Eriogonum cinereum
Tag: hiking
los padres open space
Strelitzia reginae
At the ruins of the Roberts Ranch House in Solstice Canyon (destroyed by fire in 1982), native and non-native plants vie for sunlight. Bird of paradise, ginger, bananas and limes grow under and between oaks, sycamores, and toyon.
escondido
Escondido Falls in Malibu became insta-famous during Covid, at which point I stopped hiking there. Today was my first visit in at least seven years; I thought maybe the trend had passed and we’d have the place to ourselves on a weekday morning. But no, it was crowded with young selfie-takers. There wasn’t a huge amount of trash — I packed out half a dozen bottles and as many foil wrappers — so that was gratifying. And I guess it’s good that young people are out in nature, right? But it’ll probably be another seven years before I go back there. I prefer the roads less travelled.
by solstice creek
delicate
It’s been a while since I hiked one of my favourite trails in MCSP, Piuma Ridge. There are lots of wildflowers hanging on.
purple and gold
Calochortus catalinae
The Santa Catalina mariposa lily is endemic to Southern California. It is native along the coastline in grasslands and open chaparral and woodlands habitats, especially on the Channel Islands and in the Santa Monica Mountains. It is considered rare due to habitat loss, so I am always happy to encounter it in the wild.
Silene laciniata
Also known as cardinal catchfly, Mexican campion, Mexican-pink, and campion. I know these flowers are a favourite of hummingbirds, but do they catch flies, as one of the common names suggests?
thumbnails
I had a short but indefinite amount of time to fill. Rather than starting a full illustration, I practiced sketching value thumbnails.
