I slipped into a part of the State Park I hadn’t visited before, and followed a deer trail under overhanging boughs, to discover this secluded open glade within a circle of coast live oaks. I lay down on the thick bedding of dry, prickly leaves, my sketching bag as a pillow, and watched the dappled light dance above me.
For a few minutes, I stopped thinking about what the US Supreme Court did yesterday. I just breathed.
Maples are scarce in the Santa Monica Mountains. They need cool, damp, protected shelter, which is in pretty short supply. But we do have two Acer species nearby (one native, one introduced), and today I visited both of them. Gotta love a tree with hairy balls, right?
Watched a quick demo by TJ Marston yesterday and tried to follow along. I struggle with painting trees so was glad for her tips. She says that viewing landscape through the design lens of a landscape architect can improve one’s sketching; an intriguing idea. I might have to take her 90 minute class next month to find out more.
I spent three hours forest-bathing and nature-journalling in Santa Ynez Canyon this morning. Riparian and Oak Woodlands are my happy place. So many Humboldt Lilies!
Eucalyptus trees (or, as we call them in Australia, gum trees) have naturalised throughout Southern California, including on our 2 acres. I’m pretty sure these are blue gums.
I took Bodie out to (dog-friendly) Charmlee Wilderness Park yesterday for a three-mile hike. It had probably been about nine years since we were last there. She was pretty excited to visit someplace new, and smell all the critters. The wildflowers are popping, and the area seems to be recovering well from the 2018 Woolsey Fire.
Blood oranges were first discovered and cultivated in Sicily in the fifteenth century. They are a natural mutation of Citrus x sinensis, although today the majority of them are hybrids. High concentrations of anthocyanin give the rind, flesh, and juice of the fruit their characteristic dark red color. [Source: Wikipedia]
We need to get this one into the ground. I’m amazed it’s bearing fruit in this quite small pot. We just haven’t quite agreed on where it should be planted.
I wasn’t the only one enjoying the strawberry trees in the library garden. The birds, bees and butterflies were hanging out with me.
We have these two ficus trees growing in pots under the arbor. They’re old — I’ve lived here ten years and they were probably here for at least ten years before that. Apparently they prefer sunny conditions but they’re doing fine in full shade. Tough old buggers.
hashiworks 