Tag Archives: Hiking

Hat Tip to the Selfless Samaritans In Service to Others

Pope Francis died this morning, Easter Monday. An incredible date for such a man to pass on. The extraordinary event called to mind the deaths of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, the second and third presidents of the United States, … Continue reading

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The Intelligence of Coyote Tobacco (Nicotiana attenuata)

Wild tobacco growing in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Santa Barbara County. (Fall 2024) If we define intelligence as an ability to perceive, understand and respond effectively to environmental stimuli, then we might attribute to plants what is normally considered … Continue reading

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Santa Barbara County Morels

Morel growing under a coast live oak tree with California poppies. (April 2025) Related Post: March is For Morels

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Hollyleaf Cherries Golden Morph

Tafoni on a slab of exposed bedrock beside the golden cherry bush. It recalls the mind warp rock n’ roll nightmare of local band, Rich Kids on LSD, and the bubbles on their Reactivate album cover. “Of all our native … Continue reading

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Barefoot Prints In Volcanic Ash, Hawaii (1790)

Western slope of Mauna Loa (13,100′). The old trail of footprints lies somewhere beneath the cloud cover.  A few months after arriving in Hawai‘i, Perkins was in the Kona area of the Big Island collecting on the western slopes on … Continue reading

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