This gift from Annette lives on a shady shelf outside my kitchen window, where it seems very happy, and makes me smile daily.
happy fuchsia
Images
nature and culture
It’s a good day when I can get out and enjoy both nature and culture. Astrida & I loved the Fabulous Fiber exhibit at BG Gallery in Bergamot Station. And, of course, a visit to Temescal never disappoints. These well-worn steps climbing the slope under a spreading oak are made from log cross-sections.
warrior’s plume
It was another windy, chilly day at the coast so I headed over the hill to my favourite sheltered trail, the section of the Backbone between Piuma Rd and Tapia Park, also known as Piuma Ridge Trail. I love that place—it’s shady, ferny, moist, and mostly human-free. Perfect for just sitting on a mossy rock and breathing it all in with eyes closed, enjoying my daily dose of nature therapy.
I saw an interesting and new-to-me plant, so did some sketch-noting and looked it up when I got home. It’s Warrior’s Plume (Pedicularis densiflora), a perennial root parasitic herb that attaches to the roots of other plants to obtain nutrients and water. I only saw a few plants; I wonder how widespread it is. It doesn’t appear on the 1983 list of the Flora of Malibu Creek State Park, so maybe it’s a more recent arrival, or perhaps it’s too rare to have made it on the list? Regardless, it’s very pretty!
woodrats
Something I learned in MCSP Docent School this week: our native woodrats build large dens in coast live oak trees; dens can reach five feet in height and eight feet in diameter. They have separate rooms for sleeping (lined with chewed up bay leaves to keep away insects), food storage, nurseries, and protection. Woodrats live in a matriarchal social system where females choose mates, and boot out the males after mating. They are similar in appearance to the common rat species Rattus rattus and Rattus norvegicus, but with larger ears and eyes, softer coats, and furred tails (i.e., they are cuter!)
canada geese at legacy park
I’m thinking someone’s been feeding the birds at Legacy Park, because these two Canada Geese waddled right on over to check me out. When it was clear I had nothing edible to offer, they lost interest and toddled off.
10 speed coffee
I had to while away some time in Santa Monica, so I found a congenial place to sip, sketch, and read.
white oak farm
White Oak Farm is tucked into the northwest corner of Mulholland and Las Virgenes Roads. Once a dairy farm, it’s now part of Malibu Creek State Park, and a ranger lives in the old farmhouse. There are no ‘white oaks’ here, only valley oaks and coast live oaks. The valley oaks have lighter bark than the others, so perhaps that’s where the name came from.
shooting stars
It’s been six weeks since I hiked Mishe Mokwa/Sandstone Peak and the difference is stark. The muddy trails and babbling streams are just a memory now. That December rain was lovely, but there’s been nothing since. We’re certainly not seeing a wildflower superbloom this spring.
dead horse trail
It was pretty windy here at the coast, but I found a sheltered spot in Topanga State Park to sketch-hike (sketchike?). Even though I once lived in Topanga, I’d never explored Dead Horse Trail, part of the Backbone Trail system. I’m glad I checked it out; it’s short but very pretty.
la piedra
We’ve got some nice low tides during the afternoons this week. La Piedra Beach is one of my favourite locations for poking around the rock pools. We saw a bit of hermit crab-on-crab activity—not sure if they were attempting to mate or eat each other. Love is in the air (water)? Or it was just dinner time?
hashiworks 