Tag Archives: Photos

The Death of Happy Jack (1879)

A photo of a whiskey lovin’ drunk circa 1907. Nineteenth century police blotter from the Ventura Signal newspaper, March 1, 1879: Daniel Collins, commonly called “Arizona Jack,” or “Happy Jack,” died at Saticoy on the night of the 25th of … Continue reading

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The Carrizo Experience: Ten Hours on the Plain IV

This post is the fourth and final installment in a series. Read the first here: Ruminants on the Range. The second here: The Bedrock Mortars of Selby Rocks. And the third here: The Pictographs of Painted Rock. An aerial view … Continue reading

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Valley Oak in Winter Light

A California valley oak (Quercus lobata) standing along Happy Canyon Road in Santa Barbara County.

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Cuyama Viticulture

“Unlike raisin or fresh grape production, where greater cluster size and quantity were preferred, wine grapes often produced superior vintages on rocky, sandy (e.g., Virg. Georg. 2.346; Colum. Arbor3.6), or even infertile soils, which tended to check productivity and overall … Continue reading

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Turkeys, Bobcats and the Caves of Castle Rock

Along lower Manzana Creek in the Santa Barbara backcountry, a rib of sandstone known to some as Castle Rock (Jack’s Map) juts into the air along the west end of the wind swept ridge officially dubbed Hurricane Deck. This is … Continue reading

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