The Renowned Jester of the Lord - Brother Juniper

Junípero Serra was born Miquel Josep Serra i Ferrer in Petra, Majorca an island in the kingdom of Spain in 1713. As a sixteen year old young man he entered the service of the Catholic Church and shortly thereafter the Order of St. Francis de Assisi where he acquired the name Junipero in honor of St. Juniper, beloved original companion friar of St. Francis.

The Servant of God, best known as Brother Juniper (Italian: Fra Ginepro) (died 1258), called "the renowned jester of the Lord," was one of the original followers of St. Francis of Assisi. Not much is known about Juniper before he joined the friars. In 1210, he was received into the Order of Friars Minor by St. Francis himself.

Picture From: https://twitter.com/catholic_coast

From: http://www.serraclubelp.com/fr.serra/

From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniper_%28friar%29

Finished With The San Clemente Dam

"Within California, 42 percent of the state's dams are privately owned, and more than half of the dams in the total registry (685 dams out of the 1,248 listed) are considered "high-hazard potential," meaning their failure could cause loss of human life."

From: CNBC
Picture from San Clemente Rancho

Many historians regard the Spanish era as less calamitous for Indians than the openly genocidal American era

"Junípero Serra’s pious hope to convert pagan Indians into Catholic Spaniards resulted not only in the physical punishment of countless Indians, but in the death of tens of thousands of them—and, ultimately, in the eradication of their culture."

"But California Indians were doomed anyway. “If it were not the Spaniards who did this in conjunction with the church, it would have been the Russians or the British, and the same thing or worse would have happened,” he says. While this might be true—many historians regard the Spanish era as less calamitous for Indians than the Mexican era or, certainly, the openly genocidal American era—being the least awful of an awful lot is hardly a ringing endorsement for anything, let alone Sainthood."
From: San Francisco 
Picture from: http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/67july/serraimages.htm 

California Indians were doomed anyway. “If it were not the Spaniards who did this in conjunction with the church, it would have been the Russians or the British, and the same thing or worse would have happened,” he says. While this might be true—many historians regard the Spanish era as less calamitous for Indians than the Mexican era or, certainly, the openly genocidal American era—being the least awful of an awful lot is hardly a ringing endorsement for anything, let alone sainthood. - See more at: http://www.modernluxury.com/san-francisco/story/junipero-serras-missions-destroyed-entire-native-cultures-and-now-hes-going-be-s#sthash.6A5sl3WE.dpuf

California Indians were doomed anyway. “If it were not the Spaniards who did this in conjunction with the church, it would have been the Russians or the British, and the same thing or worse would have happened,” he says. While this might be true—many historians regard the Spanish era as less calamitous for Indians than the Mexican era or, certainly, the openly genocidal American era—being the least awful of an awful lot is hardly a ringing endorsement for anything, let alone sainthood. - See more at: http://www.modernluxury.com/san-francisco/story/junipero-serras-missions-destroyed-entire-native-cultures-and-now-hes-going-be-s#sthash.6A5sl3WE.dpuf

California Indians were doomed anyway. “If it were not the Spaniards who did this in conjunction with the church, it would have been the Russians or the British, and the same thing or worse would have happened,” he says. While this might be true—many historians regard the Spanish era as less calamitous for Indians than the Mexican era or, certainly, the openly genocidal American era—being the least awful of an awful lot is hardly a ringing endorsement for anything, let alone sainthood. - See more at: http://www.modernluxury.com/san-francisco/story/junipero-serras-missions-destroyed-entire-native-cultures-and-now-hes-going-be-s#sthash.6A5sl3WE.dpuf"

The 10-story-high concrete San Clemente Dam

For nine decades, the 10-story-high concrete San Clemente Dam with its rusted pipes, railings and valves has stood in the wooded canyons between the Big Sur hills and the picturesque town of Carmel, blocking the natural flows of the Carmel River.
State inspectors declared in 1991 that the 106-foot-tall dam was at risk of failure in an earthquake -- which could wipe out hundreds of homes downstream.
Destroying the dam will open up 25 miles of upstream tributaries and creeks so endangered Steelhead trout can return to their historical spawning grounds. 
From: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_23508105/californias-biggest-dam-removal-project-history-begins-carmel 
Picture From: San Clemente Rancho 

Pope Francis will make Junipero Serra a saint on Sept. 23

"Although credited with bringing Christianity to the western United States, Father Junipero Serra has been vilified by Native Americans who say the mission system was tantamount to genocide. Pope Francis will make him a saint on Sept. 23 in Washington, D.C., which means Serra is in heaven and able to intercede with God on the faithful’s behalf."

From Monterey Herald
Picture by Vern Fisher 

August 6 Lightning Storm Above Carmel Valley

August 6 Lightning Storm Above Carmel Valley.
From San Clemente Rancho

The demolition of the San Clemente Dam in Carmel Valley, California

“This is very satisfying,” said project manager Aman Gonzalez, who is overseeing the destruction of the San Clemente Dam as several excavators grabbed pieces of it in their giant steel teeth. “You don’t get to do something like this every day.”
From SF Chronicle

Steelhead run in the Carmel River used to be between 12,000 and 20,000 a year

“Experts estimate that the run of adult Steelhead in the Carmel River used to be between 12,000 and 20,000 a year. In 2009, the adult Steelhead count was 94.

When my dad was a young man in the late ‘30’s, early ‘40’s he figured he could hook and land 150 fish a year out of the Carmel River. My son has never caught a fish out of the Carmel River.

ORDER 95-10, a cease-and-desist mandate from the State Water Resources Control Board, ordered Cal-Am to make significant reductions in the amount of water taken from the river by the end of 2016. "

ORDER 95-10, a cease-and-desist mandate from the State Water Resources Control Board, to make significant reductions in the amount of water taken from the river by the end of 2016. - See more at: http://blogs.kusp.org/features/2013/07/25/one-river-with-not-enough-water-for-people-and-fish/#sthash.CTZaYQRj.dpuf

http://blogs.kusp.org/features/2013/07/25/one-river-with-not-enough-water-for-people-and-fish/ 

picture from: CRSA

“Experts estimate that the run of adult steelhead in the Carmel River used to be between 12,000 and 20,000 a year. In 2009, the adult steelhead county was 94.”
Not Even a Bite
“When my dad was a young man in the late ‘30’s, early ‘40’s he figured he could hook and land 150 fish a year out of the Carmel River. My son never caught a fish out of the Carmel River.”
- See more at: http://blogs.kusp.org/features/2013/07/25/one-river-with-not-enough-water-for-people-and-fish/#sthash.CTZaYQRj.dpuf