Miner's Lettuce

Who knew!? It's edible and tasty. Can't wait to try the smoothie.

Riley Wilderness Park

After reading about a friend's visit to Riley Wilderness Park, we decided to head out there this past weekend.

It's one of the lesser known parks in Orange County, tucked up in the hills by Coto de Caza.



If you're looking for fields of wildflowers, this is not the place. I did find some new ones that I still haven't identified though...




My friend Sophia identified this one for us, it's chamomile.




The good news is the "dry pond" on the map is not dry yet.




In fact, it's teeming with more life than you'd ever imagine!




Here's a short video I put together with all the clips I took. So interesting!



Can you figure out what those little beetles are? They're not whirlygigs, those are greyish silver. There had to be a billion of them there.

Heading home as the sun begins to set, the landscape takes on a glow that my camera just never can capture just right... it's enough to make you want to stop time and children and everything else and take out a fresh canvas, a comfy chair, some paint.... a nice hot latte, to see if you could do any better.





Wish I could...



capture that sky... I'd love to hang it in my room!

Off The Beaten Track

I know the sign says "Stay on trail"

...but my husband says "let's go"

and... well... what can one do?


So we peek into places like this...




that turn into this...




and this...




and this...




and catch a glimpse of this...





This box didn't have a sign, but I knew we're not to touch it

...but my daughter's curiosity got the best of her

So she opened it...




and was thrilled to find a nest with three of these...





The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.