VBG sunset

Same evening as the glowing aloes, but looking toward the sun...

blooming aloes, part 2

At the same time the sun was illuminating these fiery orange aloes, the moon popped up in the opposite sky, creating a dramatic effect. The moon, which was almost if not completely full, can be seen in four of these five images.

blooming aloes

I then hiked further up in the garden to see these blooming aloe plants. They were already fiery orange but the setting sun gave them an additional glow.

scene seen at VBG, part 2

It is hard to photograph hummingbirds and these things were tiny. Below, my best efforts to photograph a perching hummingbird.

scene seen at the VBG...

You can't see it in the photos, but this section of the Fynbos Garden was swarming with hummingbirds. They seemed to really like feasting on these flowers.

the new trail...

...at the Ventura Botanical Gardens - the one at the bottom of the canyon. This was the first time it was open to walk on, although it appears to be a work in progress.

California state flag

In case you find yourself taking a quiz about California, and there are questions about the state flag - such as the color and position of the star - it's good to review it whenever it appears (such as this postcard rack in Rite Aid).