Quail have always been some of my favorite birds. In high school, a friend raised them, and it was always nice to see them bobbing about on the floor of aviary. My husband and I once came across a covey in the arboretum of Golden Gate Park, which remains one of my favorite memories of … Read more
No, not the kid from the Little Rascals. Or the Eddie Murphy impression from SNL. When describing the overall look of the chaparral, people often use the word “scrub”, meaning the low, bushy types of plants that make the mountains look as if they are covered with fur. California buckwheat is one of those plants … Read more
Coyotes have been a part of the legends of the West ever since man began creating stories about this region. In Native American stories, the coyote is often portrayed as a trickster, and you could say he’s played the ultimate trick by surviving–and thriving–in humanized environment. You could call him the ultimate adapter, since he’s … Read more
Note: If you are a gopher lover, I recommend that you not read the following post, since I will be saying some very mean things about gophers below. Also, if you do like gophers, I’m not sure if we can be friends, since I loathe the little buggers with all of my being. I tell … Read more
I’ve had this particular series for the blog planned for a long time. Since I’ve set my novel(s) in the general area where I live and grew up, I reference a lot of the local flora and fauna in them in order to provide a better sense of place for the reader. I thought it … Read more