A cluster of snow plants growing in Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, June 2015

 Bob was returning from a trip to McCloud in northern California when he decided to drive home through Lassen Volcanic National Park.  This was in June, which is still kind of early in the season for wildflowers in this park.  During his drive, he saw this cluster of snow plants near the park road.

Snow plant is a parasitic plant, meaning that it grows off of nutrients that fungi attached to the roots of pine trees make available to it, rather than photosynthesizing.  This is why the plant has no green chlorophyll in it.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story.

Side-blotched Lizard, male at KCL Campground, Carrizo Plain NM

During my recent visit to the Carrizo Plain National Monument, I camped at the KCL Campground, roughly in the middle of the area. The campground has a healthy population of this species, the side-blotched lizard. The males are more colorful than the females. This male was hiking under a shrub that had a big gap in the middle, so I had a clear view of him. There was also the opening to a burrow being used by a young antelope ground squirrel. As the lizard moved around, he had his tail hanging down across the opening and the squirrel came up and wondered what was going on.

Remember, it's not just a picture, it's a story!