Today's no walk report: 021222

 That's right, no walk today. I decided to do housework instead. That inspiration is short lived but I got some serious grunt work done and then decided to share a little of what is going on outside my humble abode. Wildflowers in suburban SoCal. I have not put much energy into taking pictures but have been enjoying the plethora of flowers, the first real effort since Covid. 2020 and 2021 seasons were only what came up from previous year's reseeding watered by whatever precipitation happened without my intervening with a garden hose. Add sunshine. There was some minimal effort on my part in the backyard, summer 2021. In October 2021 I put down 1/4 pound of Dimorphotheca sinuata seed and I also planned ahead for some summer flowers--front and back this year. Stay tuned for that.

Dimorphotheca sinuata, I'm gonna borrow from Wikipedia. It's okay. I gave them $5 during the holidays...

Dimorphotheca sinuata, the glandular Cape marigold, Namaqualand daisy, or orange Namaqualand daisy; syn. Dimorphotheca aurantiaca hort. is an African species of plants native to southern Africa.

Actually, they come in a variety of colors but are mostly orange or yellow.

The blue to somewhat purple flowers with a hint of white are Arroyo Lupine (Lupinus succulentus). There's a lot of lupine growing but, again, I haven't been taking many pictures.

 

 

 

The photos really don't express how impressive this experience is. I'm stunned every time I walk outside. Every moment is a little different.

Today's walk report: 012714

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.
~Robert Brault~

That was the basic theme of my day, aside from some ackward and rather heavy lifting around the house trying to create order without simply chucking stuff in the trash.

I spent a good deal of time outside and while I don't seem to have much of a garden in the wide shot I'm finding all sorts of things to marvel at up close. Today I made myself tiny. I became my camera and entered a microcosm inside my front yard.

This continued into my walk. Mostly pictures, not a lot of ID'ing stuff either because for many I just don't know.

Right outside the front door...

A few more meters, I'm on the sidewalk now. African daisies, Dimorphotheca sinuata or Dimorphotheca aurantiaca.

Baby Snapdragon (Linaria maroccana), right next to the daisies.

Oleander about a block into the walk.

From a distance you may have thought this rose was old and tired. Come in close, it's alive.

A tiny flower on some hedges.

Ever make a wish on a dandelion?

The dried up spent fruit of the sweetgum tree. Last February I rolled my left foot on one of these and went for a tumble, fortunately sans camera.

No ID.

No ID #2.

This is a fruit tree on campus. I don't recall actually seeing the fruit though. Maybe a plum?

Yesterday I mentioned the scarlet bugler (Penstemon centranthifolius) was blooming, here's a photo.

I also mentioned another hummingbird favorite, Grevillea olivacea.

This young egret is a contrast to the little things above but is quite diminutive compared to the egret I usually saw back in October-December, seen here and here and in other posts too. Perhaps an offspring?

Australian Native Wattle Tree.

No ID #3 or is it 4?

Some sage. Maybe a variety of Salvia clevelandii. I don't know, mine all died.

The 1st image here was ID'd last year as Aloe striata "Coral Aloe." I'll double check the other one another day. I don't believe they're the same.

That's a lot of pictures, my eyes are tired. Goodnight.