An old Valley Oak (Quercus lobata) spreads its branches at the edge of peaceful grasslands. The oak’s green leaves have returned: spring is here. Mistletoe hangs from a branch as well. Green grass peeks through last fall’s golden offering. On the horizon, another Valley Oak marks the hilltop; other oaks, Valley Oaks and Coast Live Oaks, grow nearby The grassy slopes below are colonized by hardy Coyote Brush (Baccharis pilularis), the “mother of the forest”: a refuge for woody plants to come, protecting them somewhat from browsing by deer and rabbits. Skyline Ridge anchors the distant horizon, left and right.

An evocative California scene.

Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, grasslands near Escobar Gate, from Road F. 5/14/2014, 8:06 am. © 2014 Dan Quinn.

Framed, signed and numbered by the artist, with accompanying description. Frame size 18 x 24 inches, $350 suggested price; 16 x 24 inches, $300. Each size in a limited edition of 10 each.

Dan Quinn is an accomplished photographer. Check out his images of Jasper Ridge, the Peninsula, and the wider world at <CaptureTheLight.zenfolio.com>. A former president of the Palo Alto Camera Club, he donates images to Green Foothills, Hidden Villa, POST, Jasper Ridge, and other conservation organizations.