March in Like a Lion ( and leave the same way!)

March roars in like a lion
So fierce,
The wind so cold,
It seems to pierce.

The month rolls on
And Spring draws near,
And March goes out
Like a lamb so dear

Lori Hill

March is a transition from Winter to Spring - Reservoir on the Tejon Ranch

The theories on the origins for the saying “March in like a lion and leaves like a lamb” are multiple. Some are based on folklore describing the shift from winter to spring in the northern hemisphere. March is usually the month where winter shifts from winter to spring. So it usually starts off cold and stormy and ends calmer and warmer. Usually is the key word as there is nothing totally predictable during the transition between seasons. Which makes them so wonderful.

Another theory is based on the stars in the beginning of March Leo (the Lion) on the horizon at sunset but is replaced with Aires (the Ram) on the western horizon.

The most interesting insight was a Christian interpretation. It follows the thought that Jesus came into the world as a Lamb and will return as a Lion - in weather language means having a false spring.

Anyways for me, this March has been a “Lion” all month long. Its been one for the history books! Normally, March is kind of boring. Its cold, it rains, you stay inside. This March is different, I cannot remember one in which I experienced such a diversity of photographic experiences. It started off with a wonderful hike on the Tejon Ranch.

A storm had just broken up the night before and its remnants were hanging around the mountains. The result was this beautiful sunny day blessed with wonderful clouds that kept changing the light and shadows on the ground. A friend on the hike quipped “you could stand in one spot for the day and the scene would change a thousand times.”

The light kept changing creating these beautiful scenes

Beautiful Day

Beauty as far as the eye can see!

Then during my once a week work commute between LA and San Diego, Waze directed me out to the I-15. Well, from the I-15 there is no missing , the now infamous, Walker Canyon “super-bloom.” Luckily, I stopped to enjoy it weeks before the massive crowds made it a zoo.

Walker Canyon and I-15

The Hills are alive

Poppies prove that if small things join together they can make a big difference

Mountains, Clouds, and Spring Flowers what more could you ask for?

Even with spring wildflowers starting to bloom the March “Lion” was not finished yet. We took a trip up to the Eastern Sierra to check out how much snow was left. Oh my. We tend to be summer/hiking folks and don’t get up to the Sierra much in the winter months. 2019 has been an exceptional snow year and based on the snow still left on the ground and the fact it is still snowing the “Lamb” part of March missed its flight and won’t get into town till April.

First Light on Snow Covered Sierra

Closed for Winter! ::-)

All Roads Lead to Snow

Finally, I took a trek out to Death Valley to see the military pilots practice low level flying in a canyon nicknamed Star Wars Canyon (or called by the Pilots “the Jedi-transition.”) Talk about coming in like a Lion! The best description I can give about this canyon, other than “Oh sh*t”, it is the only place I know that you point your camera lens down to take a picture of a jet going by at several hundred miles an hour.

You can read the names of the pilots on the side of the plane!

Reminds me of a scene at the end of the “Dragnet” movie

I would call it tree top flying except there are no trees…

Hats off to these pilots they have a lot of “huevos” and I am glad I am on their side

While March still has few days left it will be snowing in Mammoth so I am not sure we will see the spring “Lamb” until April.

With a March like I had I cannot wait to see what April brings!

If you enjoyed this please share. Comments are always appreciated.

Hike Big Sycamore Canyon - Tejon Ranch

If you go to the Tejon Ranch Conservancy website they have this quote:

“There is no other place like Tejon Ranch in California...and perhaps in the world.”

I have to say it is true, it is true. 

•   It is immense at 270,000 acres, the largest contiguous private property in California.

•   It is diverse lying at the boundaries of multiple ecosystems as diverse as the Sierra Nevada and the Mojave Desert.

•   It is magnificently beautiful.  Especially when there is weather happening!

The Ranch is private property but through the hospitality of Tejon Ranch Conservancy you can explore it for yourself.  I highly recommend you do. Hopefully this post will inspire you to sign up to visit the Ranch. 

The hike today was in Big Sycamore Canyon.  It was a moderate five mile in-and-out hike.

A major storm had hit the day before and the storm was clearing out the day of our hike.  Driving to the Ranch from the south, Mt. Pinos was stunning covered in new snow.  There were low lying clouds in the direction of where the hike is so I was excited for the possibility of some awesome views. I was not disappointed.

I enjoy entering the Ranch from the gate we used because there is an experimental wind turbine that in the vastness of nothingness looks out of place.  It is so surreal, it reminds me of the planet Tatooine where Luke Skywalker grew up in the first Star Wars movie.

The hike starts out with a gentle grade f or a long while in a mix of Oaks and Sycamores. As you get farther into the canyon the grade gets a little steeper.

There are enough interesting sights along the way that you tend to stop, check them out, and catch your breath. 

Is it me or do you see a Dolphin too?

With the low clouds and a bit of fog the colors of the canyon were very rich.

The turn around point is a small meadow with a half built abandoned cabin and an open barn.  They have a picnic table in the meadow that makes a nice place to rest, talk, and have lunch.

When we got back to the car, Reema our excellent guide, drove us over to the entrance of Little Sycamore Canyon.  It is ironic that some of the biggest Sycamores we saw that day were at “Little” Sycamore canyon.

As we packed up to head off the ranch the clouds continued to give us a beautiful send off.

It was a great day on the Tejon Ranch.  I highly recommend you give it a try.  The Conservancy has a great outreach program and you can check out the calendar of events here!

Have a great week!

Bob Kent

www.bob-kent-photography.com