RenoVous

  "Conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends." The Nature Conservancy Community Backlash to AI Data Centers Is Growing Across the U.S. When we were checking in on the eagles earlier this year, I mentioned Friends of Big Bear Valley were raising money in order to protect Moon Camp, and they met their goal! "63 acres of undisturbed forested open space and shoreline used by Jackie and Shadow."

 We went up into the mountains so the dogs could have a run. We could hear the thunder, and we made it back to the truck just as the clouds opened. Rain, snow melt, and tears. From the memorial for our Mama Deb. A patron of the arts, it was a most fitting venue. Love you forever.

  Born on this day in 1809, Charles Darwin is one of the most influential figures in human history.  His theories have been fundamental to the understanding of life and the species of the world, establishing the study of evolutionary biology. He was originally enrolled at the University of Edinburgh for medical education, but instead helped investigate marine invertebrates.  His five year voyage was inspired by his interest in the diversity of fossils.  He wanted to witness life in all its unique and varied forms, which he especially found in the Galapagos islands. From his observations, he devised his theory of natural selection.  For twenty years he was working on his research, when Alfred Russell Wallace wrote to him with a similar theory, and so it was a joint submission to the Linnean Society of London. On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties; and on the Perpetuation of Varieties and Species by Natural Means of Selection  was published in 1858. Da...

This is Eternal Flame Falls in Orchard Park, NY. As the name suggests, a small fire behind the falls burns uninterrupted.   It burns about 8 inches high, on a bed of shale rocks rich in organic matter.  As the matter breaks down, it produces highly flammable gases - such as hydrogen sulfide and methane - which seep through the cracks. The grotto space protects the flame and holds the gas in this particular seep. The gas comes from a geological formation called the Hanover Shale, which dates back to the Devonian Period.

 Saturday we just took a drive to escape the rain - Deus had mentioned Hwy 4 so we ended up taking Ebbett's Pass.  And it was a hell of a road, as he warned. We stopped at the above Everly Falls.  We turned off for Highland Lakes, and found a decent spot or two for forest camping along the North Fork Mokelumne River. But we decided to stay on and follow the pass down to Angel's Camp, though we had some regret as we entered the humidity of the valley.  We went back towards Jackson and up 88. Back in town we decided to give the desert a try, maybe even run into some burners.  But we had the space all to ourselves for a camp night. A Monday swim for the pups.

An oasis in the desert, the elbow of the Walker River. We enjoyed not just the water, but the life all around us. There were so many butterflies. I followed this guy around. I believe it will become a Nevada buck moth, Hemileuca nevadensis. The night chorus.  

New research reveals that the modern potato evolved from a fling with a wild tomato over 9 million years ago. Evolutionary biologists and genomic scientists analyzed 450 genomes from cultivated and wild potato species and they were able to trace it back to an ancient ancestor. The original Etuberosum and the tomato did not grow tubers - but the resulting hybrid plant did. Coming from the Andes mountains, the tuber was an innovative way for the potato to store nutrients underground as the climate became colder. Potatoes were domesticated some 10,000 years ago, becoming a key crop the world depends on.  

  We were out for a drive and made a stop along Walker River for the pups. My favorite local brewery is closing....and they've encountered some real assholes in their final days, stealing glassware and taking advantage of fill specials.  We went and purchased some crowlers, said thank you, I love you! We were invited out for a local set at Virginia Street Brewhouse and we got metaled. Enjoy and Respect all the things.  Nature, beer, music, people.

  I'm off tomorrow for a camping trip into Auburn. This is a shot from Thomas Creek, where I sat calmly listening to the water flowing by. This day wants you to hear nature around you, to really listen. But we can also expand that to appreciating music, paying attention to the people around you and what they're saying.  Especially in these days with our phones in our faces, it's nice to really engage with someone in a conversation. (Another Zelda reference for you). ^_^

  Wild bighorn!!  But we also passed someone's shearing station with little lambs. And then shiny rock in the distance caught our attention.

  Grand Prize Winner Tibor Litauszki, Hungary Newt, "Between the Stars." First Place: Birds Grzegorz Dlugosz, Poland A penduline tit, "Busy Builder." First Place: Climate Raphael Alves, Brazil "Stranded," in the rising rivers of Anama. Honorable Mention: Adra Pallón, Spain "Fire and Ashes" First Place: Freshwater Jeanny Tang, Hong Kong "Dry Fish Pond" Third Place: Rubens Rebouças, Brazil A flock of herons, "O Pé De Garças." First Place: Insects & Arachnids Benjamin Salb, United States "Wolf Spider Mama" First Place: Lands Alessandro Carboni, Italy "Sound and Vision" First Place: Mammals Siddhartha Ghosh, India "Wolf Trinity" First Place: Plants & Fungi Jose Pereyra Lucena, Argentina "Seres Lunático" First Place: Reptiles & Amphibians Irina Petrova Adamatzky, United Kingdom Corn snake, "Alien Portrait." First Place: Underwater Russell Laman, United States Pacific sea...