Visitors 74
Modified 11-Feb-21
Created 24-Dec-20
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A few photos from Helen and Dan's year, and the year in Portola Valley.
Last year the Frog Pond across the street filled up by early December, and by Christmas the frogs had mated and the pollwogs were growing; the Great Blue Heron went fishing. This year, though it *is* the rainy season and has actually rained a few days, not enough has fallen to actually run off and fill the pond. The frogs hold their breaths, waiting; Ravens stalk the marshy field.
JANUARY AND FEBRUARY:
* A Coyote catches a gopher at the end of our street.
* Antlered bucks congregate. A little bro-time before forming the harem.
* The Toyon in front of our house comes into fruit, attracting Western Bluebird, Robin, and Cedar Waxwing (not shown).
MARCH:
* Giant Trillium blossom in the woods -- including a rare pale morph.
* Yes, we have Poison Oak. It helps encourage folks to stay on the trail.
* Our native local California Buckeye puts out buds. It has already leafed out.
* The rain brings out our Coastal Range Newts.
* Buds bursting forth, a Valley Oak offers a perch to a Western Bluebird in the heavy rain.
* A Coyote stalks the Frog Pond across the street.
* A Valley Oak on Coal Mine Ridge is already flush with new fresh-green leaves.
APRIL:
* Flowers! Lupine and Iris cover the hillside.
* His beak festooned with colorful worms, a male Spotted Towhee shows off his courtship display. Success: a female follows him off afterwards.
MAY:
* The Buckeye flowers emerge. First: the female flower at the end of the flower stalk. A Winter Ant inspects the male buds.
* In our "front yard", a mama White-breasted Nuthatch feeds her chick.
* A Blue-belly Lizard shows off his iridescent green scales.
* Seeds get ready to blow away in the wind (Weedy Hawksbeard).
* Jameson gets his PhD from Harvard! Statistics. Instead of a walk down the aisle in Harvard Yard, he watches the Zoom ceremony. We get to attend, from afar.
* A Chestnt-backed Chickadee sings in the forest, unbothered by all of our troubles.
JUNE:
* Soap Plant blooms. Each flower is open for just one night. The flies know how to find it.
JULY:
* A baby Western Bluebird offers a bright target for a parent to feed.
* Our granddaughter Ixchel visits from Cambridge MA. She loves the Pacific beaches.
* Quail lead their young out to forage.
AUGUST:
* A baby fawn stares at a photographer. The whole world is new, and there is much to learn.
* We reflect on this strange year. The creek offers reflections as well.
* On top of Covid and politics, comes fire. Red light at dawn; sunrise through the gathering smoke; and finally a day without sun -- eerie red light suffuses the air, headlights in early afternoon.
* Fledgling Western Bluebirds, venturing from the bird house in our yard, discover the water dish on our deck.
OCTOBER:
* A Merriam's Chipmunk poses for Dan, on Coal Mine Ridge.
* A month late, Helen and Dan celebrate their 54th wedding anniversary and Dan's 80th birthday, in a trip to Yosemite Valley. A surprise snowstorm, the first of the season, makes their Mist Trail hike even more special. (The Mist Trail is closed the next day.)
DECEMBER:
* Sunset clouds and a full moon offer promise of better times.
* A lone Blue Oak rests on the hillside.
* Turkeys in a lek. Males displaying to females.
* Socially-distanced exchange of holiday baking and Christmas cheer.
* Winter Solstice is crowned by a Great Conjunction: Jupiter and Saturn pass close by (as seen from here.) Dan discovers that his camera can see Jupiter's moons and Saturn 's rings. Amazing technology nowadays!
* Dramatic sky, Christmas morning
Best wishes for a different and new year from the Quinns!