Mesa Peak Motorway

Now that the rocket’s red glare is done, is our flag still there? Today’s journey in search of life included a long hike, my favorite playlist and lots of time searching for and focusing on the small ones. In the wilderness I feel free of the monsters. I turned off the music and waded among… Continue reading Mesa Peak Motorway

Yellow-faced Bumble Bee

The Yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, is common in coastal southern California. The bumble bee featured in the first two photographs might have been a recently emerged queen based upon her large size and the date. I photographed her on March 25, and again on April 3, 2024. On those dates she visited a large… Continue reading Yellow-faced Bumble Bee

Black-tailed Bumble Bee

Where I live the Black-tailed Bumble Bee is usually the first species I see in January or February, depending on local conditions. On a walk last winter I stopped by a small community park near my house. The date was February 15, 2024. The park has a few native plant cultivars, including three manzanita shrubs.… Continue reading Black-tailed Bumble Bee

Variations of Form

On a day of her choosing, summer exiles her vernal sister. Dispatched from the realm with a sidelong scorch, spring retreats. Eager seeds, too long in slumber, awaken beneath her footsteps. Their coats crack open. Spines of bright chlorophyll unfurl, an Homage of leaflets, tender cairns that mark her journey. As a mountain lion she… Continue reading Variations of Form