Photographer's Notebook - 22 May 2008 - motoring with my longtime traveling companion - James Ellsworth - we were on our first true California adventure in years, tackling roads that neither of us had seen.

Our first puzzle was here. We'd both been in California going on four decades and neither of us knew this plant. I stopped the car and we hopped out. The first hint came in smelling this round white flower ball - which, in addition to smelling sweet - also had a smell more familiar in the kitchen. I looked down at the base of these tall plants to discover the unmistakable tops of red onions - most the size of softballs.

Something new - everyday!