Category Archives: .US

0. FRANCE 2019: SFO

Posted on June 11, 2019 by admin

Let the summer trip begin! After two hot days in the Bay (100-105F!), it’s time to cool down in Paris 🙂 As usual, SFO had beautiful exhibits and artworks… few pics… and more info here! The long travel day from … Continue reading →

Posted in .2019.06-07.France, .SFO | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

SAN FRANCISCO: Bouquets to Art 35

Posted on June 6, 2019 by admin

This flower exhibit is such a playful and fragrant treat… one of the highlights had native flowers… and musical notes… other a dog… and Ben-Day dots… chairs and squares… sandwiches and oranges… waterfalls… a rainbow… a steamship… Claude, the white … Continue reading →

Posted in .de_Young, .exhibition, .flowers | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

WILDFLOWER ITINERARIES: Picchetti Ranch

Posted on April 18, 2019 by admin

A beautiful wildflower day at Picchetti Ranch!

Posted in .nature, .Picchetti_Ranch, hike, wildflowers | Tagged , | Leave a comment

PLANT ITINERARIES: American Onion & Sky Lupine

Posted on April 16, 2019 by admin

Spring break stop at Hidden Villa’s native plant sale… …found the long-looked-for Allium unifolium… …discovered the candy-flavored Lupinus nanus… Happy April Birthday!

Posted in .CA, .plants | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

C I T I N E R A R Y : Monet, The Late Years

Posted on April 9, 2019 by admin

Can you find these paintings? Can you add the missing descriptions? Enjoy your visit to Monet’s art garden! Here you can download the CITINERARY pdf. Monet: The Late Years | de Young museum | February 16–May 27, 2019 The exhibition … Continue reading →

Posted in .de_Young, .Giverny, .impressionism, .Normandy, Claude Monet | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

PLANT ITINERARIES: March Valentine!

Posted on March 8, 2019 by admin

Missed it in February… found it in March… for hummingbirds… and a late birthday present… and a few more native beauties: Mimulus ‘Valentine’ – Red Valentine Monkeyflower Penstemon eatonii – Firecracker Penstemon Golden Yarrow – Eriophyllum confertiflorum Lewisia cotyledon ‘Elise … Continue reading →

Posted in .Hidden_Villa, .plants | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

CALIFORNIA: State Insect

Posted on February 10, 2019 by admin

Virtual travel from Japan to California brought up the topic of the state symbols… like, the official State Insect of California? The California dogface butterfly or dog head (Zerene eurydice) was designated the official State Insect in 1972. The butterfly … Continue reading →

Posted in .butterflies, .CA, .Placer, .plants, .Shutamul_Bear_River_Preserve | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

CUPERTINO: Apple Park

Posted on January 26, 2019 by admin

Finally made it to the Apple Park Visitor Center… main reason being the Apple Park and the California native plants… and a beautiful park it is with so many manzanitas in bloom!  While at the Visitor Center we’ve augmented our … Continue reading →

Posted in .Apple_Park | Tagged , | Leave a comment

PLANT ITINERARIES: Monarch Butterfly Garden

Posted on January 14, 2019 by admin

Amazed by the incredible Journey of the Butterflies… saddened by the latest population drop that brought their count to a record low… inspired by The Monarch story… we’ve just embarked in our little California native journey to create a Bird&Butterfly B&B… after starting … Continue reading →

Posted in .CA, .monarch_butterflies, .plants, travel | Leave a comment

PLANT ITINERARIES: Bird & Butterfly Rock Garden

Posted on January 13, 2019 by admin

Planted: Asclepias fascicularis, Narrow Leaf Milkweed Asclepias speciosa, Showy Milkweed Erigeron glaucus, Seaside daisy Eriogonum grande var. rubescens, Red-flowered Buckwheat Eriogonum umbellatum, Sulphur Buckwheat Eriophyllum lanatum ‘Siskiyou’: Spreading Wooly Sunflower Heteromeles arbutifolia, Toyon Monardella villosa,Coyote Mint Monardella villosa ‘Russian River’ Verbena … Continue reading →

Posted in .birds, .butterflies, .CA, .monarch_butterflies, .plants | Leave a comment