Driving into Lassen Volcanic National Park in California, the first thing that struck me was the range of vivid, bright colors in the landscape all around me. From fresh greens, dark overhead blue, back-lighted purple colored Thrift ground flowers, light white clouds, and on and on. Its like driving into a new section of the land that is being lit by some special kind of light. Add the deep blue sky reflection off the water in lake Helen, and you have a window on paradise.