September
22, 2006
Rain. Fall.
The two go together. After more than three months of almost no precipitation,
the past week's rain has been extremely welcome. Sometimes blue skies and
sunshine leave one hungering for something different. That something has
arrived, along with autumn's muted yet vibrant colors.
The poison oak has started to turn a particularly beautiful, often brilliant
red. Yellows and browns are creeping into the leaves of various deciduous trees.
The white snowberries, red hawthorn berries, and red honeysuckle berries are
finally prominent. Cascara berries are reaching their peak of sweetness, having
now become as tasty as any other berry here. Salal and blackberries are also
choice--those that haven't succumbed to incipient rot facilitated by the newly
arrived moisture. The moisture itself is refreshing and delicious, after such a
long dry spell.
On two recent mornings, single notes that sound like a Varied Thrush (either
that, or an excellent imitation) have come from the edge of the woods next to
my yurt, replacing the Swainson's voice which was so evident all summer. Bird
songs and calls in general have picked up again after the near-silence of
late-summer, when nighttime crickets were often the most noticeable vocalizers
here (they continue to be). The band-tailed pigeons have arrived, presumably to
feast on cascara berries. Young quail are parading around the Nature trails.
Robins, juncos, towhees, winter wrens, chickadees, northern flickers, downy
woodpeckers, turkey vultures, and some yet-to-be-identified migrants (to name
just a few) are all more in evidence than they were just a few weeks ago, as
are deer, who tend to congregate here as hunting season approaches and who just
chomped off the tops of all the potted tomato plants surrounding the main
lodge. The rain and coolness seem to have brought much of nature out of hiding.
Although many of the understory herbaceous plants of spring and early summer
have long since faded, walking through the creek restoration area yesterday
afternoon seemed once again like a sensory feast. Especially on the oaks and
around the edges of the meadow, the moisture seems to have brought new life to
the lichens, mosses, and liverworts after the long, dry summer.
Lost Valley has started to schedule its events for 2007,
March 16-18: Spring Ecology and Social Permaculture
May 11-13: Native Plants and Permaculture: A Gathering of Plant Enthusiasts
(see e-newsletter #13 for a description of what we are envisioning for this
weekend)
July 27-28 (Friday-Saturday): Summer Ecology: Exploring Place
October 12-13 (Friday-Saturday): Fall Ecology and Harvest Celebration
Details about all of these events will be forthcoming. If you'd like to offer a
program or activity, or have a suggestion for what you'd like to see at any of
these weekends, please email nature AT lostvalley.org [1].
On the ground here, we've started removing some of the nonnative Scotch broom
along the main trails, and have hosted tours recently by participants in the
current Community Experience Week, along with other visitors. Development of
the
Meanwhile, thanks for your ongoing interest. Happy fall!
Chris