Outdoors
The Fabled “Green Flash” at sunset or sunrise can sometimes be seen on crystal-clear days in December and January. At the instant the sun’s upper rim is last visible at sunset, and also at the …
Winter Solstice, the moment when the sun reaches its southernmost point on the celestial sphere, occurs this year at 2:02 a.m., Monday, December 21. This event signals the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere …
Poinsettias, a favorite of backyard gardeners, are now exhibiting their scarlet, petal-like bracts, just in time for the holidays. The onset of 14-hour-long nights triggers their behavior: In San Diego this condition is met just …
Earliest Sunset (4:43 p.m. from San Diego) occurs Saturday, December 6, a date that is not coincident with the shortest day (winter solstice — December 21) because of factors relating to the non-circular shape of …
The Fremont Cottonwoods along the San Diego River in Mission Gorge are now showing their best tawny foliage. You can park at the Old Mission Dam historic site or the Mission Trails Regional Park visitor …
Liquidambar Trees, or sweet gums, the deciduous trees gracing front yards, parks, and campuses throughout the San Diego area, have been putting on an exceptionally colorful show. The leaves of some varieties turn to purple …
Monarch Butterflies arrive along the California coast this month, migrating from their summer homes in the Sierra Nevada and the Rocky Mountains. Some 25 of the 260 wintering sites on the West Coast lie within …
Local Temperatures should be declining most rapidly during this time of year, according to more than a century of local meteorological records. With every successive week, daily maximum temperatures are declining by about three quarters …
Solitude (n): the quality or state of being alone or remote from society. The word “solitude” has a negative connotation, as if being alone equates to loneliness. Today’s society encourages overstimulation and overcommitment, even in …
Daylight Savings Time ends this Sunday morning, November 1 at 2 a.m. With the resumption of standard time, midday (the time when the sun reaches its maximum altitude in the south part of the sky) …
The Floss Silk Tree, a conspicuous “autumn bloomer” here and there around San Diego, has been showing off its pinkish or purplish, hibiscus-like flowers for at least a month now. The broad, heavy trunks of …