Winter Storm
So grateful for the snow! And for the critters who show up at the feeders. And for a warm cabin. Life is good.
Jupiter/Saturn Conjunction on the Winter Solstice 2020
What a spectacular way to celebrate Yule and begin Winter. Light is returning! And the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction heralds bright new energies to benefit all life on Earth.
Young Jay’s First Snow
This young one’s first snow. Wishing them a long and happy life on the mountain.
Oak Leaf in Snow
After losing my ancient oak to the Gold Spotted Oak Borer infestation, her children seem to be more beautiful than ever this season.
Yellow-Rumped Warbler Stopping By
This sweet little one stopped by after the snow to take shelter in the cedar tree. So wonderful to see!
Chickadee on the First Snow Day
Snow is always magical. And it’s the first day of vegan chili season for me. Life is good.
Young Acorn Woodpecker
They grow up so fast! Seems like only yesterday he was begging for his meals and learning to fly. Soon his eyes will be changing from baby blue to light gold as he transitions into adulthood and finds his place in his colony.
Welcome to your mountain home, young one! May you thrive and find joy here.
After the Fire
In 2018 my mountain community of Idyllwild, California, experienced a devastating wildfire. In the burn zone, nothing remained. But two years later, life is returning. This 2-minute slideshow features some of the wildflowers that were blooming in June, 2020. Some of these beautiful flowers, the fire followers, bloom only for a few short years after wildfires.
In June, 2020, I visited the burn zone on May Valley Road with friends and fellow photographers Jamie Guthrie and Bruce Edward Watts. Jamie and I were fortunate to be in Bruce’s company. He is literally writing the books on mountain butterflies and wildflowers. What a magical day!
Young Bluebird
The mountain is bursting with new life! Teenage birds have left the safety of their nests and are learning how to fly and feed themselves. Their parents work tirelessly as they prepare their young ones for life on the mountain. Such a magical time of year. So grateful to witness the miracle that is taking place all around me.
Swallowtail Butterfly on Lupine
It was a lovely spring morning on the Idyllwild Nature Center trails. Lupine is one of my favorite wildflowers and there they were! And they were enjoying the attention of many of the mountain’s butterflies. So thrilled to get a photo of this beautiful creature, happily pollenating the Lupine in an age-old dance of life.