Last Exit Before Oblivion

I should have a sign on my mountain bike that says "I STOP FOR FLOWERS." I set out on the ride yesterday purely to find flowers and practice photographing them. A few years ago I'd learned that hand-held macro photography was possible, if not easy.

Woolly blue curls isn't all that common. They seem to tolerate many conditions, but perhaps are easily crowded out by others. This one is in a good-sized patch of them on the west side of a ridge in Topanga State Park. They're perennial.

I like the extravagance of this flower. Usually chaparral flowers are small and sturdy.
2005 February 27