For years we here in Southern California endured some really severe drought. Little did I know that years of drought can have at least one benefit, and that is the buildup of wildflower seeds. Through the drought years there have always been wildflower blooms, but just not intense ones. I’ve read that during those years the seeds build up in the soil as the plants choose not to germinate, biding their time for better conditions. Often when we get any bout of serious winter rain everyone starts getting excited assuming that even just one storm will produce a super bloom or even a good one, but that is not the case. Consistent rain throughout the winter months, month by month, is what is required to get truly exceptional blooms. Finally after years of drought those conditions line up and all those dormant seeds germinate at once. For parts of SoCal in 2016, 2017, and now 2019 we have experienced just that. And this year’s bloom of poppies in the Walker Canyon area by Lake Elsinore is the biggest superbloom ever there according to a ranger I talked to. The poppies are absolutely spectacular! A few other flowers are sprinkled around here or there, but the state flower of California reigns absolutely supreme. The crowds are pretty huge (fueled by all media, traditional and social), but I wandered for six miles through the land and was able to walk away with plenty of people-free natural landscapes like this one.

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Make:	SONY
Model:	ILCE-7RM3
Exposure:	0.025 sec (1/40)
Aperture:	f/11.0
ISO Speed:	100
Focal Length:	30 mm
Lens:	FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM