16: coastal forest

Dear Friend,

Hello and hugs! Today we are sharing some photos that Frank captured two days ago in a coastal forest near Big Sur, California.

The fog, the ocean mist and the healthy soil all contribute to the lush green of this forest. Because drought is difficult for moisture-loving plants, coastal redwood forests like this depend on moderate temperatures, good rainy seasons, and frequent fog year round.

Living greenery thrives in the nutrients of a dead tree.

Deep in the forest, sunshine reaches down through the canopy to brush the trunk of a redwood tree.

And a hero rests on a bed of not-so-moist moss. There will be rain again, soon.

As you might know, banana slugs are truly one of the heroes of the forest. If these gastropods are present, there is a good chance that the soil is rich in nutrients. Banana slugs can live to celebrate their 7th birthday and work pretty much their entire lives from birth to death devouring plant and animal waste and corpses, and depositing their special slug-droppings that fertilize the soil. Slugs and snails leave a trail of slime behind. They do use it to glide more easily along the ground, and it contains pheromones to attract mates and has been used in human skin care since ancient times. Hmm. Scientists have also studied the chemical make up of this very viscous slime, which has lead to the creation of life-saving surgical adhesives (through biomimicry, not by using actual slug slime in surgery). Anyway, Yay, slugs! Party hats all around! (The link to an informative Slug Facts Video follows this blog/letter).

Frank's solo trip to the forest on Friday was surprisingly quiet. As he walked along he enjoyed the bird song, and the sound of the distant surf, seagulls, crashing waves. He left the trail to follow the sound of rushing water and wound up at a series of little waterfalls...

...waterfalls that, just a bit further beyond this coastal redwood forest, will flow into the Pacific Ocean.

Imagine the journey.

We are grateful that you are here, reading Tracks by the Post, and we hope that when you have a moment, you will write to us, tell us about your adventures through a forest, give us your thoughts on slugs, or just let us know how you're doing.

Keeping you in our daily thanksgivings and wishing you a week that makes you glad,

Gently Be,

Leslie and Frank

PS: Here's the link to the Slug Facts Video