Hatiora Gaertneri (Easter Cactus)

Mike has some great looking Hatiora Gaertneri (Easter Cactus) blooming right now.  The colors are amazing, and they really brighten up the deck!

Hatiora Gaertneri (Easter Cactus) 

Hatiora Gaertneri (Easter Cactus) 

Hatiora Gaertneri (Easter Cactus) 

Hatiora Gaertneri (Easter Cactus) 

Hatiora Gaertneri (Easter Cactus) 

Hatiora Gaertneri (Easter Cactus) 

The Hooded Orioles Have Returned!

 The Hooded Orioles have returned from Mexico!  Today was the first day I have seen them, as they are flying north for North for the summer.

Hooded Oriole

Hooded Oriole

In this second video a young male Hooded Oriole is at teh feeder and you can hear the noon bells from Santa Barbara's Old Mission.

A female Hooded Oriole

Red-tailed Hawk

 I looked out the window and saw this Red-tailed Hawk sitting in the Eucalyptus tree.  It sat there for at least 20 minutes before flying down the hill, to change positions in a palm tree.

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk is in the yellow circle.

The view with the former Saint Anthony's Tower.

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Wildflowers at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden!

 The first week of April is actually the latter part of the wildflowers in the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden.  The California Poppies and Blue-eyed-grass are still going strong.

The Meadow in the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

California Poppies

Blue-eyed-grass

California Poppies and Blue-eyed-grass

Blue-eyed-grass

The Meadow in the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

California Poppy

California Poppy and green seed pods.
When the pods turn brown, they will be ready to harvest and available for sale in the gift shop!

The bees like the California Poppies.

Wooly Bluecurls

A lizard hanging out under the Wooly Bluecurls

 Iris PCH Blue

 Iris PCH Blue

Golden Lupine, (Lupinus microcarpus var. densiflorus)

Golden Lupine, (Lupinus microcarpus var. densiflorus)

Fairyduster (Calliandra eriophylla)

The Meadow in Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Guadalupe Island Senecio (Senecio palmeri)
Rare endemic of Guadalupe Island, off the coast of Baja California, Mexico. Grows on rocky volcanic slopes.  Numbers were reduced by goats, now recovering after goat removal.

Gum-plant

Gum-plant

Dudleya brittonii

Red-flowered Buckwheat

Red-flowered Buckwheat

Patio of the Pritzlaff Conservation Center in the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden,
looking out over the Pacific Ocean.

This photo was taken from the edge of the lawn next to the patio of Patio of the Pritzlaff Conservation Center.  You can see Santa Cruz Island and the Pacific Ocean in the background. If you look closely on the right-hand side, you can see the tower that was originally part of Saint Anthony's Seminary. Then on the left side you can see the top of the two dome towers of the Old Mission Santa Barbara.

Fremontodendren is Blooming!

 The Fremontodendron is blooming on the hillside.  I think the drought has reduced the number of green leaves and blossoms this year.  This is a native of California, and named after John C Freemont who collected it in 1846 on an expedition to Alta California.

Fremontodendren

Fremontodendren

Fremontodendren

Fremontodendren

Fremontodendren