In Search of Poppies at Antelope Valley

Each year during spring fever, I would have these urges to look for wildflowers, mostly due to the just over winter rain and hopes for bright color flowers and greens instead of the brownish shrubs we call grass here in southern California.

Couple years ago, I dragged Tom to go south in search of wildflowers in the Anza Borrega State Park. Well, it barely met the definition of wildflowers massively in bloom definition. Click here for the previous blog about that outing.

This year, once again, I dragged the hubby out to Antelope Valley in search of California poppies. It was one of those hit or miss outing, as the blooming period is kind of narrow. We didn't hit it at its peak, but at least we found wildflowers. There were plenty of poppies to be found. The only thing I wasn't expecting was the wind and cold temperature. I guess we arrived a bit late, the wind picked up already, and the bulbs were semi closed. Nevertheless, it was a well worth drive.

We found a bunch of yellow patches too. Not that I could identify what species they were, but still very beautiful.

We found the California Poppy Reserve, but the guard at the gate told us the poppies were closed due to the high wind, we should go back in couple weeks, it would be better, so we didn't actually go into the Reserve. On the way home, we came across a herb of sheep, I certainly didn't feel like I was an hour drive from Los Angeles. It was great to be out in the "country", kind of "country"!