Looking west from the deck, the vibrant sunset is reminiscent of my favorite passionfruit and mango shave ice.
Rain might actually fall in a couple of days from Tropical Storm Hilary, the reason for those beautiful clouds. A new weather forecast says it might turn into a hurricane which would definitely bring stronger winds along with sky water. We would only feel the remnants–Baja California would bear the brunt–but I’d be really happy for the rain!
The new moon, under 1% illuminated, turns skies dark tonight as we anticipate the second full moon at the end of August.
This is what I saw when I looked up early this morning, an unfiltered tropical sky. There’s a 40% chance of rain tomorrow, but I don’t really think it’ll happen.
This giant followed me around the garden all afternoon. I’ve never seen this particular butterfly before, but I think he was attracted by my solar powered pond fountain, and that makes me very happy.
The Western Giant Swallowtail wingspan is about 5.5 to 7.4 inches, depending on gender.
I took a lot of great photos with my Canon but was disappointed to have some kind of error message with the SD card, so I can’t share those more pristine images.
The swallowtail butterfly is believed to represent transformation and embodiment of souls who have crossed over to the spiritual realm. It has also long been an animal that symbolizes joy, freedom, and honour of the soul.
Additionally, in many cultures, the swallowtail butterfly is believed to be a messenger of pleasant news and luck.
Right now, visitors are flocking to Death Valley National Park to experience the forecasted EXTREME heat.
Death Valley is projected to set a verified world record for the hottest temperature ever reliably recorded, with Furnace Creek expected to reach 131 degrees with a low temperature at night of 101 degrees.
I’ve been to Death Valley a few times. It’s an otherworldly and mysterious experience. It’s a whole mind/body connection, the kind of heat that permeates down to a soulful, cellular level. Along with the magnificent silence, there’s really nothing to compare to desert heat.
Ten thousand years ago, Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America, was once a hundred-mile long lake. It’s now a vast expanse of salty ground.
When you visit Death Vally, make sure you stop at Artists Palette, a technicolor, kaleidoscopic display of multicolored rock in that makes you feel you’re at an art exhibit.
Of course, as with the rest of our country, there were Indigenous People here before us.
The Timbisha Shoshone Indians lived there for centuries before the first white man entered the valley. They hunted and followed seasonal migrations to harvest pinyon pine nuts and mesquite beans. To them, the land provided everything they needed and many areas were, and are, considered to be sacred places.
I always thank the first people when I camp or hike, no matter where I am.
The shamanic ground markings of Death Valley tend to be found in the more remote parts of this already remote region – probably the reason why any trace of them survives at all. They are ritual and magical features left by long-ago shamans, probably of the ancestral Pima and Shoshone peoples, and they are fragile, so much so that their precise locations are not advertised.
They take various forms – ritual pathways, shrines, vision quest beds, scraped ground markings, strange sinuous lines, and weird patterns of rocks.
Vision quest beds are remote, subtly-marked locations where an Indian brave or shaman would go to spend a solitary vigil seeking a vision – a personal spiritual gift. He would go without food or sleep for perhaps three or four days and nights until the vision came. If it came at all, it would most commonly be in the form of what we would call an auditory hallucination: he would hear a chant or song.
Ritual pathways are probably the rarest of the shamanic features. a loose group of boulders.
The most enigmatic of all the shamanic relics in the valley are markings etched into the hard, sunbaked ground (‘intaglios’) or laid out with small rocks on the surface of the ground (‘petroforms’). Such features are collectively known as ‘geoglyphs’. Both types in Death Valley mainly show meandering, abstract patterns, but a few seem to depict mythical creatures. (Curated from https://www.ancient-origins.net)
If you make it to Death Valley, no matter what season, take more water than you think you’ll need to stay well hydrated!
My son has the greenest thumb EVER. I lovelove the Matilija poppy but have never been able to keep a single plant alive, and this beauty is more than six feet tall in its first year. He told me that everyone who walks by stops to take pics and a selfie in front of this incredible specimen.
This morning a fried egg appeared in the backyard, a startling yellow ball floating on a white round of wide petals. Officially: Matilija Poppy. It hovers, this hint of perfection, above mostly unadorned foliage. — Kari Wergeland’
Romneya coulteri: A shrubby perennial that grows to eight feet, found on dry slopes and sandy washes in coastal sage scrub and chaparral, generally away from the coast (mountain foothills and Santa Ana Mountains).
Like many others in this family this species is a fire follower. While it’s on the California Native Plant Society List 4.2, a watch list for species with limited distribution in California, it’s thriving in Washington state.
This is a friend’s land tortoise who likes to make himself at home in their living room. They’ve had him for a couple of decades and he follows me around when I wear pink or red. He must think I look like a hibiscus flower, his favorite snack.
Don’t know who did this, but it’s a cute fire hydrant, all dressed up.
I tried to get closer to this white egret, but he flew away…
I’m not talking about that song by the The Romantics, but a secret spot I discovered while out walking yesterday.
I can’t believe I’ve lived here for decades and never knew about this little beachy secret. One other person was there with their dogs and we vowed not to disclose this classified location…
Pretty cool, huh?
Looking to the east…
And to the west…
I MIGHT be persuaded to share the coordinates of this idyllic site, but you’d have to also be sworn to secrecy.
I’m so excited! This is the first time I’ve ever seen a Red Admiral butterfly. I had installed a solar powered fountain in the pond only minutes before when this little guy came to visit and take a drink. After that, he spread his wings on the sun warmed rocks and I was able to get a good look.
I hope he hangs around for a while…I’ll try to capture better photos if I see him again.
The Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) has much more black than the Monarch. It has a black upper forewing with a bright, diagonal red-orange band across it and spots of white on the tips. It also has a red marginal band on its hindwing and the underside is a mottled brown.
I found a poem about this butterfly and had to share. I wasn’t able to learn a lot about the poet, David Wood, but I certainly do like his poems!
Sonnet 68: Red Admiral
Patrolling small stretches of the hedgerow Like a silent sentry on guard duty, Other butterflies they will overthrow; The Red Admiral, nature’s real beauty.
Seen fluttering throughout summers hot days From buddleia to Michaelmas daisies, And sheltering from the suns golden rays, All the people will sing of their praises.
But they cannot survive the winter’s cold Their life is all too brief, a crying shame: Alas none of them will ever grow old Their short life is all part of nature’s game.
Their beauty we cannot take for granted For they are delicately enchanted.
Enchanted Seashells | Princess Rosebud 