Year: 2009

Castro Canyon Wildflowers

I managed to make it through the entire winter without a cold, flu, or any illnesses at all. I’ve got a great immune system, but somehow, I’ve caught a cold, and am sinking fast.To give you an idea how long it has been since I’ve had a cold, I found some old cold meds that expired in early 2008. I took it anyway.

I’ve been trying to upload a photo by Joyce Duffy all afternoon, and the internet ghouls are interfering. I’ll get it up, here, as soon as the internet fairies intercede in my behalf, assuming I don’t fade first. 😎

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Random Big Sur Photo #3

Wine Opener

Where am I?

I love the effects of window lighting, and it is one of my favorites subjects to photograph, whatever it happens to be lighting. 

I got some wonderful wildflower shots from Graves Canyon, Castro Canyon, and Stone Ridge (although this one did not completely download, for some reason) from Joyce Duffy. When I find them, I will post this weekend. We are having amazing showings all up and down the coast, in both the burn areas, and the non-burn areas. All us photographers are in heaven!

NOAA has pushed the rain back to Monday night/Tuesday. We’ll take whatever spring rains come our way. Maybe we can extend the wildflower displays!

*Poppies, field

*Poppies, field, originally uploaded by wind_dancer.

Chalk Fire burn area, taken on Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd.

What I learned today …

Never buy ice cream when the wildflowers are going OFF! It will be a gooey mess when one gets home. 

Photos of the wildflowers later. The gooey mess I am trying to salvage in the freezer.

Before one of today’s wildflower shots, this from NOAA’s discussion: ” RAIN SHOWERS STILL APPEAR A GOOD BET MONDAY

 INTO TUESDAY WITH TEMPERATURES WELL BELOW NORMAL. POTENTIAL TO PICK
 UP SOME BENEFICIAL LATE SEASON RAIN WITH LOW SNOW LEVELS IN THE
 SIERRAS."

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Good news for the Big Sur State Park?

This press release issued this afternoon by the State Controller’s Office certainly makes it look like the money to finish the bridges in the State Park has been freed up.

SACRAMENTO – State Controller John Chiang today announced new cash figures show the State is currently positioned to finish out the fiscal year without having to borrow an additional $1.5 billion from Wall Street.

In a letter to State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, Chiang noted that Lockyer’s ability to secure a $500 million note from Golden 1 Credit Union, the Legislature’s passage of a bill last week providing $1.57 billion in federal stimulus funds in April, and higher-than-projected funds available for internal borrowing will allow the State to meet all of its payment obligations through June 30, 2009.

“Averting the need for additional borrowing in a still-tight market is great news and will save Californians about $15.4 million in high interest rates,” Chiang said. “With sufficient cash on hand, we will be able to meet all of our obligations in full and on time, including tax refunds to California taxpayers and payments to private businesses and local programs that provide needed services to our most vulnerable residents.”

After enactment of the latest budget bill in late February, the Controller had projected the State would dip to a low of -$636 million in April. However, because of additional revenue erosion and increased expenditures in March, the low point in April fell to -$1.9 billion. But three factors changed those cash flow projections, which now show a low point on April 1, when the State will have $1.1 billion in the Treasury:

• A bill signed Friday to change Medi-Cal reporting requirements will provide about $1.57 billion in federal stimulus funds in April;

• Special funds used for internal borrowing grew by $1.35 billion, largely because they were not tapped when the State stopped funding infrastructure projects during the cash crisis, and;

• The Treasurer was able to secure a $500 million short-term loan from Golden 1.

*Poppies, close-up

*Poppies, close-up, originally uploaded by wind_dancer.

This is dedicated to long-time Big Sur local, Paul Vieregge, who passed over yesterday at home at the age of 87. Blessings to you, Paul, from the beloved hills of home. My heart goes out to Penny and Josh.

Chalk Fire Burn Area, 2

So much difference in the various areas — severe damage and great restoration. I did not get a photo, but the Madrones are coming back from the roots of the burned trees. It will be years before the Madrone forests are as thick as they were, but they will recover. Some of the burned redwoods have sprouts coming out all up and down the blackened trunks. It is amazing to see.

I have some general photos of different aspects of the fire’s aftermath, and the recovery that I have been trying to upload tonight, but alas, the internet is not cooperating. When I can …

dsc_19161This is a creek that runs under Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd. It has become all silted up, and overflowed the road, at some point.

dsc_1878In the background one can see several emerald areas where the retardant was dropped. In the foreground one can see the California Poppies, red maid, and popcorn flowers. In the distance is Cone Peak.

More photos tomorrow, when I am not so frustrated with the unreliability of my internet connection. I have general photos showing the aftermath, as well as more wildflower photos — fields of Indian Warrior, Poppies, and Baby Blue Eyes, as well as a mixture of all sorts of wildflowers. Until then … sleep well, and have a great day.

Blog changes coming

Sometime before the end of April, I will be changing the links to the right. The 2008-2009 Weather Conditions – weather & flooding links – will be archived for the season to make way for fire-related links, as I posted during last year’s fire season, so everything will be readily available. The Big Sur Non-profits will remain, of course, as well as the Blog Roll and Odds and Ends. I might even add some new categories, like Big Sur Blogs, which are growing exponentially, as people find out how easy and fun they are. But tonight, I will be posting more photographs of the Chalk Peak Burn Area and Wildflowers.

*Indian Warrior

  

*Indian Warrior, originally uploaded by wind_dancer. (Pedicularis densiflorus)

A legend I heard years ago about these unusual flowers, was that whenever an Indian Warrior was killed in battle, his blood soaked the soil, and these flowers bloomed.

I don’t like the way the color turned out on these. The flowers are actually between red and maroon. I played with the white balance on my camera, and still couldn’t get them quite right. Notice the fern-like leaves on these flowers.
I found these in the burn area of the Chalk Fire today.

Chalk Fire Burn Area & Wildflowers

This afternoon, I took a trip through the Chalk Fire Burn Area, looking for wildflowers, and found many. I’ll be posting a few examples here, over the next few days. Parts of the forest are still incredibly devastated, and others are recovering nicely. One thing that was just astounding was the vibrant green of the hills where the fire-retardant was dropped. I had been told years ago that it was a fertilizer, but boy, I’ve never seen the effect as clearly as I did today. I have shots of some of these places, or I watched, as the planes dropped the retardant. The affect is not to be believed. 

This is straight out of the camera, but it looks surreal! Wherever the retardant was dropped, is now an emerald field!

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South Coast Ridge Rd., and the forest it traverses, is still closed to the public from Nacimiento Rd. to Willow Creek Rd. However, many wildflowers are viewable from Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd. I’d advise caution, however, as there are LOTS of tourists on that road, at least today, and most of them were apparently afraid of the edge, and preferred the wrong side of the road! 

Watch for photos throughout the week. I will try to post one tonight as a teaser. 😉

And finally, a note about our rather “overzealous” new USFS “cop” — please send or call with any serious stories, if you are willing to back them up, but also remember, we may be VERY glad to have him here this fire season. Note this morning:

“03/29/09 09:14 Big Sur, Mile Marker 14 Plasket Ridge Rd.  Report of illegal campfire, USFS responded with Law Enforcement, no fire.”