It's April and that means it's flower season. Back home, we spend Spring doing Hanami (flower viewing), where we sit in a park under the plum or cherry blossoms and have picnics and sake all night long. In Los Angeles I haven't met anyone who goes flower viewing, but it rained a lot this year and there are flowers all over.

This weekend, I went to Hondo Canyon Backbone Trail in the Santa Monica mountains to meet some of them. I met about 30 species of flower and also some friendly bees. It made me think of Judge, who is always thinking about flowers.

This was my favorite flower. He is soft and fuzzy and looks like he is from a Dr. Zeuss book. When I grow up, I'd like to be a flower like this one.

While I was hiking, I almost walked into a giant rattle snake (Jacob) who was sunbathing on the trail. I stopped and waited a while for Jacob to disappear into the grasses. I was afraid he would mistake me for a delicious field mouse, I've been told I look like one. Luckily Jacob didn't bite me, he probably just wasn't hungry.

I also saw a small, friendly ringneck snake (Jacob). Jacob moved so fast that I couldn't really get a look at him. He was tiny and shy.

I'm hoping to go to the poppy reserve soon, where they have hills covered in beautiful poppies and other purple and yellow flowers. I went a while ago and you can see the video here.