Folded downingia at the Jepson Prairie Preserve, south of Dixon, CA

Folded downingia (Downingia ornatissima) is a flower in the bluebell family that grows in vernal pools in the Great Central Valley of California.  This specimen was blooming in the Jepson Prairie Preserve south of Dixon, California.  The wildflower gets its common name of "folded" from the appearance of the two upper petals.

We've been fascinated by the special flowers that grow in California's vernal pools ever since we were first introduced to them on field trips in college in the late 1970s.  Vernal pools are a highly threatened form of seasonal wetlands.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story.

Yosemite Falls by moonlight, reflected in Cook Meadow's pool, with the Big Dipper above

This image was taken in June 2011,  when there was still a large pool in Cook Meadow. We tried to get pictures of the moonbow in Yosemite Falls, the lower end, then moved back farther, to the Sentinel parking area, to see if the upper falls showed a moonbow, as well. After getting out of the car, Rick noticed that Yosemite Falls was being reflected in the pool. After spending some more time examining the scene, he noticed that the Big Dipper was just above the falls, as well. This image is the result of 3 images being merged seamlessly together, was lit by moonlight and each image was taken for 30 seconds. You can see the reflection and a little of the bottom of the pool at the same time. It has been cropped to an 11x17 ratio.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story!

Vernal Falls in Yosemite with a double rainbow

Vernal Falls in Yosemite National Park with a double rainbow in the mist.  This was in early June with California in its fourth year of drought, but fortunately there was enough water flow to create the mist that causes the rainbows to appear.  This view is from the aptly-named Mist Trail. While I positioned myself to get the photos of the double rainbow, Rick stepped farther back on the trail and got a photo with the rainbow beside me.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story.