How fast can a month disappear? Apparently pretty darned fast! Our month has been a hodgepodge of the usual comings and goings, riding bikes, taxes, hiking, RV repairs, a couple of birthdays, and even a few fine sunny days, a sneak peak, if you will, of warm and pleasant weather ahead. Probably not anytime soon, though.
Every photo I'm posting is a phone picture (which is okay, I guess) -- I can't find my camera! Jimmy and I both draw blanks when we search our brains on its last usage. I've made a plea to St Anthony, but there's no answer yet. I really dislike losing things. Or misplacing things.
On the Ides of March, my sweetheart and I elected to hike to Beale (Fairy) Falls again in Spenceville Wildlife Area, maybe 25 miles southwest of us. First we dropped off our Tergel at the fix-it store to have new (needed) brake$ installed. Hallelujah, the day was bright and the sky was blue!
As you see, the spring-green leaves on these imposing oaks are a sight to behold, especially in person. This tree tops a rise; below is a wonderful view of an open, broad, pastoral valley, ringed with oaks, covered with wildflowers and filled with free-range cows.
We've previously hiked to the falls, but never took the lower path, so this time we chose the path to the right. We returned via the upper path. Win-win whichever way you go. No matter, the distance is a solid 5+ miles R/T.
NorCal has had a lot of rain since the first of the year,
and below the falls, "Dry Creek" was ripping!
Some call this Beale Falls, for others it's Fairy Falls. It tumbles over a steep rocky cliff into a large pool set in a rocky bowl and people swim at its base in summer. We could hear the falling water long before we saw it.
Honestly, we'd never seen as many moo-cows as we did today. This gal was eating the tiny white wildflowers. I said, "boo" to one cow and she skedaddled like she'd been hit with an electric prod. My bad. It was a great day for a hike and, while we were footsore by the time we reached the car, we really enjoyed being Out and About on this trail.
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We traveled to Fair Oaks several times to help with moving and to watch Evie, as the younger set (Matt, Jen, and Evie) bought a new house not too far from their previous place. Son, Matt turned 44 on Feb 28th, lucky him to miss being a leap year baby by only a few hours! We sang Happy Birthday to him, but he was too busy for a party.
I captured sweet Evie by this lovely yellow-flowering tree (what is it?) one day when she and I were on a walkabout. We celebrated her 7th birthday on Sunday, the 17th. Her folks bought her a new, bigger bike which she couldn't wait to hop on and ride! How can she already be 7 when it seems only minutes ago she was born. ** sigh **
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Our two Forsythia bushes are convinced Spring has Sprung, and their cheerful yellow flowers can fool you into believing the same. But, with today's cold rain and a daytime high temp of 41°, I know we're now in "second winter." No fooling me -- I won't put away my woollies till the end of May!
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One of the pluses for us when we bought our house on Banner Lava Cap Road in June 2012 was close access to the Cascade Canal trail (9 miles R/T). We don't need a vehicle to get to the trail; we walk out our door and a couple of short streets later, voilà, we're there. An offshoot of the CC trail is the Orene Wetherall loop trail, which we combine on occasion, like we did Friday, the 22nd. This is also a woodpecker preserve. We listened to a loud rat-a-tat, but couldn't identify which woodpecker (in silhouette).
We can see downtown Nevada City from our starting point on the trail.
Water levels in the canal fluctuate. It's low right now.
Ferns are happy.
We seldom encounter others on this one, probably 'cause it's a bit strenuous (well, moderately) since it's all down and then (whew!) back up those switchbacks. But, it's wonderfully peaceful, filled with flora of all kinds and, of course, the big trees we have at this elevation.
Trees that grow up, despite ...!
Down by the DS canal (off the trail) we spied this stout rod between two trees and debated as to its reason. Keep the trees from marrying? A chinning bar? If you fell, you'd land in a heap at the bottom of a hill.
The Madrone tree bark is peeling. It's that time of year. Its new bark is smooth as silk, almost lustrous, and a reddish-blond color.
Two different and very small (left is teeny-tiny) fungi. The biggest round ball on the right pic was only about an inch in diameter. That's all the 'shrooms I saw this trip.
Several benches have been strategically placed.
Nice to sit and rest.
Bear Yuba Land Trust has also put informational signs on some of the native plants. As above. I always think of this soap plant as a "corn plant" because the leaves looks like corn.
One delicate Pine Violet blooms beside the trail. And one Bleeding Heart is flowering alongside the canal. It's too early for many blossoms.
Haha, we came across one still-alive banana slug, and the thing was truly sluggish! At least it wasn't squished! We hit the trail this morning because rain and cold were forecast beginning tonight and lasting for -- who knows? -- days. While the sky was gray, we weren't chilly. Altogether just four fun miles because we didn't hurry, no racing -- no, we stopped frequently to look or admire or verify, and then home. That's our month in a sort of nutshell. Happy Spring, y'all.
3/26/24: Camera found hiding in the Subaru!
