Mystery of the Oak Worms

My travels have brought me from one coast to another and l now find myself in  Central California. Driving the road  that hugs the Big Sur Coast from Carmel to Gorda is always a challenge.  The wild profusions of natures colors blend and contrast the sea,  mountains,  clouds,  sky on rare sunny days.
l found myself driving with another amiga on the coast recently soaking this beauty into my bones and being so grateful for  the sun showing me more richly the beauty of the Coast.

Whenever l return to this area l am flooded with years of memories of past parties, old friends, poets, drummers, singers, artists. As people have changed, moved on, died, the coast is still the coast and it is still as breathtaking as ever.

East  of the Big Sur Coast  mountain range is  an area known as Carmel Valley.  From Big Sur people hike into the upper Carmel Valley.  Along the way are small natural hot springs. Driving from the mountains of the upper valley  into the area known as the Carmel Valley village is another area known as Robles Del Rio.  This is where they mystery truly begins.

Crossing the Carmel River bridge, past Rosies Cracker Barrel, l was struck by the bare oak trees all over the mountainside...........Worms, worms, and more worms,   ate all the leaves off the stately old oak trees, leaving them bare. My first reaction was shock.  All the  stately old oaks bare......  Now, l join with others waiting as the worms after making their cocoons, the weather warms up hatch and become moths.  l will have to wait for another year to pass before the leaves will return, but so will the worms as they have for years...................