Monday, December 29, 2014

December 25


Christmas day, Remi was back in Alma while I was in southern California hiking with my wife, my daughter and my sister in the Bernardo Bay Natural Area which is part of the San Dieguito River Park. The river flows west from Volcan Mountain north of Julian and meanders some 55 miles through conifer and oak woodlands, grasslands, and chaparral to the Pacific Ocean between Del Mar and Solana Beach, about 30 miles north of San Diego. The early morning weather was partly cloudy with spotty rain showers, a temperature of 53 degrees and no wind. We followed a paved trail east down an incline through chaparral where my sister pointed out a plant called California Dodder or Witches Hair which is a parasitic vine that envelops a host plant and penetrates it to steal its water and nutrients. Next, we turned north and crossed a long suspension bridge over what was suppose to be a water-filled arm of a large 1200-acre reservoir, call Lake Hodges. However, due to a significant draught, the lake retreated to leave an area of dried shrubs and dead trees where we spotted a large perching Great Egret and a small Anna’s Humming Bird. After crossing the bridge we turned west and came upon an Argiope Spider on a web attached to a Prickly Pear Cactus. We continued west on a muddy trail caused by a brief rain shower and looked in the distance to the lakeshore where we saw White Pelicans as well as American Wigeons and Coots. After pausing by a narrow tributary that was flowing into Lake Hodges, we turned around and retraced our steps back toward the bridge where we once again paused to observed a White-tailed Kite that would occasionally perch before it flew up, hovering and fluttering and then dive straight down to the ground to catch its prey. Crossing the bridge, we turned west where we observed one of many Castor Bean plants. Seeds of this plant contain valuable oil as well as toxins. Castor oil is added to lubricants for fine machinery and auto engines, plastics, paints, inks, soaps, linoleum, dyes, leather preservatives, waxes, polishes, cosmetics, candles, and crayons. Medicinally, it is used as a purgative, laxative, and general cure all. The plant also contains ricin, a deadly poison found in abundance in the seed and in smaller amounts throughout the rest of the plant. As little as 0.5 mg (the amount contained in several seeds) can kill an adult. One seed can kill a child. Finally, we hiked back up the incline to the car and headed south to San Diego.

Another year of nature hikes
In seasons that come and go
Another year of weekly wanderings
Over paths of mud or snow
Another year of new discoveries
Tiny creatures and tall trees
Another year of facing weather
Howling winds or gentle breeze
Mostly with my faithful dog
Hiking here and there
Another year of sights and sounds
Fond memories to spare


D. DeGraaf

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