Coyote Snow

A leaning dangerously Ponderosa Tree was brought down behind the Rooms, right near the Lunch Sit Log, in fact, maybe the same Tree I have a pic of Cedar perched in...pic of Log's grain...passed it on my way on the Path to Two Top Pine Meadow....near the Old Bridge Foundations, sighted Coyote on the other side of the Merced...pics and clips with the 20x...pics with the new camera too, but the 20x took clearer pics with the digital magnification....Coyote farfar away....watched Coyote a long while, and crossed the Bridge to stay in sight, but was left behind when Coyote crossed the Road and passed everyone in the Parking Lot...was kind of left out of the tourist photogs' good luck!...had thought to make the Outside Loop, but no time, and so back to the Cabin way I came...overcast cool....110 tree ring years or so...brb...here's link to 'unprecedent tree ring growth' in Bristle Cone Pines: http://www.pnas.org/content/106/48/20348.abstract

In the pic, the two dark rings near the bark looked to be about ten years ago or so, and maybe indicate the flood year of 1997....here's link about the age of the famous Sequoias: http://www.werc.usgs.gov/news/2000-12-06.html

wiki's: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendrochronology

a new word..Dendrochronology!!

a link to Jeffery Pine lore..and Ponderosa...and mention of 'Smokey Jack':http://www.conifers.org/pi/pin/jeffreyi.htm

list of big trees:
http://landmarktrees.net/largest%20pines.html

Well, a wet year will make a wide ring, and dry narrow, and warm seasons too will cause width...I think!...and in the Spring the ring will be light, and in the Fall, dark. I'm curious as to why the rings are blotchy, and will save that for another evening! Lot's of Trees about recently sawn in half, and I'll collect some more pics!!

link to Tree Rings Lessons (requires software download for some pages): http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/investigations/es2905/es2905page01.cfm

oh, one more!
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/10/01/a-tree-ring-study-estimating-past-rainfall-and-drought-shows-the-southeast-usa-drought-was-mild-compared-to-past-events/