Everybody loves pine nuts

Today was a beautiful day with fog in the morning and warm sun in the afternoon. We ended up getting take-out chicken from the Side Street Kitchen - we are eating down our food, and ran out of protein as we prepare to move to the next location.

In the book from last night, we are moving down the peaks from highest to lowest, and so we are in the second-highest elevation trees, down one layer below the Bristlecone and Jefferies with their gnarled trunks. Now we have arrived at the famous Pinyon pine. Here in the US, the Southwest grows what is known as Pinyon or Colorado Pine (Pinus edulis), which is commercially available and very buttery and sought after, but much more expensive and less available. Most of the pine nuts we eat are European or Asian and come from the Stone Pine (Pinus pinea) and the Korean Pine (Pinus koraiensis).

Here is a fun article about where the trees grow in the US and the importance of the Clark's Nutcrackers and Pinyon Jays.

Have a glorious evening. Here is an (unlocked) delicious NYT recipe for tomato-poached fish. I recommend making it while the tomatoes are great and plentiful.

Sending oodles of love,

Tawnia

Bird List - 41 species today

California Quail
Anna's Hummingbird
Allen's Hummingbird
Western Gull
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Cooper's Hawk
Acorn Woodpecker
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Western Flycatcher
Black Phoebe
Warbling Vireo
Steller's Jay
California Scrub-Jay
Common Raven
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Purple Martin
Cliff Swallow
Bushtit
Wrentit
Pygmy Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Pacific Wren
Bewick's Wren
European Starling
Western Bluebird
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
Dark-eyed Junco
Song Sparrow
California Towhee
Spotted Towhee
Brewer's Blackbird
Wilson's Warbler