So strange, I grew up in CA and always viewed these "golden hills" as pretty hideous expanses of death (and a fire risk). The very brief period you could drive down 101 around San Jose, or 41/46 near San Luis Obispo, and see resplendent green hills (still too few wildflowers though), were wonderful by contrast.
Oh. I assumed oats and other grains were naturally yellow-colored plants, since that's how they're always depicted, but from checking Google I see that's not true.
Are the 'golden fields' actually green for part of the year? Is it seasonal? They can't be perpetually dead, but I'm failing to find any further information.
Yes, for a brief period in spring, especially after a good rain, the hills are coated in stunning fields of vivid green. You'd think you were in Ireland.
Oats are green, but dry out as yellow straw (the classic yellow thatch roof look is dried oaten straw, for instance)
I always assumed these hills used to have denser forests of oaks that have since been thinned out for cattle grazing, why you have cities named like “Oak Land”.
The central valley used to be covered in oaks, especially near rivers, but they’re almost all gone.
Somehow I never considered the etymology of Oakland. Funny how it's right in front of you your whole life...
Similarly I was in Spanish class one day and thought "oh, ventana sounds like 'viento'" when I realized "WAIT A MINUTE Window is a wind hole!" - never would have thought of that in English I suspect.
When I learned about the invasive grass, I felt a real loss for what California must have been. Imagine a few hundred years ago. As a native American, suppose you take a hike up what will become known as mission peak. Walking through the green and blue grasses, stands of oaks and buckeye to get to the top. From there you can clearly see the hills we know as San Francisco, the islands in the bay. Looking down below you is a verdant valley full of life, your home.
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[ 3.8 ms ] story [ 39.8 ms ] threadMicrosoft didn't use the dead brown fuel that covers much of California when they were looking for Bliss https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bliss_(image)
Are the 'golden fields' actually green for part of the year? Is it seasonal? They can't be perpetually dead, but I'm failing to find any further information.
Oats are green, but dry out as yellow straw (the classic yellow thatch roof look is dried oaten straw, for instance)
The central valley used to be covered in oaks, especially near rivers, but they’re almost all gone.
Similarly I was in Spanish class one day and thought "oh, ventana sounds like 'viento'" when I realized "WAIT A MINUTE Window is a wind hole!" - never would have thought of that in English I suspect.