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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
- The Sisquoc Falls: A Little Known Region in California Explored (1884)
- Old Mission Santa Barbara
- Eating Poison Oak
- 1960s Era Pull-Tab Coca-Cola Can
- Save Old Mission Sycamore ... __ __ __ ...
- Mugwort: A Natural Poison Oak Preventive
- Halibut Surf Fishing
- Tarantula Mating Season, Santa Barbara County
- Burro Schmidt Tunnel and Shanty (1906-1930s)
- Indian Creek Waterfalls (Dick Smith Wilderness)
Photos from the blog
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Latest Dispatches
- 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
- Hollyleaf Cherries Golden Morph
Lunar Phase

Tag Archives: Wildlife
Baby Blue Eyes Wildflower
A single baby blue eyes now blooming in the folds of the Santa Ynez Mountains, standing tall and strong though alone, maintaining proper social distancing from family and friends in the background, beneath a blue spot of sky above. Happy … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged Hiking, Hiking (2), Los Padres National Forest, Nature, Outdoors, Pics, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Mountains, Wilderness, wildflowers, Wildlife
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4 Comments
The Privateer; Subcontractor, Dept. of Unauthorized Forestry
In September of 2016, under cover of broad daylight, assisted by her two trusty partners in crime, whom also served as convenient sweet little innocent distractions to any suspecting walkers in the area, Jackie Willowtree smuggled in and planted the … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged Botany, Forests, Hiking, Nature, Outdoors, Rewilding, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Mountains, Trees, Wilderness, Wildlife
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16 Comments
The Rescue of a Baby Lion
The fleeting, odd bit of noise sounded mechanical when it first hit my ear. But we were in a designated wilderness wherein nothing of the sort is allowed. And so brief was the sound I almost wasn’t sure I heard … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged Adventure, Backpacking, Camping, Chumash Wilderness, Hiking, Los Padres National Forest, Mountain Lions, Nature, Pics, Santa Barbara, Wildlife
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12 Comments
Letter to Editor Regarding Plastic Pollution
A snapshot showing plastic debris in the mulch. I walked out my back door, knelt down in a random spot in the garden, looked for just a second to spot some plastic, and took the photo. So pervasive is the … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged Activism, Creeks, Environmentalism, Nature, News, Ocean, Plastic, Pollution, Santa Barbara, Wildlife
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9 Comments
The Mood Altering Stream Orchid
A stream orchid (Epipactis gigantea) growing near the Santa Ynez River in late May of 2019. Stream orchids grow where constant water is found at seeps, springs and perennial streams. The plant is known for its mood altering and sedative … Continue reading →
Posted in Santa Barbara
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Tagged Adventure, Backpacking, Camping, Hiking, Hiking (2), iPhoneography, Los Padres National Forest, Nature, Santa Barbara, wildflowers, Wildlife
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4 Comments













