May Day's Sunrise

 Since the last post was all about 

the sunset on Shasta Lake,

I thought I should give the 

rising sun the same attention.

These photos are from this morning.

I set out early to get there just

before sun rise. I think it was 

around a quarter to six when 

I started taking photos.

These photos are from 

several stops along Turntable Bay road.

U.S.S. Relief.

Cute name for a floating porta potty.

There's at least three of these on the lake.

They do come in handy when necessary.

We actually carry a porta potty with us

on the pontoon boat.  I sewed a canvas 

cover for it and it sits quite nicely behind

the captains chair.

(Gads what has this blog become...

stories of dead deer, vultures, and now

porta potties?)

Ah well.

That's the Pit River bridge

to us old timers.

Now it's the Vietnam Veteran's bridge.

Just the other side of it is Bridge

Bay Marina where we keep our boat.

Oh and that's I-5 on top of the bridge,

with the railroad underneath.

You've seen photos of that bridge

countless times here on the blog.

When we're out on the boat

we don't stray too far from the 

marina in order not to waste gasoline.

In the summertime you'll find us

in our favorite cove,

unless a houseboat has beaten us to it.

Then, we have to wander a bit further.

Shasta Lake has 370 miles of shoreline.

You don't have to be too close to anyone,

unless you want to be.

 From this vantage point on

Turntable Bay road, I wasn't going

to be able to see the actual sunrise.

Later this summer the sun will be

further south and in view along

the range of mountains in the background,

 but not this morning.

The first of three bass boats heading out

to their favored fishing spots

bright and early before the sun 

even touches the lake.

I'm still waiting for the sun

to crest the hill.

Meanwhile,

Mt. Lassen is bathed

in the pink sunlight.

It was peaceful,

if not overly quiet.

I-5 is up the hill behind us.

Further north along the road

I found where that fisherman

had stopped to fish.

I also found some 

May Day flowers to share with you.

A delicate pink wild rose.

Did you dance around the Maypole

when you were a kid?

We did, and we also left flowers

tied to our neighbors door knob.

I don't think my kids ever experienced

Maypoles, and I'm quite sure I didn't

pass along the tradition of leaving

flowers on the neighbors doorstep. 

  

The Blue Blossom "California Lilac"

are peppering the hillsides with their

 wispy  bluish/purple blossoms.

I also found something new to me.

It might be Black Hawthorn

"River Hawthorn".

My National Audubon Society

Field Guide to California book says:

Black Hawthorn

is a member of the rose family.

15'.  Thicket-forming shrub or tree

with rounded crown.

Leaves 2 1/2", ovate, toothed, lobed.

Bark gray brown; twigs red, spiny.  

Flowers 1/2", with 5 petals, pink stamens;

in rounded clusters; bloom May-June.

Berries 1/2", reddish black.
Habitat  Streamsides, forests, scrub. 

Range nw CA, Cascades, Modoc Plateau.

So maybe it is River Hawthorn ...

I can't be certain.

I am certain though,

that I wouldn't mind paying

attention to

a few more sunrises.

It's a beautiful time of the day.