Rain in arid country is a difficult phenomenon for those in better- watered terrain to understand. We obsess over it, and always hail it despite its destructive force. Who cares if the roof leaks a little? In such climates all but the newest always will– heat and freeze and dry and wet will see to …
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I’m Baaaack!
LONG week or so– many (delightful but many) guests, puppy insomnia, and the notorious Magdalena Old Timer’s (New Timer’s, Alzheimer’s) Fiesta with hordes of oddly- dressed tourons making the dogs bark about 20/ 7 all have conspired to make me a bit tired… But good news: for the first time in two years we have …
Matt’s Ten Birds Part 3
Common Yellowthroat [Geothlpis trichas]Photo from: http://www.notason.com/oiseaux/id329.htm It’s sort of a Black-eyed Susan: widespread and so common they made that part of its name. But the flower and the bird are two of my favorites, in large part because they’re commonplace. Why should beauty be rare? This early migrant is among our first, a few arriving …
Overnighter
A week ago Saturday, I decided to make a quick overnight camping trip up in the Los Padres National Forest. I hadn’t been out in a while (too much work) and I enjoy taking regular campouts, just car-camping. I’m fortunate in that there are some beautiful campgrounds along the Santa Ynez River about 15 – …
Artichokes in the Wild
Connie and I are somewhat strange (maybe it comes from growing up in Oklahome and Tennessee?) in that when we drive cross-country we spend an inordinate amount of time discussing what crops are growing in the fields and orchards we can see. California always blows me away in that there are such a huge variety …
Cactus Ed
A note today from our friend (photojournalist, falconer) Anne P. Hocker included this link to a selection of letters by Edward Abbey, published by Orion Magazine, in which Abbey provides this essential autobiographical statement: “I am six feet three and weigh 190 pounds, sober.” There’s a lot of great stuff here! I could pick dozens …
Bio-bloggosphere
Some recent blogging within the Q.Community (which could as easily be called the Three Martini Community, or the Fretmarks Community or on and on…) in appreciation of this unique medium. Take a look-see: GONNA BLOG ABOUT BIRDS, GONNA BLOG ABOUT BATS: Wildlife artist Carel Brest Van Kempen Fellowship across the web, or “I didn’t know …
Matt’s Ten Birds part 2
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher [Tyrannus forficatus] Photo from: http://www.birdsofoklahoma.net/Scissor-tail09.htm The marriage of a Meadowlark and a Swallow-tailed kite might produce something like this bird, but that’s not the only reason I like it. The Scissor-tailed flycatcher is a passing migrant and stays just a week or so in October. I’ve been hawking for a month by then, …
The Lost City of DeMille – Continued
I was up in the area last week and took this picture of what the “Lost City” looks like today from the entry road. This shot shows a little better the scatter of boards, rusted nails and plaster of paris fragments that are the surface manifestation of the site. The area is closed both to …
The Lost City of DeMille
In 1923, the silent movie classic “The Ten Commandments” was filmed by Cecil B. DeMille in the Guadalupe Dunes area of northern Santa Barbara County. It had the largest production budget of any movie made up to that time, with huge costs incurred building the massive sets (see the above still) and hiring and supporting …