We inturrupt this travelogue....

....for some home-grown Spring flowers!

Island Bush Poppy:

A manzanita blossom and some manzanitas! (About 1/4 inch -- quite ita)

 Snow Flurry Ceanothus:

Purple sage

 Another ceanothus. Forgive me I can't recall the variety.

Wooly Blue Curls

Monkeyflower

My favey: Canyon Sunflower

 California Poppy! Tied for favey!

I thought this Giant Coreopsis was dead last year. It's blooming!

I can't remember the name of this island native. It grew giant!

The funny Bladderpod

 Coast Sunflower:

And the winter blooms are still going strong:

Azalea

Camillia

Hiking in Paradise

I participated in another series of hikes this Spring, and here are the fruits. I'm sorry I don't remember many of the plant names. I oughta write 'em down when I learn 'em. I've identified the ones I remember.

Deer Weed. You notice how it's yellow and orange? Well, this is insect-pollinated and insects can't see the difference between orange and green. The flowers bloom yellow, and when they are pollinated, they turn orange. The insects don't see the pollinated flowers, so they don't bother visiting them again.

Mother Nature is pretty smart, huh?

Deer Weed

Indian Pink

Scarlet Pimpernel.  Hmmm...that would make a good book title!

We saved this fellow, as a crow had ahold of him when we came down the trail to our cars. Mr. Crow dropped him and flew away. You are welcome, Sir Ringneck!

A remnant of a part of early Santa Barbara's water works

My favey, Canyon Sunflower

Big Pod ceanothus

A salamander from the creek

Non-native, but very beautiful, rock rose

 

The Coyote Bush have tons of these spit-wads on them. Inside is a spittle-bug, who has secreted the protective goop surrounding him.

The bug.

A California Thrasher. They talk like Mokingbirds.

The turkey vultures love the updrafts!

A bull frog warming up in Lake Los Carneros

Holly Leaf Cherry

Sticky Monkeyflower.  When you come to visit, have me show you its pollination trick.

A big ol' bullsnake!

Caterpillar Phacelia

Humboldt Lily!  Pretty, isn't it?

Lupine

Yuccas are pollinated by a moth, who lays her eggs in the blossoms. The larvae eat some of the seeds. It is a good relationship!

A native orchid

This was THE biggest alligator lizard I'd ever seen!

Here are a couple Mariposa Lilies:

A nice slab of (I think) schist. We hiked in an area of geologic mélange due to accretion.

Wild blackberry

Thistle

The local newspaper rag recently published a column by a local nature/hiking writer.  Here it is. As always, click for a bigger version.