JeanC.Fisher

This is the perennial variety of morning glory.

The famous plant-breeder of the last century, Luther Burbank (1850s-1920s), created a hybrid black walnut using the Eastern black walnut (J. nigra) and the California native black walnut (J. Hindsii) that he called "Royal Walnut". In fact, the oldest standing tree planted by Burbank (in 1893) at his "Experiment Farm", "Gold Ridge", in Sebastopol CA is a Royal and is mentioned as a "witness tree" (that marked the southwestern property line there) on the deed for the Farm dating from the time of Burbank's ownership of it.

Thank-you, Emma... This I learned from my mother whose mother was part Indian and knew many things about herb-crafting and nature. Speak softly in a praising manner: "What a beautiful little foxy you are! I think you're very, very pretty... I would never hurt you, little friend. What a sweet little foxy you are!", etc. This manner of speaking to the animals has made more than one of them stop in the middle of their hasty retreat and actually come BACK to investigate me further. My mother used to say: "They can't, of course, understand what you're saying to them but, they DO understand the tone and your intent."

Marvelous colors! Very reminiscent of our "hooded oriole"!

The first year we moved here, I "stalked" the wildlife to take photos and, without exception (okay... Maybe "Andy" the Anna's hummingbird was an exception -- Andy's afraid of NOTHING! lol! He's the bravest bird I know!) they ran or flew away when I'd approach... But, I didn't let that deter me! I kept speaking to them and calling out to them and watching them and letting them get used to seeing me around. By the second year we'd lived here, I had been able get reasonably close to the deer and, of course, Maury, Jr. (who was a baby at that time). By the THIRD year, the deer didn't even begin to run when they saw me, even the orioles were coming nearer on their visit to nest and Maury, Jr. the red-tail was actually calling out to me when he flew over and didn't see me outside. LAST year, the owls I'd been stalking for the 2 previous years and the foxes that I'd only HEARD about 'til then started coming closer. Like anybody, I think the wild animals just have to get used to you being around and not doing anything "scary" (sudden movements, loud noises, etc.) before they begin coming closer and accepting you in their environment. :o)

Yup... Heather hit it on the head! There are no "native watermelons" in CA as far as I know. That's pretty cool, though -- up here in Sonoma County, it never gets hot enough to grow very good watermelon at all... Certainly not that would "volunteer" like this guy seems to have!

"Wow", indeed! What a BEAUTY!

They are elusive for many want-to-be observers I think, Emma. They are silent in flight and their natural camouflage is really amazing as far as their abilities -- even though they're large birds -- to "hide in plain sight".

I truly think it's because I go up to the top of the hill above our house where there are no other houses or anyone around and call out to them, mimicking their calls, that curiosity gets the better of them and they come out of hiding and make themselves known.

Whenever any of the raptor birds seem interested enough about me to come around me and check me out, I can't even tell you how thrilled it makes me feel inside! I feel so privileged and special -- so blessed -- to think there was something about me (anything!) that they found intriguing enough to come closer to me because, for them, it's a risk -- a GIANT risk. I could be an irate chicken farmer, for all they know, with a loaded rifle who thinks they're responsible for decimating my flock (I'm sure that happens more than any of us would like to think)! They really have no way of knowing other than to rely upon their instincts to try and decipher my body-language, my tone, my movements...THEY are the ones taking the risk by coming within range of me and, yet, for some unfathomable reason, they TRUST ME. The contemplation of that fact, more than just about anything else in my life right now, gives me such happiness and contentment, I can't even begin to express it... :o)

Emma -- I remember when I first started spotting Maury, Jr.'s parents several years ago... I remember thinking to myself "Wouldn't it be something if, someday, I could really close to one of the red-tails -- maybe even close enough to reach out and touch it? OMG! That would be the high point of my LIFE if that were to happen!" Of course I knew that this was just a pipedream but just the contemplation of it was so exciting! When Maury, Jr. brought the snake, it was almost as though my cherished pipedream was fast becoming an unbelievable reality! I was thrilled! Even if I never get any closer to him, I will treasure that memory for as long as I live!

I'm so sorry about your red-tails, Steffi... I don't know what happened but to lose the company of these magnificent and noble raptors would always be a sad situation, no matter what the circumstances... I bet you DO miss them. I know I would miss Maury, Jr. terribly were he to suddenly not be a part of my life anymore.

Looks rather like "knotweed".