December 22

Saturday would have been a good day at Forest Hill for a hike with my dog, Remi. However, I was in California and Remi was at Happy Trails pet motel in Alma. Today, my daughter, Allison, my wife Caroline and I were planning to hike a trail in Zuma Canyon in the Santa Monica Recreation Area north of Los Angeles. The late morning weather was sunny with a temperature of 55 degrees and no wind. Before we started, I noticed a flock of noisy, green parakeets perched in a tree nearby. We followed the Loop trail where I noticed several Sycamore trees with their mottled trunks were shedding their leaves. Further down the trail I paused at an unknown tree, picked a leaf and smelled a very strong aroma that irritated my sinuses. Looking up, I gazed at the hilly terrain. Following the path, I came to a dry creek bed with lots of large rocks and was surprised to see a large piece of Pumice. We came to a wooded area where I saw a very large tree with Holly-like leaves. As the trail inclined, I spotted a few ferns and daisy-like wildflowers. We continued to climb up the trail where I noticed a Chamise shrub with its pleasant smelling leaves. Also, I noticed some Sage plants and smelled their leaves. Looking down at the dirt trail, I noticed several horse hoof tracks. Also, I spotted some California Mule deer tracks. These animals usually browse close to lakes or streams providing their water source. In summer, they mainly browse on leaves of small trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants, but also consume many types of berry. In winter, they may expand their forage to conifers, aspen, willow, dogwood, juniper, and sage. Near the end of the trail, I looked up to see the hanging nest of a Hooded Oriole. We finally returned to the car and took off for Redondo Beach where Allison lives.

I pray you not to love classifications: 

The thing is like a river, from source to sea-mouth
One flowing life. We that have the honor and hardship of being human
Are one flesh with the beasts, and the beasts with the plants
One streaming sap, and certainly the plants and algae
and the earth they spring from,
Are one flesh with the stars. The classifications
Are mostly a kind of memoria technica; use it but don’t be fooled.
It is all truly one life, red blood and tree-sap,
Animal, mineral, sidereal, one stream, one organism, one God.

Robinson Jeffers