No need to go far to see bursting buds

Regarding “The Big Bloom” [March 1]: Nice story on wildflowers. But keep in mind that there are a lot of places closer to Los Angeles to view them. In a good year, the hills surrounding Gorman off Interstate 5 will explode with California poppies and other flowers. You can get off the freeway at Gorman and drive north or south on the frontage road for a closer look or photographs.

Richard Varenchik

Valencia

I just returned from the Colorado River. A highlight was the wildflowers. We met a family at Parker Dam who warned us about the scorpion weed. “People have had to go to the hospital” after touching it, we were told. We then noticed the plant almost everywhere and wondered why no warnings were posted. However, a ranger confirmed that some people react to it like poison oak.

Donna Bray

Norwalk