One of the things we look for each Spring is a visit to the poppy fields that suddenly appear over much of the western part of the Antelope Valley.  Here is located the Antelope Valley State Calilfornia Poppy Preserve but those golden fields of poppies extend far beyond the Preserve itself.
Not all springs are productive for the poppies.  Much depends on the amount of winter and spring rainfall.  This year a three inch rain storm saved the day and the result was the best show of poppies in three years.
Our visit was one day after the annual Poppy Festival but we were not alone as we stopped to frolic among the fields and take lots of photos.
Close by is the Arthur Ripley Woodland State Park which has been preserved to show how the Antelope Valley looked before being cleared for farming.
It  is one of our favorite sites for a relaxing picnic lunch. There is a trail to wander through the woodland with Joshua and Juniper trees as well as blue sage and cacti.  In the spring there are wild flowers to be seen as well and  we took photos with the Tehachapi as a backdrop still showing patches of snow.. 
Here we enjoyed our picnic lunch and  continued our trip through the Valley, then Highway 14 for home.