TRAVELS WITH MATTIE

We found this little guy (a baby squirrel) motionless on his side in the middle of the trail up to Secret Artifact Central at dusk yesterday. After thinking he was dead, the slightest movement of his tiny squirrel hands proved otherwise. We named him "Chert," and I fell in love. We brought him back to the cabin and warmed him up in down jackets and with socks filled with hot rocks. I called Sam - my on-call wildlife expert - who (as always) knew exactly what to do.  Chert drank and drank from a mini-syringe donated by my neighbor, Dee. He slept in my fleece North Face beanie last night, and took the trip down to Wildlife Care Network this morning. He's a tough little guy. Maybe he'll come back and hang out by the cabin when he's feeling better. Go Chert Go! heart. melted.

This weekend, Mattie and I took a break from writing for a short (and much needed) trip north.  I saw Yeti and Dad at Lindsey's wedding before rolling through Fort Hunter Liggett on the friendly late-afternoon yellow hills of Nacimiento-Fergusson - stopping to move a snake along the way, of course - on my way over the range to the coast. A few short miles south and I was at Plaskett, greeted by this crew who had magically gathered for Hayley's 30th birthday camping trip: We played around our raging bonfire for the night, fell asleep easily under Big Sur stars, and woke this morning just as dense fog was lifting from the coast. After saying sad goodbyes to best friends, Mattie and I headed north to the poppies to meet Dylan and Jessie for the afternoon. Dylan has been landscaping this amazing property in Pacific Valley, which has become a relatively popular roadside attraction for drivers on the south coast. It really is a pretty stunning little distraction on th...

These days, I'm doing a lot of math.  I love it.  I have my dad - the best math teacher in the world - to thank for that.   SO THANKS DAD, YOU EPIC NERD. It's been a while since we've seen each other, but it comes back quick: Gibbs free energies. Half reactions. Redox potentials. Avogadro's number. Plank's constant. And on and on forever.  I'm happy that we're still nerds together. Me & Dad, launching model rockets. 

Morning: Science. Afternoon: Outside. Late hike and lunch at Happy Hollow. Night: Science. Hot chocolate.  Good spring days in cabins and on trails.

True love.

Today, just a picture. Running down the last few perfect, meandering miles of the Camuesa Connector Loop, and looking  home.

HI FRIENDS AND FAMILY! I don't have any time to post a real thing, but here's what's been happening in my Santa Ynez River Valley world (outside of research writing world) for the past few days: ALLIGATOR LIZARDS! ARTIFACTS!!! DEER CARCASSES! FANTASY HIKES REALLY, FANTASY HIKES!!  AWKWARD HIKING SELF-PORTRAITS! HORNED LIZARDS (HORNY TOADS)!!!! SNAKE EXTRAVAGANZA (RATTLERS, GOPHERS, GARTERS)! I FOUND A TICK SUCKING ON MY EARLOBE, AND NOW MY JAW IS ALL SWOLLEN! That's pretty much it. Phew. It's all so exciting that I'm exhausted just from posting this for the last two minutes. Paradise Road paradise. Love, Allison & Mattie

Hi everyone! It's been a good week up at the cabin. A lot of writing, hiking, writing, writing, writing, hiking and other weird things (like learning how to swing dance and celebrating for Bobby's 30th birthday).  Mom and Dad came down for part of the day last Friday. We did a great hike, saw a big rattlesnake!!!, a beautiful gopher snake, then we swam in the river while an amazing couple with a pet duck hung out on the riverbed next to us. Really, a duck. It was just hanging out like a dog. Mattie got a little confused, but mostly didn't care.  Here are some pictures of our adventure day (not in order): Mr. Gopher.  Big fat Mr. Rattlesnake.  And his rattles.  Post-hike river adventures. Beautiful Friday. Green phase Yeti and stylish Dad in the middle of a long hike. Here, at the high point on the Aliso Trail.  Now, I'm back at Paradise Store writing about oxidation states, listening to Bob Hart play Bob Dylan songs an...