Leprechaun Day

Female timema from oak tree, 3/14/15  

Oaks have spring flowers too. Yellow male catkins dangle from the tips of oak branches the better to release their pollen in a breeze. Oak flowers don't have decorative petals because they are wind-pollinated and have no need to attract insects.  While examining the catkins of a coast live oak, a tiny green critter jumped onto my hand.

Spring 2015 - Full Throttle Ahead

Just another photo of California poppy.
First poppy blooming this year at Dipper gate.
Does that look like a February sky?
Eschscholzia californica, 2/12/15.      

Since we haven't had a winter (sorry, Boston), it's kinda disingenuous to say that spring is early in California and moving quickly.