Frog Jumping Day

 National Frog Jumping Day

Frog: photo by Cliff Hutson

National Frog Jumping Day is on May 13, its origins come from Mark Twain’s first published short story about a betting man and his pet frog  -  named “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”.

Some people actually jump frogs on, or around, this date. But, as you might be able to ascertain from the photo, my frog don't hop.

Reading Log: April 2024

 The books that I finished reading in the month of April 2024

April 2024 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson

"The Big Goodbye," Sam Wasson

"Ten Birds That Changed the World," Stephen Moss

"Shock Wave," John Sandford

"Basketball (and Other Things)," Shea Serrano 

Reading Log: March 2024

 Better late than never?

March 2024 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson

"Three-Ten to Yuma and Other Stories," Elmore Leonard

"The Seed Detective," Adam Alexander

"The Secret," Lee Child and Andrew Child

"Basketball for Dummies," Richard "Digger" Phelps, et al.

Earth Day

 April 22 is Earth Day

Mountain Majesty: photo by Cliff Hutson

We should honor the earth everyday, but today marks an annual event founded by people who hoped to stir activism to clean up and preserve our planet. This year's theme, "Planet vs. Plastics", further aims to raise awareness of the harms of plastic pollution for human and planetary health.

Words to Live By

Earth Day 2014: photo by Cliff Hutson

I make the attempt anyway. One goal of life is to live in harmony with nature.

California Native Plant Week

 An eight day week!

Coast Live Oak: photo by Cliff Hutson

Once again it is California Native Week. This year it runs from April 13 to April 20. That is eight days, perhaps inspired by the Beatles' song. Anyway, in 2010, the California legislature designated the third week of April to be California Native Plant week, so this is the perfect time to take a moment to appreciate the beauty and diversity of California’s native flora. 

Favorites

Monkey Flower: photo by Cliff Hutson

I was just recently asked what was my favorite native California plant. That is a very hard choice that I found hard to limit to just one. But, to narrow it down, my favorite tree would be the Coast Live Oak (see up top).

Tidy Tips: photo by Cliff Hutson

There is a draw for favorite wildflower between Monkey Flower (Mimulus) and Tidy Tips. The former because it was the plant that led to my 26 year stint as a "nature interpreter" at a botanic garden. [A long story best left for another time.] The latter  because a photograph I took of one was published as my first (and so far only) magazine cover. I consider that to be the high water mark of nearly a lifetime spent as a photographer. 

But, catch me during another week and I might have different answers.