Intersections with the natural world the past few days: I studied water skeeters in a hill pond Tuesday; a brilliant design by mother nature. They float on 6 legs; 4 long ones for skittering and 2 short legs in front. They move mostly with breaststrokes of the 2 front legs and when startled just zoom. I was transfixed, watched them for 5 minutes or so, the fact they float on their legs…Doug saw a young mountain lion; we always look for the long tail to be sure it’s not a big bobcat…Yes, a long tail, he said, also that it appeared to be a young one, with spots on its skin…I saw a big healthy coyote crossing the road Tuesday night…Yesterday I paddled my kayak across the bay and dug clams…saw 4 of the huge American Pelicans; wingspan of 8-10 feet…harvested some seaweed — Macrocystis integrifolia, a smaller cousin of giant kelp; I’ve been bringing home all kinds of seaweed and this one appears promising. It’s flavorful, with salt crystals that sparkle when it’s dried. I’m grinding it and using it instead of salt on meat, vegetables. salad.

Summertime by The Zombies on Grooveshark

There was something about yesterday morning. I don’t know if it was wind dying down or phase of moon or planetary alignment or Spring rains making hills richly green, but it was exquisite. I’m not a fan of merely clear skies and warm sunshine (Isn’t it a beautiful day? — No it’s not). But this was a California blue-sky, verdant green growth, good smelling fresh morning. Just a socks knocker-offer.

A blue jay — actually a California Scrub Jay — somehow got into the office and was knocking things over trying to escape and I caught him. He calmed down after a while and seemed copacetic in my hands. (I’ve practiced getting the right non-threatening grip with chickens; when you hold them gently and firmly, they relax.) Regarding me with an inquisitive eye — they’re highly intelligent birds, members of the corvid family, as are crows and ravens. When my grandson Maceo returned from a walk with his mom, we let him go. He flew up to the roof, regarded us for a moment and then took off for his wild world.

There were a bunch of these hopping around on a lawn yesterday pulling worms out of holes. I love the eye decoration. He seemed to know I was there, hopped around, posing…I’ve started focussing manually instead of relying on autofocus. Takes longer, but pics are sharper.

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Late yesterday afternoon I went for a paddle. It was glassy, no surf, like Lake Tahoe. I headed out towards the reef, paddling directly into sun low on horizon. You never know with the ocean. It can be gnarly and unfriendly, or lovely and perfect. Which it was yesterday. No surfers at all.

   My paddleboard (Joe Bark 12′ Surftek) just flew on the smooth water, it felt like the sun was pulling me, I had a wake. Ready to head for Hawaii. Well, not.

I got some seaweed at the reef, started paddling back. Up in front of me was a Western Grebe, floating. Elegant black and white head and neck. He didn’t seem concerned as I got closer. Then he dove, just under the surface, completely submerged, spun around, then came up and gulped down the little fish he’d snagged.

   I got closer and closer and this dude was not concerned. I passed within a few feet of him and he just kept up swimming, diving, eating. I hung out with him for maybe 5 minutes. What a great end to the day.

   Occasionally an animal (or bird) lets me into their world. Field mice around my feet when I was 12, conversations with owls (several times), a loon that rocketed underneath my paddleboard one day, an elegant grey fox that used to show up when we barbecued, coyotes more than once with their penetrating savvy out in the hills…

   Dried out seaweed on woodstove last night, this morning turned it to rough powder in the blender, now putting on eggs, meat, potatoes. Salt + ocean flavors.

Photo: Wikipedia (no indication of photographer)