Downtime

Gone Fishing

Gone Fishing: photo by Cliff Hutson

Sometimes a person just needs to take a break. 

“Insight comes, more often than not, from looking at what’s been on the table all along, in front of everybody, rather than from discovering something new.”—David McCullough

Hoary-leaved Ceanothus

Hoary-leaved Ceanothus

Hoary-leaved Ceanothus: photo by Cliff Hutson

hoary |ˈhôrē|

adjective ( hoarier , hoariest )

1 grayish-white : hoary cobwebs.

• (of a person) having gray or white hair; aged : a hoary old fellow with a face of white stubble.

• [ attrib. ] used in names of animals and plants covered with whitish fur or short hairs, e.g., hoary bat, hoary cress.

A Hoary Leaf: photo by Cliff Hutson

 

There are at least 52 species of ceanothus in the world. California is home to 43 species, sometimes known as California lilac, and 13 of these are native to the chaparral of Southern California. The dominant species in our local, lower-elevation, Santa Monica Mountains is Bigpod Ceanothus, Ceanothus megacarpus. However, at higher elevations it is replaced  Ceanothus crassifolius, Hoary-leaved Ceanothus. 

Plants in the genus Ceanothus are divided in to two groups - the subgenus Ceanothus and the subgenus Cerastes. The later is actually the larger group. But, I think that most of us, thanks to its showy displays, are more familiar with the former which is characterized by thin leaves that have three main veins, arrayed alternately on the stems. The leaves of Cerastes are leathery with a single main vein, and generally opposite in arrangement. 

A member of the Buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae) it is a large, evergreen shrub which may grow to twelve feet in height.  The leathery olive green leaves have white fuzzy undersides, which makes them hoary. The field guides I use describe the leaves as being “small”, which seemed a bit vague.  An internet gardening catalog stated they they are 1/4­ to 1/2" long. However, I took some measurements on a specimen at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden and found them to be closer to 1-1 1/2”. Which reminds me of the old taunt - “Who are going to believe, the facts or your lying eyes?” The small (truly about a quarter of an inch), rounded flowers are white with the inflorescences borne on short stalks.

Hoary-leaved Ceanothus is distributed through the Outer South Coast Range, Transverse Range, Peninsular Range, and Northern Baja on dry ridges or slopes below 3700'. Which is to say locally we can find it in the Verdugo, San Gabriel, Santa Monica and San Bernardino Mountains.

National Napping Day

National Napping Day is observed annually the day following the return of Daylight Saving Time

Cat Nap: photo by Cliff Hutson

Americans set their clocks forward at 2 a.m. on March 14, we entered Daylight Saving Time (DST). (Notice that correctly there is no "s" at the the end of "Saving". ) Thinking about that lost hour causes many of us to worry about being sleep-deprived, which often comes with changing sleep schedules. Insufficient sleep can cause serious, well-documented problems, from impaired mood and memory to overeating and heart attacks. While one might think that Sunday would be enough to make the adjustment, you’ll probably feel sleepy on March 15, and may want to catch up on that missing hour. But, try to avoid naps longer than 45 minutes. Also, napping after 3:00 PM, will make it harder to go to sleep at night,

World Sleep Day

By the way, World Sleep Day is March 19, 2021

The World Sleep Society recommends the following 10 steps to achieve healthy sleep

• Fix a bedtime and an awakening time.
• If you are in the habit of taking a nap, do not exceed 45 minutes of daytime sleep.
• Avoid excessive alcohol ingestion 4 hours before bedtime and do not smoke.
• Avoid caffeine 6 hours before bedtime. This includes coffee, tea and many sodas, as well as chocolate.
• Avoid heavy, spicy, or sugary foods 4 hours before bedtime. A light snack before bed is acceptable.
• Exercise regularly, but not right before bed.
• Use comfortable bedding.
• Find a comfortable temperature setting for sleeping and keep the room well ventilated.
• Block out all distracting noise and eliminate as much light as possible.
• Reserve the bed for sleep and sex. Don’t use the bed as an office, workroom or recreation room.

Reading Log: February 2021

 The books I read in the month of February 2021:

February 2021 Books: photo by Cliff Hutson

• "The Ninth Inning," A.J. Stewart
  
• "Deacon King Kong," James McBride
  
• "Lords of the Fly," Monte Burke
  

Life in the Time of Corona: Self-care

 Self-care

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, 

but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” 

– Maya Angelou

Bee & Camellia: photo by Cliff Hutson

• Stay safe
• Be mindful
• Watch the bees