Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Little Lake Valley Wetlands


As the long, dry season nears its end, the wetland areas of the north end of Little Lake Valley recede to a few green patches. Here, a ring of dry teasel surrounds some still green water grasses and reeds, with their toes sunk in the moist earth. We had one day of wonderful rain last week, and I hope it isn't too much longer before we get a bit more.

10 comments:

Dina said...

The plants' toes stuck in the moist earth--what a wonderful word image.

Laurie Allee said...

This is another one of your brilliant captures. Look at those stripes of subtle colors and textures -- with the composition of a painting hanging in the Museum of Contemporary Art. This is just beautiful beautiful beautiful.

And Dina is right -- plant toes in the earth... what a lovely description.

Halcyon said...

Those grasses in the front are pretty. They give the photo a nice texture.

Hilda said...

I hope so too! Lovely image, and I like that plants' toes in the earth too.

Kym said...

We've got teasels here also. Humboldt plant society says they are an invasive weed. They are...but they are so beautiful in small groups.

Tash said...

The different layers of color & plants are great. Very subtle beauty. Can I hear the cicadas?

Elaine, I posed a question on my mosltyLAcounty blog on Talking Heads concerts in LA can't remeber if it was in Sept. 1979 or 1980 - since you know just about everything, you may know this too. I tried GOOGLE search & found nothing.

I've got a photo printed of the Mod Squad from your link in Wikip. Thx.

Anonymous said...

I'm working on a project near the Ballona wetlands. I'm hoping to incorporate imagery of them into the project. Unfortunately, I have a very controlling committee on this one.

USelaine said...

Dina - They probably have to have pretty long toes at this point in the year. 6^)

Laurie - I need to write you a check! I'm glad you like it.

Halcyon - Thank you. I remember back in the seventies, it was popular to cut these teasel stems and spray paint them gold for household decorations.

Hilda - If it were up to us, we would share some of your rain!

Kym - We sure have a lot of them here. I remember a botanist telling me that 90% of the grasses we see wild in California are actually "exotics" that came over with the Spaniards with their cattle - that whole "hide and tallow" era of California.

Tash - I was in Sacramento around then, and was just beginning to hear New Wave music. I don't know how to trace any tour info, but you're lucky if you saw those bands live! "Looks like" I know just about everything - that's the key qualifier!!! LOL! Geographers are known for being "Jacks of all trades, masters of none." 6^) I've had a lot of different jobs in my life, and I've sponged various bits of info from colleagues of all sorts. If I weren't so shy, I'd be great at cocktail parties.

PA - Well that doesn't sound like any fun. Why hire somebody creative if you won't let them create? Wetlands sound like they'd be, uhm, a goldmine. That didn't make sense.

Thanks for stopping by, everyone!

Unknown said...

So your in the height of your dry season. Over here in south Florida we're in the depths (or should I say heights) of our wet season. September and October are our peak water season. And October is still an active hurricane month ... especially, or potentially, this year, if William Gray is right.

BTW, I am a hydrologist with the National Park Service, and also a fellow "blogger" ... focusing on south Florida's water cycle.

USelaine said...

Robert - I'm honored to receive your attention! It is amazing that our native vegetation endures these cycles of prolonged drought, but I guess they choose their turf, and stand as firm as they can against the alien invaders.

I can't imagine living in hurricane country! And I read somewhere that northern Florida gets more lightning strikes than anywhere else! If you want to part with any of your water, you know where to send it.