Redwood Grove Nature Preserve, Los Altos
On Sunday, D. and I investigated the Redwood Grove Nature Preserve in neighboring Los Altos. In the middle of town, Adobe Creek flows through a 5.9-acre preserve filled with a very small grove of coast redwoods and other vegetation. A boardwalk trail winds through the preserve, which includes picnic facilities and a summer nature center day camp for kids. Here's some pics I took.
Adobe Creek glints and glistens as it meanders through the deep shade cast by the redwoods.
An incongruous sight in the forest (the creek had apparently risen quite high during recent rains, and the trail probably was closed for a while).
A little birdhouse way up on a redwood trunk is vacant until nesting season begins again.
Another glimpse of Adobe Creek through redwood branches.
A tiny blue flower hosts a visitor.
We discover a trio of crabapple (quince?) trees, two with deep pink blossoms.
Here's the white crabapple.
We find a honey bee in one of the blossoms.
And we also find a few withered up crabapples, still clinging to the branches from last fall.
Next to the crabapples is the Redwood Grove Nature Center, closed for the winter.
Peering in a window, we see through a doorway to a mural painted by children.
Looking through another window, we see signs of disuse and disorder.
Peering in another window, we see a map of North American Indian tribes, a map of California Indian tribes, and a map of Bay Area Ohlone Indian bands.
Moving to another side of the building, we get another view of the children's mural.
At the back of the building we find the courtyard gate (locked).
I'll bet it's full of Indian costumes.
The place begins to take on the feel of being quasi-abandoned.
We get one last glimpse of Adobe Creek before heading on our way.
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