One of my readers, Cara Nason on Chews Ridge, reports rescue operations have been going on this afternoon for 4 hikers. Two have been recovered, but rescue is returning for the other two. The following two photos are by Cara Nason taken on Bruce Flat.
Helicopter
Ground support
The following four photos were sent to me by Partington Ridge resident Jim Merz. Excellent photos, and clearly show the instability, and the massive nature of the slide.
The following two photos are provided by Mike Gilson, and show Highway One level damage.
And here is one from Magnus Toren that shows what none of the others show – the top of the slide, which demonstrates, as Rock Knocker says, “It ain’t done, yet!”
And from North Coast CT crew, Brandie Kirby, another couple:
And finally, one last photo from Greg DeAlba, Supervisor, Willow Springs Maintenance Station:
I have gotten a chuckle out of the Mayan Prophecy die hearts, have paid attention to the 11 year cycle of the Solar Maximums (which we are entering), have watched the “fiscal cliff” we are approaching (who comes up with these names, anyway?) but choose to focus on the lengthening of days and the holiday season of Joy.
Below, I repost one of my Winter Solstice posts from 2009:
“The Winter Solstice occurs exactly when the earth’s axial tilt is farthest away from the sun at its maximum of 23° 26′. Though the Winter Solstice lasts an instant in time, the term is also colloquially used like Midwinter to refer to the day on which it occurs. For most people in the high latitudes this is commonly known as the shortest day and the sun’s daily maximum position in the sky is the lowest.” (Wikipedia)
There are as many different types of celebrations of this astrological event as there are cultures and religions, past and present. It is the “official” day of winter, here in the northern hemisphere, and it is when the days begin to lengthen again.
For me, rooted in a northern clime, the significance is both the beginning of winter, and the lengthening of the days. I am a person of the sun, who rises with it, and slows my rhythms when its time with me is also slowed. Long before we had a name to go along with these most natural of nature’s patterns (seasonal affective disorder), our bodies simply increased the secretion of melatonin in the body, causing longer sleep. Now, we know that special lights, plants, and negative ions can diminish the effect of the lesser sunlight.
It is a seasonal lull that many of nature’s plants and animals observe. It is a time for us to be focused inward rather than outward. Rather than fight the natural patterns, I choose to follow them, and become quiet, solitary, and introspective. Tomorrow, that time lessens, and my outward focus will begin its return, just as the sun increases its time in our northern skies.
I will celebrate the holidays with friends, as we all do, but for me, the true holiday is today, the Winter Solstice, when I begin my outward focus, once again, and leave the inner world I have come to inhabit.
I don’t usually post photos I find on FB, but this one is so good, and so appropriate! Sunrise this morning at Stonehedge.
A loyal reader sent me this on December 11, 2012. When I first saw it, I thought, “Wow, this won’t last! Some tourist will think it would make a great souvenir, or some local will think street signs have no place in Big Sur, or both.” I don’t think it was even legal. I say “was” because it did not even last a week. Bad idea, ill conceived, IMHO.
This was taken at the Post Ranch Inn on 12/3/12 by Jeanne Cowen. Isn’t she gorgeous?
These photographs were taken this morning by impetuous son …
Really not much happening, road closures as predicted, weather as predicted, and fall is definitely here! My time is spent bringing in firewood, building fires, taking care of critters, cooking and cleaning. May start cottage vignettes, again.
Here are some photos taken on the way home a few days ago.
First, could the weather be any more beautiful? But watch for a major change. According to several reports, I could have a sprinkling of snow by Friday morning – so time to stock my wood box, while the weather is so wonderful.
“The rain won’t be widespread, with most of the shower activity developing along the coastal mountains where snow levels will drop to 2,500 feet by Friday morning. Modest accumulations
of snow (2- and 4-inches) are possible Friday across the Sierra foothills with a dusting also possible in the coastal mountains of the Central Coast.”
And this is the view that greeted me at the bottom of my road
Then I got to Alder Creek … You know the place, where that major slide happened? Was that just last year? Anyway, Cal Trans has put netting up along the whole slide, but was working it again. I stopped and took these two photos … Note the draping, the rock-catching drapery walls, and the two climbers in the bright yellow on the left.
Further down the road, the new chip sealing between the lighthouse and elephant seal beach was tying up traffic for 15-20 minutes. At least there was cell phone signal, so I could check email, surf (which I had not been able to do since Sat am at home) and all I had missed for a day and a half, so the time went by pretty fast.
Came back 5 days early, for my son’s surgery, scheduled for this morning, so a little bit off my game. Watching the super storm, Sandy, impact the east coast, knowing 3 of my fellow travelers are about to get stranded in Frankfurt.
I can’t thank bigsurdeb enough for minding my blog, making sure important information got posted. You are a gem! Now, to teach you how to upload photos.
Finally, YAY, GIANTS!
Here is Midnight, my kitten, fast growing up. Her sister, Moonlight, is identical. I tell them apart by two things: the tiny white tuffs in Midnight’s ears, and their personalities. Moonlight would never sit still for a portrait!
That one, and the ones which follow, we’re all taken Wednesday, the day of the big storm, when the sun came out, just before sunset.
