Written sometime at the middle of May, around the 16th, when it was 100 degrees and fires were everywhere. In fact, on the way up the highway, we were witness to a brush fire being put out by Central Coast firefighters, along 101:
I"m going to blog a bit about my spot in the world.
It's been broiling, and there are fires burning where you just don't want them ever to burn. We have drought hardy, dry as dust and very volatile native brush. Right up against it are developments of houses that basically have created a desert for the wildlife.
All the mesas lands had, and some still have, seasonal formations called vernal pools on them. Most of them have vanished under a Developer's bull dozer. But the point I wanted to make is that these pools appear in the rainy season, and only then, and there are tiny creatures who live and have a whole lifespan based on that narrow span of time. Tiny shrimp called Fairy Shrimp.
These little shrimp are not the only creatures dependent on the vernal pools, There are several species of very rare butterflies who used to do a "mesa hop" across to the mountain areas where their favorite plants grow. When these areas burn, most of these life forms, already critically endangered, lose out. You have to really hunt to find a horned toad ( it's actually a horned lizard) nowadays. My brother and I used to catch and admire them all the time. Ask a kid now what a Horned Toad is, and they most likely won't know what you're talking about.
We can see all the human drama, and it is dire. Sadly, I'm afraid we are in for more and more wildfires because of climate change. And, because it's irresistible to build near beautiful open spaces, which are full of tinder dry brush, more people will lose everything they own to wildfires.
I"m going to blog a bit about my spot in the world.
It's been broiling, and there are fires burning where you just don't want them ever to burn. We have drought hardy, dry as dust and very volatile native brush. Right up against it are developments of houses that basically have created a desert for the wildlife.
All the mesas lands had, and some still have, seasonal formations called vernal pools on them. Most of them have vanished under a Developer's bull dozer. But the point I wanted to make is that these pools appear in the rainy season, and only then, and there are tiny creatures who live and have a whole lifespan based on that narrow span of time. Tiny shrimp called Fairy Shrimp.
These little shrimp are not the only creatures dependent on the vernal pools, There are several species of very rare butterflies who used to do a "mesa hop" across to the mountain areas where their favorite plants grow. When these areas burn, most of these life forms, already critically endangered, lose out. You have to really hunt to find a horned toad ( it's actually a horned lizard) nowadays. My brother and I used to catch and admire them all the time. Ask a kid now what a Horned Toad is, and they most likely won't know what you're talking about.
We can see all the human drama, and it is dire. Sadly, I'm afraid we are in for more and more wildfires because of climate change. And, because it's irresistible to build near beautiful open spaces, which are full of tinder dry brush, more people will lose everything they own to wildfires.
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I’m going through some stuff but I will peek in now and then and will be back when it’s over..