A few Monday Mono pics: the east side of the Sierra

 Traipsed to the east side this weekend.

Didn't take a lot of photos, as it was rainy or sleety, much of the time.

However, I did get a decent shot of Black Point, one of my favorite Mono Lake features.

The cloudiness softened the lighting, in a place that, when sunny, can be BLINDING.

We'd planned on photographing golden aspens,

but they were not yet golden.

So, hung out at Mono Lake instead.

This is the sort of weird, beautiful view of Mono-Inyo craters that you get around here.

Which makes me inordinately happy.

However, I also have to STARE at the beautiful cattails and tule

in the peri-Mono Lake environment.

So gorgeous!

Oh, and earlier this summer we were here,

and some power birders (w/spotting scope) showed me

the osprey nest, which you can still see

on the little island in the middle of this photo.

(hm... blogger is making this very purple. Ah, well.)

Can you imagine being born, and THIS is the first scenery you behold?

Wow.

And to the left a wee bit, a pretty little squall across the lake.

Driving to Mammoth Lakes, this was the car's view at a rest stop.

I love the tiny, upside down forest vignettes in the water droplets.

So, before we left, we jammed to Minaret View,

a place with one of my favorite views of all time...

Which was totally socked in. =)

But, you can sort of imagine it via what is, no joke,

one of my favorite interpretive displays EVER.

Just a metal cut out, mirroring the amazing craggy skyline here,

labeling each little peak & naming it.

A simple, accurate and durable display.

Show me the data. Love it.

Last: where is the snow line?

If you turn your back on the view of the Minarets, you can see this. Pretty nice. =)

K. That's it.

Hope your week is a delight. =)

xobb