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“He may be just a tramp, a guy that likes to roam about this great country without any special aim, just to thank the Lord for these beautiful mountains.”
-B. Traven, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

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“. . .here, where there are still the silences and the loneliness of the earth before man, . . .”

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Recently Read
- Condor Petroglyphs, Death Valley National Park
- Old Mission Santa Barbara
- Teardrop, Santa Ynez Mountains
- Ancient Artifact: Eccentric Chipped Stone Crescent
- Stumbling Upon Chumash Rock Art
- 'Akaka Falls, Hawaii & Cliff Climbing Goby
- Wallace Creek Offset at the San Andreas Fault, Carrizo Plain National Monument
- Hericium Mushrooms of Santa Barbara County
- Steelhead Fishing, Santa Ynez River (1948)
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Latest Dispatches
- Raking the Forest: Anderson, Trump, Kuyper
- Initials of J.D. Reyes (1907)
- Last California Grizzlies Seen In Santa Barbara National Forest? (1926)
- Eccentric Artifact, San Marcos Foothills Preserve
- Fog Drip Morels
- Naming Santa Barbara’s Modoc Road
- Mark of Conquest; Benchmark and Mortar
- Hat Tip to the Selfless Samaritans In Service to Others
- The Intelligence of Coyote Tobacco (Nicotiana attenuata)
- The Journey of a Root (1907) and Plant Intelligence
- Santa Barbara County Morels
- Hollyleaf Cherries Golden Morph
- Barefoot Prints In Volcanic Ash, Hawaii (1790)
- Skinny-Dipper Detained, Cuffed and Cited at Montecito Hot Springs
- Red Horny Toad
Lunar Phase

Category Archives: Santa Barbara
Lower Lion Canyon, Sierra Madre Mountains
Squaring off with the sun in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains in 96 degree heat. I like to see it for myself. When looking at a map of the forest I want to know what each particular attraction … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged Cuyama, Hiking, Hiking (2), iPhoneography, Lion Canyon, Los Padres National Forest, Nature, Photos, Rocks, Sierra Madre Mountains, Travel
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5 Comments
Alligator Pears First Successfully Introduced To USA In Santa Barbara
Morning dew on an avocado leaf in my small backyard orchard. “. . .the avocado became definitely established [in California] through the introduction of three trees from Mexico in 1871 by Judge R. B. Ord of Santa Barbara. Two of … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged Alligator Pear, Avocados, Farming, Food, History, Horticulture
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Fish Falls, Santa Ynez Mountains
The large emerald pool below Fish Falls might be the best summertime swimming hole on the frontside of the Santa Ynez Mountains in Santa Barbara County. It’s deep enough to dive into from the top of the waterfall, if you’re … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara County
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Tagged Creeks, Hiking, Hiking (2), Los Padres National Forest, Nature, Santa Ynez Mountains, Steelhead, Swimming Holes, Trout, waterfalls, Wildlife
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12 Comments
Arrowhead Springs, Drought Resistant Summer Seep
The Chumash pictograph panel at Arrowhead Springs. The arrowhead-shaped mineral stain surrounding the rock art points down to a spring issuing from under the boulder. Santa Barbara county-wide precipitation for the 2013-14 water year stands at 41 percent of normal … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara County
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Tagged Archaeology, Bedrock Mortars, Chumash, Drought, Hiking, Indians, Los Padres National Forest, Nature, Photos, Pictographs, Rock Art, Santa Ynez Mountains
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4 Comments
Calochortus Fimbriatus, Rare Wildflower
Calochortus fimbriatus, the late-flowered Mariposa lily, is in bloom at the moment in the Santa Ynez Mountains. A patch of the flowers thrives in the droughty dryness and summertime heat on a south facing rocky hillside at this particular location. … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara County
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Tagged Calochortus, Flora, Hiking, Hiking (2), iPhoneography, Los Padres National Forest, Mariposa Lily, Nature, Photos, Rare Plants, Santa Ynez Mountains, wildflowers
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2 Comments













