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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
- Indian Creek Waterfalls and Narrows
- Manzana Creek Schoolhouse (1893)
- Ancient Artifact: Eccentric Chipped Stone Crescent
- The Sisquoc Falls: A Little Known Region in California Explored (1884)
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- Tafoni Weathered Stone
- The Slot at Devil's Playground
- Matías Reyes, Santa Barbara Mission (1887)
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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

Tag Archives: Chumash
Datura Bloom
Datura in bloom on the Carrizo Plain, San Luis Obispo County, California. “In their quest for visions and for supernatural power, the Chumash of the Santa Barbara region were one of many tribes throughout North and South America that resorted … Continue reading →
Posted in San Luis Obispo County, Santa Barbara County, Ventura County
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Tagged Chumash, Datura, Ethnobotany, Flora, Indians, Nature, Photos, Pics, Plants, Toloache
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12 Comments
Stumbling Upon Chumash Bedrock Mortars
Chumash bedrock mortar grinding stone in the Santa Barbara County backcountry. There are four different mortars visible in this photo, although hard to see except the deepest one at center frame. “In certain almost supernatural states of the soul, the … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara County
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Tagged Archaeology, Artifacts, backcountry, Bedrock Mortars, Chumash, Hiking, Hiking (2), Indians, Native Americans, Outdoors, Photos, Pics
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10 Comments
Oil Seeps at Carpinteria, California
Oil seep at Carpinteria State Beach. “Cabrillo’s description of the Chumash of the Santa Barbara mainland is the oldest ethnohistoric document concerning California Indians.” —The Natural World of the California Indian, Robert F. Heizer & Albert B. Elsasser, University of … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara County
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Tagged Cabrillo, Carpinteria, Chumash, de Anza, History, Indians, Native Americans, Oil, Petroleum, Photos, Pics, Portola, Tar Pits
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2 Comments
Eating Fire Roasted Yucca
A yucca flower spike in full bloom. “There is a great deal of century plant of the species which the Mexicans call mescali. The mode of using it is as follows: they make a hole in the ground, fill it … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged Backpacking, Camping, Chumash, Foraging, Hiking, History, Indians, Native Americans, Nature, Spanish Explorers, Traditional Knowledge, wildflowers, Yucca
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4 Comments
Old Mission Santa Barbara
Mission Santa Barbara, “Queen of the Missions,” was built in 1820. The original church was founded on December 4, 1786 and was the tenth mission built by the Spanish Franciscans in California. It was later rebuilt twice, its size increased … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged Architecture, California, Chumash, Churches, Franciscans, History, Indians, iPhoneography, Landmarks, Native Americans, Old Mission, Photos, Pics, Spanish
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2 Comments













