A beautiful Bigelow Monkey flower (Mimulus bigelovii)
Water, in the desert.
A view from the roof of the nature center.
Beavertail flower(Opuntia basilaris)!
Lunch break!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Anza Photos from This Weekend's Trip!
This weekend was beautiful! Check out the photos. Make sure you come to the EcoLink meeting this Thursday at the Unitarian Church at 7pm. We'll talk about the previous trip and the upcoming one in April!
A beautiful Bigelow Monkey flower (Mimulus bigelovii)
Water, in the desert.
A view from the roof of the nature center.
Beavertail flower(Opuntia basilaris)!
Lunch break!
Creosote Flower (Larea tridentata)!
A beautiful Bigelow Monkey flower (Mimulus bigelovii) Water, in the desert. A view from the roof of the nature center. Beavertail flower(Opuntia basilaris)! Lunch break! 
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Naturalist in Flip Flops Ignites Fascination with Brittlebush
A word to the wise: next chance you get to go on a little nature ramble with Taylor Parker...grab it with both hands.
As we ambled down the sidewalk that threads its way from the Anza-Borrego Visitors Center to the Campground, looking for the Borrego Palm Canyon trailhead, Taylor introduced us to various blooms that bedecked the harsh terrain; Chuparosa (blossoms taste a bit like cucumber), Brittlebush showing off scores of yellow flowers, Barrel Cactus, Apricot Mallow with its incredbly delicate eponymously colored blossoms, among many others. Each identification came enriched with tidbits of delightful lore, Latin taxonomy available upon request.
Never pedantic, Taylor neverthless teaches while he delights and helps others to delight in the Spring spectacle. A self-proclaimed minimalist, he strides along tirelessly on stork-like legs, equipped with a pint of water and a small, seldom-employed camera, thinking, musing, enjoying, sharing his pleasure, like some latter-day secular incarnation of Gerard Manley Hopkins.
What is all this juice and all this joy?
A strain of the earth's sweet being in the beginning
In Eden garden.-Have, get, before it cloy,
Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,
Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,
Most, O maid's child, thy choice and worthy the winning.
G.M.H., written in Spring of 1877
As we ambled down the sidewalk that threads its way from the Anza-Borrego Visitors Center to the Campground, looking for the Borrego Palm Canyon trailhead, Taylor introduced us to various blooms that bedecked the harsh terrain; Chuparosa (blossoms taste a bit like cucumber), Brittlebush showing off scores of yellow flowers, Barrel Cactus, Apricot Mallow with its incredbly delicate eponymously colored blossoms, among many others. Each identification came enriched with tidbits of delightful lore, Latin taxonomy available upon request.
Never pedantic, Taylor neverthless teaches while he delights and helps others to delight in the Spring spectacle. A self-proclaimed minimalist, he strides along tirelessly on stork-like legs, equipped with a pint of water and a small, seldom-employed camera, thinking, musing, enjoying, sharing his pleasure, like some latter-day secular incarnation of Gerard Manley Hopkins.
What is all this juice and all this joy?
A strain of the earth's sweet being in the beginning
In Eden garden.-Have, get, before it cloy,
Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,
Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,
Most, O maid's child, thy choice and worthy the winning.
G.M.H., written in Spring of 1877
Monday, March 15, 2010
Anza Field Trip Saturday!!!
Join EcoLink in the second of our monthly Field Trips! Borrego Palm Canyon sounds pretty wonderful.
Some delightful words from Anza enthusiasts:
"Hundreds of noble palms...water splashes over boulders, delighting all the senses."
"You can learn more about the California desert flora on this 3.0 mile round trip trail than anywhere else around Anza-Borrego."
This Saturday March 20th we are going to carpool to Anza Borrego to check out the wild flowers and hope to catch a glimpse of some bighorn! This is going to be a full day excursion. We will meet at Hof’s Hut on 2nd and PCH for breakfast at 8am and head on out at 9am. If you don’t want breakfast, meet us in Hof’s Hut parking lot around 9am. Bring some food for yourself for the day and some cash for gas money for car-pooling. Drivers are needed so please tell me if you can. For more information, contact http://us.mc365.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Taylor@tidalinfluence.com. We’ll be back in the evening Saturday sometime.
Some delightful words from Anza enthusiasts:
"Hundreds of noble palms...water splashes over boulders, delighting all the senses."
"You can learn more about the California desert flora on this 3.0 mile round trip trail than anywhere else around Anza-Borrego."
This Saturday March 20th we are going to carpool to Anza Borrego to check out the wild flowers and hope to catch a glimpse of some bighorn! This is going to be a full day excursion. We will meet at Hof’s Hut on 2nd and PCH for breakfast at 8am and head on out at 9am. If you don’t want breakfast, meet us in Hof’s Hut parking lot around 9am. Bring some food for yourself for the day and some cash for gas money for car-pooling. Drivers are needed so please tell me if you can. For more information, contact http://us.mc365.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Taylor@tidalinfluence.com. We’ll be back in the evening Saturday sometime.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Griffith Observatory
The trip to Santa Rosa Plateau was cancelled due to rain. But Plan G! Griffith Observatory!
Here are a couple photos. Enjoy, and look forward to info of our next Field Trip soon.
Here are a couple photos. Enjoy, and look forward to info of our next Field Trip soon.
February Minutes
Minutes
February 25, 2010
The meeting was called to order by Christopher Ward at 7:30 p.m.
In attendance –
Kerry Martin, Taylor Parker, Christopher Ward, Mary Parcell, Joe Weinstein, John Zapp, Patricia Sidoti
Introduction
Port of Long Beach – Patricia Sidoti
Donation of Port prizes for Fundraiser on February 27th
Sierra Club – John Zapp
Discussion of the Sierra Club and their meeting with Mayor Bob Foster
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sierra-Club-Long-Beach-Group/170271531536?ref=mf
Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust & Audubon – Mary Parcell
Discussion of the Land Trust & Audubon activities.
Lcwlandtrust.org
Los Cerritos Wetlands Stewardship Program – Taylor Parker
Discussion of community-based restoration that has begun.
lcwetlands.org
Friends of Colorado Lagoon-Taylor Parker
Discussion of restoration.
coloradolagoon.org
El Dorado Nature Center – Kerry Martin
Discussion of the Nature Center and their stream restoration
EcoLink- Chris Ward and Taylor Parker
Discussion of planned Field Trips for 2010, new blog & Gallery Fundraiser on February 27th
ecolinklongbeach.blogspot.com
Action Items:
-Taylor: Organize field trip for March
Next Meeting: March 25th, 2010
February 25, 2010
The meeting was called to order by Christopher Ward at 7:30 p.m.
In attendance –
Kerry Martin, Taylor Parker, Christopher Ward, Mary Parcell, Joe Weinstein, John Zapp, Patricia Sidoti
Introduction
Port of Long Beach – Patricia Sidoti
Donation of Port prizes for Fundraiser on February 27th
Sierra Club – John Zapp
Discussion of the Sierra Club and their meeting with Mayor Bob Foster
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sierra-Club-Long-Beach-Group/170271531536?ref=mf
Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust & Audubon – Mary Parcell
Discussion of the Land Trust & Audubon activities.
Lcwlandtrust.org
Los Cerritos Wetlands Stewardship Program – Taylor Parker
Discussion of community-based restoration that has begun.
lcwetlands.org
Friends of Colorado Lagoon-Taylor Parker
Discussion of restoration.
coloradolagoon.org
El Dorado Nature Center – Kerry Martin
Discussion of the Nature Center and their stream restoration
EcoLink- Chris Ward and Taylor Parker
Discussion of planned Field Trips for 2010, new blog & Gallery Fundraiser on February 27th
ecolinklongbeach.blogspot.com
Action Items:
-Taylor: Organize field trip for March
Next Meeting: March 25th, 2010
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