Floral Friday: Ramshaw Meadows sand verbena, Abronia alpina

If you know a little bit about plants and have heard of Verbena plants, then you’d probably be imagining a coastal dune vibe or a desert ecosystem. Well, this verbena can ONLY be found in two meadows in the alpine of California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. Whhaaaaat? Nestled in California’s Tulare County, the elusive Abronia alpina...

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Floral Friday: Spanish Needle Onion, Allium shevockii

Flat tire. Car towed. Rental Car. Four new tires. Thai food. Car camping at the trailhead. Starting the trail one day late. All these were unexpected happenings at the start of our adventure to find this species and other fascinating and “new to us” plants over two days in the Owens Peak Wilderness. Life gave...

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Tidy Tips, an overlooked California superbloom superstar

The news of California’s superbloom has probably reached your newsfeeds, or at least one of them. Blazing bright orange poppies, tall purple stalks of lupines, and endless patches of bright yellow dots have been covering hillsides through central and southern California. Of course, shades of deep pink, bright white, lush green, golden hues and everything...

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California’s Forgotten Corner? It’s a Naturalist’s Paradise

Ever put much thought into the most southeast corner of California? Most people when thinking about California think about the towering redwood forests of Northern CA or think of the dynamic beaches and cliffs of the central coast. Perhaps you’re thinking of the mighty Sierra mountains, the vast expanses of the central valley, or the...

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Featured Creatures of November ’22

Another month has passed on our one and only planet, so following this new type of post from its initial launch last month, I present the creatures I featured on my nature-focused Instagram within the month of November in 2022. This month we explored tidepools in two different settings over a total of six nights....

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The Summer of Stoneflies

The summer of 2022 was our most stonefly-y summer yet. After making a connection with a stonefly expert – Dave Burton the previous summer – we were on the hunt, with our eyeballs dialed into these prehistoric-esc insects. Autumn Needlefly Despaxia augusta Purcell Needlefly Pomoleuctra purcellana LEFT: This Autumn Needlefly was swept from stink currant along a...

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