Yucca plants bloom in the spring, and then die back. The stalks remain behind and new growth sprouts nearby. The leaves at the base of the stalk are sharp and spiky. They are a protected plant in California. Every year, I love seeing the hillsides dotted with their tall flower stalks – often they are 7 – 10 feet tall. In a land of low scrub, it is a pleasant break to the eye.
I don’t live in a very exciting city, with high rises and fascinating places to go. Little if any long history, with conquistadors and religious wars and so on. Rather, I live in a place where suburbs exist, farm land and ranches are nearby, and the open spaces are places of refuge from long work days. Although I was born in Chicago, most of my life has been spent in rural areas and small towns. Today, I live in the biggest town since I was born, with 127,000 population, but it was designed to include 30% of it being reserved for open space. How lucky am I? Pretty darn lucky!
The local botanical garden is filled with new growth. Vines, trees, shrubs, bulbs are in bloom. Birds and lizards and coyotes are to be seen, and the squirrels are fatter than fat. I was walking home from my visit when a rustling caught my ear . . . this guy was just bopping around within feet of me, and luckily I could get his portrait before he flew off to explore new territory. This is a Dark-eyed Junco.
Ink, Yarn & Beer 