Monday, January 05, 2009
A Cold Frosty.
We're having a cold spell in San Diego. Really. It was 40 degrees Fahrenheit in the backyard this morning and a frost was on the ground.
Here are some closeups of the frost on the shredded redwood mulch, a sage, and melting on a heart-shaped weed.
As always, click the images to zoom.
-tdr
Republished once to correct grammar.
Here are some closeups of the frost on the shredded redwood mulch, a sage, and melting on a heart-shaped weed.
As always, click the images to zoom.-tdr
Republished once to correct grammar.
Labels: Gardening, Photography, San Diego
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Wild In The Urbs: Macro Shots
I did my part to help stimulate the economy this weekend. I bought an expensive new macro lens for the Canon Rebel: a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 macro. I dived in this morning and took some shots in the backyard. I need to read the manual. I wasted a lot of shots to get these and these are cropped versions of the originals.
-tdr
-tdr
Labels: Gardening, Insects, Photography
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Wild In The Urbs.
To be honest the only reason for this post is to bump the gruesome dead possum post down from the top. So, here's a picture of a passel of Lesser Goldfinches feeding from a nyjer seed sock. Aren't they cuuuute?
I've replaced the sock with a metal mesh feeder. Much cleaner.
Now here's a shot of Kimba sitting behind the Lemonade Berry Bush. The old sock feeder is devoid of birds. Hmmm, I wonder why.
The Lemonade Berry Bush is a California native that will get to about 6-8 feet tall and thicker. It's still small because it's a juvenile that hasn't gone through a rainy season yet. Birds love the bush for the small sour berries it produces. I've been told that mixing the berries with water and sugar produces a passable lemonade. (Here.) We'll see.
-tdr
Republished once to add link for making lemonade berry lemonade.
I've replaced the sock with a metal mesh feeder. Much cleaner.Now here's a shot of Kimba sitting behind the Lemonade Berry Bush. The old sock feeder is devoid of birds. Hmmm, I wonder why.
The Lemonade Berry Bush is a California native that will get to about 6-8 feet tall and thicker. It's still small because it's a juvenile that hasn't gone through a rainy season yet. Birds love the bush for the small sour berries it produces. I've been told that mixing the berries with water and sugar produces a passable lemonade. (Here.) We'll see.-tdr
Republished once to add link for making lemonade berry lemonade.
Labels: Animals, Birds, Food, Gardening, Nature, San Diego
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Life In The Suburbs.
This lizard has been living among the plants along the front of my house. I destroyed its habitat by removing all the plants in preparation for replacing them with California natives. I'm hoping it finds someplace to hang out until the new plants go in. It's welcome to stay.
And this squirrel has taken up residence in the gap between my fence and my neighbor's fence. The possum used to live there but he hasn't been back for a while now.
These parrots came by today.
There are four of them. Not sure if I want to encourage them because of the noise. But they are beautiful creatures nonetheless. 
Finally, this Cooper's Hawk has been hanging out a lot lately.
It seems to be a juvenile. I haven't seen it catch anything yet, but I don't think it would keep hanging out here if it hadn't. By the way, it does have two legs. It's just resting one.
Who says there's no life in the suburbs?
-tdr
Labels: Animals, Birds, Gardening, Photography
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Mulch Ado About Mars Garden.
More news of the mainstreaming of space exploration comes from England. A garden designed to simulate one that astronauts might build on Mars won first prize at the Chelsea Flower Show in the United Kingdom. (Here.) More photographs, a panorama, and design drawing can be viewed at the Royal Horticultural Society website. (Here.)
-tdr
Technorati:
Mars, 
gardening.
-tdr
Technorati:
Mars, gardening.Labels: Aesthetics, Gardening, Mars
