Place: Hiking to Blue sky preserve and Poway lake.....

We had done this hike last summer....somehow, I had forgotten to post about it.....so, here it is...
It starts with oak woodland....with dense ground cover of poison oak!!

Characteristic of many chaparral vegetation, charred trees are a common sight....

Beyond this rocky hills is the the lake Poway.....

To reach there, these trails must be finished...

The sunny paths are punctuated by shaded oak canopies....

A  much-needed respite it was!

It was early summer, so yucca were blooming profusely.........

Many bushes were infested with dodder......

Sticky monkey were brightening the landscapes.......

Also, these pea-family flowers.....

The fallen logs were harboring fungi....

Up above some trees were hanging bee hives!

Spotted a scorpion..though dead one...

Finally reached the lake...

Saw this pekin duck, among many other fowls......

We had some pleasant time by the lake, perched on the grassy slopes, under the lush trees, before heading back .....

Plant: Oleander blossoms in summer and pods in winter........

In intense summer heat of South California, one plant which refuses to take cover, rather blazes the landscape with vibrant blossoms is 'oleander'..........
sprouting cluster of buds....

emitting a pleasant scent.........

inviting bees...........

creating a green fence.........

and blooming vigorously, with delightful shades of pink!

White blooms...

The sword-like pods in winter..........

Observation: Cairns, the rock markings on hiking trails......

A vertical pile of rocks stacked to create a landmark or signal post is called a cairn.....

Sighting the cairns implies that someone visited the area before you.....

Some of my spottings.........

On the rocky shore of Point Loma.........we cracked joke for a long time that one of the two cairns look like the gull, who might have built it.........

On the granite terrain of Olmsted Point, Yosemite..........

Husband with one of the many, marking the area..........

Many of them along the bank of Virgin river, near the Narrows, Zion.............

Like a temple city...........

I made this cairn on the shore of Grant lake, Mono County, CA

In Mission trails regional park............

Near Henshaw lake, Mount Palomar.........

On Nisqually river,  Mount Rainier National Park......

Plant: Tulip poplar foliage, blossoms, fruit pods.....

Another amazing flower, that has been lying in my archive, without ever having made to the blog...

These are tulip poplar....big tree, with fist-size blooms....of parrot and orange color...producing copious nectar...to invite the pollinators...

Ideal plant for South California parks....the leaves are especially beautiful..

In spring the trees look full, laden with the pretty flowers....

Fall foliage of the tree......

Fruit pods in autumn.........

In winter, bare and sporting the dry cepals...........

Food: Noodles and pasta, from my kitchen..........

And here is a noodle recipe from leftover chapati.......it turned out pretty good..