About

Why I came out west and stayed.

Go outside, play, tell a story.

That's how I intend to spend the rest of my days.
I hope to inspire you to do the same.

My name is Cindy, I am a biologist and wanderer, fortunate to have landed on 900 acres of critters, plants, weather and hard work.  In 2007 as part of my job as a biologist with the  Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, I move onto the Dipper Ranch, a nature preserve and cattle ranch.  Now, in addition to my regular weekday job managing natural resources on 26 preserves, I spend 'weedends' and long summer evenings chopping thistles, fixing spring boxes, shooing loose cattle and documenting the ecology of the Dipper Ranch.

photo by VY Becker in the Tetons

My goal with this website is to describe the natural history of the Santa Cruz Mountains - the rugged, wild peninsula below San Francisco and the mountain range forming the Dipper Ranch environs.  Occasionally, I slip into ranch culture, local history and trips to other beautiful natural areas.

Join me on-line and outside.  I would love to hear about your sightings and ruminations on the natural world of the Santa Cruz Mountains:   Go outside, play, tell us your story.