Summer & Fall - posted in November 2020
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This year's summer & fall period was hot, as usual, with plenty of 100+ deg. F days, in July & August, with 90 degree days lasting well into fall.
The following is an assortment of images taken from July to December.
July
note - you can enlarge any part of a picture by left-clicking in and then out again.
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bluebird box & big Oak, along the creek |
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Jack Hill Park & the rusticated bridge |
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afternoon light |
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Sunflower, or Helianthus |
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Goldy Honey Bear, grown from seed in a large pot |
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creek & trestle |
August
During August & September we had a few 4 or 5 day stretches of terrible air quality, due to regional fires, the closest one being at Vacaville. On the worst days, smoke filled the valley & extended into the Sierra Nevada as far as Lake Tahoe Basin and Carson Pass.
I was keeping an eye on local Sierra Nevada PM 2.5 conditions, mainly a monitor at Kirkwood, because of a possible camping trip in mid-October with John & Kim. In the end, El Dorado NF rangers said we could camp at Blue Lakes at 9,000 ft., but campfires, or use of a propane stove, or lantern, was prohibited. The air quality there returned to normal. In October it is way too cold at that elevation to go without a fire & hot food. (see 2018 Blue Lakes posting)
In summary, my summer & fall consisted of being indoors more than I wanted, but I tracked the local AQMD site for PM2.5 readings & took advantage each time the data dropped under 100 ppm to get in a walk or bike ride.
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Elk Grove creek bike trail |
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only had four honey bear flowers |
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the worst day in August |
September
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fast camera speed |
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slow speed |
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watering trees & and perennials |
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pineapple sage & early girl tomato |
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Cranesbill geranium |
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fairly lily only blooms in September |
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cosmo | ||
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friendly goat at the back fence |
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the worst day in September |
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back east classic weeping willow tree | ||
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Camden Lakes |
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& bike trail |
Near the end of September, blue skies returned and it was highly appreciated.
October
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worm on geranium stem |
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local trail along the UPRR tracks |
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Camden Lakes again |
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pineapple sage in the box planter |
November
In November the weather finally flipped to cool days & cold nights.
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Rock Purslane again (see Spring photos) |
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out front Maple |
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spring bloom in the fall | |
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Narcissus, probably |
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mid-November |
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25 year old Pacific Sunset Maple |
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native Black Walnut on Laguna Creek |
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Cattle Egret | |
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California native fuchsia, or Zauschneria |
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watering the yard >>> |
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1/250 sec. shot | ||
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1/10 sec. |
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Birch tree |
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Strawberry tree flowers |
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Strawberry Tree, see note 1 |
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like lanterns |
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special effects dept. |
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cotoneaster lacteus berries, note 2 |
note 1 - Strawberry Tree, Arbutus unedo, is native to southern Europe & Ireland. This tough as nails tree does very well in California, and can grow as high as 35 feet. This tree is vigorous & I have to cut it back each year to keep it moderately sized.
It puts on a great show of flower clusters in late November & early December.
note 2 - Cotoneaster Lacteus trees thrive in the much cooler Bay Area climate, esp. as seen on the group hikes in the Berkley Hills. Yet, it thrives here, in substantial valley heat, if it gets regular watering.
December - place-holder
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