Welcome back to Field Notes!
July 1, 2025
It's July and summer is in full swing. I'm enjoying all the summer fruit - peaches, plums, apricots, cantaloupe, honeydew, and lots of watermelon!
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| Ice cold watermelon |
July 4, 2025 🎆
July Fourth is the perfect day to get out my copy of National Review's American Classics, and read The Constitution of the United States and The Bill of Rights and Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America. I do this periodically to refresh my understanding of the constitution, and reflect on its goals and ideals. For example, why we have the three branches of government and who is responsible for what (to build in a system of checks and balances), and why we have separation of power (so that no one branch becomes too powerful).
I like knowing there is a process for elections, transfer of power, and impeachment, if needed. I like knowing that we can amend the constitution as we evolve as a nation, and that there is a process to do so. Some of the amendments we've made protect citizens from abuses of power and ensure the right to vote. The documents may not be perfect, but they serve as a guiding light for our democracy, and as an important fact-check against the daily onslaught of headlines.
July 7, 2025
While digging up weeds in the lower garden, I came across an object attached to a twig that looked like a bee cast. The iNaturalist app identified it as a cicada. I didn't even know we had cicadas in California, but it turns out we have 65 species of them. Most of our cicadas emerge annually, rather than periodically like they do back east.
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| Northern California cicada exoskeleton found in the garden (Plugable USB 2.0 Digital Microscope - 250x magnification) |
The life cycle is divided into three stages: egg, nymph, and adult. Adult females lay their eggs in slits in tree branches. The eggs hatch in 6-10 weeks, and the newly hatched nymphs fall to the ground and bury themselves in the soil. When the nymph reaches full size, it climbs a tree and molts into its adult form, leaving behind its exoskeleton. The adult stage only lasts several weeks. During that time, males use their distinctive call to attract females for mating; females lay their eggs and the cycle begins again. Next time I enjoy the sound of "crickets" in the night, I might actually be enjoying the mating call of cicadas!
July 10, 2025
I've been weeding in the lower yard, and it's almost a full time job! I don't know when it happened, but those cute, little, green shoots that appeared in early spring, "suddenly" became big, gnarly, prickly plants. Here are a couple of shots of one of the weeds. The leaves are spiny, and the tap roots anchor straight down and deep.
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| Prickly lettuce from above |
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| Prickly lettuce side view |
The iNaturalist app identifies this as Prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola). According to Wikipedia, this species is native to Eurasia and north Africa, and has become naturalized elsewhere. It is a close relative of cultivated lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and can be eaten as a bitter salad. Young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, and older leaves can be steamed. Its roots have been used as a coffee substitute. Those spiny leaves do not sound very appetizing to me! Instead, I am glad to remove the plants to free up water, space, and light for other plants in the garden.
July 13, 2025
Summertime is a great time to visit The Gardens at Lake Merritt. I met up with Mari and Todd for a tour of the Bonsai garden, sponsored by AARP. I arrived a little early to stroll through the various gardens in the cool of the morning. Volunteers were already hard at work weeding, pruning, and planting, and I had a chance to study the Japanese, native, and edible gardens. During the tour, we learned all about the collection at Lake Merritt and the process to create and maintain a tree in miniature.
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| Gate 4 entrance to The Gardens at Lake Merritt (forged by Alameda blacksmith, Shawn Lovell) |
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| Dawn redwood bonsai |
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| Live oak bonsai |
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| Intrepid bonsai enthusiasts by the maple grove bonsai |
The bonsai trees are incredible works of art. I was surprised to learn that a bonsai tree can get a "makeover", for example, it might be reduced in size or its front-facing aspect changed. It was also fascinating to hear some of the maintenance practices, such as pulling weeds with tweezers, rewiring branches, and repotting periodically.
July 16, 2025
I'm still on my quest to remove weeds from the lower yard, in order to free up water, space, and light for the plants that I want to thrive. Here are a couple more common weeds that I've been removing. We have quite a few "dandelion-type" plants that thrive on the property; iNaturalist has given various IDs for the same plant, so I'm a little leery of the accuracy. For example, the app identified one of the prominent plants as milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis), and then later as horseweed (Erigeron canadensis).
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| One of many dandelion-type weeds (name unknown) |
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| Another common weed (possibly a milkweed or horseweed) |
As I pull weeds, I've noticed beetles and pill bugs scurrying for cover. I realize that I'm removing part of their their habitat, which presents a quandary. On one hand, I want to provide a wildlife-friendly, native environment; on the other, I don't want the landscape to be overrun with unwanted plants that take away resources from native plants. Many of these weeds are non-native plants, so removing them serves my goal of a providing a native habitat. Hopefully enough safe havens remain for the beneficial insects that I want to welcome!
July 19, 2025
This week's Over-the-Hills Gang hike was at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, the site of ancient volcanic activity dating back 10 million years. Mari, Gaymond and Gaymond's grandson, Jayden, joined the group, lead by Anthony Fisher, at the Sibley Staging Area. The weather was overcast, misty, and chilly to start, but soon the clouds parted and blue skies and sun appeared. The preserve is on the ancestorial home of the Huchiun Ohlone Chochenyo speaking people.
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| Rocky trail through the forest |
The hike starts in the cool green forest, and crests in the exposed hill top with wonderful views of the Bay, the hills, and Mount Diablo. We followed the Round Top Loop Trail. One of the highlights is the half-way cookie break (the offering varies, but the lemon and ginger cookies from Trader Joe's are especially tasty). Mari, Gaymond, Jayden and I topped off the hike at Taqueria Las Compadres in Montclair Village for nachos and burritos, and good conversation.
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| A shady pause in the trail |
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| View of Mount Diablo in the distance (photo by Mari) |
These hikes are so much fun, and the pace and company are excellent. Check the website to learn more about upcoming events at East Bay Parks.
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| Hat rescue during the cookie break (look high up on the hill) |
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| Intrepid hikers at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve (photo by Gaymond) |
July 21, 2025
While at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, we spotted an assortment of interesting plants, trees, and shrubs. Here are a few snapshots, with identifications gleaned from the iNaturalist app, and from Sibley Volcanic Wildflowers and Wild Plants in Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, both available at https://www.ebparks.org/parks/sibley-volcanic#resources. Clockwise from the top left corner: Wild Teasel (Dipsacus sativus) – introduced biennial; Bush Monkey Flower (Diplacus aurantiacus, formerly Mimulus aurantiacus) – native perennial; Mayweed (Anthemis cotula) – introduced annual; California Oat Grass (Danthonia californica) – native perennial; and California Flannel Bush (Fremontodendron californicum) – native shrub.
July 23, 2025
This "Air BeeNBee" provides a nesting habitat for native bees at The Gardens at Lake Merritt. According to signage, California has 1600 varieties of native bees. They are solitary, don't have a queen, don't have a hive, and don't make honey. They nest in holes in the ground or in wood, and their only job is to pollinate flowers. The female bees make a "bee bread" of pollen and nectar, deposit it in a hole or tube, and then lay an egg on it.
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| "Bee hotel" - habitat for native bees at The Gardens at Lake Merritt |
