Science

People in our neighborhood were invited to take part in a bird study. Sparrows had been studied not far away in the local outdoor lab/field station and the researchers wanted to compare it to yards not too far away.

Open traps were set with a bit of food inside in hopes of getting the birds used to going in and out. I think the squirrels might have eaten the food first.

Our yard was chosen as home base for a couple early mornings when the traps were set. Not one bird was caught in any of the yards. The students were reminded that there lessons to be learned from negative results, but I think it was disappointing.

Now we have a camera set up for a week, just in case there is something to be learned from birds visiting the yard.

Training Squirrels

We seem to have a couple new young squirrels in our yard.  They seem to be just fine hanging out while I am in the yard, but I would like these bushy-tailed rodents to be a little more scared of humans. I chase them away each and every time, but they haven't gotten the hint.

Near the base of the tree, not running away

On the base of another tree, not running away

Caught in the act! It had the orange in
its mouth and dropped it when it saw me.

Time to get a dog?

Watering

 We have two citrus trees and each has a bubbler, similar to a sprinkler. There are no working sprinklers for other parts of the yard. I water by hand sometimes, but mostly the plants wait for the rain. Most places have sprinklers on a timer, including roadside plantings. Only a few of these seem to have sensors to prevent them from going off during the rain and immediately afterward.

The most common types are plastic, pop up when they go off and retract when they stop.

Recently I noticed some old metal sprinklers. I wonder how old they are.

Edited to add more. As soon as I posted this I started seeing more old sprinklers.

Last time I was in Ohio I saw some home with automatic sprinklers. Next they'll be selling ice to the Alaskans.

Color in the Garden Today

The last of the bulbine

Aloe vera

Kalanchoe pubescens

Red hot poker/torch lily/Kniphofia

The last of the jacaranda blossoms are falling.

Lavender, as photographed by A.

Lucky us!

We are having a lot more rain than last year so the rain barrels are full (I emptied it a bit so there was no water above the screen after I took this picture, but they will be overflowing again soon).

There are also all sorts of mushrooms growing in our yard, which is a good sign since it means the moisture is being held in.

I see a lot of these.

I think I have seen this before.

I have never seen these!

Good luck this time

I am trying to be nice to myself.  When I get to the library, pick up my books from the reservation shelf, and stand in line only to realize I didn't bring my wallet, I try to hear the message, "It's not what you meant to do, but accidents happen."  When I wait patiently at the wrong gate so long I miss my flight I try to think, "Well, at least you won't make that mistake again."  And I am grateful for the person at the airport who rebooked us and said, "It happens all day long."

On the other hand, sometimes things go well.  I looked at the weather forecast and I believed it.

We had a wonderful breakfast here on Saturday morning, but on Saturday night I took down the decorations.  Normally I run on Sunday morning but I figured nothing would happen if I went out on Saturday instead (except for almost getting mixed up with a big cross-country meet).

I woke up to the sound of rain and was happy.

Post-rain

The plants look so happy!

Okay, not this one.  It has a few not-all-brown leaves, but I think I need to pull it.

These are looking like they need help, too.

The general philosophy has been to remove the dead and replace with some of the living.

I love succulents.

This tree showed up on its own and I am waiting for the city to move it or move the stop sign.

Front Yard

Happy Flag Day.

Another view of the yard, this with a blooming succulent.

Bee included.

Two signs, no elections.

I am guessing we have more jacaranda blossoms than usual because of the late spring rains,

which means more blossoms on the sidewalks and plants.

Another beautiful day.  Time to hang of the laundry.

Bringing Out the Spirit

Several months ago I posted about removing a tree and leaving a stump,

using this picture as the after picture.

We hired an artist

who completed phase one.

Making progress!

It was hot work without the shade of the redwood.

Finished!

Here is Luis at work on his drum, made from part of the same tree.

This is the new after picture.

untitled, unfinished, but inspired by our tree

Change

Before

 Of course the before involved prior steps, as my aunt says.  The former owner's dad took the family on a trip to Northern California in the 1930's(?) and brought back a small redwood, which may now be about 90-years-old.  It is homesick for rain and mist and not looking happy in the suburbs of Los Angeles.

We brought in an arborist, but she was not optimistic about saving it.  We did some soul searching and chose to put the tree out of its misery.  After getting quotes ranging from $600-$2600 (not including milling the wood) we went with the lowest bid made by an insured tree removal company.

During

After

But the after picture does not show the end.  Some wood was taken to the farm at Pomona College for the students to practice on before carving the door of a yurt-like structure.  Some wood was taken by a local (around the corner) luthier, and some wood is stashed behind the stone wall in case we want to make stepping stones or table tops.  

Best of all, we are working with an artist (featured in the local paper) who will carve the stump.  I'll write another post when we agree on a design and the carving begins.