Journey Home 02-07-15

Yesterday while driving down the canyon from Mary's to the highway.

 

California Sycamores have white trunks that really show this time of year.

 

We came upon a flock of about twenty  wild turkeys crossing the road.

Some turned back on the left side of the road and the others scurried across.

 Off they go into a pasture on the right side of the road.  The locals are used to seeing the turkeys, but I found it very unusual - no turkeys where I live!  

 

 

Driving across the farmlands.

This morning the sky was covered with clouds and there were a few little rain spritzes.

This side of CA-156 stretches to the north and is usually planted with baby lettuce crops.

Not quite time, but the soil is prepared for planting.

On the south side of CA-156 the mountains  are the mountains I will have to go over to reach I-5 in the inland valley.  If you enlarge the image you can see a field of mustard on the slope in the distance.

 



And here is a field of mustard along CA-156, a field of sunshine on a drab day. 

 

 

On I-5 South near Buttonwillow.

I've seen this sort of thing in this area before.  It is a field of egrets and seagulls.  There are only seven egrets showing, but there were probably several dozen in the field.  In wet years there is a lot of standing water between Buttonwillow and the Stockdale Highway, with flocks of water birds.  Once I even saw white pelicans.  Of course, this year there is no standing water!   These birds are just resting and looking for lunch.

Going over the Grapevine I drove through the clouds.  It rained off and on all the way from Harris Ranch south, but a very gentle rain that didn't interfere with visibility - the clouds did, though.

And even on I-210 coming down into Pasadena the clouds were so low we drove through them.  The traffic had been very light all the way down the central valley, until I got to Pasadena.  Then it was bumper to bumper and the 45 minute drive to Placentia took me almost two hours.  I was tired by the time I arrived home. But it was a lovely trip and I so enjoyed seeing Mary and Joe.

 

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