Lens Artists Photo Challenge – Red

For this week’s Lens Artists Photo Challenge, Patti invites us to go on a scavenger hunt, looking for the color red.

Well, I didn’t have a lot of luck. Contrary to the name, the redwood forest does not have a lot of red, especially in January, and that just happens to be where I am this week.

I thought to myself, “Gee, I don’t really have a lot of red in my life”, and then it struck me. Oh, duh, I actually have a LOT of red in my life, since I work in the red-and-white town of Kennecott, Alaska during the summer.

Kennecott,  a company town, painted most of their buildings red. The reason?  For the same reason so many barns used to be painted red. Cheap red paint lasted a long, long time. Some of the buildings at Kennecott haven’t been painted since the mines shut down, in 1938.

Another place where red crops up in my Alaskan life is fall. Lots of bushes turn red in the fall, and of course, there are also berries. Blueberries aren’t the only berries to be found here, and most of the others are red.

When I travel south for the winter, I find other shades of red – sunsets, for instance.

I also sometimes see red when the desert wildflowers bloom. Look for Desert Paintbrush in Death Valley, and Ocotillo and Chuparosa in Joshua Tree and Anza Borrego.

Speaking of the desert wildflower season, this should be a good year just about everywhere. I’m not predicting a superbloom, but even Death Valley has gotten a fair amount of rain. When I passed through there last week, I saw little seedlings coming up all over. We even found a Turtleback with a few blossoms already. The valley floor should be looking good by mid-February, and Jubilee Pass will be at its best around early March.

Of course, another little rain wouldn’t hurt. And too much wind or a drastic return to high temperatures will desiccate those little baby plants.

Further south, both November and December brought an abundance of precipitation, with Anza Borrego receiving over an inch of rain in one storm. The forecast for this spring, though, is drier than average. Once again, the amount of sun and wind will play a big part in just how special the wildflower season will be or how long it will last.

I hope the reds brighten up your winter day!