Santa Clarita Outdoor Report by Wendy Langhans

Last week I led a wildflower hike along Wiley Canyon, part of the Towsley Canyon View Loop Trail.  The Wild California Lilac (Ceanothus) was in full bloom, so much so that at times it seemed as though we were walking through a bluish-purple haze.  And if you looked closely at the blossoms, you could see that the bees were hard at work, gathering nectar and pollen.

 A peaceful Sunday afternoon - the perfect time to sit on the front porch.  From my rocking chair, I can see the hummingbirds as they refuel at our hummingbird feeder.  An agile bird, at times almost twitchy, I watch as one approachs the feeder.  The hummer gives it a brief look, followed by a dart forward, a quick drink, and a backwards retreat.  This cycle may be repeated several times until suddenly, in a blink of the eye, the hummer’s gone.  Gone until the next visit, that is.

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and the stores are full of pink cards and heart-shaped boxes of chocolate.  One of the iconic images of this season is of winged Cupid with his bow and quiver of arrows.  Did you ever wonder where this image came from?  I just assumed it was simply another one of those ancient Greek and Roman myths.

Then I learned the myth may have been inspired by snails, specifically, by their courtship behavior.  Why snails?  Why not some cuddly creature like a puppy or kitten?  After all, snails are hermaphrodites, that is, they possess both male and female reproductive organs.  And snails are definitely not monogamous.