For the expense of riven rock you would be better off since you are in California getting pads from Mexicans. 2 good plants are Opuntis caccanapa "ellisiana" and Opuntia ficus indica. I know nurseries in Cali and Arizona have decent indica in pots for way cheaper than riven rock. If you hold out you will get some from me. I have some good pads I will be sending your way. Ellisana, indica, lemon spreader, this one pictured, stricta spineless and normal, and Florida devil tounge humifusa.

Camellias should be very common in your part of the state. I've attached a good site for you to do some reading. Good luck with your cutting! Here is a link that might be useful: American Camellia Society

John, those ants are tending to that little scale infestation you've got on your citrus. Scale insects, like aphids, mealies, etc. produce a sweet honeydew excrement that ants like. Thought you should know, in case you weren't aware of it. COOL image of the mealybug destroyer. The adult looks like a black ladybug with a large red hood. Both adult and larvae help control many different pests...including that scale! That would be interesting to observe in action. Here is a link that might be useful:

Here is another link Andrea. Might be visiting due to low food sources nearby. Have you seen it since you photographed it? It has some good points to it as well with forest seed dispersal and economic uses in Canada. Don't all squirrels have similar opportunistic eating of eggs and young birds? It is a native squirrel and one would think it balances out in the end with predation on others. I found a young Robin last spring that had fallen out of it's nest for lack of room and a Eastern Grey squirrel was going after it. I put it back in the nest, but had I not been there I'm pretty sure the squirrel would have killed it. That happens in nature all the time - people don't like to see it or may get too focused on other species they prefer more, etc. I'm not sure if calling it a 'terrorist' is entirely fair unless one cannot stand any small bird being eaten that they have become attached to personally. They eat what they eat. Many birds, snakes, and other mammals eat baby anything if they can get a chance. Here is a link that might be useful: Red Squirrels