It’s that time of year when Christmas is mentally put to bed, and I suddenly look at my January birthday list and realize I have to get cracking.
lovely neutrals
Month: December 2023
Birth-i-days
Two of my dear friends have Boxing Day birthdays (Dec 26). I’m pretty sure neither of them read this blog, so I’m not ruining any surprises by posting their card here.
Zonotrichia leucophrys
We are in the winter range of the white-crowned sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys. At various times of the year it is found over nearly all of the North American continent. This deep-bellied, deep-chested, broad-necked sparrow is a very rare vagrant to western Europe. In 2008, one was spotted in Cley next the Sea in Norfolk, England. To commemorate the event, an image of the bird was included in a window at St Margaret’s Church.
Heteromeles arbutifolia
Toyons are fruiting abundantly all over our mountains (and in our yard), providing food for many birds and mammals. The tree depends on animals for seed dispersal, and our first winter rains are forecast this week. The seeds that are eaten and “planted” earliest in the wet season will have the longest time to establish themselves before the long hot dry season arrives. Eat up and poop, critters!
Only two pages left in the Perpetual Journal before I flip back to the beginning and start adding to the spreads. I’m pleased that I’ve managed to keep up the practice for (nearly) a full year, and am excited to see the pages fill out in the coming years.
Deinandra minthornii
I went on a Geology field trip with the California Native Plant Society. Besides learning a lot about our local rock formations, I was introduced to a federally endangered plant that I would have walked right past if I hadn’t been with native plant geeks. We have LOTS of tarweed growing in our mountains, but it’s the common annual type, Deinandra fasciculata. This one is a perennial woody shrub. Happy to have met it!
Delairea odorata
I hiked up to Parker Mesa Overlook from Los Liones yesterday. I‘ve only been to the overlook once before, on Nov 9, 1997 (according to my hiking book). My friend David and I did a sunset/night hike that evening, and we saw a rocket launch from Vandenberg Air Force (now “Space Force”) base. We actually didn’t know wtf we were seeing, but we read about it next day in the news. It looked like a massive translucent zeppelin. Amazing sight!
Delairea odorata is a perennial vine (family Asteraceae) native to South Africa. It is problematic in some of our coastal riparian areas, moist forests, and oak woodlands. The vines form dense mats of vegetation over trees and shrubs, killing plants underneath. It is toxic to animals and fish can be killed when plant materials are soaking in waterways. Unfortunately, it’s completely taken over Los Liones Canyon within Topanga State Park.
fake orchid
Fake plants in the waiting room, as always.
peppers
If it isn’t already obvious …. one of my daily joys is to sit in the barrelarium and stare at the vegetables.
garden snack
Perceval
John de Burgh Perceval (1 February 1923 – 15 October 2000) was a well-known Australian artist. He was the last surviving member of a group known as the Angry Penguins who redefined Australian art in the 1940s. This sketch is inspired by his self-portrait from 1946.
hashiworks 