Another Old Tree and other Wonderments

[quick dog]

Tree Up-date: I cut down another old Ponderosa Pine today. It was about 70 feet high, yet only 10 inches in diamater. It had been severely burned on one side about 42 years ago (circa 1963). The tree was about 110 years old, and only 10 inches in diameter! The growth-rings were only about one millimeter wide. That is unusual for a tree growing on a north-slope in an area that gets 40 inches of rain per year. The tree should have been two-feet thick.

Rain Up-date: More than 57 inches of precipitation in Placerville this year, with rain in each of the past 10 months. I turned the heater on tonight, and it's June 16. If this is global warming, I'll take it.

Frog Up-date: Only one frog in the mine this week, and this year the frogs even look different. Last year, there were as many as 23 frogs in the mine at any given time.

Lizard Up-date: Even the lizards are different this year. There are more Alligator Lizards and fewer Western Fence Lizards. They also look different. What is up with the annual variation in the color, size, and shape of reptiles around here?

I knew you all would be thrilled to know this stuff.

 

[loopymitch]

thank you for sharing QD

 

[Prophetess]

actually QD it reminds me of the letters I used to get from my grandma(rest her soul). SO I enjoy them very much. Thank you for sharing.

 

[Londonking]

Sounds like you live in an intersting natural environment QD.

I imagine that tree must have swayed around a bit in the wind, being 70 ft tall and 10 inches wide.

I've never had the pleasure of the company of an aligator lizard and to be honest i dont like the sound of them !

Next update eagerly awaited......

 

[quick dog]

Here is an Alligator Lizard. As small lizards go, they are are relatively aggressive. Big ones can be a foot long. They are harmless and eat bugs. I protect them when working with equipment or spraying.

 

[Londonking]

thanks for the pic QD.

Is he about 12 inches? head to tail.

I can see from the markings where he gets his name.

Im glad they arent running around in my bakyard!!

 

[VF21]

I'll kick in my two cents:

We had over 90 inches of precipitation this rain year (which started July 1 and will end June 30) so far. We got over an inch out of the last storm. The old-timers are calling this very unusual... even odder, the pine cones on the trees, which indicate the type of winter we can generally expect are already larger than they would usually be in September. This is a VERY STRANGE year.

And the cedar trees are still putting forth pollens that drive my allergies into the stratosphere...

 

[Kingsgurl]

Keep it up QD! Brings back memories of my childhood, when we used to catch blue bellied lizzards (I was kind of scared of the Alligator ones, they were HUGE!)