Setting Sun Over San Diego Harbor

Setting sun over San Diego Harbor, a lone seagull flying past one of the air craft carriers.

Seagull Beats the Heat

Seagull resting atop a shallow fountain, in the form of a whale's tail, to keep cool on a warm Summer's day.

Praying Mantis Eye to Eye

Praying Mantis, most likely a male Stagmomantis limbata or perhaps a Stagmomantis californica, giving me the look over.  I suspect he had a run in with the local Orb Weavers, as his right front leg (viewer's left) seems to show a little big of web residue.  The male S. limbata are attracted to lights and are a bit skinnier.  The females apparently do not fly.  This picture reminds me of some of the critters in the Sci-Fi movies.  You can almost imagine that him holding a cup in one hand, chatting on a bar stool (name that movie!).

The Orb Weavers Are Back

An Orb Weaver Spider, Neoscona crucifera, fixing its web in preparation for a busy night of activity.  These tend to be most prevalent in the hot days of late Summer as they spin their webs off of low hanging branches, overhangs and decks.

Chinese Moon Festival and Mooncakes

 

Mooncakes (Lotus seed with double yolks!).  Mooncakes (yuè bĭng) are a traditional Asian treat for the Asian Lunar Mid-Autumn Festival, a.k.a, the Moon Festival.  The Moon Festival is one the 15th day of the eighth month in the Asian Lunar Calendar which coincides with the full moon.  This typically translates into somewhere between mid-September and early October.  This year, the Moon Festival is on September 19th.  The moon cakes are typically only made just prior to the moon festival and, along with a host of other treats such as candied fruits and vegetables and sweet nut bars, are eaten to celebrate the festival (and traditionally, the fall harvest).  It was also a time for the children to visit and honor their parents and grandparents, sometimes by pouring tea for the elders.  In today's non-agrarian society, the festival remains an Asian holiday and, for the rest of us, an opportunity to enjoy some of the seasonal treats and a nice excuse for a little celebration.

September American Orchid Society Judging

Dracula gorgona variety Xanthina 'Windflower' HCC/AOS, 79 points

Hibiscus

A hybrid Hibiscus, a member of the Mallow family.  These always remind me of home...

Red Saddleback Anemonefish - Amphiprion ephippium

Red Saddleback Anemonefish - Amphiprion ephippium - guarding a large anemone.  The anemone protects the anemonefish with its stinging tentacles and the fish, in return, has been known to both pugnaciously guard and occasionally feed the anemone.

Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus

The Weedy Seadragon, Phyllopteryx taeniolatus, is a native of the Southern Australian Coast and Tasmania.  Their seaweed-like camouflage helps hide them from hungry fish.  As with their seahorse relatives, they live on small crustaceans and invertebrates that they suck in through their straw-like mouths. The long mouths enable them to find food in tiny crevices in the reef.  As opposed to the seahorses, the Weedy Seadragon's tail is not prehensile (i.e., it is not used to curl around seaweed and other objects to anchor it).

Puppies for Adoption

Looking for a good home, even a foster home, willing to offer boundless love and affection.  Ask for me at http://www.fuzzyfeetdogrescue.org.

Fuzzy Feet Dog Rescue brought a whole group of puppies to Petsmart today.  They were really cute and incredibly friendly.  It was tough getting out of the store without adopting another dog...  Dogs have an amazing knack for worming their way into your heart.  It's hard to not to love them, even when they're naughty.  You would think that dogs and people are pre-programmed to love each other.

Bad Hair Day (Black-Crowned Night Heron)

Black-Crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax, having a bad hair day.  Ever get out of bed and just not want to do anything about that mop of hair?  I guess Herons get those days too.  ;-P

Perseid Meteor Shower

Long Exposure of the night sky during the Perseid meteor shower.  If you look carefully, you will see three light trails in the photo.  Also of interest, you can see the glow of San Diego lighting up the horizon, highlighting the tremendous amount of light and power that emanates from San Diego (or from any big city for that matter).  I suspect that the glow is further heightened due to the marine layer and smog/particulates scattering the city light over the horizon.

Love is Love

Speckled Mousebirds, Colius striatus, looking on longingly. Bars will not keep us apart!  Kind of makes you want to let them in together, doesn't it?  Poor little lovesick birds...

Allen's Hummingbird, Selasphorus sasin

Allen's Hummingbird, Selasphorus sasin, visiting the feeder in my back yard.  The vast majority of the hummingbirds in my neighborhood are Anna's Hummingbirds.  However, this year a pair of Allen's moved in and occasionally show up at the feeder.  By putting out two feeders, it appears that the hummingbirds are actually sharing the feeders (for the first time ever), particularly first thing in the morning and in the evening just before the sun sets.  Allen's Hummingbirds are normally found North of Santa Barbara.  However, there is a colony in the Channel Islands and another in Los Angeles.  The Allen's hummingbirds in the back yard could be part of the migratory population on it's way to/from central Mexico or it could be an offshoot from the Los Angeles population.  Either way, they are a welcome sight at the feeder.

Anguloa eburnea 'Arnie' AM/AOS

Anguloa eburnea 'Arnie' AM/AOS, just awarded last Saturday.  These are wonderfully fragrant, reminding some of anise and grow outdoors in Southern California.  In nature, they are found at around 5000-7500 feet on open slopes in Columbia, Ecuador and Peru.

Hoya pubicalyx

Hoya pubicalyx blooming on the back porch.  These lovely Hoyas will grow outdoors in Southern California and have wonderful, waxy deep green leaves with silver flecks.  The flowers are waxy but covered in tiny silver hairs that give off a glossy sheen.  This one was a gift from one of my orchid friends.

Blue Dasher, Pachydiplax longipennis

Blue Dasher, Pachydiplax longipennis, perched on dried lotus leaf.  This California dragonfly favors still ponds where it is often seen with the wings pitched forward, primed to sweep its wings backward to launch the Dasher upward into the air for a hasty escape.

Just One Kiss...

Bullfrog on lily pad.

Mystery Photo of the Day

I thought the patterns and the texture were really cool.  What is it?

Anna's Hummingbird

Anna's Hummingbird on the apricot tree in the back yard.  This one is keeping an eye on both me and on the feeder.

Stanhopea shuttleworthii

Stanhopea shuttleworthii growing on the North side of the house under shade cloth.

Epidendrum raniferum 'Arnie'

Epidendrum raniferum 'Arnie'.  Note that the canes rebloom each year from the apex.  These get big, this particular plant current being around 4-5 feet tall.

Giant Leaf-Tailed Gecko, Uroplatus fimbriatus

Giant Leaf-Tailed Gecko, Uroplatus fimbriatus, hiding in a small crevice.  These nocturnal, well camouflaged lizards are native to Madagascar, where they rely of their bark-like skin to hide them during the day.

Big Hair!

These ladies were showing off some seriously BIG HAIR.

Baja California Treefrog, Pseudacris hypochondriaca

Baja California Treefrog, Pseudacris hypochondriaca on my Bifrenaria (orchid).  These little guys are doing just fine in my back yard.

The Qualcomm Contingent at San Diego Pride 2013

The Qualcomm contingent at San Diego Pride 2013.  There were over 250 company participants including the CEO and his wife, showing the company commitment to diversity.

Gay Wedding Cake

This float was decorated as a gay wedding cake at the San Diego Gay Pride Parade.  It appeared that everyone was in a celebratory mood, given the recent overturn of DOMA and Proposition 8 at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Shell Ginger

Shell Ginger, Alpinia zerumbet, is an East Asian native that happens to do really well in tropical and subtropical climates.  It is one of the Gingers that grows quite well in San Diego, surviving our mildly chilly Winters (down to the 30s) with occasional browning off of the foliage.  The pink buds remind me of a shell necklace and the flowers remind me of a string of orchids!

San Pedro Cactus, Trichocereus pachanoi

A huge San Pedro Cactus, Trichocereus pachanoi, in full bloom.  The flowers open in late evening and close back in the morning, probably because it is pollinated by a moth, bat or other night flyer.  The bees, however, are taking advantage of the long Summer days to sneak in a two or three hour frenzy of activity just before the sun sets.  There was a huge swarm of bees taking advantage of some thirty or so flowers.  Luckily, they liked the flowers far more than harassing the photographer!

Wall Spider at Hasuyo Miller and Robert Farmer's Place

Really cool ceramic wall spider at Hasuyo Miller and Bob Farmer's place.  You can find out more about them at: http://www.hasuyo.com/Pages/default.aspx

Flamenco Dancer

Asian Flamenco Dancer at Liberty Station in San Diego, California.

Another flamenco dancer from Flamenco Sur, this time with a fan!

Sea Hare, Aplysia californica

Sea Hare, Aplysia californica, on a shallow, sandy flat, along with many of its brethren where they were grazing on kelp and other seaweed that was washed up by the tide.  It's called a sea hare for the two stalks that are vaguely reminiscent of a rabbit's ears as they flop around with the current.

Allen's Hummingbird, Selasphorus sasin

Allen's Hummingbird, Selasphorus sasin, drinking nectar out of a gorgeous red blossom from a Sausage tree, Kigelia africana.

February 2013 San Diego AOS Judging Results

 Bulbophyllum virescens 'Windflower' AM 82 pts.

 Cattleya (alaorii X Esbetts) 'Sunset Valley Orchids' AM 80 pts.

 Cattleya dowiana var rosita 'Sunset Valley Orchids' FCC 91 pts.

 Encyclia Cynthia 'Darkest Pleasure' AM 80 pts.

 Paph (Prince Edward of York x adductum) 'Sunset Valley Orchids' AM 81 pts.

Prosthechea cochleata 'Steve Kelepecz' AM 81 pts.

Myrmecophila christinae

Myrmecophila christinae just opening in the shade area out back of the house. This is the first time this has bloomed for me (seems to like it outside rather than in the greenhouse).

Fish Caught in a Web

Fish Caught in a web at Hasuyo  Miller and Robert Farmer's house!  They had all sorts of cute ceramic critters hanging from trees, in the garden and even on the walls!

Sweet Potato - Yam - Banana Bread

Sweet Potato - Yam - Banana Bread, just out of the oven.  I will note that it was really awesome (and particularly so for another spontaneous creation)!  Just in case you want to try it out here's a rough recipe.


Combine in a blender and blend on low speed until lightly pureed:
1 cup canola oil
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
4 bananas
2 pre-cooked sweet potatoes
1 pre-cooked yam (if your blender is not a high horsepower one, I'd suggest that you peel them first)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger powder
1/4 tsp salt


Combine in a dry mixing bowl:
2 cups white enriched wheat flour
1 cup whole wheat flower
2-3 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup ground almonds


Pour wet mixture into the dry mixture in the mixing bowl and stir until well blended in.


Grease 2 bread pans with butter and then flour
Pour mixture into the 2 pans and bake for about 70-80 minutes at 325F (preheat the oven).
Let cool and then pop out of the pan.

Begonia boliviensis hybrid

Begonia boliviensis hybrid at the San Diego County Fair.  The flowers were so brilliant, you could see them a mile off!  These were from Weidner's Gardens.

Goats Snuggle

Baby goats snuggling at the San Diego State Fair.

Pink Pig

Pink Pig resting its weary head on another pig at the San Diego State Fair.

Furry Heartache at the State Fair

Parting with the pet cow at the State Fair.  Honestly, I cannot begin to imagine how attached you would get to a pet cow after raising it by hand from when it was a calf and the subsequent heartache in trying to give it up for auction.

Skull and Rose Tattoo

Skull and Rose Tattoo, highlighting the difference between life and death and between beauty and decay.  The skulls appears to be depictions of the sugar skulls created to celebrate the Dia de los Muertos or the “Day of the Dead,” a Mexican religious holiday. Celebrating Dia de los Muertos started 3,500 as a month-long Aztec celebration honoring the dead and welcoming their spirits back for a visit. The Aztecs would often display (real human) skulls that they had collected as symbols of life, death, and rebirth.

Today, Dia de los Muertos begins on the evening of October 31st when the gates of heaven open at midnight, and the souls of the deceased children, angelitos, visit their family. They roam the earth for just one day, and then the following midnight, when the gates are opened once again, the adult souls descend and also visit their loved ones.  The skulls have long since been replaced with sugar skulls, made with a mixture of sugar and meringue and decorated with multi-colored icing, still symbolizing life, death and rebirth.

Heliconia schiedeana

Heliconia schiedeana, in tight bud, blooming in the back yard.

Moon Shot

A shot of tonight's moon.  I was really fascinated by the craters that are most visible on the edges of the lit portion of the moon where you can see the shadows cast by the crater walls.  I also wondered what made those cool star burst patterns.  Apparently, both the craters and the large star patterns are caused when an asteroid or meteor hits the surface of the moon.  The star patterns are caused by ejecta, rock debris thrown up and out of the crater during the asteroid or meteor impact event.