Tree in the Door's Fauna and Flora: June 2013

Overheard at MickyDees in Oildale(Oakdale!..update...sis caught this one...always thought it was Oil, but that town's down bakersfield way...hmmp)...last Tuesday...late afternoon...two locals talking...

"Why is it so GUMPY out?"

"Dunno, but it IS!"

For a long while now, on walkabouts, and rollabouts, I mull over what might make a good post to the blog...didn't start out doing this, being preocupied by the blog (and other's blogs!)...and sometimes I'm a bit concerned that the blog has taken over...me anyway!...so. so. anyway, I thought to post up "The Gumpy Day" about last Tuesday, a Tuesday which didn't start out that way, gumpy, I mean...though I did, I might say...assortment of dustups at work had left me grumpy for the first day of a week's vacation, which would have been that Monday...didn't do much that Monday, though a good clip of Mama Merganser with Seven early that Morning at Ozone Beach...so Monday a bit lost...but I did get some sleep (dustups tend to banish sleep!), and 2am Tuesday Morning I began packing, and loading Silver, and rolled out around 3am., and made it to Tenaya Lake for First Light...beautiful Morning...pics for sometime...paused at Pothole Dome for bookend pics of other recent rollabout to thereabout (that day was cut short because I was just too tired to continue!--3am rollouts aren't easy!)....and I continued to Lee Vining and the Mobil Station for a Start of Summer Rollabouts Breakfast....but I was too early, 6AM, and Mobil Restaurant closed...hmmph....tried Lee Vining, but not much open, or in Bridgeport...finally reached the Pullout in Walker Canyon, (where I stopped on the return from Great Basin), and snacked, cookie I had with, and read the Story Signs more closely....Walker Canyon was flooded too in 1997!...thought became to reach Reno for Breakfast...Breakfast was diverting me Northward!...I had had the thought to get Motel at June Lake!...Weather was great...not many Critters, White Pelicans at Lake that begins with an L..(Lahontan) .like Trout thereabout specially adapted to the Terrain...Herons and Egrets browsing with Cows in Pastures...and a Loud Buzzing beside the Road nearing Carson Valley...and nearing Carson Valley civilization was spreading over the High Desert Foothills, and more at Carson, and I remembered Reno being very civilized, and Lake Tahoe became Breakfast Destination...now, I've been wanting to go to Tahoe, and touch base with the Trails I traveled over on my Tahoe to Yosemite Backpack Trip back in....well, awhile ago....and nearing Carson I came up a sudden on the Tahoe turn, and turned...I've only arrived in Tahoe before twice, once in the Dark on Greyhound Bus, and once on a Propellar Plane (and very airscick) in Mid Winter--I had won Supermarket Contest, a weekend in Tahoe...so I know Tahoe a bit. spent like three Days in Campground thereabout nursing blisters on the long hike, but didn't know the Roads to Tahoe, and was eager to see sights thereabout....and was dissappointed, as, very unlike narrow slow speed Tioga Pass, the Tahoe Pass, Hwy. 50 I think, is a Four Lane high speed Road...not much time to rubberneck, or sight Critters....and needless to say, Tahoe has become much civilized since my long ago visit....I did manage to sight the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail Sign, where I restarted my long hike after the blisters, but aside for a Gas Stop and purchase of Souvenir Patch, I skipped Breakfast, and composed this bit of doggeral....

Lake Tahoe

I came,
I saw,
And I rolled right on by...
A tear in my eye.

Rolling down the West Side, roadside views improved, but rolling just too fast, and in the Lower Foothills, much much civilization...I was all packed, with a whole week ahead, and thought to continue to Ft. Bragg...or even Tule Lake!...but 3AM was beginning to drag on my eyelids, and I turned at 99 South--back to the Valley...I was back by 3PM, with just that stop in Oildale(Oakdale!), and the Hazy Sky overhead, and the Humid Heat seemed to reflect my mood--GUMPY!....so so, was glad to be Valley back, unpacked, and, and...pohono...

Now, after moping Wednesday, just hanging about the Cabin, I got things together Thursday morning, and rolled donw the hill to Merced, and with all day ahead, and no set destination, visited Merced Wildlife Refuge...veryvery quiet...pics for sometime...and thereabout, just decided to go no further than Moss Landing, Otters thereabout always cheer me up, and stay a few days in Marin...which I did.... a few of those days on the Coast it was Jume Gloom overcast, and one Day, Parking Full at Point Lobos (I could have parked on HWY 1), and much crowded, so went to Elkhorn Slough for fine talkabout with docent, but thereabout very Critter quiet. and on leaving, couldn't make Left Turn, as much traffic on HWY 1, so thought to go Right, then make Left somewhere, but, but, a minor traffic accident had backed up Southbound Lane all the way to Watsonville!...so, so, I thought to divert to Santa Cruz for Seafood snack on the Pier, and, of course this was Saturday, and thereabout, Parking Lots Full, and much much crowded....retreated back to Marin...where I stay in Motel thereabout by the State Park I like very much...and snacked at MickyDees, again.....hmmph....Sunday I did not roll anywhere!....except for a brief foray on the Bike...pics for sometime...and a looksee at the Marin Dunes, which has escaped my attention on other visits, but is on the must explore list now....I watched a lot of Golf and Basketball...hmmph...and looking back, there were just two standout sightings, one actually a hearing, during the whole week!!...one was Mini Oreo with Mama Oreo at the Garlic Shack near Gilroy/Hollister....and the other, I learned while talking with Traveler at Elkhorn who was headed where I had been, the East Side, was the Buzzing Sound I heard, which was like mini chainsaws beside the Road nearing Carson Valley...

"I heard this buzzing...."
"Oh!, you heard the Seventeen Year Cicadas!"

...very cool...

And....rolling up hill nearing Cathys Valley on return this afternoon, I sighted Smoke over the Sierra...at first I though near Mt. Bullion...from Mariposa vantage, I thought over the Valley, and was getting a bit anxious...but Fire, I learn, started Yesterday, and is SouthWest of Valley, well away, for now....did get a dramatic clip...for sometime....sigh...a desultory week...which evey wildlife photog knows happens...but I think Late Fall through Early Spring are best times for long rollabouts!...pohono....

quote
Care keeps his watch in every old man’s eye,
And where care lodges, sleep will never lie;
But where unbruised youth with unstuff’d brain
Doth couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign:
Romeo and Juliet (2.3.36-42)
unquote