Chinese Lantern in Bloom
Warm weather (77F / 25C), crisp blue skies and varigated Chinese Lanterns (Abutilon) blooming above the courtyard bench equal a spectacular Monday.
22
02, 2021
13
02, 2021
February Friday Sunset
A painted sunset on a mid-February Friday evening looking due west. Spectacular colors courtesy of high clouds over the Pacific Ocean (about 10 miles away).
5
02, 2020
Sunset on February 4, 2020
Really cold Alaskan air is parked over us dropping temperatures into the 20's overnight again. But the cold skies make for some really spectacular sunsets. Here is last night's sunset from the upper garden looking west out over the greenhouse.
3
02, 2020
Sunset on February 3rd
Saturday, the day before yesterday, the high was 83 degrees. Tonight it's going to bottom out in the 20's. Welcome to February in San Diego. These huge temperature swings wreak havoc on the garden, but, dang... they make for beautiful sunsets.
22
02, 2017
A Rare Skink Sighting
We've no lack of reptiles here on the acre. Gopher snakes, king snakes, the occasional rattlesnake, alligator lizards and western fence lizards (aka, the "blue belly") are all common sights around here. Actually, the fence lizard is so common in summer that you'll nearly walk on a dozen just crossing the yard. What isn't a common sight though is a skink -- a western skink in this case. These guys are usually pretty shy. I've only seen a few over [keep reading...]
20
02, 2017
The ultimate photo filter for sunsets
Sunset after a storm passes through San Diego County. Mother Nature makes the best photofilters. No app required.
28
02, 2016
This Pterodactyl is trying to eat my fish
I've been doing battle with this bad boy for the past few days. The fish pond is covered and reinforced with bird netting, but that hasn't stopped him from trying multiple air and ground-based attacks. Unlike the egrets that visit and attempt fishing without a license from time to time, this guy has almost no fear. He certainly doesn't startle easily and he stands his ground even when I'm just a few feet away. Given that he's a [keep reading...]