Arrowhead Pt. 1

I suppose this blog is going to function as a nature journal the next couple of weeks. Inputs and outputs and whatnot, and staying up here in the mountains alone, plunged in silence and solitude, I am surrounded by nature constantly, which is going to form the bulk of the inputs, which I am quite fine with.

The weather is warm during the day and feels quite mild at night. The summer clouds bloom out and pile up high in the sky over the trees:

Far beyond the surrounding row of the trees you can make out the faint shimmering blue of the lake. You can hear the roar of motor boats all day on the weekends, and occasionally during the day on the weekdays. I don't imagine I'll be going down to the lake too often. The activity around the lake occupies some uncomfortable extremes from the exclusionary private shores to the highly commercialized Village bay on the south shore of the lake.  

Surrounding the lake are huge luxury homes, many of them vacation homes that are empty most of the year. I heard there was an actual ordinance that specified a minimum size that your home has to be in order to be built in the vicinity of the lake. Necessary to keep the real estate high and the riff raff out of course. The homes are surrounded by gates and fences. Coded locks and electronic swinging gates bar the way to most of the lakeside homes. There is an insane network of chain link fences that cover the docks and immediate shores, at least on the south side where we walked. Everywhere, hideous fences obstructed views and obnoxious signs promoted the manufacturers of the fences, or signs warned with large block font that this here is private property and you better stay out! 

Spanning one small section of the bay, which made up the yards of several huge homes, was an expanse of emerald green lawn absurdly transplanted over the mountain soil. I wonder how much water it took to water that thing? And considering there's been a drought and the lake is exceptionally low, the grass seemed quite green and healthy. It made me ponder whose priorities were being fulfilled first, no doubt. 

The Village is full of shops with expensive luxury goods. The land rents must be quite high and the landlords quite avaricious, because it seems the store turnout is pretty rapid. There's always someone going out of business whenever I've gone by. There's much wealth surrounding this lake. And most of the activities that occur on and around it are of an economic or at least exclusive nature. How do such communities form? Certainly population concentration coupled with economic principles of supply and demand set conditions for the composition of the residing community. But why here? Because of its beauty and remoteness, yet proximity to the Los Angeles area, another locus of wealth concentration perhaps?

But I'm getting carried away. Further away from the lake, there are plenty of modest homes that are scattered among the trees on the mountain. Plenty of humanity, and despite the high development and flows of traffic that pass through the Arrowhead and Big Bear areas, the natural ecosystems seem to be decently preserved. Back to nature!

Throughout the day there is constant bird chatter, all of it highly varying, which amounts to a steady drone that forms a sonic backdrop during the day. Small birds like hummingbirds respond with high frequency tones, while there are plenty of middle tones and even bass tones such as those coming from crows and other larger birds. There's tons of species here, which means tons of distinct voices. 

The Blue Jays and squirrels love to grab the peanuts I set out: 

Occasionally the Blue Jays squawk at the squirrels, or the cat which sits out on the deck and lays about fat and happy, watching the birds but never attacking:

Woodpeckers have come by for seeds and water: 

As well as some type of dove and a fascinating spotted bird with orange accents on its face and on the underside of its wings:

Many species of birds (and even squirrels) happily coexist around the feeders. Most of the time. They come to drink water, grab seeds, or bathe. They have quite an appetite, and the seeds must be refilled frequently. 

 It is satisfying to maintain a forum in which all sorts of animals can subsist and socialize and enjoy sustenance that you provide, which is markedly different than the experience of participating in a modern market-based society. In such a setting, you get to experience and enjoy the system of life you participate in, whereas in an office you are cloistered away, toiling towards invisible ends and satisfying phantom individuals that are equally unaware of your own existence.

Throughout the day and night cycle there occurs some fascinating movements of mass activity. In the morning and early day, there is a flurry of hummingbirds (which I'll get to later) and Blue Jays (if there are enough peanuts strewn about on the deck). Throughout the day, a fascinating array of species comes by the feeders. Small birds hop along the trees and decks, picking at the wood for insects. As the sun begins to drop, the bats come out, darting back and forth in the dusk air catching insects. Supposedly much later, a flying squirrel comes by the feeder. But these creatures are quite shy and afraid of the light. We've heard one scratching around in the tree above but have yet to see it. I guess an owl comes by here and there too. 

Beyond the trees, the sun sets out over a glittering San Bernardino which almost seems to glare beneath the twilight, as during the day its unfortunate population simmers under a noxious cloud of smog, which appears from the mountain road along the ridge as a thick soup that blankets the lowlands. Hills rise as black curves above the city lights in the distance, while behind them the horizon cycles through yellows, oranges, and then reds and pinks as the sky above goes from navy to black, with the moon rising amidst the stars beginning to twinkle into view. 

The crickets start in and the wind passes gently through the trees. 

More to come throughout the week.