I took a hike up at Black Diamond Mines today!
By The Horse
@TheHorse (218798)
Walnut Creek, California
March 29, 2021 8:06pm CST
I took a solo hike today up at Black Diamond Mines, where I used to take the "troubled" kids hiking before they (whoever "they" is) defunded our mentor program.
I've gotten to know the area pretty well, and am interested in things like: when do the Indian Paintbrush flowers first appear?; when do the Indian Warrior flowers first appear?; when is the greenest day of the early Spring?; When do the rattlesnakes first appear?
But I also like to just sit and look over the terrain, thinking as little as possible. I'll attach a photo I took today of the cattle grazing in the green hills. I still saw some brown in some of the hills, but I don't know if the most "Ireland green" day has passed or is yet to come.
I also saw both Indian Warrior and Indian paintbrush today! I'll attach picture of those in later posts. No rattlesnakes, though. Lemme know if you want to come with me next time I go.
31 people like this
30 responses
@TheHorse (218798)
• Walnut Creek, California
30 Mar 21
@sophie09 Yes. Our hills become beautiful and green when most Americans are still shoveling their driveways of snow. But then, when most Americans are enjoying the joy of the first blooms in the trees, our hills are already yellow, soon to be brown.
5 people like this
@toniganzon (72281)
• Philippines
30 Mar 21
@TheHorse Sure if we could go somewhere to do that. we need to go out of the city to hike.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (218798)
• Walnut Creek, California
30 Mar 21
@toniganzon Understood. But there are beautiful areas throughout the Philippines, right?
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@kaylachan (69665)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
30 Mar 21
Happy you didn't find any rattle snakes. Those suckers are quite dangerous.
3 people like this
@kaylachan (69665)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
30 Mar 21
@TheHorse But, aren't they poisoniess too?
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@TheHorse (218798)
• Walnut Creek, California
30 Mar 21
@kaylachan No. I've eaten rattlesnake. Their flesh is not poisonous. But they ARE venomous. They will make you feel ill if they bite you. (I learned the distinction between poisonous and venomous from my high school biology teacher.)
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (106226)
• Marion, Ohio
30 Mar 21
I would love to. But then I wouldnt want to leave.
3 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (106226)
• Marion, Ohio
30 Mar 21
@TheHorse It depends where you are at in Ohio. We are in a flat spot. But the southern part is very hilly and rolling.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (218798)
• Walnut Creek, California
30 Mar 21
@wolfgirl569 What is the next State South? I went to a Reds game. But I have not gone South from there. Is it still Kentucky?
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (46951)
• India
30 Mar 21
The name suggests that once Diamond was mined on these hills? Is that true?
You trekked to this place or used a motorable road?
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@ptrikha_2 (46951)
• India
31 Mar 21
@TheHorse
Oh so now these places are no longer used for coal mining?
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (46951)
• India
31 Mar 21
@TheHorse
Are those industries still functional? Or did they relocate?
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@cherigucchi (14876)
• Philippines
30 Mar 21
That was an amazing adventure. My eldest loves hiking and she did it the other week as her birthday present to herself. Glad she came home safe. I was a bit worried.
3 people like this
@xander6464 (44241)
• Wapello, Iowa
30 Mar 21
....before they (whoever "they" is) defunded our mentor program.
--------------Will you Libs quit complaining already? How are we supposed to keep giving tax breaks to billionaires AND fund mentor programs? Why don't you ask for food and shelter for the poor while you're at it? We have billionaires that don't have car elevators in the garages of their 4th vacation homes! Think about them for once!
1 person likes this
@xander6464 (44241)
• Wapello, Iowa
30 Mar 21
@TheHorse And have you priced yachts lately?
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (218798)
• Walnut Creek, California
30 Mar 21
@xander6464 Is it a buyer's or seller's market? I am trying to "thin the herd," as they say.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (79833)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
30 Mar 21
That looks so lovely. If I did not know where the photo was taken I would have thought about Ireland, I love the look of those flowers called paintbrush,
3 people like this
@cherigucchi (14876)
• Philippines
30 Mar 21
@TheHorse Wow! That was really amazing. I am looking forward doing that as a family.
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@TheHorse (218798)
• Walnut Creek, California
30 Mar 21
@cherigucchi It's fun going as a group. Everyone sees things differently.
2 people like this
@oahuwriter (26777)
• United States
13 Dec 22
Beautiful and calming place. I'm a homebody, so a nice shopping trip is what I like.
1 person likes this
@oahuwriter (26777)
• United States
14 Dec 22
@TheHorse
I see. Nature gives us so much beauty to enjoy!
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14761)
• San Jose, California
31 Mar 21
I saw a lot of deer in the hills this morning on my way to work. I think they're enjoying the fresh grass too. Everything will be yellowed and on fire sooner than we'd like.
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@TheHorse (218798)
• Walnut Creek, California
14 Dec 22
@spiderdust I don't know that I've heard of tule elk. They're larger than deer, right?
@TheHorse (218798)
• Walnut Creek, California
13 Dec 22
Yeppers. It's our fate here in Northern California every year. It's December 2022 now. Ain't time travel fun? Soon those hills will be green again. I always do at least a couple of solo hikes up there (every year). I miss taking kids up there. I'm actually writing a book chapter right now that talks about the effects of hiking there (and in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills) on a particular kid.
@spiderdust (14761)
• San Jose, California
14 Dec 22
@TheHorse Ooh, a jump back in time with this post!
Turns out those "deer" I was seeing on my way to work each morning are actually tule elk. This is a photo from late summer, although the hills are considerably greener right now.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (178568)
• United States
30 Mar 21
Lovely photo. I wish I could come with you; but unfortunately I'm not able to! Have a good week.
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@TheHorse (218798)
• Walnut Creek, California
13 Dec 22
@LindaOHio Are those from bulbs? I forget!
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@LindaOHio (178568)
• United States
31 Mar 21
@TheHorse I did see some daffodils in our front flower bed.
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