The Jacaranda tree reminds me of South Africa, where they are abundant. I had no idea they grow here in California! The purple flowers are so stunning and vibrant and the tree itself has such presence and energy...
We began on a casual stroll through the park led by a park ranger and friend of Evan. He pointed plants out to us, and much to my delight I was able to supplement his comments with my recently acquired knowledge of local flora. I've made friends with a teacher named Katie who is originally from New Zealand. She is making strides in building a garden at her high school in Tustin. Her and I enjoyed each others company as I pointed out my favorite plants like Buckwheat and White Sage.
Our goal of today's nature walk was to:
a) Become familiar with native plants - Willow, Black Mustard, Coastal Sage, Monkey Flower
b) Understand the concepts of Diaceous, Monoaceous, Invasives, Riparian Zone
c) Practice viewing things with two perspectives: whole and detailed
Journal Entries from our Nature Walk
Grand View -
There must have been water here as there is a carved canyon in front of me. Looking at the hillside the flora is dense and somewhat uneven from the Sage, Toiyons, Oaks and brush. The density is striking to me and reminds me of the rainforest.
It is very warm. The sun is hot on my skin and there is a clear sky with only a few clouds. There is a very gentle breeze that could almost go unnoticed. The ground on the trail is very dry and harsh looking. There must be plenty of water near here but the sun is unforgiving on these trails.
There are a pleathora of red ants below me, flies and bees around me and lovely song birds and hawks above. A few lizards here and there and plenty of spiders.
Through the canyon is a creek that provides a dense habitat for flora and fauna. It was very dark through the creekbed as the larger trees provide shade and cover.
In this view the native plants seem to be flourishing well. There are not any open spaces, the invasive plants seem to be at a minimum and the not all the plants look to be too dry. Most seem to be vibrant and many have water storage in their waxy leaves. Color wise - many shades of green, some orange/red hints here and there and the Buckwheat seems to be the only plant in bloom. Smells of Sage and dirt are predominant.
Detailed View -
Small pocket on a trail looking in...Only one type of plant grows under or next to Poison Oak, yet the Poison Oak grows under anything that provides shade. There is an interesting spider web in the shape of a V or inverted cone, almost like a net, suspended on branches. Does not have clear defined lines like others but looks like a sheer fabric, almost like chiffon. Seems to be very strong as there are multiple leaves/small twigs caught in it. Its flexible and moves gently with the wind. I don't see a spider or any caught prey in it.
While I did not learn too many new plant species today, I did learn something very special:
Often when we take children on the trail, we encourage them to be as quiet as possible in hopes of seeing more animals along the way. However, Evan introduced a beautiful concept that is more important and I look forward to implementing on my hikes. Upon going into nature, take a deep breath and calm yourself. As we feel energy from trees, the ground, and Mother Earth they will feel our energy as well. If we are stressed or filled with anxiety we will then pass it onto the other organisms present. Thus, it is important to clear the mind and then give thanks to Mother Earth for the abundance and for the opportunity to share in her grandeur.
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