Knickerbocker Flats

One of my favorite local trails follows the edge of oak woods on one side and open rolling meadow on the other, leads past the ruins of a gold rush era ranch and a walnut orchard, then down to a small reservoir. A couple of short steep hills had been leaving me breathless prior to my heart surgery about 6 weeks ago. Today I tested myself on them for the first time with my rebuilt heart (3-way bypass and aortic valve). All went well - no huffing and puffing, just joy at being alive and able to be out in the woods.

I took along my Sony A7ii - I feel naked without a camera over my shoulder. I punched some menu options to bring up the "painting" effect just for fun. Here are a few of the pics. You can click on an image to scroll through them at full screen.

Live oak leaves along the trail

Up one of the whoop-dee-do hills

Where a little life became another's meal

Winter's wind-swept grasses and a single white feather

Trees, meadow, and ancient orchard

Thistles along the fence line

Fine old oaks along the trail

Barbed wire and meadow

Down a hill and through a tunnel of trees

An often photographed group of oaks