Although I can’t recall ever actually stopping there, the Milk Farm Restaurant was a familiar landmark alongside Interstate 80 in Dixon, California, all during my childhood. The restaurant complex shut down in 1986, and the buildings are long gone now; but the sign remains — at least for the time being. Fearing its eventual demise, I’ve been wanting to stop […]
Since I’ve featured episodes about abalone for the past two weeks, I thought it was about time to look at another edible marine creature living off the coast of California! It’s actually quite interesting to compare the recent histories of the abalone and the sea urchin; while the public’s taste for abalone exploded decades ago and led to its near […]
Afternoon sunlight spills through the branches of the massive coastal redwoods at the Muir Woods National Monument hiking trails, October 2021.
In my lifetime, I’ve crossed and recrossed the Yolo Causeway many, many times. But last week was the first time I actually stopped to explore the surrounding wetlands, now designated as the Vic Fazio Yolo Wildlife Area. I wasn’t precisely sure what to expect when Google told me I had arrived at my destination — and I’ll admit I was […]
Last Wednesday I featured an episode of California’s Gold that included a short segment on abalone diving in Northern California; it was only after I’d completed the post that I realized there was an entire half-hour episode from 1999 on the same topic, delving deeper into the history of abalone and its role in California culture. It’s packed with great […]
Rounding a curve of Highway 1 in the town of Point Arena, I noticed a series of small signs attached to the Bishop pines lining the road.
I’ve spent a fair amount of time along the Sonoma coast in Northern California ever since the mid 1980s, and it has always seemed to me the epitome of a rugged and rocky shoreline. But after recently spending a week a little farther north in Mendocino, I’m beginning to realize I ain’t seen nothing yet! I stumbled upon this particular […]