Hiking up the little stream that connects Lake Tahoe with Fallen Leaf Lake, I was a bit disappointed with its aesthetic appeal. There were however some interesting beaver dams created from the attractive stands of autumn aspen that we passed on the trail.
It's just that the stream, with dirt banks and dense scrub brush, lacked the contrasting elements I look for in a future painting.
We carefully crossed the primitive dam to the rock wall on the other side of the stream. Just when I thought the best that could come from this outing was some good exercise, we came to the end of the wall and gazed across the large flat boulders to the north edge of the lake just beyond the meadow. I had found my inspiration for another watercolor.