Santa Ynez Stars

Santa Ynez offers breathtaking panoramic views of the stars and planets as I described last night. And it also has another kind of star: Shootingstar wildflower. They aren't ubiquitous like poppies or lupine so finding them is a treat.

One of the things I enjoy about hiking in Woodstock Ranch or the Sedgwick Reserve is the "treasure hunt" aspect. Hunt may be the wrong word because that implies a directed search. Maybe it's more like beachcombing. Nature has surprises tucked away on this rare property. It's somewhat like the Dr. Seuss book McElligott's Pool. "You never know what you'll catch in McElligott's Pool." That was one of my favorites as a child.

Franz and Anke and I went for a walk the other day on the flat, eastern portion of Ridgeline Ranch where it borders Sedgwick Reserve and found some Owl Clover. It's fairly easy to see how Shootingstars got their name, but I'm still pondering the derivation of Owl Clover. Clover yes, but Owl Clover for a pink, white and yellow blossom befuddles me.

SantaYnez Greens

Santa Ynez has so many different shades of green in the spring. I imagine a copywriter for a paint company coming up with catchy names to capture the essence of the colors: Sag Harbor Green, Arctic Green, Sprout Green, Slate Green, Marsh Green - well, maybe not Marsh Green. That could evoke an unpleasant image. I'm posting a photo of the panoramic view from Ridgeline Ranch. What monikers can you come up with?

I suppose some may have thought the title of this posting referred to golf greens. I'm not much of a golfer - I once won a prize once for high gross - but I do know there are several courses in the Valley. The River Course at Alisal Ranch is in Solvang. It's a gorgeous public course. The Alisal also has a private course. Continuing west toward the ocean, Buellton has the Zaca Creek Course and Lompoc has La Purisima. Traveling east, we're about fifteen minutes from Rancho San Marcos which is situated off Highway 154, the route over a mountain pass between Santa Ynez and Santa Barbara. And, of course, Santa Barbara has golf courses, too.

Part of what makes Ridgeline Ranch such a rare property is its proximity to both wilderness and civilization.

Santa Ynez Birding

Lazuli Bunting
Originally uploaded by idahobirder

Santa Ynez skies are clearing. The birds are starting to sing, ready to emerge from their shelter under the foliage of the oaks and sage.

Yesterday I saw a lazuli bunting, a bird which migrates here from Mexico during the summer breeding season. Here's a picture of one of these beauties. I think I can hear one singing now, waiting for the rain to end. The song is a high strident series of warbled syllables.

Each male Lazuli Bunting sings just one song made up of a series of different syllables that is unique to him. Young males fly into on the breeding grounds without a song of their own. Shortly after arriving, a young male develops his own song. It might be a unique rearrangement of syllables, combinations of song fragments of several males, or a copy of the song of one particular older male.

Many, many people here in Santa Ynez Valley enjoy nature. There are always opportunities to learn more. I've mentioned the docent training classes at the Sedgwick Reserve. Lake Cachuma has docent training as well. Also, it features weekly birding cruises. Visitors are often treated to the sight of bald eagles who nest on the northern shore of the lake. It's thrilling to see these majestic birds in flight against the panoramic view of the mountains.

The eagles visit us in Woodstock Ranch occasionally. One afternoon as I was driving home I spotted a large bird on the ground. The bend in the road interruupted my view. When I turned the corner, there was a bald eagle feasting on a ground squirrel!

The Wildling Art Museum sponsors two multi-session of bird watching classes each year. They are taught by Fred Emerson, an MD who went back to school at Cornell to become an orinthologist. He's a marvelous teacher.

I have taken his classes at different times of the year to see different migratory species. The spots we visited included Zaca Lake north of Los Olivos to Lake Cachuma to Goleta to the Santa Ynez River as it runs through Solvang.

Santa Ynez has its own Natural History Society as does Santa Barbara. Both offer lectures periodically. Santa Barbara has a wonderful museum of natural history which is only thirty minutes away from Ridgeline Ranch.

All in all, I think this is a great place to live.

Santa Ynez Views

Santa Ynez views are generally pastoral - no nighttime vistas of sparkling city lights here! But even in the context of rural scenery there are variations.

I visited a gorgeous home in Ballard Canyon Friday. The area is a favorite of bicyclists because of the winding steep hills. In fact, this year the Amegen Tour of California time trial included this route as did the Solvang Century. From the top of Ballard Canyon the view includes Los Olivos and Solvang almost all the way to Buellton. The scenery is reminiscent of the Hudson Valley School of Art - pastoral with humans and nature coexisting peacefully. The rolling pastures were typically separated by white fences. The hilltops were crowned with homes and barns. I'd say at least 75% of the view was green, and it was all beautiful.

The panoramic vista from Ridgeline Ranch is virtually all wilderness. As I look north toward Grass Mountain and Figueroa Mountain, I see no buildings. I suspect this absence contributes to the sense of tranquility and seclusion that I feel here.

One is no better than the other. It's a matter of personal taste. But I like the idea that because my view is protected wilderness, it will remain that way. That's part of what makes this a rare property.

Santa Ynez Flora - part 3

Santa Ynez has so many different wildflowers I feel justified in devoting at least one more posting to them.

I guess it's easy to tell I love nature. That's one reason why this green house built with energy conservation in mind appealed so much to me. But the overriding reason was the house's location with its panoramic view. tranquility and sense of seclusion. Ridgeline Ranch is my retreat. I didn't buy it as a retirement home, but I can't imagine anywhere better to "retire" to.

Back to flowers.

Here's a field of lupine with Grass Mountain in the back. You should be able to see swaths of orange on the mountain which are fields of California poppy.

And here's a closer view of poppies:

Santa Ynez Flora

Chocolate Lily (Fritillaria biflora) is a species of plant nativ
Originally uploaded by mikebaird

Santa Ynez has an amazing variety of flora and fauna. This morning we had a class on wildflowers for docents and docents in training at the Sedgwick Reserve.

It's easy to understand why Duke Sedgwick longed to buy this property for years. It was only after oil was discovered on his smaller parcel at Corral de Quati to the west was he able to afford what was then called Rancho La Laguna de San Francisco.

Duke was an artist - excelling as a sculptor - and a writer. He cherished the tranquility and seclusion the ranch afforded. He desired to leave the ranch which he described as a "large area of pristine beauty" to UCSB to "create a conjunction of land and learning."

With almost 6,000 acres, the Reserve itself has an incredible assortment of both flora and fauna. Unfortunately, as with much of California, even this rare property has been invaded by non-native plants. Some panoramic views include swaths of bright yellow which is mustard, a plant introduced by the Spanish as they explored Calfornia. Legend has it that the Spanish padres sprinkled mustard seed as they walked from one mission to the next so the flowers would reveal the route the following year.

However, the chocolate lily shown here is a true native. Its name comes from the color - not the scent as is the case with another lily. Other natives includes the Mariposa lily which is a lovely white with pink markings. I'll try to put up an image of that.

This is just a quick note. I'm off to dinner with my friend Doris Banchik, the best real estate agent in the Valley. She works for Sotheby's.

Santa Ynez Sedgwick Reserve

Santa Ynez is blessed to include Sedgwick Reserve. I've alluded to it several times and thought I should explain a bit more about it. It is regarded as the "crown jewel" of the University of California Natural Reserve System.

Here's why:

Encompassing 24 square kilometers (9.2 square miles) on the southern slopes of the San Rafael Mountains, the Sedgwick Reserve spans an elevational range of 500 meters (1,650 feet) and is noted for both its large size and environmental heterogeneity. The reserve contains two distinctive geologic formations: relatively young Paso Robles alluvium and much older Franciscan metamorphosed seafloor, including large areas of serpentine. Diverse vegetation types include coast live oak forest, blue oak woodland, valley oak savannah, buckbrush chaparral, coastal sage scrub, grassland, willow riparian forest, serpentine outcroppings, and agricultural lands. The site contains major portions of two watersheds and a variety of localized wetland habitats, notably vernal pools. The region has a rich Native American heritage, and at least one Middle Chumash habitation site (1,500 to 2,000 years old) rests on site. The reserve’s large size enables research of varying scales on native ecosystems.

Francis Minturn Sedgwick and his wife Alice DeForest Sedgwick purchased the land in 1952, using it to run cattle and as a family retreat. Because both were avid riders, the ranch included equestrian facilities. In 1997, it passed into the University of California Reserve System as a result of their bequest of the bulk of the land and a purchase of the remainder by the Santa Barbara Land Trust and other individuals. In connection with the funding, an agricultural easement was placed on several hundred acres which had both vineyard potential and potential for growing other crops. For those of you interested in genealogy, Francis and Alice Sedgwick were the parents of Edie Sedgwick, Andy Warhol's muse, and were also distant relatives of Kyra Sedgwick.

A recent benefactor of the Reserve is the Tipton Foundation whose gifts have led to solar power, improved roads and, most significantly, a meeting house built to the highest standards of energy conservation. It is a model for those who want to go "green."

Today scientific research is conducted on the Reserve as well as public education, aimed principally at elementary school children. The Reserve has an active corps of docents who lead public hikes once a month and act as teachers for the visiting students.

I've enjoyed my association with the Reserve as a docent tremendously. In fact, there is a class this morning in "Duke" Sedgwick's old art studio about local wildflowers. Gotta go learn more about the bright patches of color now appearing on my panoramic view.

Santa Ynez Swimming Hole

Santa Ynez has many informal swimming holes in addition to the terrific pool at the YMCA. Fritz and Anke happen to favor the horse trough on Live Oak Road in Woodstock Ranch. Here's a picture of them going for a swim - which is what prompted yesterday's trip to the groomer!

Woodstock has several of these troughs to accomodate residents who trail ride. I see riders on these trails almost every day. Not many of the second home folks who use their property as a retreat keep horse here, but lots of the full time residents do and have extensive equestrian facilities.

My nearby neighbors have Peruvian Paso Finos, Missouri Trotters and Icelandic horses. My old guy Cinch is a quarter horse who is enjoying his retirement from cutting competitions. Cutting is a cowboy sport based on the horse and rider's skill in cutting (or separating) a cow out from the herd. The horse is the skilled part of the equation. The rider's job is mostly staying out of the horse's way and in the saddle.

Some of the homes in Woodstock are in flat areas and others, like mine, are on ridges. Trails give the flatlanders a chance to appreciate the panoramic views from the highground. Only a handful of parcels abut the Sedgwick Reserve, and Ridgeline Ranch is a rare property having seculsion, tranquility and vistas over thousands of acres.

Santa Ynez Scenery

Santa Ynez has such gorgeous weather today (mid-70s), I decided to go for a ride while Fritz and Anke were at the groomers. I picked up a Cachuma Chicken sandwich at Los Olivos Grocery and headed up Figueroa Mountain. Wildflowers blanket the roadside, and the panoramic view from the top is spectacular. Although the area is now mostly protected wilderness, a few homes were built in the last century. Some are second homes, some are retirement homes. A few homes, like ours, were built to converse energy and qualify as "green construction." These are rare properties. 

Unfortunately, I'd depleted the battery in my camera by the time I got to the top so I'll share with you a shot of Grass Mountain, also in the same mountain range. You'll notice orange splotches on the mountainside which are masses of California poppies. Spectacular!

For a number of years, Lance Armstrong and his team trained on Figueroa Mountain for the Tour de France. The Santa Ynez Valley is full of biking enthusiasts. The Amgen Tour of California has held its time trials in Solvang the last two years. There are also events for amateur riders - albeit serious amateurs. The Solvang Century (100 miles) was held last month.

While these events are interesting, I'm glad that none are scheduled - or will ever be scheduled - in Woodstock Ranch. My home is on a relatively short (1.5 mile) road that deadends so we have very, very little traffic and no noise. The tranquility and seclusion is marvelous.

Santa Ynez Morning Fog

Santa Ynez Valley was blanketed in fog this morning as happens from time to time in the spring. It adds an air of mystery to the landscape as it obscures valleys allowing only peaks to be seen. The fog hid the panoramic view I have in virtually all directions. It burned off a couple of hours ago but here's a picture of Fritz I took as the sun was rising. 

He and Anke are going for a trip to the groomer in Los Olivos this afternoon. They enjoy the TLC and I enjoy sipping a class of Brander Sauvignon Blanc in the Los Olivos Cafe while I wait. 

When I moved to the Santa Ynez Valley, I was worried I'd miss the sophistication of the city but that hasn't been the case at all. Together, Solvang, Los Olivos and Santa Ynez offer a wide variety of shops and restaurants - even live theater at Solvang's PCPA.  I'm amazed at what's available just minutes away from my ridgeline retreat. 

Yellow-billed Magpie

Yellow-billed Magpie
Originally uploaded by amkhosla

Success! Here's a picture of magpies showing their beautiful plumage. The photographer noted the birds' "graphic" quality which seems just right. She wrote that, unfortunately, she had to travel two hours to see them.

We're lucky to have them right here in the Santa Ynez Valley - especially given that they favor Long Valley Road here in Woodstock Ranch.

Being visited by yellow-billed magpies is just one of the blessings of Ridgeline Ranch, a rare property with a panoramic view of Sedgwick Reserve.

Santa Ynez Tranquility

One of my favorite times of the day is morning when I sit on my patio with a mug of coffee. The panoramic view of the Sedgwick is so serene. I feel as if I'm on a retreat.

The deep silence is broken only by the call of birds. Until I left the buzz of the city and moved here, I could barely tell one bird from another. Now I know their names as well as their migratory patterns. The arrival of the red-breasted house sparrows and bright lesser goldfinch tell me Spring has arrived. The yellow-billed magpie stays with us all year because its habitat is quite limited. I must admit that with their raucous squawk and flashing black and white wings they are my favorite.

As I watch the house sparrows build their nests out of twigs and bits of lichen, I think how right it is that this house was built according to exacting green standards. It feels organic, like part of the surroundings on this rare parcel adjacent to the Sedgwick Reserve.

Although we had thought of taking advantage of the vineyard potential of the large flat area abutting the Sedgwick, I'm glad we didn't. I love walking down the old ranch road and picking wildflowers that blanket this parcel. There is a riot of yellow violets, lupine, poppies and more that I can't name.

It's hard to believe that this tranquil retreat is only ten minutes from Santa Ynez, 15 minutes from Solvang and 30 minutes from Santa Barbara.

Santa Ynez Serenity

My dogs (Anke on the left and Fritz on the right) and I went for a walk this afternoon. Here's a view of them on a rise opposite Ridgeline Ranch with the Ranch and its major view behind them. If you click on this picture or any of the others in this blog, the photo will be enlarged to fill your screen - demonstrating in detail what handsome animals these two are!

The temperature was perfect today and we trekked around Woodstock Ranch. Santa Ynez has several residential areas. We live in Woodstock Ranch, a collection of approximately one hundred 20-acre parcels, many of which have superb equestrian facilities. Several of the owners originally purchased their ranches as second homes and now live in them full time during their retirement.

Ridgeline Ranch has a large pasture facing Live Oak Road on the western edge of the property and a large flat area on the eastern edge where it abuts Sedgwick Natural Reserve owned by UCSB. (The Live Oak pasture is shown below in the Wildflowers Galore photo.) The flat area adjacent to the Sedgwick has vineyard potential or could be the site of a barn or an arena.

Sedgwick encompasses almost 6,000 acres or more than nine square miles! Check out the Reserve at http://nrs.ucop.edu/Sedgwick.htm. Ridgeline Ranch is a rare property because few parcels abut the Sedgwick. I always feel that Ridgeline Ranch is like an oceanfront home except, in this case, it fronts pristine California foothills offering a panoramic view and ultimate tranquility and seclusion. And not many oceanfront homes are built with a similar concern for the environment. Our home on Ridgeline Ranch is a green building and received expedited permitted from Santa Barbara county because it was so eco-friendly.