Mostly (but not all) Plants This Time

Wherever we go and everyday, it seems there is something worth a photo.  Our recent pre-concert walk in the UC-Berkeley Botanical Gardens is the source of many of the photos in this post.  Others were taken around our house or nearby.

How's that for a flower spike?

Ready to catch insects

Guess who is standing by patiently while I snap photos.

In the orchid house

Cactus in bloom

Another flower spike in the desert garden

In the Asian garden

Flowers look like snow on the leaves

From the decks and balconies:

Bird of Paradise adjusting to its new home.
We hope it will flower before too long.

A typical misty morning in the hills

Dew on the carnations

New Parrot's Beak - redder than the one we bought last year

 

Lobelia and the year old Parrot's Beak

The Rock Purslane (pink-purple in the foreground) has filled in nicely since last year.
The yellow in the background is Monkey Flower in the neighbor's yard.

Agave in the background, California poppy in front

Our Oscularia deltoides in full bloom.
What a change from the tiny plant we put in last year!

We contnue redo our small front yard watering with drip irrigation.
This time with Aloe starts that a neighbor gave us.

Occasionally we get a glimpse of the local wildlife.  This buck turned up one misty morning and stood still long enough for me to zoom in.

It's fun watching this year's new Black-headed Grosbeaks learn their way around our feeders.

The bay and hills always present photo ops.  Here are some recent ones.

Those eerie times when the city and bay disappear

 

The waning light always captures my interest

A clear night, city lights

Venus shining full in the evening sky - 40x zoom

Note: Botanical Garden photos taken with an iPhone 5c camera; others with an Olympus SH-1.

May into June - Projects & Play

In mid-May, we saw the successful conclusion of a project that we initiated in August 2014.  Our neighbors who own the five properties adjacent to our house joined us in applying for a matching grant to remove dead plant material from 30 to 40 feet down the steep slopes behind our homes.  The objective was to reduce the fuel load on the slopes (thus making us more insurable) and preserve and enhance the unique manzanita - coast oak - huckleberry plant community that we all enjoy.

These photos will give you a sense of the project.

Before - looking toward 2 of the properties

After - same two properties with dead material

Skilled trimming of manzanitas by a field biologist

Hauling out debris

Steep slopes made for tough working conditions

30 cubic yard dumpster on the way to being packed

A dump truck was needed to hold the rest of the debris

Our contractor was Creekside Science.  I coordinated the project on behalf of our neighbors and ourselves.  The Creekside crew as great to work with, especially Lech, the lead field biologist on the project.  Cheryl at the granting agency, the Diablo Firesafe Council, was, too.

On the "play" side of life: an excursion to the Lafayette Reservoir and a concert in the Redwood Grove at the UC-Berkeley Botanical Gardens.

The Lafayette Reservoir has a 2.7 mile paved trail around the reservoir that is well used by walkers of  all ages, many with dogs or baby strollers, or both.

The trail allows views of the reservoir from a variety of perspectives and glimpses of wildflowers and birds.

I was lucky to get this photo of a pelican with my zoom lens.

Geese and goslings - also with the help of my zoom lens

The reservoir's most prominent landmark

Last Thursday evening there was perfect weather for the opening concert of the Redwood Grove season.  The Botanical Gardens was celebrating: its 125th anniversary year,  the 80th anniversary of the planting of the redwoods, and the 40th anniversary of the newly restored ampitheater in the grove.

 

A sold out concert

The ampitheater

Cello solo

Tune up for a trio

A quartet to conclude the program
An audience member gave the violinist a cap to block the sun
that was shining in her eyes at the beginning of the piece.

Project and Lafayette Reservoir photos taken with my Olympus SH-1; Redwood Grove photos with my iPhone 5c (yes, I finally upgraded from the 3g).