Suddenly, like a page torn out of a book, that's how life comes at you.
Walking on Apple Street hill, farther up, I find another road made for fiber optic installation, big red and white signs. Walking north on the new road, eventually, in a short distance, I come across where Roseburg Lumber http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roseburg_Forest_Products made a small irregular clear cut this past summer behind the Dunsmir Elementary School.http://sisnet.ssku.k12.ca.us/~desftp/
Now small trees about 2-3-feet tall (61 - 91cm), mostly yellow pine pinus ponderosa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_ponderosa , thickly dot the slope. Timber companies in California are not allowed to make clear cuts exceeding around 10-15 acres (4-6 hectares). Using best timber harvesting practices developed first in New Zealand, harvesters leave several large, mature trees here and there which can make cones with viable seeds. The outline of the cut is irregular, hidden from view of the public as much as possible. Piles of slag (debris, unusable logs and branches) remain for erosion control and wildlife habitat. http://cpr.ca.gov/cpr_report/Issues_and_Recommendations/Chapter_5_Resource_Conservation_and_Protection/RES21.html
Mountain Quail orortyx pictushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Quail or Ring Tail Pheasant phasianus colchicus http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ring-necked_Pheasant/lifehistory/ac flutter up in a sudden cloud. The pheasant was introduced from Asia and is a popular game bird in the new world.
In the distance Mt Shasta is white with snow, BaiShan. I tie a red and yellow ribbon on the branch, marking where to turn down into the trees.
On Feb 26 2012 5 planets were in the night sky with the moon on the same night. I got a picture of the moon and two planets. I cropped to the closest planet, Jupiter. http://earthsky.org/tonight/see-all-five-visible-planets-in-the-february-evening-sky
The last shipping box arrived today from China. Full of art books and special colored and patterned papers for art collage.
Soon it will be spring. Every time it snows could be the last. Buds swell and push. Who knows what the Chinese characters mean?
See you later
