Special Wildflower

Photos provided by Seth Melchert. He says: “Seeing your flower photos reminded me of a special one – Whispering Bells or Emmenanthe  penduliflora. It is a borage and blooms only after a fire.” (Photos taken on private property.)

Photo Sunday, 5/2/21 My garden natives

Salvia apiana White Sage – while not native to Big Sur, it is native to SoCal, and so beneficial, I had to plant it. Thrives on neglect and hot summers, which this location provides. Also, only watered the first year, and gets over 6’ tall and 6’ wide.
Salvia spathacea, the California hummingbird sage, or pitcher sage is native to Big Sur. Warning, it thrives on neglect and takes over spreading underground and popping up in unexpected places. The hummingbirds, bees, and others all love it. So it earns a place.
Vitis californica, or California Wild Grape, is a species of wild grape that grows throughout central and northern California
Acer macrophyllum, the bigleaf maple. I have 3 that self-planted after the Wild Fire of 1996. I watered them that first year, and some the second, but they have been on their own since. I love watching them grow and get bigger and bigger. Like sugar maples, they can be tapped for syrup.
Quercus lobata or Valley Oak. The Oak Foundation says these are found below 2,000’. I have them all over the property. Like the Big Leaf Maple, this one self-planted after the Wild Fire of 1996 and like the maples, I watered this its first year and a bit the second and then left it alone. Watering it would shorten it’s life span. It will eventually shade my entire garden area. It is already over 40’ tall.

Highway One opens to ceremony

AP Photo by Nic Coury

Contractors on the left side of photo, Cal Trans on right side of photo, CHP right-center and politicians in the center behind and to the left of Newsom.

Congressperson Panetta and Capt Marcus Foster, photo by Big Sur Fire

And here they come. This is Rat Creek after the ceremony:

photo by Cal Trans

Debris Flow Story Maps

A reader/friend sent me a link to a part of this report and then I saw it on twitter and was reminded that I wanted to post this to the blog. It is fascinating. it was done for the USGS and is a study of the debris flows in late January of all 3 burn areas in Monterey County, and on the Lightning Complex fires in Santa Cruz. It was published the 2nd of this month.

The story maps can be found here: https://landslides.usgs.gov/storymap/NCentCA-2021jan/

Earth Day, 2021

🌏MEarth Day is going VIRTUAL this year! The event on April 24, 2021 gathers and explores scientific inquiry, social/cultural/environmental resilience, and sustainable solutions for Monterey County.🌍
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Join the fun all day from 9:00AM-4:30PM or choose a few favorite segments to attend!🌿🌎

Link to register for free and to see the program is below the graphic.

VirtualMEarthDay

MEarth Day