I’ve visited the Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands a few times now, entering from both the north and south gates, but I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface in exploring this amazing place. I feel lucky to have found it, and I’m grateful that the land was made available to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management so that people like […]
This Wednesday I’ve decided to repeat one of my favorite Christmas episodes that I originally featured back in 2018. Just as I wrote the first time I shared this 2004 episode of California’s Gold, I thought it would be good to take another look at where and how these beautiful Christmas flowers are grown and their history in Southern California. Although the Eckes were a huge part of the poinsettia industry for nearly 100 years, the family sold their ranch in 2015, and the job of producing all those beautiful poinsettia plants now belongs to a Dutch company known as Dümmen Orange. I would note (again) that the ‘crazy’ colors that frequently show up in the stores this time of year are not a special variety but are dyed with a substance that doesn’t harm the plants. And if you’re wondering about the best way to care for your poinsettia plant, the Laidback Gardener has some really great advice on his blog. Albert Ecke immigrated from Germany to Southern California in 1902 and opened a roadside stall selling fruits and vegetables. By the 1920s his son Paul started selling some of the wild poinsettia plants that grew in the hills above their stall. From these small beginnings, it is now estimated that over 90% of all flowering poinsettias get their start at the Paul Ecke Ranch. Join Huell as he meets Paul, Paul Jr. & Paul III, who give them […]
We haven’t been up to the Kirkwood area on Highway 88 since last summer, although I believe that Caples Lake was spared from the worst effects of the Caldor Fire. And while snow is thin on the ground at Kirkwood just now, the area is on a winter storm watch this week, with 8-12 inches of snowfall predicted. Here’s a […]
On a cold, gray Sunday morning, the colorful roses just down the street in my neighbor’s yard offered an irresistible chance to play with some camera settings.
I found quite a lot of the colorful Amanita muscaria or Fly Agaric mushrooms while hiking along the coast near Point Arena. I’m not sure why, but I just couldn’t seem to resist photographing them in this scenic setting.
When you get just a little bit lost looking for the bus stop — but the gorgeous flowers make it all worth the extra mileage.
Near Anchor Bay, Mendocino County, November 2021.
I didn’t spend too much time in the small garden abutting the redwoods of the Jack Hume Grove in Vacaville. The flowers were few, and the sun was very bright when I arrived, not long after 12 noon. But a few colorful autumn blooms did catch my eye as well as the attention of some insects. Sadly, although there were […]
Visiting the American River in Carmichael, October 2021.