A WEEK LATER - ANOTHER SUNDAY IN BIG BEAR

We went back to Big Bear lake yesterday and found some different areas to walk - but we still eventually ended up at the footbridge.  I was surprised how quickly the water is drying up and can only hope that in winter there will be enough snow  and rain in the spring to fill Stanfield Marsh up again. 

The pelicans were still there and I had fun (from very far away) photographing these two guys who were out enjoying the pelicans. 

The white structure on the shoreline is Big Bear Solar Observatory. 

Here is what is written about it.

Big Bear Solar Observatory is the premier university-based solar observatory in the United States. It is operated by New Jersey Institute of Technology. BBSO features the most powerful solar telescope in the world – the 1.6 m clear aperture Goode Solar Telescope, which has no obscuration in the optical train

We also found a different part of the lake to enjoy the views and we hadn't walked this area before.  Next time we go up which will be soon - I'll have some other areas mapped out in my mind to go see. 

The observatory and below some different views of the lake from a different marina area.

YESTERDAY'S WALK AROUND OUR LOCAL LAKE

What a beautiful walk yesterday - perfect breeze to make it not so hot. 

Today we walked there again but early around 10:00 to 11:00 and I realized I prefer late afternoon walks because the breezes start up.

After our walk we went over to our local nursery as I needed to get a few small pots for succulants.  My mother's day gift from one of my son's and his wife was a bowl with three or four different succulants in it.  They are now needing their own pot, each different succulant plant.  I always enjoy shopping in nurseries and usually take a few photos while there.

The purple aster at the lake is still blooming but a lot of it is dying out now so got a few pics of the ones that are left.

This last week the fountains and the water slide have been worked on and the fountains are now on every day.  People like to kayak or ride the huge water tricycles under the fountains which is a great way to stay cool.  Nobody was doing that when I took the photos.

 I spotted a few ducks on the shore - there haven't really been that many ducks in the lake this year and no coots.  This is the first year the lake has been full in several years so I think the ducks go to the other lakes which seem to have an abundance of mallards and coots this year and baby ducks.

I cannot pass up a garden shed  without taking photos.  There's something about the diffuse soft light that comes through the windows that appeals to me.

THE BEGINNING OF THE ROAD TRIP - LAURA - FIRST GOING BY SILVERWOOD LAKE

We ended up taking the 2 to the 14 or whatever route that is through the country somewhere by Simi Valley - Thought I would show these because I probably never did.  They aren't great photos because I love to photograph whatever is outside the windows of the car as we are traveling at fast speeds through the desert/country side.

BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY AT BIG BEAR LAKE

What is amazing about Big Bear Lake is along the beach/shorelines it is never that crowded, at least where we go.  One of my favorite places is by the footbridge and far end of the lake. 

Yesterday I was so happy to see a group of American White Pelicans gathered in the shallow ends of the Marsh, across the street where Big Bear Lake ends and parts of the Marsh fill up with water after it rains.  It was a gorgeous breezy day and if only I could post breezes and smells (It was the end of some Grape Soda Lupine blooming when I walked out farther into the Marsh later in the day.  You could smell their fragrance even up on the footbridge. 

Here are some pics of the pelicans.  I took so many photos yesterday and will never get them all up but I wanted to get these up on my blog.

This last year with all the rain we had this Marsh area shown in photos had been a dry cracked lake bed since 2014 and in 2017 with some heavy rains it filled up a big and then 2019, almost the whole marsh area had been filled and now towards the end of summer much of it has dried up but at least there are green areas.