This state preserve near San Diego, California, features the critically endangered Torrey pine, the rarest pine in North America. The semi-arid parkland, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean, is subject to fierce winds that sweep down from the desert. But on this quiet, windless day the uniform gray-greens of the pines and chaparral give the landscape a strikingly understated elegance.
This image is from the same location on the same late afternoon as my two previous posts. All I had to do was look in the opposite direction and take a few steps. Here the cliffs overlooking a cove in Laguna Beach, California, are standing strong against the force of incoming breakers.
How different from yesterday’s post, and yet this image features the same tidal pool seen a bit later after the fog rolled in. And the gulls had found a new bathing spot.
Aside from the occasional larger-than-normal wave, this clever seagull has found nature’s perfect bird bath. The gull flapped around in the water enjoying a bath, then quickly ascended whenever a large wave came crashing in. This cycle was repeated over and over again.
After all the stillness and pond-floating of my two previous posts, let’s have a little excitement! In this image, Pacific Ocean waves crash forcefully over a rock shelf in La Jolla, California.
Waves crash forcefully into a rock formation off the California coast year after year with no visible effects. Strong and firm, the rocks remain trusted seaside monuments. To see all the other images in today’s monochrome challenge, go to Leanne Cole’s blog.
This fanciful serpent created by metal sculptor, Ricardo Breceda, goes in and out of the sand and across a road in Anza Borrego Desert Park in California. There are over 100 metal sculptures in the park, all created by Breceda and most representing prehistoric or mythical creatures.
