Today was another Sunday Lunch Ride, hosted by Steve, for our local cycling club! We drove to the beautiful Applegate Valley and parked mere feet from the Applegate Lodge where Steve and I got married! From there we went on a lovely 31.5-mile ride along the stunning Applegate River and stopped halfway through for lunch and wonderful conversation! It was a perfect day and included flowering trees everywhere, wonderful farms, and even a baby Holstein calf who galloped along beside me while I sang a happy "Mooooooooooooooo!!!!!"

This Magnolia blossom was just one of the zillion pictures I took at lunchtime, captured with the tree trunk behind it. I have so many images of these flowers that I would like to share but I'm out of time tonight so I'll just have this one for now! :) More to come!!

Neltje Blanchan De Graff Doubleday (October 23, 1865 – February 21, 1918) was a United States scientific historian and nature writer who published several books on wildflowers and birds under the pen name Neltje Blanchan. Her work is known for its synthesis of scientific interest with poetic phrasing. Wikipedia: Neltje Blanchan