Between the Raindrops: Vernal Pools at Stanford University

Heading into rehearse Carmina Burana at the Bing Performing Arts Center for one of several dress rehearsals the other evening, I heard a chorus of what sounded like a thousand Pacific Chorus Frogs - odd because I couldn't think of any body of water nearby. Jasper the wonderful pooch-from-Taiwan and I returned the next day to scout out the frogs home. Just off Bing, we found glorious vernal pools. As you probably know, vernal pools are temporary. The form from rain runoff when the ground is saturated, as it is by our recent crazy California rain season. Jasper and I didn't find any frogs during the day, but he thoroughly enjoyed the tasty grasses.

San Francisco Field Trip:Academy of Sciences - Golden Gate Park

The California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, provides us with an indoor rainforest, macaws, fish and reptiles from around the world, and - oh yeah- an albino alligator named Claude.

Wildflowers: Lupines at Stanford University

Lupines

Stanford University is famous for it's educational resources, and Silicon Valley connections.Though less discussed,  it's also home to  some of my favorite native trees and flowers.

CA Wildflowers: How 'Bout them Blue Eyes?

Nemophila menziesii
Baby Blue Eyes

Stanford University is famous for it's educational resources, and Silicon Valley connections.Though less discussed,  it's also home to  some of my favorite native trees and flowers.