginning.
stormy spring day in the Headlands
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It’s a little bit early for wildflowers but I was walking in Bernal Heights Park yesterday morning and noticed a number of flowers in bloom, including some surprising species. So I decided to go a little farther afield to see what else was blooming nearby. The Marin Headlands seemed like a good choice and I [...]
Randall Museum sketching
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There’s a sweet little museum on the hill just north of the Castro District called the Randall Museum. It’s often overrun with kids but the views are spectacular and the opportunity to draw animals is stellar. While I have mixed feelings about captive animals, they sure offer some great opportunities to draw! The birds are [...]
Urban sketching
Today was another gorgeous day with plenty of opportunities for drawing. The Sunday Farmer’s Market at Fort Mason is reason enough to go to a different part of the city. The bonus is the variety of views.
