La Quinta Cove

About twenty people joined Jeff Smith for “Stories from the Early Days” last Saturday.  Although overcast at first, a rainbow (photo on the left, look closely) heralded sunshine well before the wind started to blow.  We got a great overview of the history of our community, and the evolution of how the city arrived at TODAY.  Next Nature Walk, February 18: “Wildflowers” so let’s hope for that rain!  Sponsored by the City of LQ and the Stewards of the Fred Wolff Nature Preserve.

Here’s a third “poem” from the December 17 Nature Walk:

The smell of creosote wafts through the air/as the tiny raindrops began to fall.  We began our walk into the layers of rocks/which form the base of these beautiful mountain ranges/ with the clouds covering the sun.  The usually colorful backdrop seems muted, yet serene.  As we march through this geologic wonder, the stories of ancient times flow through my thoughts/and I wonder how people in those days/could have survived this terrain/without all the modern day conveniences/of the current neighborhood/that I now see spread out below.

A hardy handful of nature enthusiasts trekked across the channel to get their creative juices flowing last Saturday morning (17th).  Led by Michelle Hedgecock, the group “soaked” up the views, fresh air, and charm of nature.  Circular drawings, called “mandalas” were created in pairs, with each person adding a circle of design to the previous work.  Above are some samples.

As for poetry, each hiker listed a series of words that expressed an impression that rainy/misty morning.  Then the words were given to another, who fashioned a poem using the words.  Here are two:

A grey bareeze rustles sleeping plants./I feel quite within this rugged landscape/Until a wispy chill awakens me.

Staggering and swaying/we climb up through the glorious mist/seeking expression on paper/as we gaze across/a majestic explosion of gnarled brush.  Graffiti-tainted boulders/clash with the calm, gracefully-falling snow/on the distant mountain.

Aren’t you sorry you missed it?     A couple more poems are saved for a future posting…..

Katie Barrows led a group of walkers across the Bear Creek storm channel for a great look across the Cove and Preserve.  We also learned about “desert varnish”.  Next Nature Walk, October 15.  Walks are sponsored by the City of La Quinta and the Stewards of the Fred Wolff Nature Preserve.

The new LQ Activities Guide is out, so don’t lose it:  It contains important events in the city between now and March.

Items that occur regularly that you might want to note are:

• Nature Walks along the Bear Creek Trail and Fred Wolff Nature Preserve are on the THIRD Saturday of each month, beginning on September 17.  They begin at 8:00 a.m. and always feature an expert on some outdoor topic.  In January, the Walks for Kids and Families will be on the SECOND Saturday, starting at nine.  It’s FREE.
• The Old Town Farmers Market begins on September 25, 8-12:30.  These will be every Sunday, with music starting at nine. 
• Story Time for toddlers continues at the Museum on the first Wednesday of the month at 10:00 a.m.  Parents and kiddies come for free.
• Art under the Umbrellas will have a full season in Old Town on selected Saturdays from 10 – 4. The first one is October 29.
• SilverRock will be closed during the month of October for overseeding.  Have fun in the meantime..
• The City of LQ sponsors some great excursions during the season.  The first is called “Museums Galore” scheduled forSeptember 24 to the museums and attractions in LA’s Exposition Park.  DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS THIS FRIDAY (9th).
• Don’t forget the beautiful and busy Fitness Center open Monday – Saturday in the Community Center.
• The possibility of an earthquake or other disaster always looms: are you ready?  Call Paul Hess at city hall for info on getting yourself and your household prepared.  777-7061.  Classes and written info await you….
• Look through your Activities Guide a hundreds of courses and activities.  Never a dull moment in La Quinta

Nature hikers were treated to the grand view of the Coachella Valley from a perspective HIGH in the Cove. The San Andreas fault was slightly visible from here, however not in this video.  We even learned how the word “Coachella” came into being.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrSgbVitjeM

A chuckwalla (one of the desert’s mysteries) was spotted and prompted this discourse by our leader, Katie Barrows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4ov9G2iWwU

This photo from Wikipedia:

A recent Nature Walk, sponsored by the City of La Quinta and the Stewards of the Fred Wolff Nature Preserve, focused on bird watching.  Here, Sandy Swan, local naturalist, discusses how to attract migratory birds to your own yard.

http://youtu.be/uyr36QC9F9o

YIKES!  This WAS the true Sahara mustard Mother Lode.  Three volunteers pulled twenty 39-gallon bags full Wednesday.  What fun.  Millions of seeds will not take root next year, thanks to a couple of hours’ work.  YOU TOO CAN HELP.  You can work around your own neighborhood or you can join the group on Saturday morning at eight, at the Tecate parking lot.  Bring your gloves and water and sun hat.  You’ll feel quite virtuous……