Author: Hashi

nature journal retreat, day one

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PRNJ_DAY1A

Tidepooling at Agate Beach! I saw a new-to-me (giant!) anemone and the world’s cutest sea urchin shell, only 1cm diameter. Then at Shell Beach Jack gave an impromptu landscape class, starting with suggestions on framing the view. Back at Retreat House, after dinner, he offered up instruction on sketching birds, in anticipation of tomorrow’s field trip.

Re the “Goshers” and “Whooshers” stickers (thanks Kate!) … on these field trips, there is usually a walk of some distance between the parking lot and the “main attraction”. Some people want to quickly move to the end point. They’re the whooshers. Others get distracted by the myriad organisms and phenomena along the way, and move much more slowly, journaling as they go (“Gosh! Look at that!”). They’re the goshers. Sometimes I’m one, sometimes the other. Whooshers wanna Whoosh. Goshers gonna Gosh. Both are fine.

back from pt. reyes

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stcolumbas

I got back last night from a fabulous week of nature journaling on Pt. Reyes Peninsula, a place I had never been. About 30 of us stayed in the funky old four-storey retreat house of St Columba’s in Inverness, and we had many field trips and exciting nature sightings. I’ll post pages over the coming days.

soledad mission

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soledad

I drove to San Francisco, and took a stretch-and-sketch break at Soledad Mission. Like every California mission I have visited, this one includes a statue of the Inquisitor Junípero Serra in the garden. He’s a controversial figure in these parts—many other Serra statues throughout California have been toppled or decapitated. His legacy is definitely complicated.

junior rangers

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JR_plants

It was a busy day at the Park today! We started off with a Junior Ranger program on plants, with a whole lot of enthusiastic kids. Then I worked in the Visitor Center for the afternoon; nearly 200 people came through in four hours, over three-quarters of them in the first two hours. I heard so many great questions, it made my inquiring heart happy.

Sylvilagus bachmani

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babyrabbit

This is not the first time I’ve found a live baby rabbit out in the open, in full sun. Did the doe drag it out of the warren to die? Did a predator grab it then drop it? How did it get there? I know it won’t survive for long, despite my ministrations. We have no shortage of brush rabbits, but it’s still sad to see a little creature dying.

Taricha torosa

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Taricha torosa

The highlight of my weekend was getting to hold a California newt, possibly the cutest amphibian I have ever seen. The skin glands of Taricha torosa  secrete a powerful neurotoxin that is hundreds of times more lethal than cyanide. It is potent enough to kill most vertebrates, including humans. For this reason, I have never touched one; but our newt expert said it was fine unless we had a wound on our hands. He told a story about licking a newt once long ago; the moral of the story was that we should not try the same experiment. I held this little lady for a long time (then washed my hands). Such a thrill.