Just Paddling Along

Green Sea Turtle, Haleiwa, Hawaii. This green sea turtle was paddling along under the old Haleiwa bridge (hence the photo angle), not minding the canoe that was paddling up and down the river.

San Diego County Orchid Society Show

Epidendrum Hybrid, San Diego County Orchid Society Show, Scottish Rites Center, San Diego, California. The San Diego County Orchid Society's annual show is on through Sunday with lots of really cool plants to see and even more for sale.

Ground Pink

Limnanthus dianthiflorus, Ground Pink, Santa Rosa Plateau. Wow. Thousands of flowers covering the hills. It's been a banner year for wildflowers.

Fragrant in Numbers

Dendrobium speciosum variety hillii, San Diego County Orchid Society Show. Gorgeous swarms of flowers with a powerful, perfume-like fragrance. These rather robust orchids will grow outside in San Diego but call Australia their home.

Pom pom

Robiqueta pantherina, San Marino Orchid Show. Orchids are the most diverse plant family in the world! This one is certainly not one you'll find in Vons! These originate from the Philippines where they grow at near sea level (200 ft) in hot, humid conditions.

Groovy Cactus!

Echinofossulocactus lloydii (Syn: Stenocactus multicostataus) blooming on the back deck. I love the grooves in Stenocactus and the flat spines. They're even prettier when they are blooming!

Beavertail Cactus Flower (Opuntia) with yellow and black beetle. Found this Beavertail cactus blooming way back in Coyote Canyon in the Borrego Desert. The Beetle found it too!

Springtime in the Desert

Desert Lily, Hesperocallis undulata, Coyote Canyon, Borrego Desert, California.

There are few things quite as amazing as the incredible burst of life and color in Spring in the Desert. Plants pop out of the sand, seemingly out of nowhere. Butterflies, bees, lizards, caterpillars seemingly everywhere. There is an absolute explosion of life once the rains come down.

Pictured is a large Desert Lily. Most years, they are a little shorter and have perhaps 3 or 4 flowers. As you can see, this Desert Lilly is quite large with 12 flowers in various states of bloom, decay, and bud. The extra growth is at least partly complements of a banner year for rain due to El Nino weather patterns.

The Spanish called the desert lilies Ajo lillies (because they taste like Garlic!). The early Native Americans dug them up for food. The bulbs, however, are way down deep, far from the dessicating desert heat and come up to leaf and bloom in response to the Winter rains and Spring warmth.

Walk on Water!

Runs so fast, he walks on water!

Yes, It Snows in California!

Santa Rosa Plateau. Nice view of the snow-capped mountains from the Santa Rosa Plateau. It makes for quite a contrast of climates from the semi-arid, grassy, cactus-laden plateau with ancient, gnarled oaks to the snowy peaks of nearby mountain tops.

Fro(g)lic...

European Fire-Bellied Toads (Bombina bombina) being social. Do you suppose they want to take the same path out or is it something else?

These little toads are a tad toxic and flash their orange bellies to predators to warn them off!

EFBT tadpoles eat mainly algae and plants but the grown toads will eat crickets, miscellaneous insects, minnows and even small mice (i.e., they are not picky eaters).

Drowned in Pollen

Ant Drowned in Poppy Pollen. A bee's thrill is this ant's nightmare... Trapped by steep, slippery sides and rolling in pollen, this ant is much worse for the wear.

Hypothesis: Poppies appear to be bee-pollinated based on what I've seen so far. Steep, slippery petals would keep out marauding ants while the pollen is fresh and/or until the bees have managed to pollinate the flower.

Wild Peonies in Southern California!

Wild Peony, also called California Peony and Western Peony, Paeonia californica, Santa Rosa Plateau. I had no idea we had wild peonies in Souther California but one look was enough to know that I was looking at a peony (so I snapped a few shots).

While not as stunningly beautiful as its hybrid cousins, the wild peony has been put to use by the native tribes. The powered root has been used for colds and sore throats as well as upset stomachs, stress, depression, and menstrual pain. Others say it causes nausea so, personally, I'll not be eating any of it. Still, it is fascinating that peonies can survive in the arid California landscape. They apparently grow and bloom in Winter and Spring and then go dormant over the summer to avoid the dry season.

Spring Flowers

California Poppies and Lupine blooming alongside Highway 15 in Southern California. The fields and slopes are awash in Spring color and it is just amazing!

Handsome Mug

Osprey, Mission River. Now is that a handsome mug or what? Just hamming for the camera while he/she? waits for the next fish to swim by (Ospreys eat fish...).

Faster than a Speeding Bullet...

Cardinal jumping off of a branch! Kind of a fun picture. She jumped just as I snapped the picture.

Just Another Really Cool, Hairy Leucospermum

Leucospermum blooming at the Armstrong Garden Center in Mission Valley. They are totally cool up close.

Great Egret Doing O's

Great Egret, Mission River Preserve. A Great Egret flying low over the water making lazy O's with his reflection.

Turtles Napping

Green Sea Turtles, Haleiwa, Oahu, Hawaii. These two Green Sea Turtles were napping on the beach in Haleiwa. Now that they are protected, Green Sea Turtles have come roaring back and are actually reasonably common to see swimming in the shallows at the beaches.

Lichen on Lava with Guest

Lichen on Lava with Guest, Makapu, Hawaii. For you lovers of the odd and the arcane, here's fun photo for you that I shot in Hawaii. Each little lichen is about the size of a pin head.