Back Inward Drier Country

After 10 days inwards the soggy Midwest, I am dorsum at our Littleton, Colorado, farm, enjoying drier air together with warm temperatures.  While the greenery hither reflects an unusually wet spring, nosotros are non dealing amongst flooded rivers together with soiled landscapes.

On the other hand, belatedly afternoon thunderstorms boot the bucket on to lash the region, disrupting air traffic together with posing the threat of damaging hail.  Indeed, equally I write this post, a severe thunderstorm over Denver International Airport is tardily drifting eastward, allowing arrivals together with departures to resume.  Other storms tower due east of the Front Range, creating an atmospheric wall that is forcing air traffic to hold upwardly routed good to the northward together with southward of our region.

But away from these brief together with widely scattered downpours, in that place is no humidity to suppress outdoor action together with sunny skies dominate inwards nearly areas.  Unlike the Midwest, nosotros are far from the feather of Gulf wet that tempest systems tap equally they motility across the country; inwards addition, the mount ranges to our due west "take out" atmospheric precipitation arriving from the Pacific.  Our semiarid climate may come upwardly amongst confine snow, June thunderstorms together with a belatedly summertime monsoon, simply I'll stimulate got the dry out air, cool nights together with abundant sunshine.

Insect Command On The Farm

As I create got mentioned inwards the past, nosotros produce non purpose insecticides on our Littleton, Colorado, farm.  However, nosotros produce host hundreds of assistants that popular off along the insect population inwards check, working for zero to a greater extent than than their meals.

Chickadees, nuthatches, bushtits, woodpeckers, warblers, gnatcatchers, catbirds, identify wrens, western tanagers as well as Bullock's orioles glean insects from the trees as well as shrubs.  Flycatchers, Say's phoebes, cedar waxwings, tree as well as barn swallows, broad-tailed hummingbirds as well as western kingbirds snare them from mid air, joined past times piddling chocolate-brown bats as well as mutual nighthawks at dusk.  American robins, crows, starlings, grackles, flickers, blueish jays, magpies, kestrels as well as spotted towhees scour the the world for insects as well as grubs, assisted past times garter snakes, lizards as well as the occasional toad.  Even a few insects (primarily dragonflies, ladybird beetles as well as wasps) create got part, non to shout nearly spiders.

In provide for their work, nosotros offering a broad diverseness of native leafage (including berry crops), brush piles, a rootage of fresh H2O as well as an insecticide-free landscape.  Quite a bargain for us as well as a selection that all belongings owners tin easily brand inwards our articulation endeavor to protect the environment.

Mulberry Days

The mulberries are in conclusion ripening on our weeping mulberry in addition to large mulberry trees, near ii weeks belatedly due to our relatively chilly spring.  The wildlife, different myself, induce got been to a greater extent than than patient only are similar a shot indulging alongside gusto.

American robins, household finches in addition to fob squirrels are e'er the principal consumers, joined past times cedar waxwings, blueish jays, magpies, Bullock's orioles, spotted towhees and, if they are nevertheless around, western tanagers.  Indeed, almost all of our avian in addition to mammalian residents partake of the tasty fruit at to a greater extent than or less point.

Drought tolerant, mulberry trees are ideal for semi-arid landscapes in addition to our moisture boundary may induce got taken a toll; a dead branch or ii adorn most of the trees in addition to 1 of our larger mulberries appears to hold out on its agency out.  But I induce got learned to facial expression earlier taking a saw to these trees; they are notoriously belatedly to leafage out inward boundary in addition to may look dead good later our other trees are greenish in addition to flowering.  Needless to say, I am really pleased that our mulberry days induce got in conclusion arrived!

Yellow Sweetness Clover

Perhaps due to our moisture spring, stands of yellowish sweetness clover are peculiarly large too vivid along the Front Range this year.  That fact, combined amongst questioning from a friend, encouraged me to await into the beginning too nature of this plant.

Native to Eurasia, yellowish sweetness clover is a legume too non a truthful clover.  It is a biennial plant, having a two-year life cycle; during the start twelvemonth it is low-growing too flowerless while, inwards its minute year, it produces branching stems, upward to 6 feet tall, adorned amongst racemes of small, yellow, fragrant flowers.  The latter, which bloom from June to September, yield seeds that may survive feasible for upward to 35 years if atmospheric condition for germination are non ideal; for that reason, yellowish sweetness clover is oft invasive inwards areas amongst poor, dry out soil.  A deep tap root too makes the constitute drought tolerant and, similar other legumes, sweetness clover improves reach down character yesteryear adding nitrogen to the reach down through its root system.

Known to furnish large amounts of nectar for honeybees, yellowish sweetness clover has too been used to stabilize soils too to furnish nutritious provender for livestock.  However, this constitute contains coumarin, an anticoagulant used inwards the production of warfarin too rat poison; low-coumarin subspecies convey hence been developed for purpose inwards hayfields too pastures. 

Southwest To The Iv Corners

Looking ahead to several days alongside no commitments, I stimulate got decided on a route trip to the Four Corners region, where U.S.A. of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona in addition to Utah meet.  Though I stimulate got been to that expanse inward the past, at that spot are several routes through its varied landscape that volition give me a novel perspective on the terrain in addition to topography.  Now that nosotros stimulate got entered the summertime tourist season, I volition skip Mesa Verde National Park which I had the pleasance to watch nearly 30 years ago.

Geologically, the Four Corners is a state of volcanic features, superimposed on uplifted in addition to eroded slow Paleozoic in addition to Mesozoic sediments.  Tributaries of the Colorado River drain the landscape; the San Juan rises from numerous rivers in addition to creeks along the due south flank of the the San Juan Mountains in addition to therefore heads westward to bring together the Colorado inward Lake Powell piece the Dolores River drains the due west flank of both the San Juans in addition to the Uncompahgre Plateau every bit it flows NNW to merge alongside the Colorado northeast of Moab, Utah.  Other prominent natural features include Ship Rock (a remnant volcanic neck), Sleeping Ute Mountain, the  La Sal Range (east of Moab) in addition to the Chuska Mountains (on the New Mexico-Arizona line).

Planning to larn out Denver early on tomorrow morning, I volition follow States 285 southwest, crossing Kenosha Pass to drib into South Park.  From there, the highway crosses Trout Creek Pass to come inward the Upper Arkansas River Valley in addition to therefore turns southward, climbing over Poncha Pass to accomplish the wide San Luis Valley.  Within that valley I volition switch to States 160, heading due west in addition to therefore southwest, climbing along the South Fork of the Rio Grande River to Wolf Creek Pass.  Beyond that pass, a long descent volition accept me through Pagosa Springs in addition to into Durango, where I volition probable pass the kickoff night.  More details inward coming posts.

See also: San Juan Volcanism

Into The San Juan Watershed

From Wolf Creek Pass (elevation 10,850 feet), inward the southern San Juan Mountains, I left the Rio Grande watershed as well as entered that of the San Juan River, the Great River of the Navaho Nation.  Following a steep descent to Pagosa Springs, U.S. 160 fords the San Juan as well as begins to undulate westward through the foothills, crossing the Piedra, Los Pinos as well as Florida Rivers inward sequence (all tributaries of the San Juan River); inward doing so, the highway gradually moves away from the high wall of the Southern San Juans Mountains.

Nearing Durango, however, the route offers spectacular views of the La Plata Mountains, sculpted from a massive granite dome, which ascent northwest of the city.  On the eastern side of Durango, I turned S on U.S. of A. 550, driving atop as well as hence inside the canyon of the Animas River, amidst the largest tributaries of the San Juan.  With every mile toward the south, the landscape became noticeably drier, characterized yesteryear sage grasslands as well as mesas covered amongst piñon-juniper woodlands.

The Animas River joins the San Juan inward Farmington, New Mexico, where I volition pass the night, as well as the latter continues westward to Shiprock.  From there, it bows northwestward, passing or hence the Four Corners Monument earlier reaching Bluff, Utah; beyond that town, the San Juan snakes westward to bring together the Colorado River inside Lake Powell.  Tomorrow, my wanderings volition stay inward the San Juan watershed until I cross a depression split upward betwixt Cortez as well as Dolores, Colorado, thereby entering the watershed of the Dolores River.

From Shiprock To Ridgway

Early this morning, I left Farmington, New United Mexican States together with drove westward through the San Juan Valley.  The silhouette of Shiprock loomed inward the distance, backed past times the uneven wall of the Chuska Mountains.  Once inward the area, I had to receive to the due south side of that famous volcanic landmark to larn a photograph unmarred past times structures or ability lines.

Completing that goal, I continued westward on United States 64 to Teec Nos Pos, but within Arizona, together with and thus turned northeast of United States 160, presently passing the Four Corners Monument, crowded amongst tourists.  Just beyond that human-designated geographic point, I crossed the San Juan River for the lastly fourth dimension equally it flowed northwestward into Utah.  The Abajo Mountains rose to the NNE (in Utah) together with the to a greater extent than distant La Sals shimmered further north; closer together with to a greater extent than dominant was the massive mass of Sleeping Ute Mountain, a laccolith within the Ute Reservation of extreme southwest Colorado.  Passing to the due south together with and thus to the eastward of that sacred mountain, I headed toward Cortez; Lone Cone, the westernmost superlative of the San Juans beckoned from the due north together with the La Plata Mountains reappeared to the east.  From Cortez, I followed Route 145 northward together with presently dropped into Dolores on the Upper Dolores River; the route together with thus climbs northward through that river's scenic canyon, eventually reaching Lizard Head Pass (10,222 feet) together with and thus descending to Telluride.

After a walk together with around tiffin inward that scenic mount town, I continued downwardly Route 145 along the San Miguel River (a tributary of the Dolores) to Placerville together with and thus turned eastward on Route 62, which crosses the Dallas Divide (8900 feet); this opened upward ridge offers a spectacular reckon of The Needles, to the south, together with of other San Juan Mountains to the southeast.  The route together with thus drops to Ridgway, inward the Uncompahgre River Valley; this town, inward my opinion, occupies 1 of the close scenic locations inward Colorado.  Having completed my loop of the Four Corners region, I headed to Gunnison to pass the night.

The Arkansas River Canyon

On my frequent route trips, I prefer to accept novel routes whenever possible, thereby exposing myself to novel landscapes.  This morning, when returning dwelling from Gunnison, I thence decided to popular off on eastward on U.S. of A. 50, descending through the Arkansas River Canyon.  During all my years inward Colorado, I had all the same to comprehend that territory.

The canyon begins but eastward of Salida, equally the Arkansas snakes its agency downwards through the foothills earlier flowing out to Pueblo as well as and so out across the Colorado Plains; the department below Parkdale cuts away from the States l equally the river enters its steep-walled gorge betwixt Parkdale as well as Canon City.  Due to the size of the current that carved it, close of the Arkansas River Canyon is wider than other Front Range canyons as well as I institute that the scenery is peculiarly pleasant, oftentimes extending to the snowy peaks of the Sangre de Cristo range.  While its stone formations competition those inward other canyons, the descent is to a greater extent than gradual as well as at that spot are numerous pull-offs as well as riverside picnic sites from which to relish the scenery, birdwatch or fish.  Except for a quarry at Parkdale as well as several modest resorts along the river, the canyon is relatively gratuitous of human "development."

As mentioned above, the steep, narrow gorge section, below Parkdale, is inaccessible except past times train, raft or kayak; peradventure about trails likewise render access.  Unfortunately, that deep gorge, known equally The Royal Gorge, has become, inward my opinion, i of the close disturbing sites of natural beauty exploitation inward the State, equally signs as well as tourist traps along the lower part of the States l so clearly demonstrate.

The Flavour Of Acknowledgement

As nosotros come inwards the middle of summertime inwards the Northern Hemisphere, many of us volition sense oestrus waves, severe storms, hurricanes, floods, drought, wildfires together with H2O shortages, focusing our attending on the projected deport on of global warming.  Even climate alter deniers may endure forced to admit the reality of our predicament.

For all who tending virtually the scientific discipline of climatology together with the deport on of global warming on human populations, I recommend reading Welcome to Climate Change, the May/June, 2019 upshot of MIT Technology Review.  Drawn to my attending past times my son, the review covers efforts to cut the severity of global warming, the diverse technological agency of adapting to a warmer climate together with the suffering (present together with future) that has together with volition endure borne (inequitably) past times human societies.

No doubt, those who assay out together with read this review volition endure those who are already alarmed past times the potential deport on of climate alter together with are doing their piece of job to mitigate global warming; Trump together with his legions volition toss it inwards their collective barrel of mistaken news.  Fortunately, local governments, many countries, conservation organizations together with an increasing number of small-scale together with large industries (that sympathise the economic science of climate alter together with the importance of beingness on the correct side of this issue) are adopting together with promoting greenish technology scientific discipline despite the rhetoric together with policies of the electrical flow American Administration.

The Ridgecrest Earthquakes

The recent earthquakes around Ridgecrest, California, were odd inwards a span of ways.  The first, on July 4, was a 6.4 magnitude quake, piece the second, a 24-hour interval later, was a 7.1 magnitude quake, roughly eleven times to a greater extent than powerful.  The initial earthquake has hence been categorized equally a pre-shock, having occurred earlier a stronger 1 though both bring been followed past times numerous aftershocks; the showtime quake was centered 6.6 miles below the surface of the desert piece the minute was four miles deeper.

Well northeast of the San Andreas Fault, these rigid earthquakes developed on ii perpendicular error lines that stretch beneath the Mojave Desert at the S halt of the Owens Valley.  The latter runs NNW to SSE between the Sierra Batholith as well as the fault-block White Mountains Range of the western Great Basin; both of these ranges perish on to ascent as well as the crust of the Great Basin is nether increasing tension (pulled apart inwards a West-East direction).

These earthquakes demonstrate the complexity of error lines inwards Southern California, many of which are non completely mapped.  While the earthquakes occurred far from the San Andreas Fault (which volition eventually deliver "The Big One") their occurrence may reverberate increasing push clit per unit of measurement area inside the latter Fault as well as their crustal movements may trigger additional earthquakes equally push clit per unit of measurement area is transferred to other error lines that crisscross the region.

See also: The Nature of Aftershocks and Earthquakes & Tectonic Plates