Today's walk report: 051522

 In an effort to avoid total redundancy, this post will diverge from a repetitive path after the first seven images. That's right, you read right, the secret word for today is patience. Here's the deal, I've been struggling a bit trying to find new material along the familiar route during the past few walks reported here. I think it's the weather. You know, if you can't find something else to use as blame for just about anything, you can always blame the weather. 

Besides, I kind of like the evolution of the deciduous process of flowers shedding from the two palo verde trees at the entrance to the local botanical garden. So, here they are again...

When I relocated to my current location in the summer of 2011 I thought, I'd really like to have a couple of palo verde trees in front of the house. Maybe I still would but if anything might dissuade one from doing so it could be this...

Here's another redundant subject but hey! He's a good friend and I enjoy seeing he's still around. The infamous male Calypte anna hummingbird known as Dusty.

Sometimes he just sits.

This western fence lizard was just sitting too, until I decided to take one more step. Always take the first picture you can before moving in, always... always... always.

Finally, something new! I believe this is Banksia ashbyi. It's a recent addition to the garden. Definitely a bee magnet.

To make up for the lack of photos out on today's walk, here are a few recent shots from the homestead.

California poppies are almost all gone. These few were on a very narrow strip of ground along the front walkway. So they wouldn't get trampled by the mailman or other delivery services I decided to take a some inside.

 One of just a few Papaver rhoeas, aka, Shirley poppies which were mostly white. The poppy show in the backyard left a little to be desired compared to previous years.

and about a foot to the left...

This male monarch butterfly was a frequent visitor for a few days. I believe the butterfly bush is a dwarf Buddleja davidii.

Another Papaver rhoeas.

The monarch was back the following day and one of my regulars, a female Allen's hummingbird was also fluttering about.

A couple more Papaver rhoeas from today. Unfortunately there are very few yet to open and I expect my poppy population to be close to nil if not completely exhausted by the end of the week.

Even though the poppies would only last a day inside I tried to put some vases together. The smaller flowers are Elegant Clarkia, they were also a disappointing show this year.

And now for something completely different. You know how I've mentioned feral cat Stan and my little feline girl Lucy seem to have an attraction from afar? It's in this blog somewhere, I swear. Anyway if you don't know who Stan and Lucy are you can check this post. It appears Stan has another girlfriend, one outside. She's a tabby I've named Cam. Cam is short for Camouflage because she blends in so well around here. Stan seems to look for Cam with some frequency. I'm not 100% on Cam being female yet but she appears and acts female and there hasn't been any fighting. Cam is very timid and this is the best I've been able to do on the picture front so far. These were taken from inside the house two days ago. Cam was hunting a very large grasshopper.

Cam may have a home. So far, at least as best I can tell, she hasn't come onto the patio to eat any of Stan's food.

That's all! Thanks for stopping by. A special thanks to all of the "mystery people" who stop by to visit. Goodbye, stranger, it's been nice. Hope you find your paradise!

Today's walk report: 050822

Mother's day. Whether you wanted to be one or not. With all the stories I've ever read about a dystopian future, I, quite honestly, never thought I would be part of that future.

I've nowhere, nowhere to hide
I'd give you all of my dreams
If you'd help me
Find a door
That doesn't lead me back again
Take me away*

My diversion for today, here are the pictures...

On my way to the local botanical garden, there was a small murder of crows engaged in chasing a squirrel away and they also appeared to be gathering for nest building. I captured none of that but here are a couple of the crows, just hanging, watching, very aware of the human below.

Into the garden... what is becoming an obligatory shot of the first two palo verde tress.

Seemingly there are now more flowers dispersed below than on the trees above.

Another now familiar shot of the slowly flowering Agave americana. Can ya see the little birdie?

I walked right up to this very young desert cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii). It didn't seem at all concerned about my proximity.

Last week I had prepared these images of Caesalpinia gilliesii flowers but forgot to include them in my post and while I took some more pictures today, I opted to include last Sunday's images here. It appears to me they have expanded their territory via some controlled reseeding. These particular plants are in the "Australian Native" section of the garden. Caesalpinia gilliesii are native to Argentina and Uruguay.

I plopped myself down on a bench and stared at this grevillea shrub willing a hummingbird to show, and one did. A female Calypte anna.

She took a short break and I moved on.

This western fence lizard seemed to be very curious about me.

Another baby on my way out of the garden, a California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi).

*Genesis - The Chamber of 32 Doors

Today's walk report: 050122

 Mayday! Mayday! Oh wait, sorry... May Day, May Day!

What's the difference these days? But, it is indeed a beautiful first day of May, 2022. Currently it's 74º F and during this pseudo-walk it was 62º-64º, sunny with a slight dingy gray haze just to remind me of where I am. Here are some pictures.

Once again the palo verde trees upon entering the local botanical garden are spectacular even though now about 1/2 the flowers we saw back on April 3rd lie withered on plants and the ground below.

I followed this monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) around for some time, or perhaps it was following me. It was kind of hard to tell. In the first image it's on a Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) tree while the second and third shots were taken earlier, back on the blue palo verde (Parkinsonia florida) trees.

Before I headed around the bend I noticed the spire on the century plant posted on this spiffy little blog back on April 10th had risen above pretty much everything else in the garden.

Onto the other side...

Verbena, also known as vervain or verveine was becoming a little sparse over the past several years but it appears to be making a comeback. Notice the happy carpenter bee in the second image.

Male Calypte anna hummingbird, affectionately known as Dusty, was once again reliably in his favorite roost. Although, he was a little busier than usual because migrating rufous hummingbirds (Selasphorus rufus) have arrived and he seemed a little upset over their occupying his domain. So, lots of chasing going on.

This may or may not be a male rufous hummingbird. I was across the pond, about 30' away. It could be a male Allen's hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin). The flower is Iris pseudacorus, the yellow flag, yellow iris, or water flag. It's an invasive species and out-competes native riparian vegetation, including cattails... which have been way out of control in this little pond for several years. Back in 2017 it was Docken's and my understanding that the pond was going to be drained for a makeover. That never happened. Some bad stuff happened we won't get into. Docken was on the phone with me for the walk again today. In case anyone was wondering. Thank you Docken!

On a nearby bench, this western fence lizard was optimizing some direct rays of sunshine.

 

 

 I ended up driving up the hill in search of birds of prey but it was very quiet. All I spotted was this sleepy mourning dove.

Look closely at its eye and you can tell it was trying to sleep.

 

 

 That was it. I headed back home. Way back on March 11th I posted about, among other stuff, 13 Osteospermum plants I grew in a closet from seed and transplanted in front of the house. Just a few days ago I got my first flower. Everything I grow from a seed amazes me every single time--with that I'm like a child. It's like a secret... all those secrets.