All that rain has really gotten the wildflowers going this month. Here are some highlights from the past few weeks:
California goldfields (Lasthinia californica) and Gray’s clover (Trifolium grayi), share a meadow at The Indians in the upper Arroyo Seco watershed.
Read the rest of this entry »
6 Comments | 
Coastal Development/Erosion, Fungus, On Foot, Plants, Santa Lucias, Wildflowers | 
Permalink
Posted by xasauan
For years local officials have waived off suggestions that the Monterey Peninsula could do more to save water by falsely claiming that “residents of the Monterey Peninsula use less water per person per day than anywhere else in the state.” They’ve even gone so far as to publish fraudulent figures purporting to support this claim.
The purpose of this grandiose bragging has been to promote approval of as large and growth-inducing a new water project, whether dam or desal, as possible. That effort appears to have succeeded, but at the cost of undercutting efforts to increase water conservation. Read the rest of this entry »
4 Comments | Carmel River, Fire, Flood & Apocalypse, Fungus, Politics, Water | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
As the flow of the Carmel River becomes too weak to resist the power of the sea, waves rebuild the sandbar.
Remember how in we got a lot of rain in the fall of 2012? Monterey logged 9.59 inches for November and December that year. The average for those two months is only 5.41 inches. Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Big Sur, Carmel River, Fire, Flood & Apocalypse, Fungus, Water | Tagged: Carmel River Lagoon, Chanterelle, Monterey rainfall | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Porcini (Boletus edulis) emerging from the rain-sodden forest floor. Read the rest of this entry »
3 Comments | Fungus, Living Wage, On Foot | Tagged: amanita calyptroderma, amanita muscaria, boletus edulis, Coccora, honey mushrooms, king bolete | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
A Saturday with no obligations! I head off to the Ventana Wilderness with no particular destination in mind …
The parking lot for the trailhead at Los Padres Dam is gated for some reason these days, so it’s necessary to park down the hill at the Forest Service Station. Read the rest of this entry »
7 Comments | Carmel River, Fungus, On Foot, Plants, Santa Lucias, Wildflowers | Tagged: Big Pines Trail, Cachagua, California newt, Cardamine californica, Carmel River Trail, Cynoglossum grande, Danish Creek, Gray squirrel, Helvella, Los Padres Dam, Los Padres National Forest, mountain lion, Ramaria, Rattlesnake Trail, tick, Ventana Wilderness | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Trail under coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia) on Big Sur’s East Molera Ridge. Quercus is derived from the Celtic quer cuez, meaning “fine tree.” Read the rest of this entry »
6 Comments | Big Sur, Fungus, History, Plants, Santa Lucias | Tagged: acorn, black oak, blue oak, coast live oak, lithocarpus, phytophthora ramorum, quercus, Sargenta-ruc, SOD, sudden oak death, tanbark oak, tanoak, valley oak, whispering oaks | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
There’s no sign, but the Little Sur Trail begins at this easily recognized gate on the Old Coast Rd. Just take the Old Coast Rd. north, a little under 4 miles, from its south end at Andrew Molera State Park. Read the rest of this entry »
4 Comments | Big Sur, Fungus, Insects, On Foot, Plants, Santa Lucias, Wildflowers | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
You are currently browsing the archives for the Fungus category.
 | Jack Holmgren on How to Sneak Into Sykes Hot… |
 | savorygrace on The High Sierra Diaries of Ale… |
 | Gayle Forster on The High Sierra Diaries of Ale… |
 | Janet Brennan on The High Sierra Diaries of Ale… |
 | Heidi Hopkins on The High Sierra Diaries of Ale… |
