This week the rain has started to come down hard. We're expecting over a foot to have fallen by the end of the week, with five inches forecast for Sunday alone. It's magical when it does this up here. The creek goes from a quiet trickle to a raging …

This week Joe and I watched Scenes From A Marriage on HBO. It was some of the best television I've seen in a very long time. The writing, directing and acting are all top notch. It also got me thinking about the ways we are all affected by the woun…

The otter came back to our neighbor's pond for a brief fishing foray this week. They travel up the hillsides from the rivers and creeks to hunt in ponds when they can't find enough to eat. It was very brave and swam around in the middle of the pond…

Our composting commode is next to the cabin. It doesn't have a door, so we get visitors in there sometimes. This summer an alligator lizard and a Sierran tree frog started showing up occasionally to hunt flies. Today, we all got a little surprise …

The first rain in September is another unofficial marker of autumn here on the mountain. It also puts us a step closer to the end of fire season. Last weekend, we got an inch of rain and the entire forest seemed to be taking a deep breath. It was wo…

Around here, nobody needs more cuddles than Ninja. If it isn't meal time, it's usually "Ninja time." He lets us know by rubbing himself against our shins until one of us picks him up and holds him like a baby. Then he just purrs like a he's never be…

We had our first gentle rain of the season yesterday. I love the sound the raindrops make when they fall on roof of our yurt. The dry forest seemed to appreciate the respite from the heat, as it gave off the most beautiful scent for almost the entir…

Joe and I planted some berries down by the creek earlier this summer in hopes that their roots would get down to the creek water level by next year. For now, they still need a bucket every few days, so we thought we'd share one of our afternoon chor…

I met Kerry and Greg on my first trip up to the mountain in 1999 at a big neighborhood party. They have always been at the heart of the community up here; hosting pot lucks, arranging road and fire safety meetings, and always eager to lend a hand t…

Most years, a pair of Oak Titmice build a nest in the rafters on the porch. This year, they started construction in five or six different spots before deciding on just the right one. About 3 weeks ago, their eggs hatched and we've had a front row se…