it bloomed

[OT from cottage renovations]

the other morning's image of a cat posing in front of the branches of a plumeria needs the obvious follow-up of a view of the blossom of same. 

(click through this thumbnail for higher resolution image)

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Santa Barbara, California

Plumeria alba

botanical discovery

[OT from cottage renovations]

reports of sightings in the Grove of Artificia sinofabricans have previously appeared in this space.  there's no reason to suspend the search for examples of the outer fringe of botany simply because one is traveling. 

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

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Ventura, California

the cumulative experience of having lived in California off on and on during the 1960s and 1970s, supplemented by regular visits since then, did nothing to prepare me for the appearance of these specimens, seen from (of course) a freeway onramp. 

it would appear that scientists have been at work in an effort to improve unsightly palm trees by grafting onto them elements from that most pervasive symbol of our times, the cellular telephone tower. 

Artificia cytoturrica
(a new species in family Arecaceae)

the idea of keeping a cell tower in sight is clearly intended to comfort contemporary Californians who might become disoriented or distressed at the thought of being off-network.  clearly things were working out as planned as there was no sign of widespread panic nearby. 

Sunday: a profusion of seeds and pods

[OT from cottage renovations]

my appreciation for the silver bark wattle is, perhaps, indirect.  for my mother they were a welcome reminder of her childhood home in Western Australia; though I've never been there, some of that must have rubbed off onto me. 

(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)

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Santa Barbara, California

there's one down the lane from my brother's home and its seed pods have recently burst open, scattering their payload and then in turn falling onto the ground. 

Acacia sclerosperma

[image crossposted to texture]

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the process is still underway, though, and many can be found still on their branches. 

Acacia sclerosperma

when the light gets to shining through them, it gets even better: 

Acacia sclerosperma