Most of you will recognize that the photo below is wheat. Aw wheat, it supplies most of the world's dietary protein and food supply. A field of wheat, green or amber, is a beautiful sight, especially if the wind is blowing. You know, like in the song...amber waves of grain! (photo courtesy of Internet)
Then there came foxtail...I had never heard of foxtail until I moved to California. Foxtail is the evil cousin of wheat. Oh it's quite beautiful as wheat and is useful in flower arrangements, but foxtail has a disturbing side. Foxtail will release it's flowered spikelets when brushed up against it. The spikelets dig their way through clothes and shoes. They hurt!!! Long haired animals are often victims of foxtail embedding themselves in their fur and then their skin causing infections. Oh foxtail, you're a menus! (photo courtesy of the Internet)
As photographers, my partner and I like to find great locations for photo shoots, and this beautiful field of volunteer wheat was just the ticket (on city property)! With no regard to our subjects discomfort, we had her sit in the middle of this field (after all, you have to be tough if my partner and I shoot you). It was going to make the most beautiful photo. She took her time settling down in the wheat as it was poking her (get over it, missy!). Oh how exciting it was for my partner and I to have an opportunity to shoot this portrait (high fives and chest bumps). The color and lighting was phenomenal!! As you can see it did make a nice photo.
Yeah, we got one of those rare opportunities of being at the right place at the right time. But, oh!! What is this? Ouch!! "Cherie, is this a field of foxtail?" I love Cherie, because she always laughs with me, and at me, and laughs just about everytime with her answers, "yes it is" she said (LOL). I looked down and I had one million 99 thousand and 52 foxtail flowered spikelets in my shoe (and inside my pant legs). Courtesy of my partner, Cherie, you can see the result of rare opportunities (she took photo below). The foxtail spears on the ground are what I had already pulled out of my shoe, and as you can see I have many more to get out (I'm still working on getting them out). Poor Cherie had to throw her socks away as they were all embedded with the spikelets! And, our subject, the one that we had no regard for, for her comfort, was a real trooper as she was in flipflops!!! (Click on the photo below to get the real picture!)
Ouch, ouch, ouch!!!
Mounds of tailings...
...mounds...
Cliff began to gather just the right size.
"Sweet!"
"Those are fabulous, Cowboy!"
"Just a few more..." Oh man, look at those masculine forearms!! Totally why I married the man!
"Perfecto!"
I on the other hand, had my hands full. Those garden gloves never were removed from my short's pocket. Nope...nada...nein! Why I was just too busy taking important shots of this whole river rock gathering experience.
I held a few rocks that Clifford had picked up...
Like most places, this area is rich with history. This use to be an old logging mill called Merced Falls Lumber Mill...and like most history, the buildings become ruins.
On our way back home I spotted this house stored on a hill to be moved one day (our guess). It really has no significance other than I like the shot (taken while traveling 50mph).
Well, that pretty much sums up our morning!!
