June 11, 2021

firecracker flowers & ring-necked snakes

The wildflowers are wrapping up their blooms as we head into summer here on the mountain, but I found this picture I took a few weeks ago that I wanted to share with you. These firecracker flowers, Dichelostemma ida-maia, are native to Northern California but they aren't something we see all that much around here. This one was especially beautiful.

I spent a few days in the Bay Area this week taking care of a few things and visiting with some friends. It was really lovely. While I was gone, Joe found a baby ring-necked snake that had suffered some trauma but could still move a bit. We tried our best to nurse it back to health, but sadly, it didn't make it.

Rest in peace, little one.

a small green and orange ring-necked snake

Erik Ireland

Storyteller & Certified Mindfulness Teacher

Not Irish at all, I'm first generation Norwegian American, and a bit of an extroverted recluse. You'll usually find me in Northern California at the tiny off-grid cabin I share with my husband Joe, our good dog Bodhi, and a black cat named Ninja and his tabby sister Ashi.

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