Colusa County

 

Oaks - Colusa County  1994

Oak Trees - Colusa County  1994

There are some campgrounds in Colusa County up in the hills west of highway 5 that I used to use. In the olden times. Interesting landscape.

Colusa County

 

Grass, Fences -  Colusa County  1994

Grass, Oaks, Clouds - Colusa County  1994

I was using a Toyo-Field 4x5 camera with a roll film adapter (as opposed to regular 4x5 film holders.) I found that 120 roll film was much better at preventing dust on the negative.

Monday Cow Blogging

Cows -  Tehama County  2018

Cows - Colusa County  2018

Top photo taken with an iPhone 7 Plus.

Bottom photo taken with a  Canon G5X.

Monday White Fronted Geese Blogging

White Fronted Geese in Flight (Sacramento NWR) - Colusa County  2018

White Fronted Geese (Sacramento NWR) - Colusa County  2018

They were standing on the road directly in front of my car. I moved as slowly as I could, but eventually they took flight and slipped the surly bonds of earth.

I was surprised that my little Olympus E-M10 could maintain focus on the birds in the air!

Maxwell Sightems - 2

Jefferson (Maxwell) - Colusa County 2018

Christmas (Maxwell) - Colusa County  2018

We the people of the 23 counties of Northern California, hereafter known as Jefferson, formally demand an immediate Article 4, Section 3, (U.S.) state split. We declare the State of California is in open rebellion and insurrection against the government of the United States.

Governor J. Brown, Lt Governor G. Newsom, Senate Pro Tem K. León, Speaker A Rendon, States Attorney General X. Becerra, Senator K. Harris, and the majority of voting members of the California Legislature, have openly and publicly declared war on the government of the United States.

Ironic, indeed, that Colusa County is Jerry Brown's future home!

Maxwell Sightems - 1

American Legion ( Maxwell) - Colusa County  2018

Bakery Painting (Maxwell) - Colusa County  2018

Shooting from the car with a Canon G5X.

Monday Buffalo Blogging

Buffalo - Colusa County  2018

I searched on Google for a "buffalo" "Colusa County" match, trying to see if anyone else had seen or posted about these animals. Alas, nothing of significance.

I saw them just west of Maxwell on the Stoneyford road. For some reason, I can't remember if I shot from the car or whether I was able to get out for the photo. Hm. I used an Olympus E-M1II with a Panasonic 12-60mm lens. So maybe I was out of the car.

Colusa County Weather

Houses, Storm Clouds - Colusa County  2018

Grain Elevator, Clouds - Colusa County  2018

Very impressive storm system . . . cloudbursts off and on.

Storm Clouds - Colusa County  2018

Colusa County Oak Trees - 2

Oaks, Dark Sky - Colusa County  2018

Oaks, Two Hills -  Colusa County  2018

So anyway, Jerry Brown is planning to build a retirement house in Colusa County.

Hope he's considering turning it into a B&B for at least some of the time. I'd definitely go.

Colusa County Oak Trees - 1

Oak - Colusa County  2018

Oaks - Colusa County  2018

Even though I've been here before, I wasn't quite prepared for just how photogenic Colusa County's oaks are.

Colusa County Sightems

Cattle Pen - Colusa County  2018

Hills - Colusa County  2018

I took a quick drive west of Maxwell for some sightseeing. Actually, I had been here before, when I camped at Dixie Glade campground in the Mendocino Highlands. That was in the 90's I expect.

(OK, it was in 1994.)

Nice clouds! And some very heavy rain, on and off.

Monday Ring-Necked Pheasant & Snow Geese Blogging

Ring-Necked Pheasant (Sacramento NWR) - Colusa County  2018

Snow Geese (Sacramento NWR) - Colusa County  2018

Driving around the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, early in the morning. Maybe the first to go through!

I was using an Olympus 75-300mm lens on an Olympus E-M10 camera, taking photos out the driver's and passenger's side windows. Results, as always, were hit and miss using a telephoto lens with that much reach.

Sacramento Valley

Sutter Buttes - Colusa County  2018

Road 68 - Colusa County  2018

I had gotten to the Best Western in Willows much later than I had expected. GPS issues . . . don't ask. I walked across the street for a burrito at La Cascada (pretty hefty!) and then to bed.

I got up early in order to head over to the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. Very dramatic views of the Sutter Buttes in the distance, storm clouds overhead.

. . . from the archives #24: Oak Trees, Storm Clouds—Colusa County, 1994

(from the May, 1994 mikereport):

Mike leaves Marin early in the morning on his way to the perimeter of the Snow Mountain Wilderness for an overnighter. He is going there not only to have a camping experience—the first of the year—but also simply because he is intrigued by the sound of "Snow Mountain." It reminds him of ancient Chinese poetry, with reclusive Zen monks seeking enlightenment in the mountain fastness.

After Mike sets up camp in the Dixie Glade campground, it starts to rain. Mike is getting kind of hungry, but he realizes that the campstove would never stay lit in the wind-driven rain. So he reads. And sips some ‘88 Rutherford Hill Cabernet Sauvignon that he has thoughtfully brought along. And jogs around the campground. (By now it’s becoming obvious that no one else is about to camp here: the campground is Mike’s.)

Finally, Mike loses patience and, weaving slightly (effects of the ‘88 Cab) positions the campstove directly in front of the tent door. He sits cross-legged inside the tent, gets the stove started—no problem!—and dumps his can of Stokely’s Pork ‘n Beans (and a cut-up Costco frank) into the teflon pan. What an aroma! Stir it till it bubbles and steams, and then . . . mighty fine eatin’!! The night promises to be a troubled one, with gusts of wind shaking the tent and the intermittent sound of rain, but, surprisingly, Mike has an excellent sleep and wakes next morning to an overcast, but dry, sky.

Quick, the instant coffee, and the Van de Camp’s preservative-filled breakfast raisin rolls! What a gourmet experience this trip is turning out to be. After hemming and hawing and studying the sky, Mike decides that a day hike is not totally out of the question. The tent is put away, the camera and equipment are stashed in the new daypack, and Mike sets off on the Deafy Glade trail. (The campground is Dixie Glade, but the trail is Deafy Glade . . . ?)

The trail finally reaches the South Fork of Stone Creek and a ford that would require some wading. Mike elects not to wade, but instead wanders up and down his side of the creek, photographing. On his way back, he startles two deer drinking at a small creek. After reaching the camp site he breaks out a beer, cuts some salami, and changes into driving-back clothing.

During the trip back to Marin the sky is ominously dark, although Mike doesn’t experience that much rain. But the negatives exposed on the way back are (at first glance, anyway) the best of the trip: a line of oaks against the clouds, fences cutting back-and-forth through the grass . . .

Drinking a can of Orange Crush and eating some corn chips Mike finally makes it back home. And thus does another camping trip draw to a close.

Photo: Oak Trees, Storm Clouds—Colusa County, 1994