Happy Friday!

Today I would like to share some of the photos I took on a few hikes I’ve been on the last few months. Friday Foothills is what I call this series of pics.  I hope you like them.

I love autumn with its changing weather and falling leaves. Here in the Bay Area we have had a roller coaster of fall weather lately, heat waves with temps in the 90s, then a cooling down to the low 50s and 40s, then back up to pleasant 70s and 80s.  The weather has been unpredictable to say the least.  Most mornings however our temperatures are always in the cool and pleasant 50s, perfect time to get out in nature and go on a hike, a walk or a jog.

Our area offers so many hiking trails for all levels of hikers from easy, to medium, steep, flat, short hike, long hike, half-day, all-day, there are hundreds of trails to choose from that most folks have their favorites.  For me, I am fortunate to have my friend Padmini who has been hiking the South Bay trails for some time now that she is familiar with what trail to go on depending on what mood we are in. I have been hiking with Padmini for a year now since and have enjoyed every one of our hikes.

Sometimes I am in a picture-taking mood and have taken lots of photos, other times I am in more of a quiet mood and have not taken many.  But the times when I did take lots of photos and look back at them, these are some gorgeous pictures.  I mean, how can Mother Nature disappoint, she looks gorgeous in any season!!

Stile Ranch Trail in the Spring

Hiking on the trails at Stile Ranch is so peaceful that it truly puts one in a zen state of mind.

We walked on this trail southward closer to IBM’s Almaden Research Facility and saw an ornithologist hanging bird houses at the park there.

California Poppies in the Spring

Spring is also the perfect time to see California Poppies blooming on the hillsides on Stile Ranch.

The poppies and birds attracted a few photographers on this Spring morning.

Stile Ranch and Fortini Loop

Calero Creek Trail in the Summer

On this early summer morning we hiked the newly opened Calero Trail off Harry Road in South San Jose. Here the grass was still green and the surrounding hills serene.  Little pink wildflowers were in bloom creating an image worthy of an impressionist painting.

All this beautiful scenery was calling to be appreciated and the perfect vantage point was this strategically placed bench.

On a cool summer morning Calero Trail was a wonderful 4-mile hike before the heat of the summer day set in.

Calero Creek Trail in the Fall

By October the green grass from early spring and summer had turned a golden color on Calero Trail turning the scene around us into a peaceful yellow hued hike.

This five-mile hike lead us towards the Calero Lake where the water was glistening from the hazy October sunrays.

We stopped at the gate that continued down toward Calero Lake and from here we could see the lake in its full glory.

Heading back on this fall morning we walked side-by-side cattle that were grazing on the golden grassy knoll.  Some were peacefully walking past us while others were drinking water from a trough down below.

Calero Creek Trail

I hope these photos encourage you to enjoy the great outdoors this weekend. Happy hiking, walking and jogging!

Have a great weekend everybody!