native or non-native

Ever since my work sent me to an invasive weeds training a few months back I have been constantly checking out the plants I find in the field and on the lookout for invasives.  Sometimes they are easy, like thistles (there are 2 that are native here, both of which are very distinct), sometimes they are harder (like the native daisy, shasta daisy, and the invasive daisy, oxeye daisy, which differ mostly in proportions of petals to flower center), and sometimes they leave me downright lost (like the one described below).  I just might have finally figured it out.

Sulfer Cinquefoil is a non-native invasive plant to the Tahoe Basin.  It has leaves that resemble pot leaves and light  yellow butter-cup like flowers.  Slender Cinquefoil is a native plant to the Tahoe Basin.  It has the same leaves and the same flowers, except the flowers are a much brighter yellow.  But wait...theres more!  There is another similar flower, whose name I'm not familiar with, native to these parts, pale yellow flowers, leaves like strawberry leaves.  This is not bad either.  IDing any of these plants before they flower is damn near impossible for me, but today, invaisve weed book in tow, while out at some property doing monitoring for work, I found this guy:

A beautiful example of Slender Cinquefoil.  I think I might have it down now...but we'll see....

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watercolors

A friend and fellow SNAP volunteer recently asked me would I be interested in possibly doing some watercolor illustrations for some interpretive signage their organization is creating.  They want 10 in total, of invasive and native species of the foothills where the signs will be placed.  They want some samples of my work so that they can decide if they like it enough to put it on their signs and so I decided to try to practice with a few of the species this weekend to see if I think I can really handle it.  Well I can certainly draw/paint what they are looking for, but I'm not all that impressed with my final products.  I made these in only a few hours, so if I put a great deal more time into it maybe I could, but I'm not sure I have that kinda time right now.  Anyway, these are what I created, the first is English Ivy (Hedera helix) and the second is Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus), both of which are invasive to those parts.  I'm not overly impressed with my blackberry painting skills, but I guess i can do leaves okay...

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Rubicon Trail

I forgot to post a photo yesterday, but I hiked a hike today that was so sooo beautiful that I think two from today is better then some old stinky yesterday picture anyway.

We hiked the Rubicon Trail today, which extends from Rubicon Point in D. L. Bliss State Park all the way into Emerald Bay, to Vikingsholm, and then back out the other side to Eagle Point Camp Ground.  It was about a 6.5 mile hike, of mostly flat and easy terrain.  We took a looong lunch down by the water in an area that was sandy for about 15 feet and then abruptly drops off about 1000 more after a certain point, which was very neat. We called it the abyss and were absolutely terrified of what lay beyond it...all the treasures and terrors floating around in the bottom of Lake Tahoe.

Then last view of the lake on the hike, right before we hit Eagle Point Campground.  

A crooked, self-timer shot of Reyna and I at the beginning of the 

hike, at one of the first look out points.  

A lighthouse at the very beginning of the trail, built in 1919, this was once upon

 a time the highest elevation lighthouse on a navigable body of water in the entire world!

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snowballs?

These are called Ranger Buttons....but I call them snowball flowers!  Aren't they fun?

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botany!

Today I helped my coworker finish up some vegetation monitoring and learned some more plants.  I'm making myself a sheet with common names, descriptions, Latin names, and photos of all the plants that I have been IDing, here are a few of the new ones from todays plots:

Common Horsetail

Mule's Ear

Brewers Daisy (Surrounded by Green Stipule Lupine) 

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just another day at work...

I have reached 200!!! YAY!  Only 165 more photos to post until I'm done!  So anyway todays photo was taken at the top of eagle rock, a CTC parcel where we were working most of the day. So again...just to reiterate...this is my job.  I climb mountains, through streams, around forests, and I love it.  Teeter-tottering at the moment as to whether I would like to serve another year or not.  Another year here, at this great job, doing work i love?  Awesome.  Another year spent completely broke on the opposite side of the country from 80% of my friends and family?  not awesome.  grrr.

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pinecone

pine cone is code for i spent all day in the office and didn't get to take a picture until my evening walk around the neighborhood...so i took a picture of a pine cone.  I know, its a long and obscure code, but it is what it is...what can ya do about it?

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