CALIFORNIA

2008 had passed and quite fast. I probably have taken thousands of pictures for 2008 in my wanderings here in the Golden State and to choose a few from among the thousands to be my favorite is difficult for me since this is the first time I am choosing pictures I like best. So, here goes my California top 20 in the year that was 2008:

Number 20:

Reflecting Pond at Tuolomne Meadows, Yosemite National Park, June 08

I am always fascinated by the exposed colored layers of the Earth which I usually see in the desert. However, this time, I am seeing it in the sub-alpine meadow in Yosemie National Park. Notice the contrast, At lower elevation, there are a lot of pine tress, yet at higher elevation, due to exposure and thinner air, the mountain in the backdrop is devoid of any vegetation exposing the colored earth. For me, Earth is just as lovely barren and clothed with trees. And this picture is a combination of both. Also, I love Tuolomne Meadows, it is my favorite spot in Yosemite. 

Number 19:

Meadow @ North Lake, Bishop, Sep 08

This is not yet fall, just late September, but the Eastern Sierra has an early fall. A lot of fall pictures I saw are that of trees, I actually also have hundreds of them, but I choose this one because I am partial to grass and meadows . Yes, there is something about meadows that draw me to it, it reminds me of my childhood where we would have fun running around the meadows among grassy fields, playing catch me if you can, hide and seek, fishing in the pond, and whatever outdoors games we could think of then. And looking at the field of the grass when I was there made me want to just stop from walking and just simply lie down in the middle of the grassfields, only that I was also afraid some people would think I’ve gone crazy

Number 18:

Summer Snow at 70s, Tuolomne Meadows, Yosemite National Park, June 08

Not that we’ve never seen and experienced snow but experiencing it in summer and at 70s was awesome! You can make snowball in just one layer of t-shirt, you can sled with just shorts, no need of snow pants nor snow jackets.

Number 17:

Gull in Flight, San Diego Coast

I would like to think that this gull wanted to keep me company :) that was why he kept on following our boat during our whale watching trip last February 2008.

Number 16:

San Diego Bay and Snow Capped Mountain, Feb 08

I love this picture because it shows the macro climate in San Diego. Where you can go to the beach and skiing in a matter of one day. I love this beautiful city which now is my home sweet home.

Number 15:

Half Dome, Liberty Cap and Nevada Fall from John Muir Trail, Yosemite National Park

On our way back to Happy Isles from Nevada Falls, we took the John Muir Trail, and was rewarded by this. We could have missed this view if we did not stop from our hike to look back to appreciate once more the power of Nevada Falls. But then, I see also the power of the glaciers that carved Half Dome and Liberty Cap.

Number 14:

Anza Borrego Desert Wildflowers, March 08

A lot of the times, people think of desert as boring and simply brown, a brown and arid land. Well, that may be true for a passerby, but I always maintain that the brown of the desert has so much to offer. A lot of the times, hidden in those brown hills are amazing geological formations. However, the brown field in the desert does not remain brown all year. Given the right conditions, the desert valley can explode into a field of colors. The beauty is not only for the sight to behold, but also for a scent to bring you dreaming into heavens.

Number 13:

Pacific White Sided Dolphins, San Diego Coast, Feb 08

Just like with the sea gull picture above, I would love to think these dolphins are following our boat to provide me company  . I love dolphins, they are very intelligent marine mammals, they also are a symbol of gentleness and friendliness in the sea.

Number 12:

Gold Field, Amboy Crater National Natural Landmark

Another desert transformed into heaven at spring. I love the trail here that snakes through the field of desert golds. It is so overwhelming to be in a field of wildflowers as far as your eyes can see.

Number 11:

Sledding, Mt San Jacinto State Park, Feb 08

It is not me in the picture. It is my cousin, my hubby and my friend’s daughter. In short this is a mix family that looked like a family . I love this picture since I want to grow into people photography that includes nature, however, am not comfortable yet in this regard, that I feel like I was successful enough to ask them to pose like this

And now, the top ten….

10.

North Lake, Bishop

I have photographed this lake before at late fall, and the surrounding was all white and the lake was frozen  . It was pretty too and a sight to behold, but it is nice to see this lake filled with golden hues. I learned my lesson, I went here late summer to hopefully see some colors and not white powder, that was last week of September

9.

Mono Lake, Sunrise

I love Mono Lake. It feels like visiting another planet. The desert has really so much to offer, so much to learn. Walking along the shores of Mono Lake is like being in a cave, but instead of the stalactites and stalagmites hanging from the ceiling of the caves, at Mono Lake, the tufas are marvelously sculpted towers standing above the water like those eerie guards on an Alien Kingdom, and unlike in a cave, at Mono Lake, the tufas enjoy sunrise and sunset  .

8.

Rainbow at Bridalveil Falls, Yosemite National Park, June 08

When we went to Yosemite, I kept on wishing to see rainbow by the waterfalls, and well, got my wish. We actually got a rainbow overload, here at Bridalveil, then at the Merced River and Vernal Fall. However, this was the first rainbow we saw by the waterfall, so this has brought me more excitement.

7.

Hummingbird, Balboa Park, August 08

Catching this hummingbird, I was able to say, “got ya! and finally!” I have been chasing this very elusive bird in our backyard, but never got successful. However, when I was not planning to capture it, there it was, appearing right in front of me! Glad I had my camera then! This is my first hummingbird picture, that is why it is special to me, after this, I was able to take more with different background, but still, this first one is my favorite.

6.

Sunset, Joshua Tree National Park, March 08

Another desert wonder. I love the Joshua trees, their limbs look like they are reaching up high into the heavens, like in a prayer.

5.

Cooks Meadow, Yosemite National Park, June 08

This is the image in my header. To me, this is another beauty of Yosemite that a lot of people fail to see, since they often just proceed to the more popular places. But this one is not far from Yosemite falls, and you have the serenity of the meadows.

4.

Sunset, Mono Lake, Sep 08

I know the sunrise at Mono Lake already made it to my top 10, being the number 9, but then, I just love stepping into this sci-fi like atmosphere again. A lot of the people look at the West for Sunset, but looking East is a sight to behold too. Mono Lake actually offers vista to the West and to the East. But I chose this sunset picture of Mono Lake looking East because of the blue and purple color, kind of Earth’s shadow effect.

3.

Rattlesnake Canyon, Poway, San Diego County, March 08

What more can be rewarding in your hike but the field of wildflowers exploding in the trail? Especially this place is not somewhere far but just around San Diego. San Diego Spring is such a sight to behold, as long as, one knows how to find them in the hills and valley and in the wide spaces of the desert. I chose this among other wildflower pictures because this was my first encounter of wildflower trail for 2008.

2.

Me @ Font’s Point, Anza Borrego Desert State Park

I was overwhelmed by the sea of badlands when I first saw this place that tears just came in running. Times like this where I just pause and give thanks to our Creator for his genuis and artistry. I love badlands, for me, their presence reminds us of how fragile our Mother Earth is. Being directly exposed to the elements, it is easily eroded by the unforgiving forces of nature. Its presence reminds us, that our Mother Earth needs us to take care of herself too, that we all need to work together to preserve our natural resources. If you connect picture number 14 and the picture above (2), they are actually not far from each other. And this desert, is not so far away from civilization, this is just East of Julian, a cool mountain town of San Diego County, and a mere 1.5 hours drive from downtown San Diego or Palm Springs.

1. Saving the best for last, or the last for the best

Gulls in Flight, San Onofre State Beach, December 08

This is really literally saving the best for last, since this is the last batch of pictures I took this 2008  , okay, that is if I will not include the New Year’s Eve picture. I love this one because we did not intend to go here, only that it was about sunset and we are right here, so we stopped by, and we were greeted by the flock of gulls and really beautiful sunset.

Do these pictures reflect my favorite place on Earth, which is the ocean if I have to choose just one? Interestingly, not. 4 out of the top 10 are desert pictures, and only the top 1 is in the ocean. But if I had done a 2007 best, probably, I will have a lot more of the ocean, but this year 2008, yes, I was a desert convert

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