Volunteer: Hiding Behind Others

California Bay Volunteer

Moving large and heavy bags of potting soil early this morning when POP! this volunteer California Bay, all naked in the early morning light, greeted me πŸ™‚ We use the bay leaves for many things and recently had to cut down our largest bay tree for a construction project. Very sad to see it go 😦 Many volunteers are now popping up over the property, so perhaps they were watered by our tears and are going to come back. πŸ™‚

Invasive. Beautiful. Thorny. Delicious

Himalayan Blackberry

Our property’s new mountain fire safety rules may require us to dig all our berries up and destroy the plants. They are considered a primary Ladder Plant for forest fires due to the cane structure. Our berry plants naturally fence off a dirt road and keep people out who might abuse our property. I am working on accepting this and finding a way to make it happen as soon as we can.

Rain Guardian

Rain Guardian

During this drought, we have employed a Norseman to serve us as a Rain Guardian. He ensures that no person or wizardess attempts to stop the rain from falling on our property. It is raining beautifully right now, and we congratulate our Rain Guardian on his success! Thank you!

Fierce, Loud, and Persistent

The California Steller’s Jay mating pair (male above) return each spring and make a huge mess of stairs to our front door. We gave up after a few years and just block the stairs off in early spring and leave it blocked until early summer. Nest building occurs in eaves above, and debris of rejected nest material builds up into a large column over six feet high. They never give up πŸ™‚