I don’t know how many times I have driven past this grove of Oaks on McGregor Drive between Aptos and Capitola and thought, I need to try and get a picture of this. As you drive this frontage road there is a bit of open space in the middle, what was once intended as Wingspread, a conference center, ( some vocal, local opposition ended that plan). Right past that is a street leading towards the ocean with houses hidden from the road amongst scrub Scotch Broom bushes, berry vines, poison oak, Oak trees and Eucalyptus. Just before this street is a small ravine studded with beautiful Oak trees all natural and tangled. Left alone and these Oaks have stretched up out of the ravine and formed a shapely canopy under which houses an amazing dance of branches. It seemed that no matter what time of day or what time of year, whenever I would drive past this ravine it would inspire me. When I say inspire I mean inspiration that comes from seeing a beautiful work of art, or a magnificent church, or anything that makes you believe.

So coming home from my Saturday morning coffee session with my friend Bill I finally stopped. I stopped because I had not only remembered to bring my camera but thought maybe the Aptos morning fog would work well with the Oaks. Now the Aptos fog for the uninitiated is unlike the quaint “cat’s feet” version of Carl Sandburg and more like a “London, Jack the Ripper, stay off the moors” type of fog. It will come in in the morning and break around next August… Anyway, here are a couple of shots I took. Still not doing any justice to the scene or the trees but at least I finally stopped.