Field Notes for December 2025

 Welcome back to Field Notes!

December 1, 2025

To celebrate the glorious fall days we've been experiencing, I pulled out a puzzle that I borrowed from my Aunt Char (she and I both enjoy the pleasure of an interesting and beautiful puzzle). This one captures the colors of fall and coziness of home!

Country Life: Autumn Farmhouse (Buffalo Games & Puzzles)
Artist: Dominic Davidson

December 4, 2025

According to AI Overview, the full moon in December 2025 is known as the Cold Moon or the Long Night Moon. It is the last supermoon of the year, meaning that it appears brighter and larger than usual. Here, the moon is viewed from the front porch over the new landscape.

A big, beautiful supermoon over the garden

December 6, 2025

Mari and I recently joined the last Over-the-Hills Gang hike of the year, topped off with a delicious potluck lunch at the Tilden Nature Center. We hiked the Jewel Lake trail, in the crisp morning air, and enjoyed the colors and scents of fall. Surprisingly, it was my first visit to the Nature Center in all the years I've been in the Bay Area, although I have attended family picnics in other areas of the park, and visited the Tilden Botanical Garden. Anthony Fisher lead our hike.

Assembling at the Tilden Nature Center

Jewel Lake trail highlighted in yellow (photo by Mari)

We encountered a fire crew that was gathering the shredded bark from the eucalyptus trees, in preparation for a future controlled burn. The bark is highly flammable, so removing it from the landscape helps the area be fire safe. We saw quite a few large piles of bark and other material to be burned.

Talking with the fire crew at Tilden Park

Bridge over Jewel Lake reservoir

The path through the woods

We worked up a good appetite for our potluck back at the Nature Center. What a spread! We enjoyed many tasty dishes and desserts, and the chance to relax with our fellow hikers. The OTHG is a wonderful group of 55+ hikers of all levels. This was our last hike of the year, but you can learn about upcoming hikes in 2026 by visiting the website. 

Setting up the potluck in the Nature Center

 

Intrepid hikers at the Jewel Lake bridge (photo by Mari)

December 8, 2025

While on our hike at Tilden Park, Anthony Fisher (our Over-the-Hills Gang group leader) spotted some Russula maculata mushroom specimens. The rosy pink color is quite appealing, but according to AI Overview, while Russula maculata might produce some color, one shouldn't expect vibrant, strong hues. It's more of an experimental or niche dye choice within the broader world of mushroom dyeing.

Shrimp Russula (Russula maculata) in Tilden Park

Maggots hatch in the stem and eat their way out

December 12, 2025

Sad news - my dear Dad has passed away at the age of 97 years at the Pioneer Home in Juneau, Alaska. His health had been failing for some time, so it wasn't a surprise, but it still leaves an empty hole. Dad lived a remarkable life and inspired all of us with his curiosity, intelligence, interests, and capabilities. He met Mom at U. C. Berkeley in the 1950s, they married, and moved to Juneau, where they built a house, raised a family, and enjoyed a full life. Dad was a research forester with the U. S. Forest Service, wrote extensively, and imparted a love of nature and science to all of us. He and Mom enjoyed their retirement years travelling, visiting their kids and grandkids, and finding the best bakery wherever they went. I enjoyed travelling with Mom and Dad in the Southern California desert to view the spring wildflowers. Dad will be missed.

Dad enjoying coffee with Mom on a trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico

December 17, 2025

I'm on my way to Alaska, to celebrate my Dad's life with Mom, my brother Dave, my sister Marianne, and Aunt Char. My husband and adult son are staying in the Bay Area with Bobo the Husky, so we'll celebrate the Christmas and New Year holidays when I return. I'm expecting cold and snowy weather in Juneau!

On my way to Juneau, Alaska

Ethnobotany and Dyeing with Plants: Wrap Up

For this year's "Ethnobotany" theme, I delved into the plants that indigenous people groups use for dyeing fabric. To narrow the scope, I decided to focus on three specific people groups—Tlingit and Chimmesyan/Tsimshian (Alaska coast and Canada interior), Ohlone/Costanoan (Northern California), and Polynesian/Pacific Islander (Hawaii); and to carry out my research at the survey level rather than the detailed level.

I quickly realized that I had to expand my vision from dyeing fabric with plants, to dyeing and decorating fabric, baskets, and other objects. I also realized that previously my perspective has been on the plant explorers who were learning about dye plants, rather than on the people who were already using them! I thoroughly enjoyed the research and learned so much!

A year full of life!

Ethnobotany

The Learn More sections provide links to additional information, YouTube videos, and other resources.

Ethnobotany and Dyeing With Plants

Ethnobotany: Tlingit's and Dyeing with Plants

Ethnobotany: Muwekma Ohlone Basketry

Ethnobotany: Kanaka Maoli Kapa

Outings in Alaska

I spent six weeks in Alaska with my parents, brother, and a few childhood friends, and enjoyed the beautiful "Great Land". My sister and Aunt Char also travelled to Alaska to visit this beautiful place. Some topics appear in Field Notes. 

Death with Dessert, Mendenhall Glacier, and the Boy Scout Trail (Field Notes for April 2025)

Spring in Southeast Alaska

Audubon Cruise in Southeast Alaska

Jazz and Classics, Toads and Bears, Hikes and Drives, Jensen-Olson Garden, Capital Killers, and TrollFest (Field Notes for May 2025)

Fond Memories of Alaska

More Fond Memories of Alaska

Mom and Marianne at the Glacier and Eagle Beach, and More Family Outings in Juneau (Field Notes for August 2025)

Mom and Aunt Char with Dave at The Hangar (Field Notes for September 2025)

Outings Closer to Home

Visited some diverse gardens here in the Bay Area, and pitched in to help out at the food bank.

Mountain View Cemetery

The Gardens at Lake Merritt (Field Notes for July 2025)

Salesforce Rooftop Garden

Alameda County Community Food Bank

Landscaping

Celebrated our new landscape, learned more about its plants, developed a maintenance schedule, and enjoyed the pollinators and birds that visit the space. 

Great Backyard Bird Count 2025

Bringing Back the Natives 2025

Bird Buddy

Mushrooms (Field Notes for January 2025)

Landscaping: One Year Report

Salamander, Heucheras, and California Poppies (Field Notes for April 2025)

Flowers, Weeding, and Birds (Field Notes for June 2025)

Shadow Play

Cicadas and More Weeding (Field Notes for July 2025)

Summer Flowers (Field Notes for August 2025)

🌷Spring Watch  🌞Summer Watch  🍂Fall Watch  ⛅Winter Watch

Hikes with OTHG (and good places for lunch)

Mari, Gaymond and I explored regional parks all over the Bay Area with the Over-the-Hills-Gang (including cookies at the half-way point—especially the crispy ginger and lemon cookies—but we're not too picky)! The only thing better than hiking with friends, is following it up with lunch and good conversation. Whenever possible, Mari, Gaymond and I tried to find a good place for lunch after our hike. 

Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park (Sparky's Giant Burgers)

Point Pinole Regional Shoreline (Richmond Kebab and Gyros)

Wildcat Regional Park

Briones Regional Park

Ted and Radke Martinez Regional Shoreline Park (Slow Hand BBQ)

Sobrante Ridge Botanical Regional Preserve (The Noodle House)

Contra Loma Regional Park

Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve (Taqueria Las Compadres)

Knox Miller Regional Shore

Huckleberry Botanical Regional Preserve (TGI Oni Sushi)

Marina Bay Richmond

Pinole Shores (Yo Sushi)

Dotson Family Marsh Richmond (Modu Hawaiian BBQ)

Carquinez Strait (Crocket Cocina)

MLK Shoreline (Dragon Rouge Bistro Alameda)

Tilden Park (potluck)

Road Trip to Mesa Verde

My husband and I always enjoy a good road trip. This time we travelled to Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado.

Not Quite the North Rim

Mesa Verde National Park

Kicks on Route 66

Field Notes 2025

Continued reporting observations and experiences throughout the month. Most entries are about gardens, plants, and nature, but some are about all the life that happens around that.

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Plant Hunters

On a quest to learn more about plant hunters in the Americas, this time in the Western United States.

Edith Van Allen Murphy (California and the Great Basin)

Isabella Aiona Abbott (Hawaii)

Movies

Went to the movies to learn about embroidery (to enhance our understanding of dyeing with plants) and got some ideas for keeping a dye journal for our projects.

Through the Eye of a Needle: Stories from An Indian Desert

Keeping A Dye Journal

Books

Read a few good books to learn more about plant hunters and historical gardening.

Imaginative Small Gardens

Indian Uses of Native Plants

Plants of Old Hawaii

Traditional Hawaiian Uses of Plants

Winter Watch

We have been having the best fall here in the Bay Area - a few rainstorms, some beautiful cold, clear days, heavy fog in the early hours, and some gray, overcast days. It's a pleasure to get out into the garden to work on a few chores or into nature to walk, hike, or walk the dog. It's also a pleasure to return home to inside projects, hot chocolate, and a good book or a movie. The variety is invigorating.

Jewel Lake in Tilden Park

With such a beautiful fall, it's hard to believe that the winter solstice is only three weeks away. The days are getting shorter, holidays are coming, and it's time to hunker down for the dark days of winter. Enjoy!