Sometimes the change in nature around you is subtle, and you have to pay close attention to notice anything at all … a tree is in bloom for just a week and you will have to wait until next year if you miss it. You might get only a quick glimpse of the Western tanager right now in your backyard; it...

Let’s imagine you have a new neighbor. He is middle-aged, very reserved, and you wave at each other only when you pull out the garbage cans for the weekly pickup. One evening you notice three black cars in his driveway. They stay for about an hour, and you never see your neighbor again. There was obviously...

We are just recovering from the Lucifer storm, and 4 inches of rain have soaked the Newhall area. Many branches were flying in the air, and many trees tumbled down with the storm. My husband was surprised to see so many birds at our bird feeders in spite of the elements being out of control around us....

“I was somewhat delayed in getting to work because there was a dead bear on the side of the freeway,” my husband said about 30 years ago, just after we moved here from New York City. I think this is the sentence that allowed me to fall in love with California. Let me back up a bit so you can...

The holidays are upon us, and we all run from one activity to the next: parties, shopping, baking. Writing all those cards has become less of a chore since we send many more via the internet. But there are always those friends who send you a card in the last week, and you try to respond in a timely manner...

The Holiday Craft Fair is coming to Placerita Canyon Nature Center on Saturday, December 3 and 4, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day. At this time of year, there are many Holiday Boutiques throughout this valley but do not let your eyes glide past this news, because this one is totally different....

You went deer hunting and shot one. Now what do you do if you want to know how old it was? When I do research for these nature articles, I discover all kinds of interesting tidbits of information from a world unknown to me. It can be fascinating, what I stumble onto. If you are a hunter and you want...

A few weeks ago, it was 103 degrees when I heard a familiar sound in the sky above my head. I looked up and saw the “V” formation of birds in flight, and I recognized the honking of Canadian geese coming home for the winter. It was a strange experience. While I knew my body was in California, my...

On July 22, I saw a slender column of black smoke to the east. Because I am one of the volunteers who are called if there is a fire evacuation at Placerita, I called the Nature Center to find out if the fire was close. Frank Hoffman, recreation services supervisor, answered the phone. He told me all...

When your car leaves Placerita Canyon Road to enter Placerita Canyon Natural Area, you pass a large sign that says, “County of Los Angeles, Department of Parks and Recreation, in Partnership with California State Parks.” What does it all mean? Quite simply, the land is owned by the state, and the...