View allAll Photos Tagged WhiteFire!
We had sunshine today, at least for a few hours. It was quite cold, though, but that doesn't bother Fynn much. I hadn't planned to take photos of Fynn as he still suffers of his cat flu but he looked so lovely with the flowers next to him, I couldn't resist. These flowers belong to an Easter Cactus called White Fire. Easter cacti are supposed to flower in April / May but nature is confused this winter. The reason why a cactus is flowering at all in my household is the fact that this one is new. It's a present from a friend. She knows that I'm hopeless with indoor plants but her words were "it's really easy to care for, don't worry". We will see .....
Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía
Temporary Exhibition:
"White Fire: The Kunstmuseum Basel Modern Collection"
This must be a seedling plant of native Stinging Lupine aka Nettle Lupine (Lupinus hirsutissimus) in the Fabaceae plant family, growing as a fire-follower on burned soil from the White Fire a couple of years ago. The bronze leaves are striking. The nettle-like hairs of this plant don't sting, but they are remarkable. You can see a fat un-lupine-like seed leaf at the base of the plant - it looks like a peanut. I have a photo of the flowers on a mature plant here. They are not common here. I put this photo in the back of the pile, but this is my favorite photo today. (Paradise, Santa Ynez River, 26 January 2015)
Here are masses of Tufted Poppy (Eschscholzia caespitosa) in the Papaveraceae plant family growing on a bare hillside above Sage Hill Campground in Paradise. This is the real "California Poppy" in our neck of the woods, more yellow than the real California Poppy (E. californica), see my photos here and here. These bare-looking hills were burned by the White Fire in May 2013, but that's where the wildflowers are. (Paradise, Santa Ynez River, 18 March 2016)
It was cooler and breezier today, and I think I know why. There was marine layer fog creeping up the mountains and advancing up the Santa Ynez Valley as far as Lake Cachuma this morning, so we had "fog winds". That's my name for the turbulent winds that happen on top of the temperature inversion that the marine layer brings. We expect it to get colder as we go higher, but this is reversed in an inversion with coastal fog. This might be the first time its happened this year, but it will become increasingly common (and annoying) as we move into Spring.
*Sigh* I just noticed that the marine layer fog is creeping over the mountains tonight.
Over 400 Fire Fighters battle a 2,000+ acre Brush Fire at the Los Posos Campground in the Los Padres National Forest above Santa Barbara. .
This is a recovering family of native Chaparral Yucca (Yucca whipplei) plants in the Liliaceae plant family - now renamed as Hesperoyucca whipplei in the Agavaceae. They were burned by the "White Fire" that started at White Rock picnic area about two months ago. You can see new growth on most of them - the green below the tan. (Paradise, Santa Ynez River, 26 July 2013)
Monsterosity made this piece of incredible called whitefire cherryblossom as well as his two buddies that Ads made especially for me out of the same vintage material. I had to wait a little bit for him to be sent because he was on display - which just ads to the coolness of him, I think. :) I can't stop staring at him.
AMAZING.
Thanks, Ads!
(I blogged about Ads once upon a time here.)
“The trick,” he said, “is keeping your eye on the open space ahead and not getting hung up on the obstacles.
-The Wisdom of Not Knowing: Discovering a Life of Wonder by Embracing Uncertainty by Estelle Frankel
Dalagalor by Edgar Froese
Over 400 Fire Fighters battle a 2,000+ acre Brush Fire at the Los Posos Campground in the Los Padres National Forest above Santa Barbara. .
Over 400 Fire Fighters battle a 2,000+ acre Brush Fire at the Los Posos Campground in the Los Padres National Forest above Santa Barbara. .
This is the whole plant of a small native Collar Lupine (Lupinus truncatus) in the Fabaceae family growing on bare soil in a place that was burned by the White Fire two years ago come May. The foliage is especially beautiful and distinctive. I dig the shadows! It's not flowering yet, but other larger plants already have flower buds and it won't be long. (Paradise, Santa Ynez River, 11 February 2015)
Over 400 Fire Fighters battle a 2,000+ acre Brush Fire at the Los Posos Campground in the Los Padres National Forest above Santa Barbara. .
Over 400 Fire Fighters battle a 2,000+ acre Brush Fire at the Los Posos Campground in the Los Padres National Forest above Santa Barbara. .
These are plants of native Chaparral Yucca (Yucca whipplei) plant in the Liliaceae plant family - now renamed as Hesperoyucca whipplei in the Agavaceae on a dry flat by the Santa Ynez River, burned by the White Fire last May. The small ones look dead, but if you look close you can spot a couple of seedlings in the foreground. Apparently I never photographed this particular cluster just after the wildfire, but this photo from July 26 is similar. The younger plants have all died, but the large one is hanging on. (Paradise, Santa Ynez River, 17 January 2014)
Whenever I'm in the taxi going to Birmingham Airport, I see this abandoned building site from the Coventry Road between South Yardley and Sheldon.
Not sure what happened to it. Each time I go past it doesn't seem to have changed.
Is called The Horizon.
Is next to a petrol station.
A BP garage.
Crane left behind at this site.
The link on the hoardings no longer works.
Was this a victim of the recession of 2008/09?
Whenever I'm in the taxi going to Birmingham Airport, I see this abandoned building site from the Coventry Road between South Yardley and Sheldon.
Not sure what happened to it. Each time I go past it doesn't seem to have changed.
Is called The Horizon.
Is next to a petrol station.
A BP garage.
Crane left behind at this site.
The link on the hoardings no longer works.
Was this a victim of the recession of 2008/09?
I noticed this orange fungus growing over bare soil that was burned by the White Fire last May. I put my pen in the photo for scale. I saw something similar after the Gap Fire back in 2009, see this photo from the archives at Fotolog. I reckon "Fire Fungi" would be a good name for this fungus. (Paradise, Santa Ynez River, 12 February 2014)
This is another family burned-out native Chaparral Yucca (Yucca whipplei) in the Liliaceae plant family - now renamed as Hesperoyucca whipplei in the Agavaceae. They were burned by the "White Fire" that started at White Rock picnic area a month ago. They look like pineapples. These plants are mostly showing some green. They might make it, though the combination of wildfire and very dry drought soil might do them in. (Paradise, Santa Ynez River, 27 June 2013)
Over 400 Fire Fighters battle a 2,000+ acre Brush Fire at the Los Posos Campground in the Los Padres National Forest above Santa Barbara. .
I found this toasted succulent in the Crassulaceae plant family on the "river trail" today, in the direct path of the "White Fire" that burned through here last May. I didn't have my pocket knife with me, so I put my watch in the photo for scale. The crystal is about 1-1/4 inches across, which makes the stem of this succulent pretty fat - arm or ankle size. I believe this is native Chalk Lettuce (Dudleya pulverulenta). I've never found it along the river before. (Paradise, Santa Ynez River, 16 September 2013)
Whenever I'm in the taxi going to Birmingham Airport, I see this abandoned building site from the Coventry Road between South Yardley and Sheldon.
Not sure what happened to it. Each time I go past it doesn't seem to have changed.
Is called The Horizon.
Is next to a petrol station.
A BP garage.
The link on the hoardings no longer works.
Was this a victim of the recession of 2008/09?
The beautiful Aliso Canyon trail won't look the same for some time. The canyon was in the direct path of the "White Fire" that started at White Rock picnic area last week, but next year's fire-follower wildflowers should be wonderful! These are burned Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) trees in the Fagaceae plant family, and a Western Sycamore (Platanus racemosa) in the Platanaceae plant family on the left. (Aliso Canyon trail, Paradise, Santa Ynez River, 2 June 2013)
It was gloomy on the mountain today when the marine layer spilled over the mountain, so I went down to the newly reopened Paradise Road. There were no signs or barriers, so I took a walk up the Aliso Canyon trail with my camera. I got as far as the first trail fork when a hot shot crew politely asked me to go back. When I got back, there was red tape across the trail. I reckon I was just in time!
The fog stayed on the mountain all day. It was 60's today after 100's yesterday!
Whenever I'm in the taxi going to Birmingham Airport, I see this abandoned building site from the Coventry Road between South Yardley and Sheldon.
Not sure what happened to it. Each time I go past it doesn't seem to have changed.
Is called The Horizon.
Is next to a petrol station.
A BP garage.
The link on the hoardings no longer works.
Was this a victim of the recession of 2008/09?
Whenever I'm in the taxi going to Birmingham Airport, I see this abandoned building site from the Coventry Road between South Yardley and Sheldon.
Not sure what happened to it. Each time I go past it doesn't seem to have changed.
Is called The Horizon.
Is next to a petrol station.
A BP garage.
Crane left behind at this site.
The link on the hoardings no longer works.
Was this a victim of the recession of 2008/09?
These are tiny Ascomycete Cup fungi in the Pezizales or Heliotiales order. The individual caps are tiny, only a couple of millimeters across. What they are is not so interesting as where they are - on a burned out plant of native Deer Grass (Muhlenbergia rigens) in the Poaceae plant family, see this photo. The plants were burned in the White Fire two years ago come May. Many have re-sprouted, but those that didn't have this fungus. (Aliso Canyon trail, Paradise, Santa Ynez River, 22 January 2015)
Whenever I'm in the taxi going to Birmingham Airport, I see this abandoned building site from the Coventry Road between South Yardley and Sheldon.
Not sure what happened to it. Each time I go past it doesn't seem to have changed.
Is called The Horizon.
Is next to a petrol station.
A BP garage.
The link on the hoardings no longer works.
Was this a victim of the recession of 2008/09?
This is a solid new flower bud of beautiful California Peony (Paeonia californica) in the Paeoniaceae plant family, growing on charred soil that was burned by the White Fire last May. They are fire followers, but I guess they were already here under the trees and shrubs just waiting for some sun. Indian Warrior (Pedicularis densiflora, Orobanchaceae) has a similar strategy. See this photo. (Paradise, Santa Ynez River, 12 February 2014)
I'll probably miss the open flowers. Julie and I are heading up to Oregon on Friday to visit the grandkids and other family matters. I normally would refuse to go at this time of year, but with the drought I welcome the change! I'll be busy with errands and packing tomorrow, but I can (at least) post a few more from the recent archives.
Fire on the mountain!
This is the "White Fire" burning in Oso Canyon in the Paradise area along the Santa Ynez River. I got this photo around 5:00 pm - from East Camino Cielo, looking down from the top of the mountains. The wind has been howling over San Marcos Pass from the north, but it seems to be blowing from the west down here - blowing the fire along the river, and away from us. I like that line of fire trucks evenly spaced along Paradise Road. The firefighters will try real hard to keep the wildfire from crossing the road and burning up the Santa Ynez Mountains, towards us and Santa Barbara. This fire has already burned through some of the areas I regularly photograph. (Santa Ynez Mountains, 27 May 2013)
This fire apparently started at the White Rock picnic area - *maybe* by someone dumping hot BBQ coals. Memorial Day weekend is a dangerous time, with dangerous people.
Here is a family of burned-out native Chaparral Yucca (Yucca whipplei) in the Liliaceae plant family - now renamed as Hesperoyucca whipplei in the Agavaceae. They were burned by the "White Fire" that started at White Rock picnic area a month ago. At least the largest one will probably make it - to flower and die, as they do. (Paradise, Santa Ynez River, 27 June 2013)
This is a grand ol' Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) tree in the Fagaceae plant family which was burned in the White Fire last May. The tree has a bit of green in its leaves, and I hope it makes it. Most of the landscape is pretty moon-like. In the foreground, you can see a few other survivors - stump-sprouting Bicolored Yerba Santa on the left, flowering Scale Broom on the right, and a Chaparral Yucca in the left-front. I hope this will be full of life once our winter rains finally come. (Paradise, Santa Ynez River, 24 October 2013)
Visited this restaurant (now known as Whitefire) a number of times whilst working in Sydney but the sign from the previous name is still prominent.
This cluster of Western Sycamore (Platanus racemosa) trees in the Platanaceae plant family is stump-sprouting after the "White Fire" roared up the river a couple of months ago on May 27, 2013. Some of the sycamores are also sprouting new growth from their branches. Look - even the rocks are charred! Life goes on. (Paradise, Santa Ynez River, 26 July 2013)
These are burned out stems of native Bigberry Manzanita (Arctostaphylos glauca) in the Ericaceae plant family against a background of Monterey Shale, after the White Fire last May. It almost looks like a cubist painting of the gnarled stem on the left falling over to the right. These manzanitas don't stump-sprout, and there's no sign of new growth except for a bit of green seedlings in the lower-right. Wildfire and drought is a tough combination. (Paradise, Santa Ynez River, 3 January 2014)
This is the wonderful new foliage of a California Peony (Paeonia californica) in the Paeoniaceae plant family, sprouting like a mushroom on charred soil that was burned by the White Fire last May. This plant is growing under a tree that burned in the fire. I've seen them nearby, but this is a new one for me. It's beautiful. (Paradise, Santa Ynez River, 3 January 2014)
I hiked along the "river trail" today. It runs through a section of the Santa Ynez River that was burned by the White Fire. Actually it's been burned twice - by the fire and by the drought. There are few seedlings in this drought year, but it's a pleasure to see these perennials.
This is the charred femur or thigh bone of a deer on burned soil after the White Fire last May. I don't think it was caught by the wildfire, but I suspect a mountain lion used to hang out here. See this photo from nearby. The place is a small island between two river channels. (Paradise, Santa Ynez River, 29 January 2014)
This is all that's left of a remarkable clump of native Deer Grass (Muhlenbergia rigens) in the Poaceae plant family after the White Fire came through last May. It's a large perennial bunch grass - three feet tall and twice that across - now reduced to a mound of ashes. I wouldn't recognize it, except that I knew it was here.
I put my "walking stick" in the photo for scale. My cane is about 3 feet long, which gives an idea how large the mound is. See this photo of the same grass before the fire. I'm curious about the distinctive gray ashes of this plant. I wonder if they have a special use? (Aliso Canyon trail, Paradise, Santa Ynez River, 5 January 2014)
This grass does grow on San Marcos Pass in a few secluded places, but it's more common in the interior backcountry. It likes a well-watered spot by a creek, but not in the creek. It was an important plant for native American basketry, and it's widely used as a landscaping plant.
I don't need my cane, but it helps me avoid false steps which aggravate my sciatica pain. It's a sturdy oak cane that I found second-hand in Glide, Oregon last summer when I really needed it. I wonder what it's history is.