Yosemite and More

 Went to Yosemite the other day hoping to catch the first snow of the season. There was rain, snow, sun and overcast. It was a very good day. Since it was raining when we first got there we went to the Ahwahnee  to have some cover from the eves surrounding the motel. Going up the stairs to the second level I came across these vases. Considering it was handheld I'm happy with the outcome. Not many bars have an foyer like this. No I did not imbibe. Might be a little chilly to have a seat here. It truly was a time where fall and winter collided in the best way. The rain brought back to life a lot of streams that were dry just a day before. Some of the 'streams' you only see after a rain, and maybe in early spring. The rive at the Pohono Bridge was flowing pretty good, perfect backdrop for some fall oak leaves. As the sky cleared for a bit the snow covered peaks began to peek through. El Capitan is always a beautiful site. Especially after a snow storm I like how the mist seems

My photo buddy and friend Friedhelm said that there were some  yellow flowers growing along the Merced River near the small town of Snelling.  Boy was he right. I believe they're Water Plantain Buttercups said to grow in  marshy areas, and it was marshy, especially in some spots. In some areas the banks were covered in yellow flowers. This is probably my favorite. Yellow wasn't the only color for flowers, though this one was only in one small area. The bees seemed to like it as well. The bees weren't forgetting the Buttercups. The round dots are reflections from the river. Backlit is always cool. Black and white helps show structure and takes away the 'distracting' color : } After leaving the Snelling area we drove up to Merced Falls and beyond. Knowing how I like lines you can imagine why I took this one.  It's actually taken through a chain link fence so I'm happy the way it turned out. While big stately Oaks can catch my attention, dead ones seem to have

 I'm way behind in posting from my adventures but thought I'd post this group from my recent trip looking for some fall colors in the Eastern Sierra around Bishop, Lee Vining and Bridgeport. My trip was shortened by the impending closure of Tioga Pass and hampered by heavy smoke (air quality 156 ), overcast skies (no backlighting) and trying to  get more things done than time allowed. Many areas were a mixture of too early, just right and too late. So the usual. June Lake Loop, an area I usually spend a lot of time on was just too early except with the the higher elevations, mostly around houses, etc. As you come down Tioga grade, just after the dam and the big curve you look back and see this. Many of these photos were taken along State Route 168 that follows Bishop Creek.  This is one of my favorites, just a Aspen Leaf resting on the needles of a pine branch. This was a road I'd never taken before, it goes from the Virginia Lakes Road to  Green Creek Road. You get a nice