Friday, February 27, 2009

Shuteye Peak

The image above is a panoramic view of Shuteye Peak taken about noon last Tuesday from Highway 41 just south of Oakhurst, California. (Click on the image for an even better view.) The drive up to Oakhurst is especially scenic this time of year with snowcapped mountains and green meadows following recent rains. Along the side of the road one can see small, golden yellow wildflowers* in bloom. Sorry, I don't know what they are called but they are quite pretty when seen up close. The panorama was created with Autostitch.

*Edit: I found out from today's Fresno Bee (Feb 28) that the wildflowers are called fiddlenecks and I would guess that they are Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia. The photo was taken alongside Hwy 41 in Medera County Foothill Woodlands. The plants have tiny leaves and bristles and the curling "fiddlenecks" are hardly noticible.