Virtues of the Wide Path

We’ve lately focused our dog walks in places like this, with generously wide paths.  In late April we encountered an extremely angry rattlesnake. It was less than a foot away, hiding in a shallow hole filled with dry weeds–a hole we’re familiar with and which we always step over with care. So we’ve been choosing alternative locations, especially keeping to wider, more open paths.

This path winds through a California native garden which is the “backyard” of the nearby ranger station.  While April is the start of rattlesnake season, May is the month for these matilija poppies.

These giants of the poppy world are astonishing in size. Blossoms are as large a small woman’s hand.

Here’s one of my dog walking buddies. As you can see, the matilija is as tall as this small woman. Walking this poppy patch delighted us as if we were children in a maze.

Another sign of the start of the dreaded summer is are fire fighters training for the coming season.

By 9am it’s already unpleasantly hot. I don’t know how these men tolerate it.

Our usual walk in this national forest is a trail through canyon created by high shrubs & low trees, but that particular path is much too overgrown now. Our alternate is this road up the hill to the water storage tower. An excellent choice for an early (but not late) morning walk.