![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_d0f5f7c8ceb346f3b178d7d748e8b0ff~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_d0f5f7c8ceb346f3b178d7d748e8b0ff~mv2.webp)
![Colorful native blooms](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_d0f5f7c8ceb346f3b178d7d748e8b0ff~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_d0f5f7c8ceb346f3b178d7d748e8b0ff~mv2.webp)
Colorful native blooms
In an otherwise quite dry and tan landscape due to drought, colorful native blooms bring so much joy. It's that time of year for the...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_6d4746602e6947ca9eea3b6cbd8e2022~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_6d4746602e6947ca9eea3b6cbd8e2022~mv2.webp)
![Brown eyed Bushtit fledgling](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_6d4746602e6947ca9eea3b6cbd8e2022~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_6d4746602e6947ca9eea3b6cbd8e2022~mv2.webp)
Brown eyed Bushtit fledgling
A group of Brown-eyed bushtits visited the patio, including a fledgling. It caught my interest because of its behavior. After the rest of...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_941f13de2d69415eb365561476357531~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_941f13de2d69415eb365561476357531~mv2.webp)
![Let's celebrate some of our hardest working pollinators today, World Bee Day](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_941f13de2d69415eb365561476357531~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_941f13de2d69415eb365561476357531~mv2.webp)
Let's celebrate some of our hardest working pollinators today, World Bee Day
We should celebrate our hard working pollinators EVERY day, but at least a day is designated to officially celebrate bees. Above, a...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_6a92abd107c948238873fea8b035de68~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_6a92abd107c948238873fea8b035de68~mv2.webp)
![Lambs ears are starting to bloom](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_6a92abd107c948238873fea8b035de68~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_6a92abd107c948238873fea8b035de68~mv2.webp)
Lambs ears are starting to bloom
The week has been mostly cloudy, cool and very breezy. But it looks like the very warm weather we had last weekend encouraged the lambs'...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_192eb56ba680423fb2a55dcdd932d9b6~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_192eb56ba680423fb2a55dcdd932d9b6~mv2.webp)
![Bee visitors today](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_192eb56ba680423fb2a55dcdd932d9b6~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_192eb56ba680423fb2a55dcdd932d9b6~mv2.webp)
Bee visitors today
What a wonderful scene, bees active all over the garden, humming everywhere. Above, one of the Yellow-faced bumblebees Bombus...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_14f3893919e1490c86aeb7f364c5aa1a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_14f3893919e1490c86aeb7f364c5aa1a~mv2.webp)
![Another Anise Swallowtail visits](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_14f3893919e1490c86aeb7f364c5aa1a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_14f3893919e1490c86aeb7f364c5aa1a~mv2.webp)
Another Anise Swallowtail visits
These are such beautiful butterflies, that in the past years just flew through our garden. But the Verbena De La Mina shrub is a big...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_5b42f4e538ef4067abd751d5e97107d9~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_5b42f4e538ef4067abd751d5e97107d9~mv2.webp)
![Bees and All That Pollen](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_5b42f4e538ef4067abd751d5e97107d9~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_5b42f4e538ef4067abd751d5e97107d9~mv2.webp)
Bees and All That Pollen
Look at all the pollen on the Tiny Metallic Sweat Bee Lasioglossum sp Halictidae. It is rolling in the pollen of a California poppy. One...
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![Poppy of Troy](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_5c35609c31b84bbeb59b594aea34b9a1~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_5c35609c31b84bbeb59b594aea34b9a1~mv2.webp)
Poppy of Troy
This year is the first time we have islands of Poppy of Troy in the garden. And they are quite tall, about fifteen inches. There is...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_5d85727c1e204f209765e0e6736a5456~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_5d85727c1e204f209765e0e6736a5456~mv2.webp)
![Spring Bloom right here](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_5d85727c1e204f209765e0e6736a5456~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_5d85727c1e204f209765e0e6736a5456~mv2.webp)
Spring Bloom right here
Most people need to travel somewhere to experience the dramatic beauty and colors of Spring Bloom. But luckily many spring and summer...
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_6f377888c9814dbdb9e91d9a42d345b3~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/1eb7ff_6f377888c9814dbdb9e91d9a42d345b3~mv2.webp)
![Yellow-faced bumble bee on Verbena De La Mina](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1eb7ff_6f377888c9814dbdb9e91d9a42d345b3~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_312,h_234,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/1eb7ff_6f377888c9814dbdb9e91d9a42d345b3~mv2.webp)
Yellow-faced bumble bee on Verbena De La Mina
How do they do it? This is an overhead view of a Yellow-faced bumble bee Bombus vosnesenskii sipping nectar from a Verbena De La Mina...