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Wild Valley

Rattlesnakes alive!

I recently had a “Full Monty” encounter with a big ol’ rattlesnake. I was hiking above Fern Lake on Sonoma Developmental Center open space lands when I turned onto an asphalt path at Camp Via. Shocked to a standstill by shrill rattling and hissing, I... Continue

Lions and life

Mountain lions changed my life. In the late 1990s, a measure was put on the ballot to reverse the ban on trophy hunting of mountain lions in California. I’m not against legal hunting of ducks, deer and other prey animals, but using dogs and trackers... Continue

When robins abound 

Everyone is seeing robins everywhere this year! Impressive flocks of the familiar rusty-breasted all-American bird are feeding on berries and searching the ground for worms all over Sonoma Valley. I’ve spotted robins along the bike path, at Maxwell Park, at the Sonoma Valley Regional Park,... Continue

Wildflower season is here

A flash of red springing from the forest floor or a dash of pink jutting from a rocky outcrop always stops me in my tracks. For years, I’ve been taking pictures of incredibly beautiful and unique wildflowers during my walks and hikes in Sonoma Valley... Continue