Blue Sky and Lake Poway

I spend a lot of time sitting in my apartment. In particular, I have a nice squishy chair and couch that I sink into. But after a while, I start getting antsy and full of cabin fever.

This pandemic has been rough. Moving to an entirely new city and state where I don’t really know anyone is rough. What has been my absolute saving grace is the beautiful, sunny weather and the ability to move my limbs in it. As soon as I get out onto a trail, I feel like some energy can finally be released. My isolation and confinement melt away, and I can begin to appreciate being immersed in nature, moving through it, and documenting it. I feel for everyone who is isolated in much more inclement conditions.

I have been telling myself that I would buy a camera as my first major purchase once I started getting a paycheck again (after all the rent, food, other essentials, of course). A little crazy, I know, but I DID IT. A sleek Nikon D7500 that I have been having a lot of fun playing with. There is still so much about it that I don’t know yet, but being outdoors and trying different settings has given me a perfect excuse to be completely immersed in something other than work.

The Blue Sky Ecological Reserve was a great place to capture some shots last weekend. Also, as a side-note, I’m still not clear on the differences between a preserve and a reserve, although it seems that outside of the US, “reserve” is used in place of “preserve.” Blue Sky is about 700 acres set aside to protect riparian vegetation, and since mountain bikes and motorized vehicles are banned, there are a lot of wildlife.

Acorn woodpeckers working away on a dead tree.

The Lake Poway dam. On the other side, from the bottom, it looks like a momentous rock wall.

Lake Poway. So many American coots and mallards (and people) (and dogs!). This is the main water supply for the city of Poway, California.

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park

Tijuana River Slough and Estuary