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franklin fire

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franklin sunset

We had no electricity for 48 hours while the Franklin wildfire has raged nearby. Things I did while the power was out:

  • planted potatoes
  • knitted a dishcloth
  • crocheted a rug out of old tshirts
  • read a book
  • walked around and chatted with neighbours
  • admired the dramatic sunsets
  • enjoyed candlelit dinner cooked on the camp stove

We’re grateful for the fire fighters and their technology. For now, we are out of danger but the fire is still burning and the winds could shift, so we are staying alert and prepared.

notonectidae

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sostomo

The lower parts of Solstice Creek are well-visited, but not many people climb Sostomo Trail to enjoy the gorgeous crossing on the upper creek. The three of us settled into a bed of fallen sycamore leaves and enjoyed the quiet shade. I liked seeing the little backswimmers (Notonectidae family) — I’d also observed these aquatic insects in Australia.

Backswimmers, as the name implies, swim inverted, using their long hind legs to paddle vigorously. They prey on organisms as large as tadpoles and small fish and can deliver a painful “bite” to humans—actually a stab from their sharp proboscis. These insects inhabit still freshwater in lakes, ponds, and marshes, and can also be found in garden ponds and occasionally in swimming pools. Despite being primarily aquatic, backswimmers are effective fliers, allowing them to easily disperse to new habitats.

calabasas peak

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calabasaspeak

Secret Trail has been on my to-hike list for a while. It’s got some really pretty parts, wending as it does through chaparral, oak woodland, grassland and riparian habitats before arriving at the dramatic rock formations in the upper reaches. I’d like to go back in spring to see all the purple sage in flower.

Crassula ovata

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Crassula ovata

Crassula ovata, commonly known as jade plant, lucky plant, money plant or money tree, is a succulent with small pink or white flowers, native to South Africa and Mozambique. It grows as an upright, rounded, thick-stemmed, strongly branched shrub and reaches a height of up to 2.5 metres (8.2 ft).

Here in Southern California, it propagates easily and grows happily with minimal water. Our neighbour has covered her steep downslope with jade by merely tossing cuttings down the hill. It produces small white or pink, star-like shaped flowers in winter, which we’re enjoying now.