A few more days of late-morning and early-afternoon very high tides accompany the new moon this week. You might say we will experience a celestial lull during these next few weeks before the vernal equinox and daylight savings time arrive in late March. Mid-March brings the return of Jupiter as the morning star. (It didn’t go anywhere—we just don’t see it!)
We now are entering the season of whales and wildflowers, though this year seems quiet for both so far. Fewer whale sightings have been reported; sometimes weather obscures sightings, sometimes it’s a matter of whether park staff are available to count. A few northbound grays have been noted; they typically migrate south from Alaska beginning around November and we see them returning north from Mexico in March and April. Wildflowers are raising cautious blooms on these frosty mornings. As usual, Chimney Rock provides many species in one small area, along with views of the Northern elephant seal colony. The shade of Bear Valley Trail has an abundance of pinkish-white milkmaids and those spiky vines of wild cucumber, whose corkscrew tendrils wrap themselves around sturdy branches. The vines will later produce heavy seedpods that need the support of willows or other stronger plants to lift them off the ground.
It’s also pollen season. A fine dusting of golden willow pollen has gently settled on our cars, and the catkins are full of pollen along White House Pool.