-
Join 933 other subscribers
-
“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
-
“. . .here, where there are still the silences and the loneliness of the earth before man, . . .”
Search Jack’s Blog
Recently Read
- Language of Forest Closure; Assault on an Ancient Right
- Steelhead Fishing, Santa Ynez River (1948)
- Arrowhead Springs, Drought Resistant Summer Seep
- Slippery Rock Stagecoach Road (19th Century)
- Indian Head Test Pattern (1939)
- A Treasure Hunt For Chumash Pictographs and the Vicious Protector
- Time Magazine Story: Chumash Oak Arborglyph in San Luis Obispo County
- Manzana Creek Schoolhouse (1893)
- Chumash Rock Art, Santa Barbara County
- McDonald's Egg McMuffin Born In Santa Barbara
Photos from the blog
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
-
Latest Dispatches
- Language of Forest Closure; Assault on an Ancient Right
- March of the Mustard; The Spread of Noxious Weeds
- Mark of Conquest II: Benchmark and Mortar
- Save Old Mission Sycamore … __ __ __ …
- 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
Lunar Phase
Tag Archives: Los Padres National Forest
Fog Drip Morels
Sans soil. Every day, for weeks now, a marine layer swamps the coast so far this spring, cool and sometimes spritzing. I wake to the rhythmic tap of fog drip falling through the rain gutters. May 5 morels. Measurable precipitation … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
|
Tagged Camping, Fieldcraft, Foraging, Hiking, Los Padres National Forest, Mushrooms, Nature, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Mountains, Wild Foods, Wildlife
|
Leave a comment
Mark of Conquest: Benchmark and Mortar
United States Coast & Geodetic Survey benchmark (1872) on a Chumash mortar stone, Santa Barbara County. “The reverence attached to the artifacts of history is a thing men feel. One could even say that what endows any thing with significance … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
|
Tagged Artifacts, Backpacking, Chumash, History, Indian Wars, Indians, Legacy of Conquest, Los Padres National Forest, Native Americans, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Mountains
|
1 Comment
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 →
Posted in Santa Barbara
|
Tagged Adventure, backcountry, Backpacking, Hiking, Hiking (2), Landscapes, Los Padres National Forest, Outdoors, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Mountains, Wilderness
|
Leave a comment
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 →
Posted in Santa Barbara
|
Tagged Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Los Padres National Forest, Nature, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Mountains, Science, Wilderness, wildflowers, Wildlife
|
Leave a comment
Santa Barbara County Morels
Morel growing under a coast live oak tree with California poppies. (April 2025) Related Post: March is For Morels
Posted in Santa Barbara
|
Tagged Foraging, Hiking, Hiking (2), Los Padres National Forest, Morels, Mushrooms, Nature, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Mountains, Wilderness, Wildlife
|
3 Comments
Jack Elliott's Santa Barbara Adventure 