Fire Ecology

August 6, 2016Jessica Neafsey

Two weeks ago Friday, I left home as the #Soberanesfire crested and moved through these coastal mountains... Upon returning, it took my breath away to see one whole facade of my home covered in an incredible diversity of #moths and beetles, who all appeared to be resting... Among them I met this handsome guy.. A #ceanothussilkmoth, or #Hyalophoraeuryalus... What a time to emerge - these moths only live two weeks as an adult... This one was born into the chaparral's season of fire. Lacking a mouth or digestive system, these moths gain their wings and feathery antennae to seek out their mate... I would wear these colors and patterns in pursuit of the same, wouldn't you?!! Something sexy coming soon!!! #animacalifornia #everydayecology #ecoliteracy #conservation #connection #fortheloveofawildlife #fireecology

I implore you, people, to partake of the Earth medicine that my dear friend Day offers so beautifully! He’s giving a retreat at @1440multiversity this June....

Three bird photos in this upcoming exhibit at @artsbenicia ! I can’t wait to meet the artists and organizers, and see the other work that was selected for this show. I am grateful for every single opportunity to expand and connect in this wider community, rooted in art that celebrates nature. Opening reception next Saturday ❤️ #fineartphotography #reverence #avianart

Come on down to Artisans Row for our @carmel.chamber Mixer! @thestationaery bites and @scheid_vineyards vino ❤️ #artisansrow #carmelchamber #carmelbythesea

Getting excited for the Chamber Mixer here tomorrow night starting at 5 PM! Thank you @carmel.chamber for organizing this great event! We will each be hosting unique bites from @thestationaery and wine courtesy @scheid_vineyards. Lots of new prints in the shop including leopard shark, steelhead, monarch caterpillar, and more. See you tomorrow! XO Jessica

“And did you get what you wanted from this life, even so? I did. And what did you want? To call myself beloved, to feel myself beloved on the earth.” “Late Fragment” by Raymond Carver From A New Path to the Waterfall, Atlantic Monthly Press, 1989

Celebrating the opening of @montereybayaquarium ‘s new Bechtel Family Center for Ocean Education and Leadership. Designed by @markcavagneroassociates and built by @blachconstruction. What an incredible asset for our community, and heartfelt expansion of mission! Every inch of this place infuses me with hope for the future of our oceans - in a building that stands so tall and true in Cannery Row - once a symbol of how we took too much, to the near collapse of so much life in Monterey Bay.... Sometimes a “historic” building just needs to be completely rewritten ❤️

You gotta take a selfie when you’re having this good of a hair day! #carex #17miledrive #pebblebeach

Sunshine of the earth! 💛✨☀️ gold fields and maritime poppy #lookdown #17miledrive #pebblebeach #lasthenia #eschscholziacalifornicamaritima

Mother salvia!!! I’ve never seen more butterflies on one individual plant! On a trail lined with deerweed (acmipson glaber) - a larval host plant for many - including checkerspot and blue butterflies - you can expect the first nectar plant in sight to be popular! Dad shown for scale ❤️ #checkerspotbutterfly #bluebutterfly #salviamellifera #acmisponglaber #keepcalookinglikeca #plantnative #primaryproducers #firstlife #diversity

Shop is closed today - in honor of singing in the spring Wholehearted Choir concert today! 3-5 PM at Pacific Grove Performing Arts Center.. see previously posted flyer for more details 💛 Life affirming song shared in community - doesn’t get any better! #wholeheartedchoir #livewellsingmore

Put your f-ing soul first, for a change! Spring should make it easy... It’s so much bigger than your tiny little mind, always opting for comfort in the illusions of control, security, ownership... What would it look like to give your soul the amount of space and the time that it has been asking you for, since the day you were born? Why do you so often put it last? Not everyone remains in real connection with their own soul, in the course of a life. I truly believe that trauma can sometimes cause the soul to leave the body. The shamanic concept of “soul loss” is real, and tragic — maybe one of few things in life that is actually worth our tears. But isn’t it more tragic to have a soul, and to neglect it? What is it you are being called to? Listen..............

Save the date! Chamber Mixer here in Artisans Row.... #artisansrowcarmel #carmelbythesea

Watch out for those pink sand crabs at Carmel Beach!

I couldn’t say it any better, Day ❤️ @morningaltars Loving this memory, too! #Repost @morningaltars with @get_repost ・・・ Happy #earthday ! Which is a bizarre concept considering this is our home, our mother, our nourishment, our body, our coffin, our ancestry, our neighborhood, our life. But sure, yes, happy Earth Day. 🦋 Please join me today (or tomorrow or always) to say thank you to the Earth in her native language: WONDER. 🦋 Get outside and be awed by her curves, be floored by her color, be titillated by her scent and be enchanted by her other-than-human children. This will bring YOU more alive too. 🦋 If you’re called to give her a gift today, I hear she loves beauty. And if you do make her something, tag me - @morningaltars - I love getting teary eyed at your gorg creative gifts, fellow Earth kin. 🦋 May we all continue to feed this earth with more beauty today and always, so that generations we will never see have something beautiful to arrive to! ❤️

California Quail, Marbled Murrelet, and Snowy Owl - 3 images chosen for a special art exhibit this June in the North Bay — Enchanted Realm: Metaphors of Natural Design at Arts Benicia. Artists and Juror talk May 30th for members 6-7 PM, public reception June 1st 6-8 PM, Avian Science lecture by Nathan Lynch June 6th at 6:30 PM. These images are an intimate celebration of the evolutionary pattern language of the avian kingdom. Bird lovers, see you there! These images are also currently hanging in my shop window in Carmel. #snowyowl #californiaquail #marbledmurrelet #artsbenicia #fineartphotography #patternsofcalifirnia

Nurture your mother while you can ❤️

Such a sweet customer today - after purchasing some earrings and the dungeness crab scarf, (and a beautiful conversation with her and her husband) she sent me a pic of her dinner outfit 💓 Love to be a small part of people’s enjoyment of CALIFORNIA!!!! #patternsofcalifornia #carmelbythesea #pacificcoast #carmelbeach #dungenesscrab

“Walk with me and I’ll tell you a thousand stories, long ago given to the Earth....” Ajeet Kaur | Haseya

This particular bird (a California thrasher) has sung from the ridge top over this valley every day this past winter, usually in a shrub just down from my driveway. It took my breath away when it landed on my deck to sing for a while yesterday... I think because the bees are plentiful in the ceanothus below. So grateful to this one who sung us through all the hard, cold rains, so many mornings, even as it fell, when the rest of life was taking quiet shelter... I’m so glad you’re here!

One of the best parts of my life this year has been joining the Wholehearted Chorus. I hope you come hear us sing in one (or both!) of our spring concerts. I guarantee it will FILL YOU UP! We are singing so many beautiful, life-affirming songs. We are so lucky to have Lisa in our community - weaving our hearts together in this all-ages, non-audition choir. I recommend getting tickets for the PG concert in advance! Not to be missed! Swipe to see both flyers and please share! #wholeheartedchorus #thebirdsings #livewellsingmore

ANIMA promotes celebration of local biodiversity, while supporting ocean conservation through Mission Blue.