January 17

Tuesday, Remi, my wife and I returned to the Palos Verdes Peninsula, south of Los Angles to hike in the 399-acre, Portuguese Bend Reserve. The early morning weather was sunny with a temperature of 52 degrees and still air. Leaving the car, we briefly followed a muddy trail north before it turned slightly west where I spotted a small poisonous Castor bean plant. Ascending a steep grade, I noticed a few small Australian Blackwood trees with their clusters of twisted, brown seedpods. Given the name, its not surprising that this tree is considered invasive. Reaching the top of a hill, I spotted a Pepper tree with its fern-like leaves. Approaching the tree, I could see a Wild Cucumber vine with its distinctive leaves and white blossoms clinging to its branches. This vine, also called California Manroot or “Old man in the ground” is native to this area. These names derive from the massive root-like tubers from which the vines emerge. A tuber dug up during construction at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden was several feet in diameter and weighed 467 pounds. Nearby in a grassy area, I spotted the yellow blossoms of Wild Mustard, another invasive species to this area. As the trail turned east, I paused to gaze afar south at the scenic Pacific coastline. On our descent, I stopped to observe a Honeybee feeding on the blossoms of Lemonade Berry. Also, I noticed the trail had a newly-formed 2-foot trench dug out from recent heavy rain runoff down the steep grade. Finally, we got back to the car and headed to our winter rental house.

Nature in winter

No vista of snow

Another climate

For me to know

No leafless forest

Ponds with ice

Shoreline strolls

Paradise

No white trail

Tracks of deer

Snakes that rattle

Lurking near

D. DeGraaf