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