Roof's Back - Mama Too (A Bird's Nest)

Weeding - Just Cleaning

Mama Bird Went Out For Worms

Roofs Back - Mama Too

Blackberry Dreamin'

When I grow up I’m gonna be a BLACKBERRY!

Baylands in Bloom (Wildflowers, Palo Alto Baylands, CA, Silicon Valley)

I used to call you a Compositae

As I thought I was more sophisticated you became Asteraceae

You're a Daisy

Such a Big Family You Come From

Do You Know That, Little Darling?

~ ~ ~

Resources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteraceae

From My California Cottage - (Tulip Haiku)

Hey Winter Move It!

Time for Tulips Outside In

. . . California

Spring Sneaking Into California (Magnolias, CA Haiku)

Magnolia in Bloom
Atherton Library

Spring Sneaking In On

Folks Round Silicon Valley

California!

Dungeness Season (Crab Haiku)

Round Here - Dungeness 

From Half Moon Bay Fishermen  

Doesn't Get Better

California Blue Eyes - Winter Wildflowers

Sisyrinchium Bellum

A little Iris

Blue-Eyed Grass is springing up

Beneath Stanford trees

~ ~ ~

Las Pilitas Nursery carries them. I've visited this lovely nursery. 

Make an appointment next time you're in San Luis Obispo county.

https://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/642--sisyrinchium-bellum

Fall Fennel - Sing it Gilbert and Sullivan (Palo Alto Baylands Field Trip)

Put on some good walking shoes.

Head to the Palo Alto Baylands.

Click on that Pirates of Penzance recording and sing along....

Foeniculi - Foenicula - Foenicula ha ha ha ha!

Fennel

It's just Fennel

No, I don't know if it's safe to eat. I wouldn't take a chance - especially as some of the nearby flowers are from the carrot family and look suspiciously like poison hemlock. Yah, that's the stuff Socrates drank and three hours later - no Socrates.

So just sing along. 

OK?

~ ~ ~

Resources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palo_Alto_Baylands_Nature_Preserve

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foeniculum

A fan of Gilbert and Sullivan Pirates of Penzance - I thought the song was called 'Tarantula' now am wondering..... Is it called 'When the foreman bears his steel'?

When the foreman bears his steel - Tarantula!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pirates_of_Penzance

http://stageagent.com/shows/operetta/385/pirates-of-penzance/songs

Quince from my California Garden - Membrillo de California

Quince - Uno Membrillo

I feasted on you in Spain

Hala! Mucho Gusto.

Perfume My Garden

Rosa - Blush Noisette 

Hiding in Plain Sight - Sneaky!

Perfume My Garden

Sweetly Sleeping Snakes (Steinhardt Aquarium)

They don't come cuter

Black Headed Pythons

Steinhardt Aquarium

CA Academy of Sciences

Golden Gate Park

Scenes from Stanford Memorial Church

One of many lovely aspects of singing in Stanford Symphonic Chorus, is enjoying the stained glass windows in Memorial Church in the evening light.

Summer Previews: First Wild Rose of the Year

Pulgas Ridge, Mid-Penninsula Open Space, San Carlos CA

Pride of Madeira for a Mediterranean Climate

Beautiful Pride of Madeira
Perfect for our Mediterranean Gardens in California

Where do you find a Mediterranean Climate?
1) Southern and Southwestern Australia
2) Central Chile
3) Coastal California - and the San Francisco Bay Area of California where I live
4) Western Cape of South Africa
5) The Mediterranean Basin itself

~ ~ ~

Pride of Madeira: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echium_candicans

Mediterranean Gardens and Climate: http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/climate.html

Wildflowers: Iris douglasiana - Hiking Contra Costa

                 

My daughter and I spotted Iris douglasiuna while hiking around the Lafayette Reservioir, in the East Bay. We live across the San Francisco Bay from the East Bay, also known as Contra Costa - the Other Coast.

Native Iris say 'late spring' to me.

First Sign of Summer: Flores de Verano

Flores de Verano

Merry Maids All In a Row

Eschscholzia californica

The Bakery - A Dog's Eye View

I'll have one of those,

Two of those,

Oh, wait maybe a dozen of ....

Cactus - Fill My Heart

Stanford University- Arizona Garden

Cactus - Fill My Heart

Drink Deeply and Hold my Soul

In your Fine Needles

California Spring: Flowering Plum

Spring Flowering Plum

On the path where my pooch walks

California!

CA Wildflowers: How 'Bout them Blue Eyes?

Nemophila menziesii
Baby Blue Eyes

Stanford University is famous for it's educational resources, and Silicon Valley connections.Though less discussed,  it's also home to  some of my favorite native trees and flowers.