Sunday, May 25, 2014

Volcan, not volcano in Spanish

Sometimes it is hard to be Mexican, especially for me.  Not so much because I am not Mexican, that part is easy, but because we gringoize everything in the US.  Volcano in Spanish is volcán, with an accent over the 'a'.  It is hard to say volcan, with an accent over the o, but this is how the trail is pronounced.
Anyway, Lisa and I went for a hike at Volekin mountain.  Volekin.  Sorry, just practicing.  It is a gorgeous five mile hike near Santa Ysabel, one of those hikes that makes you forget how close you are to houses, cars and people (we don't count as people, we are above it).
One of the most amazing things about this particular area is that there are honed lizards.  It is pretty exciting to find them as I loved them when I was a child and I almost never see them anymore.  It is hard to believe that they are still not protected even though Fish and Wildlife has been pushing for their protection since 1997.










Saturday, May 17, 2014

Brittle stars

In an attempt to remove all of the seaweed from the water because it was bothering Ruby (an attempt of the girls and a woman down the way, not Marla or I who understood the futility of the request), the girls discovered, in the holdfast of kelp, brittle stars.  Brittle stars are in the same phylum of starfish (echinodermata) but have long flexible arms which help them move quickly.  It was an exciting day at the beach. Brittle stars are incredible.     



Over 70% of the earth's surface is covered with water, but only 5% has been explored.  You can't help but wonder what is out there, but when surfing alone it is best not to wonder such things.