Rando photo fling

Gotta go do fieldwork, but gonna fling a few photos 'cause it's TIME, jeepers! =)

Lovely cosmos face in November.

The Three Faces of Eve (or 3 stages of a cosmos blossom).

We got 2 inches of rain a few days back, so I looked for soggy green stuff.

Lichen and moss assemblage on the shady side of a rock.

First hygroscopic earthstar I've seen this year.

In order to keep my solitary hen company,

she lives with a mirror that she can cuddle up to.

It needed washing, so I brought it outside in the shade & this happened.

One of the joys of stormy weather: places for the sunset to play.

xoxoxobb

Falling through November...

 Found yet another ootheca, this time under the greenhouse eaves.

 Wonder how old this one is... years?

Was tracking a red-shouldered hawk,

when this raven decided to shoo it away.

Many insects seem to be loving ANYTHING that's blooming in November.

Which includes our zinnia, which is going bananas.

Moby (hen) struts by, headed for the cherry tomatoes...

Among the flower-fans:

This painted lady eyed me whilst it drilled for nectar.

I want to call those little frills eyelashes, but don't actually know that, so...

 I'll just call them super cool.

Fawn post-rain, chewing cud, enjoying the sun.

Fawn and mama, who's got her eye on me. =)

Big ol' gang moved through, taming the greenery for us.

And trimmed up the circular driveway. Thanks!

The deer are looking SO much better than this summer, now that there's actually FOOD. =)

Their faces are fuller, muscles are back, 

and this one even has a shine to her coat--hooray!

That's fall in this climate: the long-awaited return of water,

and all the life that it brings.

xoxobb

stormy sky

 Yesterday, just before sunset,

right before it rained.

kuh-wow.

I heart mammatus clouds.

Ever need to see amazing nature-things?

Google mammatus clouds & hit "images."

=)

xoxobb

Masterful clouds, acorn woodpecker fun & a fawny face

Post winter storm sky, this morning.

Forecast calling for stopped rain, and a return to the weirdly warm temps of highs in the 60s.

And from a wee bit ago, before the rains added more watering hole options for the birds,

we'd been rich in avian visitors...

Two males. The females have black between the cream and red on the head,

so the sexes are very easy to distinguish.

Therefore, lady on the left, gentleman on the right.

Whoop! Waterbowl is slippery (and in need of a refill).

And a cutie (male mule deer fawn) stopped by to lap up breakfast,
namely some of the bird seed we'd flung here and there.

Hope you all are well.

I am feeling VERY grateful for the rain we finally got.

Hooray!

xoxobb

Tumbling photos, field work hazards, & rain saves my butt

My guess: Edith's checkerspot (Euphydryas editha)

on yerba santa (Eriodictyon californicum).

1. Am doling out more photos from the (fairly glorious)

CNPS hike along the Merced River,

including wildflowers, butterflies, etc.,

on Tumblr (click on that!) 'cause it's faster. For now.

Hope that's alright. xoxoxo

2. Hazards of field work, part 12

Found a good site for Saturday's mushroom hike: hooray!

Unfortunately, also found poison oak on my body.

I knew I'd gone through a patch 2 days ago,

during an exploratory hike of a potential site,

so washed my clothes with Tecnu.

Forgot to wash MYSELF with Tecnu.

Oops.

3. The recent RAIN we got saved my hiney!

Until about 10 days ago, we had almost NO mushrooms visible anywhere.

Cruised through a potential hike in the Sierra NF yesterday,

and saw over 6 species.

Some kinda TINY, beautiful, BRIGHT mushroom.

No clue, re: ID. In the Sierra National Forest, Bass Lake District.

Thus, I am saved.

From a mushroom-free mushroom hike.

And mushroom-free mushroom-seekers.

Who would need someone to blame.

And pelt with pinecones.

Thank you to the rain + warmth that --> MUSHROOMS!

And thank you, in advance, to the Sierra National Forest

for having handy, fruitful, and free forests for us to roam.

I'll think of you if/when I write a check to the IRS this year.

xoxoxo!

bb

magic corn and summer storms

 

1. This is the corn before I watered it today.

It hadn't rained in MONTHS.

I hadn't watered it in days.

No other plants had water on them.

It was humid this morning.

Is this corn magic?

 

2. Summer skies, today.

Heavy, sluggish air.

Under increasing clouds,
I spin white string
to marry the beans to the sky.

bb

Yosemite Valley in winter

  

(Feb 2010)

The waterfalls are crankin' at the park right now, more so than in this picture, which is from a colder time of year. AND we went there last weekend with friends (no camera as water and my Nikon don't get along) and because it was and had been raining (LOTS), we discovered so many tiny white-thread waterfalls that normally aren't there, pouring down sheer 2000+ foot granite cliffs. Wonderful treat.

Yet another experience in nature which says "If it's stormy out, venture forth ANYhow." =) And it was deserted at Yosemite NP, so that was nice, too.

Well, except at the Ahwahnee 'cause they're having their annual Bracebridge dinner, so that's the first time I ever saw a tuxedo and red sequins in the Ahwahnee bar. Two different people, of course....

And me, in fleece and rain gear. How gauche. =) (drip, drip, drip...)

xo

bb

P.S. in the next few days it's supposed to stop raining (for 2 days) so maybe I'll take a peek at my "winter garden" and snap a few shots? =)
P.P.S. FYI: in the above photo, the waterfall on the right, Bridal Veil, is the same as the fall in yesterday's post. =)

the calm between storms...

  

(Merced NWR)

We are between rainstorms today (phew). No sun expected, but drizzle vs. torrential flood-causing rains. We have a friend who, like Rapunzel, may be stuck at her house 'cause the driveway connecting her to the main road is occasionally under water when it's really rainy. She assured us, a few days ago, though, that she's stocked up, so she can wait.  =)

Yesterday a frog decided our back porch (which was 40% pond) was his new home, and an nice place to sing a song. Very cute. I love that during some of the most intense downpour when you think "Wow, it's awful out there!" you then hear a froggie singing so happily. All depends upon your perspective.

=)

biobabbler

Incoming!

Tonight Chance Showers Lo 41 °F

Saturday Slight Chc Showers Hi 54 °F

Saturday Night Chance Showers Lo 41 °F

Sunday Chance Showers Hi 48 °F

Sunday Night Showers Likely Lo 34 °F

Monday Slight Chc Showers Hi 49 °F

Monday Night Slight Chc Showers Lo 34 °F

Tuesday

Forecast..... (yikes!) 

Can't get this to line up properly, so please enjoy the jazzy arrangement.

=) biobabbler

(PS off this weekend to costume party!)

(PPS I got on the list of folks volunteering for the COOLEST sampling adventure. Will tell more later. SO PSYCHED!)

consider us warned...

Winter Weather Advisory

Flood Advisory

Special Weather Statement

Hazardous Weather Outlook

I don't think I've EVER seen FOUR different kinds of warnings on our weather forecast. Wow.

Woke up to pretty snow this a.m.

Looks like it'll be sunny this weekend, then back to rain. Man, if I was going to be here next week, I'd seriously bust out my snowshoes...

And looked at forecast for where I'll be next week and RAIN rain rain rain....maybe I"ll get lucky and get some cool between-storms-sun-break lighting? One can always hope.

I frequently forget that often, when the weather inspires you to stay inside, you really should go OUTside with your camera, 'cause you may get some sun breaks with amazing storm cloud scenes. Witness Ansel Adams....

Hm, maybe I'll go birding on the coast, as I've been told that during storms, you'll see the coolest gulls (mostly pelagic) 'cause they're waiting out the storm on land.  That's an idea!