Annadel State Park—5,000 acres of quintessential California landscape of oak woodland and meadow on the eastern edge of the city of Santa Rosa. It's the height of summer and many California natives have gone dormant—they prefer to sit out the rainless months. The legions of spring wildflowers have vanished. Oh, yes, here's a blue brodiaea, there a yellow hypericum, over there a few white yampah. But, wait, gathered among the golden grasses edging the trail are thousands of tiny pink centauries, European immigrants that lend beauty to the park in their modest, six-inch-tall way. It's easy to miss them. All the blossoms are tightly closed on this overcast morning, but around noon the sun bursts forth and each centaury opens its five pointed petals into a pink star.
I go up Canyon Trail, where I meet joggers and bikers enjoying the cool morning. I turn onto Marsh Trail and head toward Buick Meadow, passing through a damp, dim redwood grove where I find a several stalks of the little orchid, Habenaria elegans. A doe and two fawns stare at me from the dappled woods, not afraid, just curious; later I come across two stags grazing on an open hillside. Groups of wild turkeys pick their way through the trees; I see two females with two babies each. These ungainly birds have also lost their fear of humans and no longer scurry to hide in the woods. At the top of Canyon Trail, all is silent except for a chorus of crickets. I cover ten miles and meet four hikers.
