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My Bent Up Cycling Journal

Drought Tolerant

I haven't irrigated my Southern California garden since September 2011. With the right combination of native as well non-native plants and loosing the lawn you don't have to waste a dwindling resource. As summer is now starting to take hold I'll deep water every 3 to 5 weeks from now through September.

It's crazy to think that you're only option for a drought tolerant garden in Southern California is cactus. I live in Agoura Hills which is an inland valley with average summer temps over 90 degrees. 

I don't use pesticides or fertilizer. There's no need to when you maintain your garden in a natural state...which includes leaving a good amount of leaf litter on the ground. The decaying litter is a perfect habitat for beneficial insects that just happen to like eating destruction bugs. There are birds everywhere scratching through the leaves for a constant of food. With the right selection of plants you can have humming birds all year without having to clean another hummingbird feeder.

I get all of this with a little summer irrigation and minimal maintenance. 

Pictures taken 7/1/12

Welcome to the jungle.

 I like trails!

 Plenty of shading spots for Betzi

 The maintained area of my property goes about 40 feet up the hill and is criss crossed with trails that I built. What use to be a large lawn area many years ago is covered with mulch. About every two years I have my tree trimmer dump a load of chipped trimmings. Last year he had just cut down a cedar tree...it makes the best mulch and smells so good!  

Fathers Day

Kids painted a DUCK!

The kids painted a wood duck and gave it to me for fathers day. Recently we had a pair of ducks come to our house every morning for about a month. I assume they are nesting somewhere now and may be back again soon. I love my kids sense of humor. Quack, quack.

Hiking with My Boy

Summer break has started and I took Byron on a hike down to the Grotto at Circle X Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains. Weather was perfect and so was the hike. The last time I went down this trail with Byron was back in 2006. It's been to long.

Getting started

We have to go up before going down into the canyon.

                                                  2006

Now we can start our way down.

Taking a break at an overlook.

                                                             2006

Humbolt Lily  down in the canyon by the Grotto.

We're to late to have the waterfall. Now it's just a trickle. 

                                                                                2006

Going into the Grotto.

Byron taking a cool seat inside the Grotto.

                                                      2006

Byron thinking Parkour, where can I jump.

End of a great hike!

Yucca

A Yucca awaits in the distance for me to get closer and take a few pictures. As the hills show signs of surrendering to the late spring heat the mighty Yucca puts on a short but fantastic display that is second to none

This beauty is about 8 feet high.

The needle like leaves at the base of the Yucca can and will inflict pain if you get to close. They are sharp, stiff and more then happy to piece the flesh of any intruder.

See ya later!

Byron's Varsity Letter

Byron earned his varsity letter in track and field during his second year in high school!

Byron runs the 100, 200, 400, 4x100 and 4x400 events. As a sophomore he not only competed on the varsity level but also ran Frosh/Soph and eraned an award for "outstanding sprinter" on the Frosh/Soph team.

Thatsa my boy!!

Noah's Ark the Ballet 2012

Leili as a Fawn in the encore performance of Noah's Ark at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza

Hiking Cheeseboro Ranch Connector

Small landing at the top of a hill where I spend time playing my flute.

Purple Sage

Purple and black sage are similar. The easiest way to tell the difference is by looking at the base of the leaf. Purple sage has a hip at the base of the leaf where black sage does not.

Hike to China Flat

China Flat in the Simi Hills within the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area.

Cambria

We took a trip up California's Central Coast to Cambria. 

Great Race of Agoura

Once a year the Great Race of Agoura goes through Cheeseboro Canyon. It's one of the few Saturdays while volunteering for the National Park Service that I get to do nothing but sit and watch.

Runners passing by the rusty steel trailer that I'm stationed at on Saturdays.

Off into the mist.

Through the Oaks.