For The Beauty of The Earth | Angela Neal Grove

For the Berautyu of the Earth: Sunrise at Convict Lake, Mono County. The rocks glow pink in the pre sunrise. Aspens in fall colors line the shore — Sunrise at Convict Lake, Mono County, California. The rocks of the surrounding mountains glow pink pre-sunrise. It is a magial moment. Golden leafed-Aspen trees line the shore

For Thanksgiving 2019 this post is dedicated to The Beauty of The Earth. There is little text. Cooking, family, parades and sports rightfully take precedence today. So here are some images, taken on a recent trip, which, I feel, speak for themselves. I am so very thankful for the beauty of the earth.

California’s Eastern Sierras

At the beginning of November I went to California’s Eastern Sierras to photograph fall colors. There had been some earlier unseasonal snow and some of the trees had already lost their leaves. Others had not. There was also a harvest moon and some gorgeous sunrises and a spectacular sunset.

I stayed in Lee Vining a small town near Mono Lake. The lake has curious limestone formations called tufas which are caused by volcanic activity in the ground under the lake.

For the Beauty of the Earth: Lundy Canyon. Aspens here were as beautiful as I have ever seen them. Man and dog at end of path. — Lundy Canyon, near Mammoth, California in the Autumn. Aspen tree leaves were in full fall color. A Man and dog are at end of path enjoying the afternoon.

For The Beauty of the Earth Beaver Lodge and reflections on a bank of willows — Beaver Lodge on a riverbank, surrounded by willows near Mammoth, California. This large beaver lodge must be home for a large community of beavers. All around were multiple mud dams and evidence of their hard work and tree felling.

For the beauty of the earth: Water tumbling down Lundy Canyon, near Mammoth, California. The cascade with fringed with leaves of Aspen trees in full fall color. Photo: ANGrove — Water tumbling down Lundy Canyon, near Mammoth, California. The cascade with fringed with leaves of Aspen trees in full fall color.

For The Beauty of the Skies

For The Beauty of the Earth: After a full day of photographing this harvest moon rose just as we were driving around the perimeter of Mono Lake, towards Lee Vining town. It was both surreal and breathtaking creating a golden path across the water of the lake. Photo: ANGrove — After a full day of photographing this harvest moon rose just as we were driving around the perimeter of Mono Lake, towards Lee Vining town. It was both surreal and breathtaking creating a golden path across the water of the lake.

Mono Lake, California With Tufas

For the Beauty of the earth: Mono Lake is known for Tufas. These limestone formations are caused by volanic activity in the ground under the lake. Here are tufas and reflections in the early morning. It was 22 degrees. Brrr. Photo: ANGrove — Mono Lake is known for Tufas. These are curious limestone formations caused by volanic activity in the ground under the lake. Here are tufas and reflections in the early morning. It was 22 degrees as we watched the sunrise. Brrr.

For the Beauty of the Earth. Tuffas relected in the early morning water of Mono Lake, California. — Tufas, volcanic limestone formations, reflected in the early morning water of Mono Lake, California. Snow crowns the mountains behind the lake.

Devils Post Pile National Park

For the Beauty of the Earth: Devils Postpile, Mammoth, California, is a dark cliff of columnar basalt created by a lava flow less than 100,000 years ago. This formation cooled slowly created a formation of columns. Photo:ANGrove — Devils Postpile, Mammoth, California. Here is a dark cliff of columnar basalt after which the park was named. The formation was created by a lava flow less than 100,000 years ago. The lava cooled slowly created a formation of columns.

For the Beauty of the Earth: View of the cliff of basalt columns created when lava cooled slowly at Mammoth's Devil's Post pile National park, California. Photo: ANGrove — View of the cliff of basalt columns created when lava cooled slowly at Mammoth’s Devil’s Post pile National park, California.

Aspens and Tree Roots

For the Beauty of the Earth: Trees roots intertwined by the shores of a lake in Devils Post Pile National Park, Mammoth, California. This is mother nature's intricate art. Photo: AN Grove — Trees roots, dappled by afternoon sun, intertwined by the shores of a lake in Devils Post Pile National Park, Mammoth, California. This is mother nature’s intricate artwork.

For the Beauty of the Earth: Aspen trees at Lundy Canyon, Mono County, California. Aspen roots spread underground creating orderly groves of trees. In Autumn, as temperatures drop, the leaves become a vibrant golden color. Photo: AN Grove — Aspen trees at Lundy Canyon, Mono County, California. Aspen roots spread underground creating orderly groves of trees. In Autumn, as temperatures drop, the leaves become a vibrant golden color

For the Beauty of the Earth: Convict Lake, Eastern Sierras, California, in the fall. Aspen trees glow bright yellow and are reflected in the still water of the Lake in the early morning. Photo: ANGrove — Convict Lake, Mono County, California, just after sunrise. The bright yellow leaves of Aspen trees which fringe the lake are reflected in the still, early-morning, water of the lake.

For the love that from our birth…

For the Beaut of the Earth: Autumn Sunset at Mono Lake, California. No added color to this photograph. The sky was a vibrant crimson and magenta. I stood in awe, just looking at the colors evolve. — Autumn Sunset at Mono Lake, California. No added color to this photograph. The sky was a vibrant crimson and magenta. I stood in awe, just looking at the colors evolve.

Devils Postpile National Park , Mono Lake, and the Eastern Sierras are just an eight hour drive from my home in San Francisco. The natural beauty was stunning. To be repeated.

…Over and around us lies

From forests to lakes and geological formations it could not have been more beautiful fall adventure. One to share. So, on Thanksgiving 2019, For the Beauty of the earth I am thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving.