This week Ann-Christine challenges me to find perfect patterns and tell us why I think they are perfect.

Animals

An answer to an often-asked question, “Are zebras black with white stripes or white with black stripes?” The answer is, “Black with white stripes!” Shave one and you will find black skin beneath. When exploring this fun fact I learned that scientists still have not discovered the reason for their stripes. Not an easy question to solve so it seems. No matter, I still find them perfect.

Giraffe spots are unique. And by the way, their tongues are long so that they can forage on trees that others can’t eat.

Plants

This cactus flower will bloom once at night. In the morning it will be done. I learned this from my neighbors, Bob and Bea. I received an urgent call one night and was told to come over quickly. Worried, we rushed over. The cactus was blooming, and they didn’t want us to miss it. I was relieved since these neighbors were elderly. They gave us a cactus we named, Bob and Bea, and it bloomed after many years. That is until a neighborhood squirrel thought this cactus was tasty.

This squirrel came each afternoon and ate until there was nothing left. So much for saving for a rainy day.

Found on the coast of California, I love the papery look of these colorful flowers.

Lots of other flower patterns some perfect, and some almost. Which one do you like?

Natural World

Taken many years ago on The Big Island. Currently, lava is flowing again.

Sedona rock formation. Inspiring and peaceful

Magnificent!

Art inspired patterns

Color, reflection, and repetition are all captured in one photo.

The back of this caned chair creates a comfortable pattern.

Skyscraper hotel patterns. Privacy, view, interest, or lighting? Why?

That is all I can say about seeing the world and discovering all the perfect patterns that surround us. Do you have any perfect patterns around you?

This week Amy (The World is a Book) has challenged me to go to the mountains, and so I shall.
Traveling has been limited to Sacramento lately. Not exactly sure why. But these photo challenges gives me a good reason to check out my library. The highest mountain I ever visited was the Himalayas when I visited Nepal in 1965. At the time Kathmandu had traveler restrictions, and two small hotels. The Royal Nepal Airline had 3 planes, not a modern jet plane. We traveled between the peaks. A pretty scary ride. But alas I don’t have any photographs.
Sacramento is located two hours from the Sierras and Lake Tahoe. Heading east Donner Lake is a beautiful, quiet stop.

Outside Bodie located in the eastern Sierras. Do you see what I see?

Bodie California – the Sierras in the distance

Heading east the Sutter Buttes make for a rural landscape.

Northern California’s Coast range provides many photo opportunities just as long as there is a place to pull over. Otherwise commuter traffic makes this prohibitive.