Almost Wordless Wednesday: The First Week of Spring

Floral Signs

Not only is every flowering tree in bloom or dropping its petals, but other flowers are showing their faces. This is one I saw near my mailbox.

First California Poppy I Saw this Spring, © B. Radisavljevic

For some reason, I treasure this gazania which sprouted in what's left of my lawn. I won't let the gardener touch it when he mows. I hope it spreads.

Volunteer Gazania in my Lawn, © B. Radisavljevic

A New Crop of Weeds Mingles with Flowers

This iris flower has faded, but its neighbor irises are all budding, so I expect more soon. How fast this flower disappeared, and how quickly new buds appeared. I took this photo five days ago. Today the gardener whacked the tops off these grassy weeds that surround this iris bed. If you look very carefully, you can see the new buds. They are bigger today. 

Early Iris Surrounded by Weedy Grasses, © B. Radisavljevic

The Bees Are Busy, Grateful for the Holly Flowers

Do you see them at work?

Bees in the Holly Flowers, © B. Radisavljevic

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Wordless Wednesday: California Central Coast Snow in March

Here's How It Snows in Paso Robles

It snows in flower petals from the Bradford pear tree on the first day of spring.  

Bradford Pear Blossoms on Tree

Wordless Wednesday: An Overflowing Fountain in Atascadero

The Fountain in The Sunken Gardens Overflowed During February Rains

The fountain in Atascadero's Sunken Gardens overflowed during the February rains. 

Flags at Barney Schwartz Park

Sunset at Barney Schwartz Park

While chasing the sunset on the way home from my photo shoot in Union Road Wine Country, I was trying for some views of the setting sun at Barney Schwartz Park. I discovered I'd parked at the wrong lot and I had to cross one of the playing fields to get this.

Sunset at Barney Schwartz Park

The Flags

As I walked back to my car I noticed the flags. Since I usually park in a different lot, I'd never seen them before. Seeing them in the east as the sun was going down did something to me emotionally. In this photo the flags are backward. 

From left to right are the flags of the United States, California, and the City of Paso Robles. Below, the flags are in turned the right way, since I walked around the lot to shoot them from the proper direction. Unfortunately,  the new perspective made the Paso Robles flag appear lower than the California flag, but that's only an illusion. 

It seems the older I get, the more the national flag means to me. I feel it's by the grace of God I was born in the United States and that all my life I've had my liberty protected by the United States Constitution. I've taken liberty for granted for over seventy years and only realized it in the past few decades. Now I know how special liberty is. I wish all people everywhere could experience this freedom instead of the tyrannical governments many have experienced since birth. Yet I realize that to preserve this liberty we must be vigilant. 

Ronald Reagan Poster
by americanconstitution

What do you think or feel when you see your national flag?

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Black and White in Color: On the Ground and in the Sky

Black and White in Color

In March, the City Daily Photo Bloggers have been challenged to post photos taken in color that appear almost black and white. I've been digging through my files and I found these photos of sights on the ground. I took this shot by the Salinas River on one of those occasions when it was full. The sand easily picks up footprints. 

Prints in the Sand by the River

This next photo was also taken close to the river.  The current has left patterns in the sand. 

Patterns in the Sand by the River

Black and White in Color: Look Up at the Birds and the Sky

Several birds have congregated on the wires. 

Birds on the Wires

One bird perched in a tree. 

Bird High in a Tree

The turkey vultures dominate the sky on these cloudy days, but don't they always? 

Turkey Vulture Flying above Cloud

Turkey Vulture Flying over Wires

To conclude this challenge, I return to the view I shoot every night from in front of my house framed by the oak and the palms. 

A Gray Sunset

I think I've met the challenge to let color pass for black and white, but the truth is I don't much like black and white. I think God gave us colors to brighten the world. If I'm going to shoot the sky, I prefer this. 

Weathervane in Sunset

Do you prefer color or black and white photos?

See which shots other City Daily Photo Bloggers chose. 

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