SAN DIEGO DAILY PHOTO

78°

2011-01-14T09:56:00.000-08:00

San Diego is going to be in the high 70's today. Looks like a beach day to me!

Zucchini anyone?

2010-10-19T10:31:00.000-07:00

We have been having some cooler weather in San Diego but my zucchini plant still thinks it is summer and is producing like mad. The eggplant has decided to take off as well. As a result, Frenchie has been pleased with all the Ratatouille I've been cooking for him!

The History of Zucchini

Summer squashes, as well a winter squashes, are native to the Americas and belong to the family of curcurbita. Archaeologists have traced their origins to Mexico, dating back from 7,000 to 5,500 BCE, when they were an integral part of the ancient diet of maize, beans, and squashes. That pre-Columbian food trio is still the mainstay of the Mexican cuisine and is known today as the "three sisters."

Many explorers who came to the Americas brought back what they considered strange foods. The zucchini eventually found its way to Italy where it was named zucchino. Many names have been given to this squash. The French call it courgette, a name that has been adopted by the English. The English also refer to a variety that is slightly larger and plumper as marrow.

The colonists of New England adopted the name squash, a word derived from several Native American words for the vegetable which meant "something eaten raw." George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were squash enthusiasts who even enjoyed growing them.

Zucchinis are considered the tender, sweet, immature fruit of the curcurbita pepo which is eaten in its entirety. If left on the vine or bush longer, the fruit becomes enormous, the seeds larger, tougher, and sometimes inedible, and the flavor less sweet. Cocozelle, a variety of zucchini that originated in Italy, is shorter, plumper, and striped. Today's farmers are developing hybrids that are a visual delight. Some are round, some are yellow, some a combination of green and yellow, and some are a cross between zucchini and the fluted patty pan squash.

Water Baby!

2010-10-18T16:01:00.000-07:00

My sweet niece jetskiing with her daddy at Mission Bay - San Diego.

I grew up on Misson Bay in San Diego, California and have many wonderful childhood memories of spending time there with my family. Mission Bay Park is the largest man-made aquatic park in the US! It consists of over 4,200 acres and more than half of it is water.

Surfing the Sunset

2010-10-14T07:29:00.001-07:00

San Diego Daily On Leave

2009-06-12T15:48:00.000-07:00

I am sorry my friends but I need to take a leave from this blog for a while.

See you soon!

-Nancy

Bernar VENET

2009-05-22T22:18:00.000-07:00

The Port of San Diego, in partnership with Scott White Contemporary Art, is proud to present a monumental exhibition of large-scale sculptures by world-renowned artist, Bernar Venet. This historic exhibition encompasses thirteen steel sculptures placed at key locations within the Port’s waterfront district as well as at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, the San Diego Museum of Art, the San Diego International Airport, Liberty Station (NTC), the Marriott Hotel & Marina and the Omni Hotel. This is the first solo exhibition of this caliber and magnitude to take place in Southern California.

This is an exciting time culturally for San Diego. The working waterfront provides a powerful landscape for the artist’s work. The exhibit is free and can be enjoyed by residents and visitors at key locations.

Anticipation

2009-05-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited about the upcoming "long weekend". Frenchie and I both have next Monday off in celebration of Memorial Day. We plan on taking many long walks on the beach. I can't wait!

Felis concolor

2009-05-20T07:26:00.000-07:00

At Torrey Pines State Park, you will find "The Lodge" which is a small museum you'll miss if you aren't looking. Inside, they have a fantastic display of the animals and plants of the region. It's a shame that man has squeezed these large cats out.

What’s in a name?
Mountain lion, puma, cougar, panther—this cat is known by more names than just about any other mammal! But no matter what you call it, it’s still the same cat, Felis concolor, the largest of the small cat species. So how did it get so many names? Mostly because it has such a large range, and people from different countries have called it different things. Early Spanish explorers to North and South America called it leon (lion) and gato monte (cat of the mountain), from which we get the name "mountain lion." Puma is the name the Incas gave this cat in their language. Cougar seems to have come from an old South American Indian word, cuguacuarana, which was shortened to cuguar and then spelled differently. And panther is a general term for cats that have solid-colored coats, so it was used for pumas as well as black jaguars. All of these names are considered correct, but scientists usually use the name puma.

Here in Southern California they are commonly called mountain lions. You may have heard of the Florida panther. This is a subspecies of mountain lion that used to be found from Texas throughout the southeast, but is now only found in Florida. It is endangered, with only about 50 cats left, and conservation efforts are underway to try to save it.

Mountain lions and people
As more people have moved into the mountain lion's territory, the number of encounters with these cats has increased. This is often "big news" and frightens people. But overall, meeting a mountain lion is an unlikely event. The cats don’t want to confront humans, and they will do their best to avoid us. You can avoid them, too, by not hiking alone, or at dusk and dawn when mountain lions are hunting. Make noise as you hike, and don’t leave food out around a cabin or campsite, especially at night. If you do happen across a mountain lion, never approach it—always give it a way to escape.
Some people have considered mountain lions to be pests and shot them on sight, or trapped or poisoned them. That’s one of the reasons the cats have become scarce across North America. It’s important to remember that mountain lions have an essential role to play in their ecosystems. They are one of the top predators, and without them populations of deer and other animals would become unhealthy and too large for the habitat. It’s true that mountain lions can be dangerous, and problem cats should be reported to local animal control agencies, like the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife. But people like to live and play in or near wild places, so we need to understand and respect the wildlife that also lives there. If we take responsibility for our own actions, pets, livestock, and property, we can learn to live with mountain lions and appreciate their power and grace.

Fun Facts

Mountain lions can jump 18 feet (5.5 meters) from the ground into a tree, and they have been known to jump 20 feet (6.1 meters) up or down a hillside. That’s the height of many two-story buildings!

Mountain lions are good swimmers, but they’d rather not get in the water because they don’t seem to like being wet.

Even though we hear it a lot in movies and on TV, mountain lions don’t make that "wild cat scream" very often. More common vocalizations are whistles, squeaks, growls, purrs, hisses, and yowls.

Some mountain lions eat porcupines, quills and all, apparently without any harm!
See them at The San Diego Zoo: Cat Canyon

Merci http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes for the above information!

Butterfly

2009-05-19T05:53:00.001-07:00

Did you know that butterflies are found on all continents except Antarctica?

Beautiful butterfly exhibits are held every year at at The San Diego zoo and Wild Animal Park

Butterfly or moth: what's the difference?
Technically speaking, butterflies are types of moths. But there are some ways to tell them apart. Butterflies generally have long, smooth antennae that are rounded on the ends, while most moths have thick, feathery antennae. Moths also tend to have larger, fuzzier bodies than butterflies. Most moths fly at night, while most butterflies fly during the day. Because of when they're active, butterflies tend to be more colorful than moths, but that's not always the case. You can see another difference when they're resting: most moths flatten their wings out over their bodies, while most butterflies raise them up and against each other. And although both butterflies and moths develop in a chrysalis, most moths also spin a protective cocoon. When people talk about this family of insects in general, they may use "butterflies" or "moths" to describe them, and both are considered correct.

Fun facts
• In some places, the number of caterpillars feeding on plants is so large that you can actually hear them munching.
• The Asian vampire moth lives up to its name! It has a tough proboscis to break through thick-skinned fruits, but sometimes it also sucks the blood of water buffalo or deer.
• Many adult butterflies never excrete waste—they use up all they eat for energy!
• "Puddle clubs" are groups of butterflies that gather at mud puddles and wet soil to suck up salts and minerals.
• Butterflies can see red, green, and yellow, but they also see color in the ultraviolet range, which reveals patterns on flowers—and other butterflies—that we can't see.
• Some Arctic moths may spend 14 years as caterpillars, only active a few weeks each summer.
• Butterfly wings are actually clear—the colors and patterns we see are made by the reflection of the tiny scales covering them.

Thank you San Diego Zoo/Animalbytes for the above info!

Lobelia

2009-05-18T07:43:00.000-07:00

There are over 300 species of Lobelia which grows rampant in San Diego. The shades come in shocking hues of purples and blues. It is a great accent in my garden.

Lobelia (Lobelia inflata ), also called Indian tobacco, has a long history of use as an herbal remedy for respiratory conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, and cough. Native Americans historically have smoked lobelia as a treatment for asthma. In the 19th century, American physicians prescribed lobelia to induce vomiting in order remove toxins from the body. Because of this, it earned the name "puke weed." Today, lobelia is considered effective in helping clear mucus from the respiratory tract, including the throat, lungs, and bronchial tubes. Although few studies have thoroughly evaluated the safety and effectiveness of lobelia, some herbalists today incorporate lobelia into a comprehensive treatment plan for asthma.

Heaven Bound

2009-05-17T10:35:00.000-07:00

LaJolla Presbyterian Church @ 7715 Draper Ave in La Jolla is a lovely church, located across the street from the La Jolla Tennis club and down the street from my favorite public library. On our walk, we saw this seagull on top of the church cross.

When I went to their web site, I came across the "bible verse of the day"~

The way of the LORD is a refuge for the righteous, but it is the ruin of those who do evil.
Proverbs 10:29

Sweet Night

2009-05-16T16:02:00.000-07:00

I pray for you a sweet night; a night filled with the scent of jasmine...

5 O'Clock Shadow

2009-05-15T12:06:00.000-07:00

I do not know the name of this hairy hog - do you? He can be found at The San Diego Zoo!

Turtle

2009-05-14T06:55:00.000-07:00

If I understand my blog from yesterday correctly, this lovely lad is a turtle. The above pose reminds me of some prehistoric creature. I could watch them all day long in their habitat at The San Diego Zoo.

Tortoise

2009-05-13T05:43:00.000-07:00

This is another photo by Jennifer Catron - my cousin's wife. She took some great shots at The San Diego zoo. I'll be sharing a few of these photos over the next few days. The zoo in itself is worth a trip to San Diego. It's world famous! Please visit the link to the zoo, especially if you have kids as there is a lot of interesting interactive activities for them to learn by.

Turtle, tortoise, and terrapin: what’s the difference?

Turtle— Spends most of its life in the water. Turtles tend to have webbed feet for swimming. Sea turtles (Cheloniidae family) are especially adapted for an aquatic life, with long feet that form flippers and a streamlined body shape. They rarely leave the ocean, except when the females come ashore to lay their eggs. Other turtles live in fresh water, like ponds and lakes. They swim, but they also climb out onto banks, logs, or rocks to bask in the sun. In cold weather, they may burrow into the mud, where they go into torpor until spring brings warm weather again.

Tortoise— A land-dweller that eats low-growing shrubs, grasses, and even cactus. Tortoises do not have webbed feet. Their feet are round and stumpy for walking on land. Tortoises that live in hot, dry habitats use their strong legs to dig burrows. Then, when it’s too hot in the sun, they slip underground.

Terrapin— Spends its time both on land and in water, but it always lives near water, along rivers, ponds, and lakes. Terrapins are often found in brackish, swampy areas. The word terrapin comes from an Indian word meaning "a little turtle.”

NASSCO

2009-05-12T05:27:00.000-07:00

Located on San Diego Bay, NASSCO is the largest new construction shipyard on the West Coast and a big employer in San Diego. NASSCO has been building large ships for commercial customers and the U.S. Navy since 1960.

Over the last four decades, NASSCO has delivered over 110 ships to the world's fleets -- 58 ships to commercial customers, becoming America's leading commercial shipbuilder during this period; and 56 auxiliary and support ships for the U.S. Navy.

Ruben E. Lee

2009-05-11T08:44:00.000-07:00

We sailed by The Ruben E. Lee restaurant and I shot a picture of it. It is located on Harbor Island near the San Diego International airport. It is where I had my first "real" date so many years ago. The Ruben E. Lee iss a replica of an 1880s Mississippi paddle wheeler and was built on a barge. I do not know if it is currently open - last I heard, a 9 million dollar renovation was underway.

Bon Weekend!

2009-05-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

All the roses are in bloom in San Diego. Everywhere you go, you see beautiful roses! They thrive here. I'm cheating a little - I took the above photo at The Butchart Gardens in Victoria, Canada.

The rose below was from my garden this am. This is an iceberg rose which I have many of. They are very easy to grow and are always full of lovely white flowers.

Bon Weekend mes amis!

Moto Men

2009-05-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of my nephew and brother-in-law. They love to go dirt biking in the outskirts of San Diego and in the desert. My nephew starting riding motorcycles at a very young age and is quite good. Personally, they scare me. I had a bad accident years ago on a beach in Baja (Mexico)and that was enough for me.

Bob Hope Memorial ~ Seaport Village

2009-05-06T07:09:00.000-07:00

Seals at Childrens Pool

2009-05-05T07:34:00.000-07:00

Seals at Children's Pool, La Jolla. The seals have taken over Children's Pool in La Jolla. There is a long ongoing battle over whom the beach should belong to - the seals or the people. Personally, I think the seals should win. Haven't we taken enough of their natural resources?

Sailing on San Diego Bay

2009-05-03T07:36:00.000-07:00

LOVE this boat!

Scripps Pier

2009-05-01T06:52:00.000-07:00

Scripps Pier - La Jolla, California

Steep!

2009-04-30T14:40:00.000-07:00

The best streets on which to commit suicide on a skateboard are in Point Loma.

The views from these streets overlooking the Harbor are "to die for" but can you imagine parallel parking in front of your house? Be sure to set the emergency brake!

Nap Time!

2009-04-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

These harbor seals are taking a serious nap and don't even look when we sail past. They spend much of their day snoozing on the buoys in San Diego Harbor. In the background is Point Loma light house.

Check out the seal half way up - I wish I could have seen how he got up there!