Lisa

Mt Whitney, at sunset, from Lone Pine.

Biggest rock in the lower 48.

Sequoias in the Sierra. Meadow Grove Loop. One of the better-known groves with conditions that were perfect for these trees 1000 years ago—presumably a fire hot enough to burn off a fair amount of undergrowth. Currently, young fir are growing underneath which increases fire risk. Historically,these old trees benefit from low intensity fires keeping the undergrowth cleared out, but fire suppression efforts have changed the equation. In recent fires, a significant number of old sequoias have died. Can new ones germinate if the soil gets too hot? Will today’s climate support a new millennium of sequoias?

My son insisted that we see both the redwoods and sequoias on this trip ❤️. The interpretive signs were such a great reminder of the ways that all life on this planet is in such flux, and adapts so creatively to so many conditions. We are having so many #fireecology discussions as we drive.

Lots of beauty on the road today but I really liked this sign in a small town at the southern foothills of the Sierra.

Best sign of the day.

Bark on an old ponderosa pine.

I love looking at tree bark up close.

King Canyon area at sunset.

Last night’s view. Reminded us of home, just a little. My son was in awe and as we stood there, I thought of the throughline—40 years ago, I backpacked here before starting college. Now my son is enjoying a similar sense of wonder in the Sierras. I’d forgotten how much I loved this place, too.

Sunset in the mountains of Sequoia/Kings Canyon NP

Smog makes for some beautiful sunsets.

My eldest and I savored some wonderful Armenian food in Fresno, then enjoyed aromatic incense cedar and ponderosa pines. Sequoias were so big I couldn’t do justice with my camera. Then we descended into an agricultural valley with a new cacophony of odors.

Oooh, this looks fun.

They have demonstrated more restraint than we have in recent years. Not behaved like the bogeyman they’ve been made out to be but rather reasoned in their responses to our ridiculous affronts. Like they are managing a toddler.

View looking up at old growth redwoods in Humboldt region of CA. Sun streaming through.

It has always been difficult to wonder if redwoods will survive humans and our impacts on the planet but certainly they never fail to inspire in me, awe, humility, grief, and a sense of grace and continuity. Not quite geologic time, but close.

DST?

View looking up at redwoods in the Tall Trees Grove, CA.

Photos never do them justice. My youngest humored me with dawdling a couple days in one of my favorite regions on our road trip. Day 2 about to start.

Americans aren't facing a democratic collapse. We’re living in its aftermath | Eric Reinhart The US was an oligarchy well before Trump’s first term. Recognizing this reality is essential to building a true democracy

How do we approach our current problems with this understanding?

www.theguardian.com/global/comme...

Is there any other candidate?

Fully sane option exists, too: www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills...

North America time change policy in map form.

Agreed!

States can decide to do this. Alaska’s HB 229 would end it this year! Because we are too far west in our time zone, this makes sense for us.

States cannot independently decide to change their time zone, or do “permanent Daylight Time”, without federal approval.

More than a little. It-gasp-almost-gasp-sounds…fun?

You are amazing.

They wrote “Who’s Afraid of Gender.” My oldest child handed it to me for Christmas one year and entreated me to actually read it. I read it.

Why am I having Déjà vu? Oh, wait, Ronnie couldn’t remember the details of the Iran-contra stuff, either.

This article relies on outdated information from last spring. Amended bill is way different than what they describe here, and reflects excellent negotiations that have since taken place for the benefit of all. ADN has been notified and are hopefully correcting.

Keep it up. It is hard to even know what to visualize anymore.

BC will regret the change to make winter mornings darker. We need permanent Standard Time in AK for sure, because we already have “double daylight time”—or more, in some places.

Tell your legislators this. Because one bill in the AK House can end it this year; 2 would put us in limbo awaiting federal action to make our winter mornings darker.

Honestly, this is why the bluff and bluster about increasing fossil fuel dominance doesn’t worry me as much as some of the other crazy stuff. I think industry knows better than to start anything right now. Too much risk.

I think a lot of people feel that way. AK can decide to end the switch this year by going with permanent Standard Time. Any option that asks to change time zone requires federal action which delays the end of DST indefinitely. There will be akleg hearings soon on some bills.

and would make our winter mornings darker, later. Around 11:30 on the winter solstice in Anchorage.

pST would reduce sleep deprivation, and thereby improve student outcomes and reduce suicide rates.

Alaska can opt for pST which would give us more morning light spring, summer, fall.

However, if Alaska tries to go with “permanent Daylight Time,” that requires federal approval,

Provides. If a state (like AK) that needs permanent Standard Time could recognize this and agree to end it, it would be done. BC is displacing their clock and sun further and they may regret not going to permanent ST.