1998 was an extrordinary year for wildflowers in southern California, thanks to the rainy deluge delivered by El Nino. Gray days led to brilliant displays: in this photograph the goldfields and magenta owl's clover cloaked the hill with patches of color like a bright Shaker quilt. While in Antelope Valley some days were windy, others cool and cloudy, and several had brilliant sunshine--but this day of sun and storm clouds was my favorite. I like the combined impact of sunlit flowers contrasting with an ominous distant shadow--a natural metaphor for a photographer's changing mood.