It’s the first of April 2024. My first post in many years, but with the new website it’s time to start writing again.

As a landscape architect with a background in forestry, I have always been interested in native plants, animals and insects. I’ve written two books – one on garden design and one on the native conifers and shrubs of our area.

Hiking the river canyons and peaks around Donner Summit gives me the opportunity to push myself into new areas to explore. All of this I look forward to sharing in these posts.

Living near the North Fork of the American River in Northern California where wildflowers are abundant, old gold mining sites are common and with the warming weather insects of all kinds are starting to show up on our walks it should provide a wealth of experiences to share.

I docent at Bodie State Historic Park in the Eastern Sierra at an elevation of nearly 8,400 feet. Above tree line and with a history reaching back to the 1850’s, I’m sure I’ll be writing about my experiences when I’m there too.

All of this leads to an appreciation of our natural world, and while I am primarily a gardener, my posts will be much broader than simply what’s happening in the vegetable bed today.

I hope you’ll join me on my ramblings and the adventures we’ll take together.

Rob