Backyard Beauties

I have been weeding today and I thought I should take a pic of our Fremontia bush before it loses all its flowers. This is about the only plant in our yard that is happy as it needs no watering or care. It is about as big as these plants get, I believe. It is a native and the flowers are actually bracts. Its leaves are covered by fuzz that is irritating to the skin. It is also called Flannel Bush.

I also found this little Sharptail snake in some leaf litter. They have a little harmless spine on their tail that is probably used to anchor the snake while it swallows small slugs. Its range is expanding due to the increase in gardens and European slugs (preferred over native slugs) in them.

Skyline Park Hike

Today, I took a hike at Skyline Park outside of Napa, and made a new discovery. While near the end of Skyline Trail, I peered over the ridge and noticed a farm pond down in a ravine. I climbed down to it and was pleased to see that the only tracks around it were deer and small animal tracks. Vultures were circling close above, ducks took flight, and there were two rock outcroppings that appeared to be frequently visited by large birds (much white guano). I spotted about four large red leg frogs taking cover under the muck on the bottom. Judging by their size, the only other frogs they could have been would be bull frogs, but these were a mottled reddish brown. I tried to get a better look and waited about 30 minutes for them to re-appear. No luck.

Soren's Pond

This is another view of this isolated pond through the poppies. I am taking the liberty of naming the pond "Soren's Pond" in honor of my new grandson, Soren Johanson.

Also, today, I had to stop for this narrow-leaved mule ears next to the trail on the way back.

Wildflowers of Oat Hill Mine Trail

Right now is the height of wildflower viewing in Napa County. The following pictures were all taken on the Oat Hill Mine Trail over the last 4 years. The amount and variety of flowers varies significantly from year to year, this year being about average. So, pour a glass of Pinot, dim the lights, put your feet up, and enjoy. Whoo-hoo!

Indian Warrior

Sticky Monkey Flower

Paint Brush



Paint Brush and Chia

Canyon Delphinium

Golden Fairy Lantern

Sky Lupine

Chia, California Poppies, and "little white flowers"

Woolly Sunflower

I don't know, but I like it

Common Yarrow

Canyon Dudleya

Foothill Penstemon

Foothill Penstemon with bumblebee

A spring microclimate




Next to the spring, a Big Leaf Maple in fall colors

Oat Hill Mine Trail

I have hiked Oat Hill Mine Trail numerous times in the past few years because it is in rugged terrain, climbs about 2,000 feet to the crest, and is lightly traveled in its higher reaches. This trail actually used to be a stage coach road leading from Calistoga to the old Aetna Springs Resort. It later became a popular jeep trail until it was closed to vehicles in the 1970's due to some deadly crashes involving vehicles tumbling down the mountainside.

Today, most of the old road is a single track trail which looks like a riverbed in some stretches. The volcanic rocks of the mountain force you to watch most every step - this is not a soft, duff covered stroll! At the crest, one can take the Palisades Trail northward to Robert Louis Stevenson State Park on Mount St. Helena, or continue over the crest and down to Aetna Springs. The following photos will give you an idea of the terrain and the views from this Napa County treasure. In the near future, I will do a little blog on the wildflowers of Oathill Mine Trail, after I figure out what some of them are.

Looking up at the Palisades from about halfway to the crest. Mt. St. Helena is on the left.

Wagon wheel ruts carved into the rock from the stagecoach days.

A shallow cave at the base of the cliffs.

Standing on the "trail" looking westward to the other side of the Napa Valley.

Near the crest is this old sign with the words "Oat Hill Wagon Road" welded on.

Another view of the volcanic Palisdes.

The view from the other side of the crest looking eastward towards Pope Valley and beyond.

Andria, Nick, and I take a break on the trail. We must have just eaten our lunch judging by the contented looks.

This truck must have tumbled at least 100 yards down the mountain from the base of the rock cliff near the top of the picture.

Two vultures waiting for the warm updrafts to begin (or maybe for something to die in Calistoga, below).

Looking down on the vineyards of Napa Valley.

Nick and Andria on the Palisades version of Stonehenge.

Snakes of Napa County

One thing I have learned over the years is that you never find snakes when you are looking for them, at least in Napa County. However, if you leave your camera in your pack instead of around your neck, your odds of a sighting improve greatly.

That being said, I have managed to get a few good shots of local reptiles in action over the past several years. Here are a few:

This is a western yellow belly racer that raced up a hill and took refuge about six feet up this manzanita bush. The location was about 45 minutes up Oat Hill Mine Trail on May 15, 2005.

This is a striped racer that zipped about seven feet up a fir tree. The location was about 50 yards from the above yellow belly racer on June 7, 2005.

The above two photos are of a large terrestrial garter snake that appeared to be gravid (pregnant) as well as having a tough time swallowing a rodent (notice the tail and hind foot extending from its mouth). I sat next to it, a few feet away, and ate my lunch. It never moved the whole time or swallowed more of the rodent. It was breathing, however. The location was Skyline Park, on the furthest loop of new trail, on June 26, 2006.

This is a male western fence lizard on the rock. Below the rock on the right is a female. The male was doing his territorial dominance display of rapid push-ups. Date and location were the same as the above garter snake.

Also on the same day at Skyline I found this juvenile garter snake.

This is a ringneck snake found on June 5, 2005. These are very common under rocks and logs at Skyline, but are seldom seen in the open.

This concludes my first post. In the future I will post photos and anecdotes of other wildlife, flora, and land features.