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diametric opposite

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I rarely sketch on toned paper, but thought I’d give it a go this time. It’s fun to use white charcoal.

In India, on January 26, they commemorate the day in 1950 that their constitution went into effect, turning the nation into a republic separate from the British raj.

January 26 is also the anniversary of the raising of the British flag in Sydney Cove in 1788, marking the start of New Holland’s colonisation. Officially known as Australia Day, it has become the biggest annual civic event in Australia, though it is often referred to as Invasion Day or Survival Day by Indigenous Australians and others.

So while one country is celebrating the removal of British shackles, the other is remembering the diametric opposite.

(January 26 is also my youngest’s birthday, and that’s a celebration I care about. Has it really been 35 years? Amazing.)

Larus spp.

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At least eight different gull species hang out at Malibu Lagoon, and telling them apart isn’t always easy. For starters, they change their colouration every year for the first three or four years, and their summer outfits might differ from their winter ones. But setting aside the juvenile years, I’m going to try to learn how to identify the adults, even if they look very similar to a casual glance. These two, the Western and California gulls, look pretty much the same year round, so I’m starting with them. I’m honing in on the subtle differences between the two, which admittedly can only be seen close up. More pairs to come as I get around to it.

Canis latrans

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#1 question asked at the Visitor Center (usually preceded by “WHOA!”): “Is it real?”

#2 and #3 questions: “How do you get to the M*A*S*H site / Rock Pool?”

Occasionally I don’t know the answer to a question, which sends me off to do research. Right now I’m learning about trapdoor spiders because of a visitor query. More on that to come …

Corvus corax

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It’s Edgar Allen Poe’s birthday, and I’ve been reading up on him (and re-reading his most famous poem). Any excuse to paint a raven!

Things I didn’t know about Mr. Poe until today:

  • He was one America’s earliest practitioners of the short story, and considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre.
  • He married his 13 year old cousin when he was 27.
  • He died at age 40 under mysterious circumstances. The cause of his death has been variously attributed to alcoholism, substance abuse, suicide, murder, cholera, hypoglycemia, rabies, syphilis, influenza, and that Poe was a victim of cooping.
  • His character was thoroughly assassinated by a rival after his death.

Leucadendron

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Leucadendron (commonly called cone-bush) is a genus endemic to South Africa. The flowers are produced in dense inflorescences at the branch tips; plants are dioecious, with separate male and female plants. The seed heads of Leucadendron are woody cone-like structures, giving rise to their common name.

Piuma Ridge Trail

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I returned to my favourite MCSP trail for the first time in about six months. I wanted to see how it was handling all the rain, and the answer is .. beautifully! The many tributaries are gushing, the mosses are glowing neon, and the manzanitas are blanketing the woodland floor in white blossoms.