Panel One: a male Valley Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa sonorina), collects nectar from Narrow Leaf milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis) blossoms. On the Sunrise Trail in Conejo Open Space, May 27, 2022. Panel Two: a Lorquin’s Admiral (Limenitis lorquini) collects nectar from Black Sage (Salvia mellifera) blossoms. On the Sunrise Trail in Conejo Open Space, May 27, 2022.… Continue reading Triptych
Category: Trails
Grazing Buck
A male Mule Deer stops to graze as he walks through the brush. Two large Coast Live oak trees and some low growing shrubs separate the buck from me. The presence of the trees in particular helped me to stay hidden. He passes from shadow cast by the first tree to an opening of sunlight,… Continue reading Grazing Buck
Gratitude
Yesterday, on the last day of 2024, one of my favorite authors, Jeff VanderMeer, posted a question on the social media platform Bluesky. His question was: What are you grateful for from the past year? (Yes, there are lots of terrible things to be un-thankful for, but that’s not this thread.) I am a grumpy… Continue reading Gratitude
Crossroads
We gathered at the center where all roads meet.One left breadcrumbs that were eaten by song birds. Two looked back to find a sand storm erasing her progress. Three was on a journey to wherever she found herself.Four had a compass that kept forgetting its purpose. Five arrived with a plan, this destination was on… Continue reading Crossroads