It’s my birthday, and these chive flowers are all the “candles” I need.
happy birthday
Category: Uncategorized
Above the lagoon
The horseshoe-shaped mansion on the hill above Malibu lagoon and pier was previously owned by Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, now vice-president of Equatorial Guinea. “Known for his lavish lifestyle, he has been the subject of a number of international criminal charges and sanctions for alleged embezzlement and corruption.” (source) The US Justice Department forced him to sell this property in 2016, and the sale itself is the subject of an ongoing lawsuit … but that’s another story.
Calochortus catalinae
The mariposa lilies are showing their pretty faces again.
winter trees
Experimenting with stencils and mark-making, à la Esté MacLeod.
For Suzanne
Our writer-naturalist-historian-artist-musician friend Suzanne just gave a presentation on the “ghost railway” of Malibu. This vase of flowers was on the coffee table in front of me at the event venue; I knew S. wouldn’t mind if I sketched it for her while listening to her excellent talk.
April 1
Lots of folks are out enjoying the State Park this weekend. We had 230 through the Visitor Center in four hours yesterday; that’s the most I’ve personally served while on duty there.
The most-asked question was: “Why can’t I get to the M*A*S*H site?” (A: The bridge across the creek was removed at the start of winter to prevent it being destroyed by flood. It’ll be re-installed soon, probably later this month. Come visit again in May!)
hot water
Around here, we lean heavily towards DIY, as opposed to hiring an expert. Mostly this means saving a lot of money. Mostly it also means that repairs take a longer time. But then, skills and knowledge are gained, so that’s a plus. And there’s the couples bonding that comes with crouching uncomfortably in tight spaces, breathing decades-old dust, barking knuckles, lifting heavy things, and solving problems.
All’s well that end’s well. We have hot water in the kitchen again!
Cryptantha muricata
This week in the PerpJo: prickly popcorn flower. I often see this little cutie while out hiking—it flowers from March to June—but I’ve never noticed it beside our driveway before. But perhaps I’m just becoming more observant.
Klambothrips myopori
The myoporum thrips is an invasive species that’s causing a lot of damage to Myoporum laetum and M. pacificum plants in landscapes and nurseries along the California coast. We have five M. laetum trees alongside our driveway; one of them has been infested with this insect for a couple of years now.
Last year we tried introducing lacewing larvae to the tree for natural pest control, but we had storms soon afterwards and never saw evidence of adult lacewings. I’d like to try that again this year, after the winter rains are done.
The thrips can kill even well-established trees so it would be good to get them under control.
Macadamia integrifolia var. Cate
They say the best time to plant a tree is ten years ago. The second-best time, in our case, is five years ago. We’re happy to see flowers on the macadamia for the first time; here’s hoping that they pollinate successfully. We do have a lot of bees in the yard, so there’s reason to be optimistic.
The macadamia is native to rainforests in south east Queensland and northern New South Wales, Australia. (It is not native to Hawaii, as many people think.) Our variety (Cate) was developed here in Malibu, and suits a more Mediterranean climate.
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