January 26, 2009

Lilly Pad, Lilly Lake, Mt. Tam.


click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

I was going to save these for Valentine's Day, but here you go...

If you ever were to do some exploring on the Bolinas-to-Fairfax Road on the northern flank of Mount Tamalpais here in Marin County, you would find -- amongst redwoods, fir, laurel, and madrone -- a little land-locked lake with no outlet, except for the porosity of the soil.   And you won't find any sign, and I've never seen it on any map.   One time I asked a friend what the name of that little lake with all the lilly pads in it and horsetails on it's banks was, and they said:  "Well, Don, I think they must call it Lilly Lake".   --And so it will be...   --Amen...


click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

You won't find many frogs this time of year in Lilly Lake, but in other seasons this is their paradise.   If you are very stealthy you can approach them fairly close, but as soon as the detect the presence of an intruder one gives a "danger-chirp" and they all hop back in the water and wait for you to go away...


click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney

The Fairfax-to-Bolinas Road will remain closed from Alpine Dam to Ridgecrest Boulevard for yet another month while they are building retaining walls in various locations to keep the road from slipping off the side of the mountain.


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Your comments are invited and welcome.

3 comments:

photowannabe said...

I feel like you went through the magic gate into the Secret Garden.
What a beautiful place with the "heart" shaped pads.

Louise said...

It looks enchanted! And it's even better than it's out-of-the-way without even a sign. Perfect place to go and just be!

Tomate Farcie said...

That is a great series of shots!! Awesome! I really was looking for the frogs until I read the text.

(Thanks for the comment on my blog by the way. My 'little car' is fine, by the way, nothing that a few tools and parts can't fix, but her days on the back roads of Marin are probably over for now. Years ago, she, too was going up and down Mt. Tam, but now, I think I'll play it safe and just wait for you to post the pictures ;)

 
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