Home is where you long to be. As the saying goes, home is where the heart is.
Home is landscape. It is a sense of place.
Home is being with family and friends. It is unconditional love.
Home is beauty. It is whatever stirs the heart.
Home is wonder. It is whatever intrigues the mind.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

The Villain

The Villain by Joe Rocchio
The Villain, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Not quite a villain compared to other nonnative species like cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) or ventenata (Ventenata dubius), but this beautiful vetch (Vicia villosa) can be quite aggressive in disturbed areas of the Palouse.

Pine and Fescue Savanna

Pine and Fescue Savanna by Joe Rocchio
Pine and Fescue Savanna, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
The Pondersoa pine/Idaho fescue (Pinus ponderosa/Festuca idahoensis) savanna dominates the ridgeline of Kamiak Butte.

Sword Fern Surprise

Sword Fern Surprise by Joe Rocchio
Sword Fern Surprise, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Tucked away in a ravine along the north slope of Kamiak Butte is a moist forest community where this sword fern (Polystichum munitum) was found growing.

Beaming Blanketflower

Beaming Blanketflower by Joe Rocchio
Beaming Blanketflower, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Galliardia aristata

Pataha Bunchgrass Research Natural Area

Via Flickr:
Pataha Bunchgrass Research Natural Area, located on Umatilla National Forest, was established in 1968 to protect an excellent example of lower montane grasslands.

Lupine and Bunchgrass

Lupine and Bunchgrass by Joe Rocchio
Lupine and Bunchgrass, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Pataha Bunchgrass Research Natural Area, located on Umatilla National Forest, was established in 1968 to protect an excellent example of lower montane grasslands. This grassland is dominated by Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis) and bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegeneria spicata).

Colorful Hills

Colorful Hills by Joe Rocchio
Colorful Hills, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
The Palouse region of southeast Washington and western Idaho. View is from Steptoe Butte.

Cusick's Indian Paintbrush

Via Flickr:
I didn't stop to key this one out, so I'm not sure if this is a weird color variation of Thompson's Indian paintbrush (Castilleja thompsonii) or some other species.

UPDATE: Thanks to Mark Egger for pointing out that this species is actually Castilleja cusickii.

Before Our Time

Before Our Time by Joe Rocchio
Before Our Time, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Native prairie vegetation still covers much of Steptoe Butte. In the foreground is a nice example of what the Palouse prairie once looked like before our forebears converted it to agricultural fields.

Palouse River View

Palouse River View by Joe Rocchio
Palouse River View, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
View of the Palouse River valley, just upstream from Colfax, WA.

Native Palouse

Native Palouse by Joe Rocchio
Native Palouse, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Native prairie vegetation still covers much of Steptoe Butte. In the foreground is a nice example of what the Palouse prairie once looked like before our forebears converted it to agriculture fields.

Palouse Valley

Palouse Valley by Joe Rocchio
Palouse Valley, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
View of the Palouse River valley.

Kahlotus Grassland

Kahlotus Grassland by Joe Rocchio
Kahlotus Grassland, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
North slope of Kaholotus Ridgetop is dominated by Idahoe fescue (Festuca idahoensis). Kahlotus Ridgetop Natural Area Preserve is managed by the Washington Dept. of Natural Resources (Natural Areas Program) to protect the best remaining example of 'dry' Palouse prairie.

Bunchgrass Bonanza

Bunchgrass Bonanza by Joe Rocchio
Bunchgrass Bonanza, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Sagebrush Mariposa Lily (white variant)

Via Flickr:
Calochortus macrocarpus is found sporadically throughout the Palouse prairie and other grasslands and shrub steppe habitats in eastern Washington.

Canyon Grasslands

Canyon Grasslands by Joe Rocchio
Canyon Grasslands, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.
Via Flickr:
The canyon grasslands of the Snake River canyon and its immediate tributaries differ from the Palouse prairie by being drier and having less species diversity. Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), although an aggressive nonnative species, graces this photo with some nice color.

Nisqually John Canyon Grasslands

Via Flickr:
The canyon grasslands of the Snake River canyon and its immediate tributaries differ from the Palouse prairie by being drier and having less species diversity.

Sulpur Lupine (Lupinus sulphureus)

North Pacific Bald

North Pacific Bald by Joe Rocchio
North Pacific Bald, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Although most of western Washington is covered with thick, dense forests, non-forested vegetation is occassionaly encountered in places like wetlands, prairies and rock outcrops like these, which are locally called "balds".

California Oat Grass (Danthonia californica)

Via Flickr:
This beautiful grass is one of the few remaining native species that has been able to withstand farming and grazing impacts which have eliminated most of the native species from the grasslands at American Camp (San Juan National Historical Park).

Coastal Bluff

Coastal Bluff by Joe Rocchio
Coastal Bluff, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
This coastal bluff had few remaining native species (due to past heavy grazing), but its beauty against the backdrop of the Straits of Juan de Fuca remains intact.

Young Hill Evening

Young Hill Evening by Joe Rocchio
Young Hill Evening, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Oak Sunset

Oak Sunset by Joe Rocchio
Oak Sunset, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Late evening light through the canopy of an Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) woodland. Located at English Camp (Young Hill) at San Juan Island National Historical Park.

Canadian Horizons

Canadian Horizons by Joe Rocchio
Canadian Horizons, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Peaceful, Easy, San Juan Feeling

Late Light Through a San Juan Woodland

Harvest brodiaea (Brodiaea coronaria)

Via Flickr:
This little plant in the lily family is quite common in our grasslands here in western Washington.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

North Puget Sound Prairie Remnant

Via Flickr:
Native prairie remnant dominated by Roemer's fescue (Festuca roemeri). Located at American Camp (San Juan Island National Historical Park).

American Camp Prairie

American Camp Prairie by Joe Rocchio
American Camp Prairie, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Native prairie remnant dominated by Roemer's fescue (Festuca roemeri) and California oat grass (Danthonia californica). Located at American Camp (San Juan Island National Historical Park).

Texas Savanna

Texas Savanna by Joe Rocchio
Texas Savanna, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Live oak (Quercus fusiformis) and Ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei) savanna at Westcave Preserve (Texas).

Cypress Pool

Cypress Pool by Joe Rocchio
Cypress Pool, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) tree growing alongside a slow-moving creek. This riparian area was so lush compared to the relativley dry oak/juniper woodland found above the canyon walls.

Cypress King

Cypress King by Joe Rocchio
Cypress King, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) was a common component in this riparian area. Westcave Preserve, Texas Hill Country.

Taxodium Sky

Taxodium Sky by Joe Rocchio
Taxodium Sky, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
The canopies of these bald cypress trees (Taxodium distichum) were absolutely beautiful, especially against the bluebird skies.

Live Oak Woodland

Live Oak Woodland by Joe Rocchio
Live Oak Woodland, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Live oak (Quercus fusiformis) and Ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei) woodland at Westcave Preserve (Texas). The Texas Hill country has an interesting mix of eastern and western plants.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Live oak / Ashe Juniper Woods

Via Flickr:
Live oak savanna at the Westcave Preserve in the Texas Hill Country.

The Source

The Source by Joe Rocchio
The Source, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.
Via Flickr:
This beautiful, lush grotto is tucked away at the head of a narrow limestone canyon in the Texas Hill country.

Foundation

Foundation by Joe Rocchio
Foundation, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.
Via Flickr:
The muscular base of a really old western redcedar (Thuja plicata) tree.

Freehwheeling

Freehwheeling by Joe Rocchio
Freehwheeling, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.
Via Flickr:
Actually, these bats are anything but freewheeling. As 20 million of them emerge from Bracken Caven each spring and summer evening, they fly out in a very orderly fashion (in a spiral "vortex") with all bats flying in the same direction. The alternative is smacking into each other and falling to the ground where flesh-eating beetles, snakes, and other critters await.

www.batcon.org/index.php/get-involved/visit-a-bat-locatio...

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

The Bat Vortex

The Bat Vortex by Joe Rocchio
The Bat Vortex, a photo by Joe Rocchio on Flickr.
Via Flickr:
During spring and summer evenings, 20 million bats emerge from Bracken Cave (north of San Antonio, TX). They fly out of the cave in a spiral flight pattern. This bat colony is the largest congregation of mammals in the world. Watching them emerge is an absolutely amazing experience. Kudos to Bat Conservation International for protecting this and other bat colonies.

www.batcon.org/index.php/get-involved/visit-a-bat-locatio...