National Pollinator Week 2020

The birds and the invertebrates

Ant: photo by Cliff Hutson

June 22-28, 2020 is National Pollinator Week.   It is an annual celebration of the many animals that move pollen to help plants make fruit or seeds.

While it is probably safe to say that most people readily identify honey bees as pollinators, many other creatures are also crucial to the lifecycle of plants.  It should not be a surprise that butterflies  and moths are among the usual suspects.  (Ants should probably be excluded, but I like my opening photograph so I am including it anyway.)

Butterfly Bush: photo by Cliff Hutson

Another thing that I find amusing is that much of the literature maintains that flower shape dictates the pollinators for a plant. Which is to say that flat flowers attract butterflies, cup shaped flowers bees, and tubular flowers humming birds. However, as I used to joke with my students, the animals do not read those papers. 

To wit, I can present bees  that are thinking outside of the box or perhaps they just have a rebellious nature.

Bee on California Sunflower; photo by Cliff Hutson

Bee & Camellia: photo by Cliff Hutson

Nevada Mining Bee: photo by Cliff Hutson

While Ladybugs are noted for eating aphids and other plant destroying pests, it seems that help in pollination as well.

Ladybug: photo by Cliff Hutson

Finally, this butterfly seems to be going by the book.

Painted Lady Butterfly: photo by Cliff Hutson

Pollinators are essential to our environment. The ecological service they provide is necessary for the reproduction of over 85% of the world’s flowering plants, including more than two-thirds of the world’s crop species.  

Here are some ways that we can help them to carry on:

• Grow a variety of bee-friendly flowers that bloom from spring through fall.
• Protect and provide bee nests and caterpillar host plants.
• Avoid using pesticides, especially insecticides.

Earth Day 2020

2020 Earth Day - 50th Anniversary Celebration

Earth Day Advice: photo by Cliff Hutson

People are crazy and times are strange, but Earth Day will go on.

Teach Your Children: photo by Cliff Hutson

While we all have a part to play, the future belongs to the children. I only hope that we leave something for them.

California Native Plant Week #9

A 9 Day Week

"Eight days a week
Is not enough to show I care"

- The Beatles

An eight day week was not enough for The Beatles, and apparently not for California Native Plant Week as well. So, here we are with my last plant for this year.

x Chiranthofremontia lenzii

x Chiranthofremontia lenzii: photo by Cliff Hutson

X Chiranthofremontia lenzii (hybrid monkey hand tree) is a large bush that is a hybrid between Mexico's Chiranthodendron pentadactylon and California's Fremontia californicum. It has a glorious yellow/orange blooms. The distinctive flowers appear in late spring and early summer; the stamens are long, curve upward, and give the distinct impression of a clawed hand or paw.

The nothogeneric name is derived from the two generic names using "Chir- antho" (hand, anther) and "Fremont" portions of the parental generic names. The species epithet honors Dr. Lee Wayne Lenz, Director Emeritus of Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, who made many native hybrids, including Fremontodendron 'California Glory,' 'Pacific Sunset,' and 'San Gabriel'.

Hybrid Monkey Hand Tree: photo by Cliff Hutson

Earth Day Again

I was in grad school when the very first Earth Day happened.  The campus was alive with the sound of music and many well attended events. Obviously, this year's 50th anniversary observance has to be very different. The Union of Concerned Scientists has planned a three-day event called Earth Day Live.

What Is Earth Day Live? Find out here.

California Native Plant Week #8

Wildflower Meadows

Meadow with Lupins: photo by Cliff Hutson

Technically, a meadow is simply an open habitat vegetated by grasses and other non-woody plants. However, few things evoke magical memories like spring wildflowers.

Common Meadowfoam: photo by Cliff Hutson

Collinsia: photo by Cliff Hutson

Tidy Tips and Lupins:  photo by Cliff Hutson

Clarkia amoena: photo by Cliff Hutson

Clarkia Fan: photo by Cliff Hutson

California Native Plant Week #7

Ninebark

Ninebark: photo by Cliff Hutson

Pacific ninebark or western ninebark (Physocarpus capitatus) is a shrub that is native to California and confined to western North America—from southern Alaska east to Montana and Utah, and south to southern California—in the redwood forest, chaparral, yellow pine forest, red fir forest and wetland-riparian communities. The plant gets its common name from its bark, which may peel showing several layers

It is a deciduous bush up to 8 feet tall, with round 3-to-5-inch clusters of white flowers having five petals and numerous red-tipped stamens, flowering May through July. The blossoms have been noted as being attractive to a large number of native bees. Also, small animals and birds find shelter in its branches. The leaves are lobed, about 1.2–5.5 inches long and broad, alternate, generally serrate, and remind me of small grape or currant leaves, though some say they are maple-like. They turn intense red to orange in the fall. The fruit is an inflated glossy red pod, which turns dry and brown and then splits open to release seeds.

Many nurseries recommend the plant not only for its delightful display of flowers and its showiness in fall, but also for the sculptural attractiveness the rest of the year. It grows best in moist environments, but it is drought-tolerant to a degree.

Save the date(s)

Earth Day is April 22, but at least one organization is proposing a week's worth of activities. 

Reading Log: February 2019

The books I finished reading in February 2019

February 2019 Books; photo by Cliff Hutson

“The Fifth Season,” N.K. Jemisin

I read this book because it was assigned (as it were) by the SciFri Book Club.  

“Metzger’s Dog,” Thomas Perry

“Spider Woman’s Daughter,” Anne Hillerman

“Rock with Wings,” Anne Hillerman

“Tony Hillerman’s Landscape,” Anne Hillerman (photographs by Don Strel)

The Shoe Designer

“Hey, I put some new shoes on

And suddenly everything is right”

 - Songwriters: Jim Duguid / Mathew William Benbrook / Matt Benbrook / Paolo Giovanni Nutini

New Shoes

"Outdoor Chill" Laces: photo by Cliff Hutson

Who amongst us does not enjoy a pair of new shoes?  I know that I do and I recently got to design them as well, basically from scratch. 

Chuck Taylor All-Stars

Inner Body: photo by Cliff Hutson

Chuck Taylor All-Stars were one of the most iconic shoes of my youth. Times were simpler then, so we had a choice of two - black or white; as I recall. However, as with most other things, that palette has significantly expanded.  Now, I even have a pair with wool uppers in black and white plaid that Converse created in a partnership with Woolrich.   

Feeling the need for another pair of shoes to wear at work, I was going to buy a plain classic model when I discovered that one could actually create a customized version of their very own. Thus I was launched into the world of shoe design.

Blank Canvas

Blank Canvas: photo by Cliff Hutson

The driving force behind my design is that my go to work "uniform"is a green shirt, and that I wear a walnut colored Stetson in cool weather. Rightly or wrongly, I decided that it would be fun to have the shoes reflect this. 

Outer Body: photo by Cliff Hutson

Thus the outer body is green and the inner body is brown.

Both Sides Now: photo by Cliff Hutson

Was very conservative with the remaining twelve (12!) options, leaning to what I felt was traditional. That is except for the laces.

Finished Product

New Shoes: photo by Cliff Hutson

The laces are described as "Outdoor Chill". When I saw that name I just kind of automatically clicked on that choice. They are wilder than I thought they would be; and I am not sure where the "chill" enters in to it. However, they, of course, can be easily switched out if I grow tired of them.

Other than that I am very pleased with my creation.