11/5: Back country. Bouldering. Beavers.

Hi friends -

It's been a relatively good week, with reminders of why I left Santa Barbara, and why I came back, and why I'm ready to leave again. But it's beautiful, hot, the colors are quintessential Fall In Los Padres National Forest (everything wears translucent ecru), and there's been some time for bouldering (outside and in), hiking, running, and early evening sunsets with Mattie Dog. #ihateyoudaylightsavingsandiwantmysunshineback

Mattie and I have been doing some substantial exploring in the back country whenever we get a chance. And to add to our log of creature buddies, here are some pictures of new friends:

The little stick bug (Senorito Stickito) hanging out on our screen door!

Muddy prints on our front porch bench.

I took a little run/hike back to Gibraltar dam the other day, and on the way back was SO happy to find this little home on the dried shores of the Santa Ynez River: 

Guess who lives here. Guess.

HERE'S A HINT.

yes yes yes

YEAH it's the elusive Santa Barbara Back Country BEAVER SQUAD, wrecking logs and making houses up and down the Santa Ynez River banks! They were either hiding, or sleeping, or having a raging party inside of the den, so I didn't actually see the beavers. But I know where you live now, little friends, and I will wait there until I get a picture. Oh, I will wait.

Riverbed, rocks, turtles, beavers, heaven.

Mattie and I also went on a few loops around Aliso Canyon, topping it off with a beautiful sundown on the hills above Lower Oso.

Mattie leads the way down Aliso Trail.

I'm just happy about this little flower. One of few wildflowers left along the trail, in a very low wildflower year.

We're ready to get on the road again, but we're happy here for now, getting a lot of work done, and looking forward to voting tomorrow, climbing at the new rock gym ALL THE TIME (membership, BOOM), and getting back to do some work on the Lizard's Mouth Traverse.

And now, back to writing about NANOPARTICLES. I can't escape those little things. nano nano nano

Love,

Allison & Mattie