Staying Cool...well at least trying

Orchards for Miles

From Fresno south on CA-99, past Selma (the raisin capital of the US, think SunKist) to Visalia and on to Bakersfield ( a distance of ~150 miles, there thousands of acres of orchards and grapes. Orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit, apricot among others, plus olive and walnut groves. 

The attached, if rotated clockwise panoramically through 360 degrees, shows the orchards extending off into the horizon. The farmers were burning that day uprooted older trees that no longer could bear fruit. Hence, the haze in the background. After the fire embers have extinguished, the ashes are furrowed into the soil and new trees are planted.

Here is another view of Kaweah Lake with the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains in the background. Beneath these mountains lie the King Canyon and Sequoia National Forests.

Woodlake Botanical Gardens

Just east and north of Lemon Cove a small town, Woodlake, has an amazing botanical garden. Started in the 90s as a means to give kids jobs, this nonprofit organization has created a ten acre garden full of citrus, vegetables, flowering  plants and trees. It occupies ten acres of an abandoned rail line, and the walk is worth the two to three hour exploration.

Took a few days off to travel north to the Southwest coastal towns in Oregon. Traveled via US Highway 101 to revisit the upper reaches of Northern California (Arcata, Crescent City) and visited the Avenue of Giants just outside of Garberville, California. This National Forest protects the surviving giant redwoods that once populated most the the Northern California coast and ridges. Wildflowers bloom abundantly, and there is very little congestion on the road or on the hiking paths.

The southwest Oregon coastline is equally beautiful. Attached are photos of the coastline from Brookings to Florence and Yachats, Oregon.

Gateway to the Seqouias

To see more, go here for more on these murals: http://cityofexeter.com/visitors/gallery-82815/murals/exeter-murals-25 

Just as Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Oakland many other metropolitan  cities have done to beautify cityscapes, Exeter, California, has commissioned over twenty unique murals to cover bare brick walls throughout this town. These murals record past events from Exeter's history as well as celebrate its rich cultural and diverse background.  

Billed as the " Gateway To The Sequoias", Exeter is a surprisingly upbeat, cosmopolitan community of 10,000 residents. Surrounded by hundreds of thousands of acres of citrus trees, Exeter offers upscale shopping, gourmet dining, beautiful gardens, and nearly weekly events focused on agriculture, gardening, music, the performing arts and of course, food (Farmer's markets, fairs and wine tasting). Well worth your time to stop by. 

Much Needed Rain...Too Little, Too Late

Over the weekend we received over an inch of rain with three to five inches at higher elevations. Although much needed and appreciated, temperatures dropped thirty degrees to the low 50s, we're still in a severe drought situation. Morbund creeks and rivers sprung to life (see above) and fading wildflowers revived.