After the Storm

The sky was interesting, but it's the brave little tree that caught my eye. I've often blipped this panoramic view of the river mouth, but this is the first time I've seen this gnarly tree in bloom. It's such a funny little thing, hanging on the edge of a very steep cliff. From the time of year, I'm guessing it's a flowering plum--it's too early for anything else.

Here's the San Lorenzo River as it flows into Monterey Bay. The Boardwalk/amusement park provides all the color, and the wharf stretches out on the left. The beach itself is very narrow right now because of the winter storms and currents, and there is a lot of driftwood and debris. How isolated the midway looks on its spit of sand. Viewed from this angle, it's no surprise that the area is subject to flooding.