Shots from Mendo

The early morning view from my room at the Little River Inn.

Calypso bulbosa. Common name: fairy slipper. Native to Northern California. You don't find these too often.
Partially down a really steep ravine. Jen is taking this photo from about 30 feet above me, although she was balanced on the slope as well. The ravine continued, steep, for about 50-75 feet below me to a small creek. I think I was precariously perched on a sword fern clump. Acrobatic biology.cool.We look at soils using a Munsell Color Chart.

A magnesium concretion we found in the soil. Black on the inside. Tim analyzes color in the background. This is all in search of wetlands.

In Mendocino,

I sat on the sun deck of my room at the bed and breakfast and turned my face to the sun. My face to the sun, I closed my eyes and heard the ocean in front of me. My socks and shoes lay by the base of the rocking chair. Coffee, forgotten, cooled on the table next to the dining menu of the B&B. Jen was inside, showering away the dirt of the day. I sat, eyes closed, face warming, and rocked.

I can still feel the nettle sting on my knee. My left thigh boasts some blackberry thorns, small and hard to find, like fiberglass. There may be dirt under my fingernails still. Cheeks? wind burned. Two days in Mendocino, along the brutally beautiful north coast, looking at wetlands, looking for elusive rare plants (beneath the willows, by the stream, almost to the beach), and (today) clamoring along the side of a redwood ravine, marking the riparian boundary, scaling rocks and grabbing limbs, swinging up and ducking under like a ten year old. Jen says "how did you get there?" I say, "I just did."

Good days. Anticipate soreness tomorrow. Pictures soon.

On a side note...

Me, this week.(that's a keel)

Friday on the Bay

I spent Friday on the SF Bay in a boat with Bill and Justin. Too many cooks spoil the broth, so I was relegated to taking photos and sarcastic commentary while they tried to assemble the boat. I excelled at both. After much toil on their part, we were bay-bound.Other boats were bigger than ours:Day on the Bay. We ended up salty.

An evening at the Y'all Come Back....

...is a sure sign that Afshin is in town. The last minute visit was a chance for us all to see Af before he embarks for Iraq. And sometimes, I just get hungry.Happy laughing, songs of metal, johnny cash, willie nelson and the occasional Journey filled times. Jute box domination. Random dancing near the shuffleboard. Hiding in bushes. A standard night at the y'all.Y'all come back, now, ya hear?

Well, hello there.

Lifted up a piece of abandoned lumber, and what did we find? An arboreal salamander. Bigger than most salamanders, this guy looks slimy, but really isn't, and is one of the only salamanders that can bite with any conviction (although I've heard it still doesn't hurt much).

I loved him. I had the urge to take him home, but that would have been sad and bad and all those things very unecologically aware. We said our hellos, and then our goodbyes, placed him back in the darkened dirt, lightly returned the lumber to it's original place, and moseyed on. Yes, we moseyed.

So says Bridget....

Dear Bridget,
I am lost in the world of denim. I wander in and out of the aisles, staring numbly at pockets and zippers, wondering about tapered and wide-leg. To hem or not to hem? Being the Fashionista that you are, can you recommend to me some brands of jeans that are bound to make me giggle for joy?
Sincerely,
sin pantalones en San Francisco

Miss Sin Pantalones,

So the jeans. Well, I have to tell you, to get a great pair of jeans you have to be prepared to spend some money, all the good jeans are around $200. I would suggest even if you can not bring yourself to spend that much to at least go and try some on to see what you like. Go to Nordstrom: I can't remember the name of the section, but it is where they have all their super cool stuff like Marc Jacobs, and all their cool jeans. Nordstroms is good because its really contained and easy to handle, unlike Macys. However this section is pretty snobby so I'm not sure if they have the basic good brands like Seven, Citizens for Humanity, Joes Jeans, etc. (Neiman Marcus has a pretty good jean section too). I would say just try a bunch of shit on!

You could then go to Loehmans and see if you can get some deals, but I would say only stick to the expensive brands. At Loehmans, they have these imitation Sevens that look like Sevens the brand, look EXACTLY like Sevens, but they're NOT Sevens. They really don't fit like Sevens, so you kinda have to be careful. You can get some amazing deals there, but you have got to spend some time digging.

Another not bad place is Luckys. Their jeans are more around the $100 range. I have a pair from them and they stretch out soooo much, so that is something to consider. When we were in there last, Giovanni heard one of employees telling a customer that she has to wash her jeans after every wearing so they shrink back. This is not something you want for traveling, but you could check it out.

Also Levis makes a premium line which costs around $150. These are the jeans Chrisitian always wears. I have a pair too that I got from Crossroads which I love, however I went into the Levis store to try on another pair and they didn't fit as good, so you just have to be patient and keep trying them on.

I am all about the expensive jeans. They fit so much better, and look so much better than cheap jeans. When you buy them they will probably be without a doubt too long as this is how they make them. I have tried to explain this people; you have to buy them the way they are and have them hemmed. At Nordstroms they'll do it for free, however I would highly suggest having the hem sewn back on which costs a little more but looks so much better. And without a doubt, when you pay this much, you have to take good care of them: cold wash and hang to dry!

As you can see this is one of my favorite topics. The key is you've got to spend a lot of time looking! Let me know if you've got any more questions!

Hugs and Kisses,
Bridget

informative but SCARY

I encounter mountain lions in my line of work. A new site we are studying has definite sightings, so the project geologists sent us this informative link from the South Dakota website on interpreting lion actions and how to likewise react to ensure safety (or attempt it). Useful information, but it scared the crap out of me.

I will fill my pockets with rocks. And maybe an air gun. Come find me and we will practice menacing noises.

Gene Simmons,

I found your twin.

He even dances.

A favorite...

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After great pain, a formal feeling comes -
The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs -
The stiff Heart questions was it He, that bore,
and Yesterday, or Centuries before?

The Feet, mechanical, go round -
Of Ground, or Air, or Ought -
A Wooden way
Regardless grown,
A Quartz contentment, like a stone -

This is the Hour of Lead
Remembered, if outlived
As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow-
First - Chill - the Stupor - then the letting go -

-Emily Dickinson