A Spring With Little Zing

Usually the wildflowers are beginning their annual parade across the mountain, chaparral, desert and coastal areas of Southern California at this time of year.

But this winter’s weather has fluctuated so wildly between heat waves and cold snaps--with too little rain in between--that nature lovers aren’t counting on a brilliant wildflower show this spring.

“Two years ago, it was fabulous. Last year, it was OK, and this year, we’re not too sure about yet,” said Dennis Bryson of the Theodore Payne Foundation, a nonprofit nursery in Sun Valley that specializes in native California plants and seeds.

“The showiest part is usually in April. This season is starting out slowly all over Southern California. It’s spotty, although there are likely to be some very good areas,” Bryson said.

Three acres of hillside at the foundation’s nursery are planted with California perennials, and Bryson anticipates a good show there beginning at the end of March. And, at O’Melveny Park in Granada Hills, there are lupines, poppies and blazing stars in bloom east of the creek.

Joshua Tree National Monument is also more sparsely flowered than usual this year, with more blooms on shrubs and trees than on the ground.

To find out about other wildflower displays in Southern California, you can call the foundation’s Wildflower Hotline at (818) 768-3533. The report is updated weekly.

Television City

Deep in the heart of Studio City is a small town in the Midwest, a smaller town in Vermont and a yuppie community in Pennsylvania. Studio City is the home of MTM Productions and The Carsey-Werner Co., and it is where such shows as “Roseanne,” “Newhart” and “thirtysomething” are filmed.

Other shows that are currently in production there include Valerie Harper’s “City,” Whoopi Goldberg’s new “Bagdad Cafe” and another new show called “FM.”

The two companies are located on a lot off Ventura Boulevard that originally was occupied by the legendary Mack Sennett of the silent-movie days.

“We have a photo dated February, 1928, that shows the studio under construction, and there’s a sign that says, ‘Studio City Business District.’ But we have no real record of whether it was Mr. Sennett’s idea or someone else’s to call it that,” said Sondra Frohlich, executive director of the Studio City Chamber of Commerce.

At least the community still fulfills the promise of its name.

Free for the Taking

If you haven’t found a good enough reason yet to drive to Saugus at 10:30 on a Tuesday morning, this may be it: free elephant manure.

Circus Vargas is coming to the Saugus Speedway on March 20-22. On Tuesday morning, March 20, the animal tent will be open to the public, and you’re free to take home five pounds of manure, but you have to bring your own shovel and bucket.

“They can take however much they want, to be honest about it,” says Elaine Stieglitz, marketing director for the circus. “We have plenty of manure, although I’ve never heard of very many people actually taking any home with them. It would probably smell up your car pretty good.”

Last year a few thousand children and their parents showed up to take a close look at camels, llamas, horses, elephants, monkeys, dogs, ducks and ponies. “Usually the draw is the animals and not the manure,” Stieglitz admits. You can get within five feet of the animals, although the lions and tigers are in cages off to the side.

You can also watch them put up the big tent from 10:30 a.m. to noon. The first 500 kids to arrive will get free milk and cookies, courtesy of Main Street Dairy and Gamesa Cookies.

Circus Vargas is based in Hollywood but tours the entire country. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster, the ticket booth in Canyon Center or the circus ticket window.

Overheard

“I have two problems with Chanel purses: They’re overpriced, and they’re ugly.”

--Woman to her friend at Topanga Plaza in Woodland Hills