I totally agree on the power of the simple shot (your simple shots specifically). The gentle transition between colors is both tranquil and gorgeous, and i love the misty fade to grey in the background.
@jgpittenger It is way back in the hills and best approached from the east side of the National Forest. The nearest town is Stonyford, and Clear Lake is to the west, but hard to get to from Letts Lake. Oddly, most of Mendocino National Forest isn't close to Mendocino. Are you familiar with the B&B in the water tower in Mendocino? Linda and I spent a night there.
I was living there in 1978 with my husband and 5 kids living in tents while I tried out a job there as a nurse midwife...don't remember a b and b in the water tower but I was pretty busy for the 2 months we were there