A whole lot of water over this dam
For the first time in Lake Oroville’s history, overflow is sent down an emergency spillway.
WATER RUSHES down a hillside from the emergency spillway at rain-swollen Lake Oroville, depositing mud and debris into the Feather River. (Brian van der Brug Los Angeles Times)
By Bettina Boxall and Patrick McGreevy
“More than 10 million salmon were evacuated from the Feather River hatchery downstream because the river water had grown too muddy for them.”
Northern CA’s Oroville Dam, the nation’s tallest dam ( 770 ft):
Sequoia sempervirens, Coastal Redwoods of California, can grow up to 367 ft (112m) tall, 22 ft wide ( 7m) at the base, the size of a 35 story building. Your kind has been on the earth for 22 million years, in the same location, from Big Sur to the Oregon Border. You receive moisture from the foggy ocean mists, you are resistant to insects and fire. You regularly live 600 years and can live up to 2000 years. You were around in the Jurassic Era, 160 million years ago. What did the dinosaurs call you? You ranged across 2 million acres and now your protected forests are down to 4% of that due to the logging that has occurred. I have walked among your groves and felt very small, felt like I walked in a prehistoric landscape of giant trees. What wisdom would you have to share? I will keep your secrets.
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Beautiful photos by National Park Service via Redwood National and State Parks, California, where you can find more great photos. Most of the Information for this post via the same website. I have visited these magnificent trees. 🙂
“We are now in the mountains and they are in us, kindling enthusiasm, making every nerve quiver, filling every pore and cell of us. Our flesh-and-bone tabernacle seems transparent as glass to the beauty about us, as if truly an inseparable part of it, thrilling with the air and trees, streams and rocks, in the waves of the sun,—a part of all nature, neither old nor young, sick nor well, but immortal.” -John Muir
I have had my transcendent experiences in nature, or in listening to great opera, or even eating great food. How about eating great food in nature while listening to opera. But nature is pretty high on my list. Even enjoying the nature in my small backyard. I agree with John Muir that nature is essential to our well being and our very spirit/soul. It is where we find that we are truly connected to the earth and all its inhabitants and feel awestruck by its beauty.
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JustJotItJanuary blogging challenge hosted by Linda G Hill. Today’s prompt word “transcendent” was suggested by me. 🙂 The Featured Image at the top of the page is called ‘Transcendent Moment’ by Joel Penner on Flickr.
California is pretty bedazzling. I am grateful to be a native and love so many of its beautiful natural sites and exciting cities. The LA Times is doing a Calfornia Bucket List series which covers many great places to see in California. Here’s a great little video on the San Francisco cable cars, “that climb halfway to the stars.”
And here’s a few more beautiful spots:
Big Sur Coast
Inspiration Point Anacapa Island
Point Lobos Headlands Cove
Muir Woods Trail
El Matador Beach
California Coastal National Monument Point Arena by US Bureau of Land Managemnt
Elephant Seals at Piedras Blancas, California
Coastal Redwoods
Peachy Canyon Vineyard at Sunrise near Paso Robles by Macolm Carlaw
‘Vineyard bathed in light’ (Sonoma) by torbakhopper
Big River Mendocino via Jar [o] on Flickr
Half Dome Yosemite via LA Times Postcards from The West:
California Dream Orange Crate Label photo courtesy of Orange County Archives
The State Arms of the Union by Henry Mitchell 1876
This post is part of JustJotItJanuary guest hosted by Rosemary Carlson. The prompt word for today’s post was “spangly,” supplied by Judy B. Martin at Edwina’s Episodes.
We went to Palm Desert for the weekend. We have put off coming out here for far too long. It has been about a year since we were last here. It is beautiful in the desert right now. Warm and sunny but not too hot.
The place where we are staying has many citrus trees on the property. The trees are in bloom with sweet smelling blossoms. There is fruit on the trees as well. There are grapefruit, orange and lemon trees.
There is a lovely large grapefruit tree in the backyard. The grapefruit tree provides shade and sweet perfume. It has been wonderfully relaxing to sit on a lounge chair, on the back yard patio, near this tree.
There are many honey bees, bumble bees, and hummingbirds flying amongst the citrus blossoms. As I sit very still I can watch the hummingbirds up close as they drink from the blossoms. There is a light breeze and mocking birds are singing. Very magical.
When you take the time to notice, you realize there is great beauty in the world. I feel such joy, my spirit soars and my heart is full to bursting. I whisper a prayer of thanks.
“If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty of lives and whole towns destroyed or about to be. We are not wise, and not very often kind. And much can never be redeemed. Still life has some possibility left. Perhaps this is its way of fighting back, that sometimes something happened better than all the riches or power in the world. It could be anything, but very likely you notice it in the instant when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the case. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb. (Don’t Hesitate)” –Mary Oliver
Coyote. I hear your pack howling in the middle of the night. When your cries become more excited, a crescendo of high-pitched yipping, it frightens me. I imagine you have cornered your prey. A small animal or maybe someone’s pet.
When I first came to Agoura I attended a PTA get acquainted meeting at the local school. One of the moms told me a coyote had gotten their family pet. I was horrified. I did not realize coyotes were living so close to us and that they would attack pets in the backyard.
One time a neighbor’s cat was killed, the remains found on the front lawn. I made sure our cat was inside at night. On occasion, she would ignore my calls to come in at dusk. I would listen for her in the night. If I heard any cries or screeching I would imagine the worst.
One early morning, I went out to the front of my house. In the next driveway a large coyote stood staring at me. We made eye contact. Then he slowly loped off down the street.
I have seen coyotes around the area when hiking with my daughter. They do not bother us but just continue on their way.
Coyote. I know we have encroached on your territory more and more and that is why you come hunting in ours.
Although I am a native of California, I had not heard of these magical jellyfish-like creatures called By the Wind Sailors. They travel along on the surface of the ocean propelled by the wind and currents. They have a sail-like structure on top that is positioned to catch the wind and usually keeps them from drifting to shore. But when there is a change in the direction of the wind they can be carried onshore to their deaths. When this happens, thousands of them can be found stranded on the beach from Washington state to Southern California. We like to think that we have control of our lives and can carefully plan out each detail. Maybe we are really more like By the Wind Sailors carried about by the winds and currents of our lives.
Notes Tied On The Sagebrush 