December 29

Tuesday, my wife and daughter joined Remi and I to hike at the 64-acre, Abalone Cove Ecological Reserve on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, south of Los Angeles. Named after the edible but endangered mollusk with the colorful calcareous shell, this area features tide pools as well as beautiful bluff-top views of the Pacific Ocean. The early-morning weather was sunny with a temperature of 56 degrees and a gentle breeze off the ocean. We left the car and followed a path through some native vegetation including Sea Lavender with its purple blossoms and subtle spicy fragrance. This plant is a salt excreter, meaning it has special pores in its leaves to pump out salt water. After the sun evaporates the water, salt crystals left behind become visible on the leaf surface. As the morning sun reflected off the ocean surface, I descended down a steep path toward the beach where the exposed sedimentary rock showed layers of Mudstone and Dolomite. On the stony beach, I spotted a few piles of decaying Kelp that had washed up earlier. This large brown alga grows in dense patches, called Kelp forests, in the shallow waters off of the coast and provides protection as well as food for fish, seals, otters, whales, birds, and other animals. Kombu, or Pacific Kelp, is used to flavor broths and in cooking rice and other dishes. Alginate, a kelp product, is used to thicken ice cream, toothpaste, jelly, and salad dressing. Proceeding north along the beach, I paused to watch a Brown Pelican glide gracefully above the surf. Approaching the water’s edge, I was amazed by the loud clicking sound of stones being rolled over by the uprush and backwash of crashing waves. Turning around, I was surprised to discover the fresh carcass of a California Sea Lion, estimated to weigh 200lbs. Nearby, a California Gull was approaching in hopes of feeding on the remains. Finally, we hiked back up the steep incline to the car and headed back to our rental house in Redondo Beach.

Fly o’er the waves

Soar, seagull, soar

Walk along the sand

Prance along the shore

Sing with the Sandpiper

Ride the ocean breeze

Dive for a Herring

Swim the rolling seas

Guardian of the coast

Your ways do inspire

Bird of the beach

Your beauty I admire

D. DeGraaf

December 23

Wednesday, since dogs were not allowed on the premises, I hiked without Remi at Madrona Marsh Preserve, located in the urban center of Torrance California. This 43-acre preserve is considered to be the last remaining vernal freshwater marsh in Los Angeles County. The mid-morning weather was sunny with a temperature of 65 degrees and no wind. Entering the sandy trail, I paused to face the sun in recognition of the recent winter solstice. Despite its lowest solar noon altitude of 33 degrees, 2 days ago, it was still 9 degrees higher in the sky than it was back home in Alma where it is farther from the equator. Heading east on a perimeter path, I noticed several White-crowned sparrows fluttering through the underbrush. These birds could be winter residents having migrated from northern Canada and Alaska. However, since year-round populations are known to exist along the Pacific Coast, it’s hard to know for sure. Further along, I paused to examine a large Willow Oak and noticed some broken branches were ladened with dead immature acorns. As the trail curved south, I spotted several American Sycamore trees with their distinctive, spiny seed balls. Examining the path more closely, I came upon some Raccoon tracks embedded in sandy soil. Noticing that much of the soil around me was sandy, I read in the brochure that this area is part of an ancient back dune system of the Pacific Ocean. Turning west, I enjoyed seeing a few winter blossoms including Bush Sunflower and Woodland Sunflower. Overhead, the familiar sight of a Monarch Butterfly and a Mourning Dove reminded me of last summer in Michigan. As the trail turned north, I finally came upon a marshy landscape that despite the extensive drought in the area contained some water from recent rains. At last, I returned to the car and headed back to Redondo Beach.

Earth slumbers

Noon draws nigh

Sun of the season

Low in the sky

Deep in December

First winter days

Sun of the season

Cooler your rays

Wildlife in waiting

Nature’s content

Sun of the season

Begin your ascent

D. DeGraaf

December 16

Wednesday, Remi, my wife and I hiked at the White Point Nature Preserve located 30 miles south of Los Angeles near San Pedro, California on 102 acres of restored coastal sage scrub habitat overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island. The mid-morning weather was mostly sunny with a temperature of 58 degrees and a gentle ocean breeze from the west. Exiting the car, we followed a trail onto this Palos Verdes Land Conservancy property that still appears to be in the early stages of restoration. Since this habitat is characterized by low, aromatic, drought-deciduous shrub land, it was not surprising to find both Black Sage and White Sage. Further along, I spotted some colorful blossoms including the state flower, California poppy, Baja Fairy Duster and Bladderpod. Next, I paused to watch a honeybee feeding on a Bush Sunflower. After stopping by the nature center, I headed toward the car where I observed a Yarrow plant that is also a familiar site in summer at Forest Hill Nature Area. Before returning to the car, I crossed the road and noticed a few lavender blossoms of a ground-cover plant called, Blue Chalk Fingers. Next, I paused at an overlook to take in the sights and sounds of the Pacific Ocean including Catalina Island against the western horizon. Finally, we found the car and headed back to Redondo Beach.

December month

Halfway through

Edge of autumn

Ocean blue

Hail to Neptune

God of the sea

Vista so vast

Water so free

From rolling surf

To gulls above

Mother of nature

This place I love

D. DeGraaf

December 9

Wednesday, Remi, my wife and I continued to explore nature in southern California’s Palos Verdes Peninsula by hiking in the 28-acre, Linden H. Chandler Preserve. This preserve is the site of a rigorous effort by the local land conservancy to restore native habitat known as California coastal sage scrub. The early morning weather was mostly sunny with a temperature of 56 degrees and no wind. We left the car, followed a dirt path north along a dry creek bed and began climbing a steep hill where I noticed lots of Honeycomb Limestone rocks scattered on the ground. The honeycomb pattern is due to a type of weathering called salt heaving. First, saltwater spray seeps into the pore-spaces of this permeable rock. As the water evaporates, salt crystallizes prying apart the mineral grains of the limestone. After several years of wetting and drying cycles, holes appear resulting in the honeycomb pattern. Reaching the hilltop and following a circular path around the arid, sandy landscape, I spotted a few winter blooms including California Goldenrod, White Lupine and California Buckwheat. Although not seen, this preserve is habitat for the endangered, Palos Verdes Blue Butterfly and the threatened, California Gnatcatcher. While descending the hill, I paused to observe the white blossoms of a Coyote bush and smell the herbal fragrance of its leaves while further ahead I noticed the red berries of a Pepper tree. Finally, we returned to the car and headed back to our rental in Redondo Beach.

Autumn sets

December rises

California hike

Many surprises

No dormant fields

Or ponds that freeze

Only cloudless sky

And ocean breeze

Mother Earth

No matter where

Nature’s wonders

I find them there

D. DeGraaf

December 3

Thursday, Remi, my wife, Caroline and I hiked at the 36-acre, George F Canyon Nature Center and Preserve, 25 miles southwest of Los Angeles, California on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The early afternoon weather was sunny with a temperature of 73 degrees and no wind detected in the shelter of the canyon. Leaving the car, we stopped at the trailhead to read a list of guidelines that included “beware of rattlesnakes.” Starting out, following an earthen trail north, I spotted a familiar plant called Coastal Prickly Pear Cactus growing on the bank and an unfamiliar bird called a Yellow-rumped Warbler with its winter plumage fluttering through a dense thicket of Arroyo Willow. As the trail turned west along the edge of a shallow ravine, I spotted the bright red fruit of an invasive shrub called Brazilian Pepper and the bright red blossoms of Bougainvillea. Ahead of me, my wife caught a glimpse of a 3-inch Western Fence Lizard scurrying across the path in front of her. Further along, I paused by a dry creek bed and noticed the lush green leaves of Mexican Fan Palm and Bigleaf Maple. Continuing west toward the ocean, I occasionally noticed outcrops of rock common to this area called Catalina Schist. After turning around to retrace my steps, I stopped to watch a honeybee feeding on a Bush Sunflower blossom. Finally, we found the car and headed back to our rental house in Redondo Beach.

There’s wisdom in wind

That blows from the sea

There’s awe in the sight

Of a Redwood tree

There’s inspiration

In an ocean view

Condors soaring

In a sky of blue

No matter where

I’m pleased to find

Nature’s beauty

For the eye and mind

D. DeGraaf