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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
- Eating Poison Oak
- John Haines On Pool Rock
- Bald Eagle, Manzana Creek, San Rafael Wilderness
- Swordfish Cave, Earliest Chumash Rock Art On California's Central Coast
- Manzana Creek Schoolhouse (1893)
- Arrowhead Springs, Drought Resistant Summer Seep
- Native Steelhead of Yore
- Mark of Conquest: Benchmark and Mortar
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Latest Dispatches
- Bald Eagle, Manzana Creek, San Rafael Wilderness
- When Rains Fall, Will USFS Close Our Forest? The Coming El Nino
- 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)
Lunar Phase
Tag Archives: Wildlife
The Journey of a Root (1907) and Plant Intelligence
Los Angeles Herald, February 24, 1907. The Journey Of A Root From Santa Barbara, California, there comes a story of a most interesting freak of vegetable life, which is strictly vouched for. Through a certain garden ran, some years ago, … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged Botany, Eucalyptus, Gardening, History, Horticulture, Nature, Plants, Santa Barbara, Science, Trees, Wildlife
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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
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged Foraging, Hiking, Hiking (2), Los Padres National Forest, Morels, Mushrooms, Nature, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Mountains, Wilderness, Wildlife
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3 Comments
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 →
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged Adventure, backcountry, Chumash, Hiking, Los Padres National Forest, Native Americans, Nature, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Mountains, Wilderness, Wildlife
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Red Horny Toad
Out for a walk with Larrold. An unremarkable lesser ridge among the rumpled hills. Chapparal, pine, gravel and grit. Then a flash of tiny red life running cumbersome from the fringe of the trail. Startling in its ochre hue and … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged Adventure, backcountry, Hiking, Horny Toad, Lizards, Los Padres National Forest, Nature, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Mountains, Wilderness, Wildlife
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1 Comment
Red-tailed Hawk Fledgling, Hot Springs Canyon Trail
A sycamore tree with a hawk nest as seen from the trail/public easement/private asphalt drive, just above the cement Arizona-style vehicle crossing, along Hot Springs Canyon Trail. The tall tree stands on the west side of the drive coming up … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged Hawks, Hiking, Hiking (2), Hot Springs Creek, Los Padres National Forest, Montecito, Nature, Raptors, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Mountains, Wildlife
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2 Comments
Jack Elliott's Santa Barbara Adventure 