Continuing on from our last stop at Soda Lake in Carrizo Plain National Monument, we headed for the coast. On the way, we stopped at Shell Creek Road and the junction with Highway 58 in San Luis Obispo County. There is a pasture that has become quite well known for its luxurious growth of wildflowers in spring. The dominant flower in bloom during our visit was the Tidy Tip with its egg yolk center and creamy fringe. This carpet went on for acres.

Some years back we accidentally stumbled across a backroad between the seaside town of Cambria and the town of Templeton near Atascadero. The road is labeled Santa Rosa Creek Road. On this visit we decided to drive it from east to west, headed towards the ocean with the intent to catch the late afternoon setting sun as a backlight. This has become a favorite place to visit in early spring as the hills take on a lush velvety green color when the grass is just beginning to grow. It was particularly vibrant this year after all the rain California received. We were also lucky to catch the lupin in full bloom along this drive. I don’t have much more to say about these images. I hope they capture my love for this landscape, and especially for the wildflower bloom this year.