By Wendy Langhans

Blatz, Schlitz, Hamms, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Heileman’s Old Style, Leinenkugel - names I remember from my childhood in Wisconsin.  When my dad asked me to “fetch him a beer”, I usually sneaked a sip before delivering it to him.  It tasted somewhat bitter and grown-up - definitely not the kid-friendly sweet taste of Kool-aid.

By Wendy Langhans

After several days of “June gloom”, the sun finally came out.  Time to ditch the worked piled up on my desk and go for a mind-clearing walk along the nearby paseo.  I was enjoying my walk when my eye caught a flash of color - a lavender-colored plant - that looked to be about 9-10 feet tall. “What on earth....?”  I’ve walked along this path too many times to count, but I had never noticed this plant before.  I decided to check it out.

By Wendy Langans

I was driving in the mountains in the Angeles National Forest the other day, when a patch of red caught my eye.  So I found a safe spot and pulled over to take a look.  There, about 10-15 feet up the steep rock wall, were several patches of Canyon Liveforever (Dudleya cymosa) that had managed to establish themselves among the rock’s nooks and crannies.

By Wendy Langhans