San Antonio Creek 2

I walked the San Antonio Creek trail again today.

The Trail

A Felled Oak

I couldn't help snapping a few more wildflowers. There were more than when I walked here six weeks ago!

Thistle

Rose

DYF

These delicate yellow flowers

come from this tree:


I don't know what these pretty orange and yellow ones are. I posted a photo before, but this is a better one. I can't find my darn wildflower identification book! I think these are sooo pretty!

A kind of Indian Paintbrush?

The California Sagebrush was blooming. I can hear BobBIE sneezing from here!

California Sagebrush

Here is a visit to a favorite boulder, a piece of Sespe formation. I found this rock at the top of the trail by Highway 154; it was dumped there after it was cut for road construction.



The rock is red because it was above sea-level when it was formed (oxidation was able to happen). The sediment formations of this area are mostly marine sediments. The Sespe layer is the only one that is not. For a short period about 25 million years ago, the coastline was above sea-level. This event was right about the same time that the North American plate overtook the Pacific plate. Think: speed bump!

You can see the story of the ancient water way. Here, the water was calmer and smaller grains of sediment settled.



Here, there was a period of swifter water flow, and bigger clasts are easily seen.



On top of that layer, a later calm period is evident.



I think rocks are cool!

The San Antonio Creek waters are starting to wane. Here you can seem some feathery algae.


I think it looks like the long green hair of some lost Maiden of the Creek. Hmmm....there's a story in there somewhere. Perhaps her name should be Ophelia? or Clementine?

Also in the creek you can spot some little polliwogs. I'm not sure what species of frogs they are, but they sure do make a racket on summer evenings!

Friendly Neighborhood Polliwogs (click for bigger pic)

Can you believe this area burned in the June, 1990 Painted Cave Fire? 18 years later, you wouldn't know it had burned.

View from Highway 154

A new breed of super-hero

Today's Headlines

Dateline: Indianapolis Legally blind man teaches alleged intruder a lesson

Dateline:Bartlesville,OK 95-year-old defends self, Bartlesville home with screwdriver

Take Me Home!

I was at the nurses' station yesterday and I overheard:

"I want to go home! There is no one to take me home."
(pause)
"I'll take you home."
"OK."
(pause)
"When care you going to take me home?"
"Now."
"OK."


Ah, Mrs. B! I suppose it is good to be your own best friend.

RIP Waggles

We said goodbye to Waggles today. She wasn't doing well....getting very skinny. It was a hard decision, like always, but it was best for the poor li'l gal.

Stevens Park

Today's walk was through Stevens Park (no apostrophe--it was named after Ralph Stevens, a park superintendent). It was a lovely day, a little cooler than we've had (last weekend we had record-breaking heat--into the 90s), and just right for a walk.


View Larger Map

The trail doesn't have much change in elevation, but just enough ups and downs to get the heart-rate up!

Keep in mind, this park and hiking trail is in Santa Barbara city limits. So is Rattlesnake Canyon. Lake Los Carneros is in Goleta city limits, and although San Antonio Creek is in the unincorporated area, it is urban all around, too. We're so lucky to have so many urban creeks and hiking trails! It is what I love about Santa Barbara (well, one of many things I love!)

Remember, you can click on any pic to see a (much) bigger version.





There were still wildflowers around.

Lupine

A sunflower-y yellow flower
(I can't find my wildflower identification book)


Another pretty flower.

Queen Anne's Lace

Johnny Jump-Up
(I think?)

Love the Periwinkle!
(Reminds me of home)

.........and lots of insects.

Cabbage butterfly.

Here is a handsome dragonfly.

Blue-eyed Darner

Isn't this butterfly pretty? I think it is a Lorquin's Admiral. When I tried to follow him to get a better shot, a she-butterfly fluttered by, he followed, and they both wound up in a vortex of orange and black sexual frenzy.

Lorquin's Admiral

The dragonflies were gettin' it on, too. It must be Spring!

This trail has many giant Coast Live Oaks. They are magnificent trees. This one is so pretty among the boulders:



Here are some pictures of one of my favorite rocks. I noticed this rock when I hiked here not long after starting my geology class. My instructor identifyed it as a sandstone boulder with oyster shells, probably Coldwater Sandstone from the Eocene era (about 54-33 million years ago). when I first found this rock, I was so jazzed to find some embedded fossils in a rock that I had probably passed without a look a dozen times before.







Another interesting geological detail is this crumbly shale-like stuff found at the trail cut-out along a ridge. (As you can tell, I'm no geologist. I'm not sure that "crumbly shale-like stuff" would cut the mustard in the Journal of Sedimentary Research.)







Come visit, and I'll take you on a natural history hike! We have many opportunities, and I'm happy to share the beauty of Santa Barbara!

For Squidsan

Wildly Popular 'Iron Man' Trailer To Be Adapted Into Full-Length Film

Where's George?

As many of you know, Chuckbert turned me and Kevin on to Georging. For a couple of years, we had fun entering and marking paper money and seeing where it traveled. We don't actively do it anymore, but once in a while, we'll find a Georged bill. Here is the last one. Erin brought it home from babysitting. When we looked at the Georger's profile, we were amazed! He is quite the Where's George? connoisseur!

Another "blog" to see.

Chuckbert's recent post reminded me of this blog, a tangential association, but fun anyway!

(and it links to other blogs associated with our friend the apostrophe)

An unusual visitor

When we got home from our hike, Kevin noticed this interesting visitor napping above our front door! He went out to do his job by dark.

Lake Los Carneros

Kevin, Kibble, Cocoa and I made a trek to Lake Los Carneros this afternoon. It was in the low 80s today, perfectly delightful!


View Larger Map

As you can see, it is a nice open space with plenty of trails, and a nice lake to enjoy!

Heading toward the lake.

There were wildflowers. Here is a hillside of wildflowers:

I thought the pepper berries were pretty on this pepper tree.

And there are water birds, of course!

Two pair of feathered friends.

I like walking across this long bridge.

Handsome young man!

Heading back to the car:

The Santa Ynez Mountains are in the background.