Every Saturday is adventure day for Max & I. California is so beautiful. I’m still getting used to the flowers and plants here; visiting DC earlier this month felt like home only because I knew the flowers and trees there, hah. (Also, ten points of Lauren-love if you can tell me what kind of cactus I’ve photographed below.)
Wishlist: National Audubon Society Field Guide of the Western Region.
Below are photos from two weekend adventures: Malibu Creek State Park and driving around Topanga Canyon.
These are mindbogglingly gorgeous. <3 (That is a word, btdubbs. I can't believe it is, but it is. Well according to Google at least.)
thank youuuu <3
Prickly pear! Gosh, I miss CA’s flora and fauna, especially the valley oaks.
Is it really?! I thought that was a made up plant. Hahahaha.
Ahhh! Sparkly flip-flops! By the way, what brand is the white nail polish that you used?
It’s American Apparel! It’s actually a really light muted pink, but usually shows up as white-ish in photos. I can’t find the bottle for the life of me right now, but I’m pretty sure it’s “Dance.” http://store.americanapparel.net/nailpolsh.html – – maybe, maybe Summer Peach.
beautiful beautiful
and that snake is terrifying.
Yes, it is a prickly pear and you really can eat them. 🙂
I love hiking around Malibu. So pretty. And your pictures make it seem even cooler!
Lauren, these photos are very cool – I like the tones, and the edge they have. The one of you looking at the ocean is really great.
thank you so much!
Thank you for sharing these beautiful photos with us. I’ve been really inspired by your blog and your eye for beauty. Btw, I hope you do not mind me using one of your pictures as my desktop bg?
thank you!! no i don’t mind at all. 🙂
I think the cactus is an ocotillo actually– prickly pear are much shorter and kind of look like mickey mouse ears! I have never seen an ocotillo bloom, for it is usually dead looking when I see them.
I am from Minnesota, but my parents recently bought a house in Arizona. I have had to go to many different botanical gardens and greenhouses with them when we planted cactuses in our yard!
This is so interesting! Now I just googled “prickly pear” and “ocotillo” and I don’t think this is either one of them. Hmmmmmmmmm.
Your photos are just beautiful.
I have never been to Malibu Creek State Park and it is now on the must do list.
We do most of our hiking in Orange County–there are a lot of wonderful hikes down here.
There are also some great hikes around Pasadena–year round waterfalls even!
Anyway, at first glance I thought that was a prickly pear for sure. (you know you can make jam from the fruit of a prickly pear and you can pickle the leaves and eat those too)
It’s definitely not an ocotillo.
But those narrow leaves make me think it is something called a cow’s tongue prickly pear cactus. It’s a relative of the prickly pear.
Google it and you can see if you think I’m right.
Thanks for the inspiration for a new hiking destination!
Love from,
Greta
it looks like that’s exactly what it is!!! thank you!
I’m a self-confessed bird nerd, tree nerd, plant and wild flower nerd.
So it was fun to try to figure it out.
Also, this is a great hike near Malibu.
Since you won’t be hiking with 3 year olds, you can do the full loop.
I imagine this hike gets really crowded on the weekend, so I’d go early.
But it is beautiful!
Here’s the link with my review of the hike: http://lillyandthebrothers.blogspot.com/2011/11/temescal-canyon-perfect-fall-hike.html
Hope you can give it a try.
Love from,
Greta
loved your post and pictures!! those flowers are gorgeous. (and your kids? adorable.) we’ll have to hike that!