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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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- Language of Forest Closure; Assault on an Ancient Right
- California Slender Salamander
- Eating Poison Oak
- Dinosaur Footprints, Isle of Skye, Scotland
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- Indian Creek Waterfalls and Narrows
- Slippery Rock Stagecoach Road (19th Century)
- Alice Keck Park Park
- Mark of Conquest II: Benchmark and Mortar
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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: Santa Ynez Mountains
The Crackling Oak Forest of Aliso Canyon
A stand of charred oak trees on an elevated flat overlooking the Santa Ynez River. The White wildfire was touched off by careless recreationists barbequing at White Rock Day Use Area in May 2013. A thick and lumpy Pacific marine … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara County
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Tagged Aliso Canyon, Hiking, iPhonography, Landscapes, Nature, Oak Trees, Photos, Santa Ynez Mountains, Santa Ynez River, Wildfires, Writing
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8 Comments
California Stream Orchid (Epipactis gigantea)
A California stream orchid growing beneath a large boulder beside a seep in an otherwise dry creek feeding into a seasonal tributary of the Santa Ynez River. I think that all but the keenest, most experienced observers would never suspect … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara County
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Tagged Epipactis gigantea, Hiking, iPhonography, Los Padres National Forest, Nature, Orchids, Photos, Plants, Santa Ynez Mountains, wildflowers, Writing
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11 Comments
Teardrop, Santa Ynez Mountains
Bare bunned at Teardrop. Teardrop was named for its shape. It’s a small swimming hole, a large bathtub, bored out of sandstone bedrock visually and audibly accented by a waterfall dropping into its emerald water. Like many swimming holes, its … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara County
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Tagged Creeks, Hiking, Hiking (2), iPhonography, Nature, Photos, Santa Ynez Mountains, Swimming Holes, Teardrop, Writing
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11 Comments
Montecito Peak, Santa Ynez Mountains
Montecito Peak, Santa Ynez Mountains Numerous parked cars line the road at the trailhead when I arrive one September morning. Several people in different small groups linger about getting ready for a walk or returning therefrom. A few voices resonate … Continue reading →
Lion’s Mane Mushroom
Afternoon reflections on a deep pool, which would be a lot deeper, as the mineral stain on the rock shows, were it not for the current droughty conditions. Hericium mushrooms are one of the subtle signs of annual change in … Continue reading →
Posted in Flora, Santa Barbara
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Tagged Backpacking, Camping, Foraging, Hericiums, Hiking, iPhoneography, Mushrooms, Nature, Photos, Santa Ynez Mountains, Wildcraft
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4 Comments
Jack Elliott's Santa Barbara Adventure 