Are You Feeling Cuttley?

Pharaoh Cuttlefish, Sepia pharaonis. This little cuttlefish was hovering in mid-water posing for a picture. They're from the West Indies and live mainly on Shrimp. I totally love the opalescent green underbody and the big, sad eyes. They're quite beautiful in an abstract, squidly sort of way.

First final of the semester is tomorrow. It's a quick dinner and back to studying. Next one after that is on Wednesday!

Figurehead on a Wooden 3-Master

Figurehead on a Wooden 3-Master, Maritime Museum, San Diego Bay, California. I didn't find the name of this old 3-Master on its hull but enjoyed the statue on the bow. Those figureheads are a pretty cool custom. Although, I'm not sure how well a figurehead would fit in with those huge, sleek, steel and glass vessels that they have these days.

Apparently, figureheads started off as talismans for good luck and safe sailing. The practice included eyes on ancient Chinese and Egyptian vessels (to find their way to the destination), deities on Phoenician vessels and, later on, even carvings of owner's wives. How's that for company?

Where do Night Herons Go During the Day?

Night Heron a.k.a. Black-Crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax, San Diego, California. Night herons come out at night to fish in the surf. If you go down the beach with a flashlight you'll see them in little groups of 1-3 looking for small fish in the wave wash. They're pretty hard to spot during the day, however, generally keeping out of sight. I spotted this one up high in a huge old Eucalyptas tree by the harbor near Mission Bay.

Brandts on the Wing

Flock of Brandt Geese, Branta bernicula. These geese come all the way down from Alaska and Northern Canada to winter in sunny San Diego. Ironically, I see more of them here then I saw up in Alaska. Could have saved myself some money! Oh yeah, but there were glaciers up there...and humpback whales. Details...

Love is a Tree

Treeffiti, San Diego Bay, California. Some people will put their names anywhere! These are on a middle aged banyan along the bay. While I don't necessarily condone carving your name on a tree, there is a part of me that wonders who these people were/are, how long ago they carved their names on the tree and what where they doing at the time. Friends on a lark? Lovers on a stroll? How old are they now? Are they happy? Are they still friends? Maybe the next thing to tatooing your lovers name on your arm?

Meanwhile, classes are over for the semester and finals are coming all too soon. Wish me luck!

Acineta chrysantha

Acineta chrysantha. These wonderful pendant-flowered, husky-sized orchids come from Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Panama at around 4,000 feet. This one is blooming in my greenhouse.

Fast Little Boat

Coast Guard on Patrol in San Diego Bay. It's a busy bay with all sorts of people going back and forth including sail boats, fisherman, aircraft carriers, freighters and cruise ships. I'm guessing they keep the Coast Guard pretty busy. I also noticed that they have two HUGE outboard motors on that little inflatable vessel so they must really fly when they want to. On that day, they were just taking a leisurely spin.