Reflections on 2021

COVID drags on, but we made some headway in 2021. Many of us have been immunized and received the booster. We're finding ways to get back to theaters, schools, gatherings, and restaurants. We've also realized some of the benefits of moving more of life online - democratizing activities that many would not be able to attend because of age, location, time zone, or accessibility. We're learning to cope.

For Eden by the Bay, our theme for 2021 was Back to the Land. We stayed home for the most part, and used the time to explore what our property has to offer, looking at its role as a wildlife corridor, a source of materials for dye projects, and place to relax and enjoy nature. We added more wood chips to the landscape in our ongoing pursuit to restore and enrich the soil and to encourage wildlife visitors.

Clockwise: Hummingbird feeder
Calendula started from seed (with a friend)
Adventure close to home in Benicia
Solar dyeing with calendula petals

We learned about the plants, shrubs, and trees in our yard, and removed the Chinese Elm that had provided such beautiful dappled shade. We installed some wind chimes, added a hummingbird feeder, and spent a lot of time watching birds visit the water bowls. I continued my amateur movie-making projects, including videos about dyeing with plants, and going "into the landscape":

• Enjoying Winter Moss
• California Scrub Jay

Now it's time to follow nature's lead and "hibernate" for a bit, enjoy the winter rains, and pull out a few inside projects! 

Christmas in the Bay Area: 2021

Countdown to Christmas day! But this year I'm really behind. The decorations are up, but gifts are still waiting to be wrapped and sent. Ingredients have been procured, but my husband has remarked that few tasty treats have been produced. Strangely, I'm enjoying the slower-paced holiday season (Christmas gifts may end up being New Year gifts this year, and waistlines may not suffer as much). Is this fallout from living in the moment? getting older? another year of COVID? Or all of the above?

Hope you enjoy your holidays, whether at a fast-paced sprint or a delicious crawl. My husband and I have a few things planned, with plenty of time for creative projects, rest, and reflection. A Family Zoom call is in order. A week of rain is forecast here in the San Francisco Bay Area, which is great for the garden and a great excuse to pull out a puzzle and pour some eggnog! 

Merry Christmas!

Winter is Coming

 Winter is coming to the San Francisco Bay Area! At the time of this writing, we're experiencing several days of rain from an atmospheric river. The temperature ranges from the mid-50's by day to mid-40's by night (bone chilling when mixed with our marine fog). The days seem short and dark comes early. The afternoon light is golden and slanted, and the fleeting sunsets are spectacular. Mushrooms are glorious this year - pushing up through the wood chips after any passing rain.

Winter mushrooms (possibly Boletus spp.)

More winter mushrooms (possibly another Boletus spp.)

Magnolia seeds/berries

 

Migrating Sap Sucker

Winter sunsets

 

Garden at the Camel Barns

Thai basil, dill, and parsley starters  

 

Holiday cooking with cranberries

Holiday lights

 

Holiday decorations

Cozy inside pastimes

 

Moon dog on a cold evening

Thoughts turn to inside projects and pastimes, holiday preparations, and festive gatherings with vaccinated caution (or memories of parties from the past). Winter is also a great time to hibernate with a good book, an entertaining movie, or music. Enjoy a few months of cozy winter evenings, and rest up from a year of labor. The garden "slumbers" and so should we! 

Benicia and the Delta

My husband and I are just back from a four-day trip to Benicia and the Delta. That may not sound as exciting as a trip to Hawaii, Alaska, or Europe, but I had read an article that caught my imagination, in the Regional in Nature Activity Guide (East Bay Parks District, September-October 2021, page 7) . "A Day Drive in the Delta" described a 46-mile driving loop that starts at Big Break Regional Shoreline in Oakley, CA, follows Highway 160 North, links up with Highways 220 and 84, and ends in Rio Vista, CA. I've always wanted to know more about "the Delta", and this sounded like a great way to start. It didn't take long to put together an itinerary for a short trip! 

Union Hotel in Benicia, established in 1852

View of the Carquinez Bridge from Coast Lotus

We stayed at the charming Union Hotel in historic Benicia, CA. From the Coast Lotus room, we had great views of Carquinez Strait and the Carquinez Bridge. Benicia was incorporated in March 1850 and has served as the state capital for 13 months from 1853 to 1854; as the site for an arsenal for the United States Army; and as the location for the original Mills College (then called the Young Ladies Seminary) before it moved to Oakland. We spent a day enjoying the local sites.

Benicia Bridge Vista Point (old and new bridges)

Benicia Clock Tower

Benicia Arsenal
(Benicia Historical Museum at the Camel Barns)

View from the Benicia City Cemetery

Benicia Capitol State Park

The next day we launched out to explore the Delta, following the map and information in "A Day Drive in the Delta". At the Big Break Regional Shoreline visitor center we learned about the Delta, its origin as a vast wetlands, and the fifty years of human engineering to create a series of levees and agricultural land. The Delta refers to the intricate network of waterways, canals, and sloughs that connect the Sierra Nevada to the San Francisco Bay.

Map excerpt from "A Day Drive in the Delta" (East Bay Parks District)

First visit to the Big Break Visitor Center

Scoop used to reclaim land

We had a picnic at the Brannan Island State Recreation Area, and learned more about the workers who built the agricultural lands at Isleton (because of time, we didn't visit the Locke Historic District). 

Picnic break at Brannan Island State Recreation Area

Slough by Brannan Island

Isleton Chinese and Japanese Commercial Districts

Chinese Laborers Memorial Pavilion in Isleton

We drove across Ryer's Island, enjoying the green fields and waterways from the highway built on top of the levees. Two ferries are part of the highway system, and enabled us to access and depart Ryer's Island. We arrived at Rio Vista in time to see the Rio Vista Bridge raise so a ship could pass, but managed to evade the resulting traffic jam that was waiting to cross the bridge. Back at the hotel, I spotted a ship approaching the Carquinez Bridge and wondered if it had passed under the Rio Vista Bridge a couple of hours before.

The highway follows the levees

Waiting for the "Real McCoy Ferry"

Rio Vista Bridge vertical-lift bridge in the raised position
(CSR 12 across the Sacramento River)

Ship approaches the Carquinez Bridge at Sunset

The next day we slept in, and spent a lazy day walking to the First Street Peninsula and public fishing pier, and strolling around town. We ended the day with a delicious dinner at the Union Hotel Restaurant & Bar, and great conversation about all our interesting experiences and adventures. 

First Street Peninsula

Sunset over Carquinez Strait

Union Hotel Restaurant

I really enjoyed our time on the Delta, seeing all that rich farmland and waterways, and thinking about the complex balance between pristine wetlands and human needs for transportation, food, and water. We just scratched the surface of the Delta, but I still came away with a new appreciation for California's unique water system.

Back to the Land: Wrap Up

This has been another wild year! Our "back to the land" theme, with its focus on our residential lot in the San Francisco Bay Area, was perfect for Year Two of the pandemic. Even with restrictions lifting a bit, thanks to vaccinations and good practices, it was good year to continue staying home. We used the time to explore what our property has to offer, looking at its role as a "homegrown national park", a source of materials for dye projects, and place to relax and enjoy nature.

Red camellia

Plant Aquarium

We learned more about some of the trees, shrubs, and plants that grow on our urban land. Some are native, some are not.

Polypodium
Juniper
Oak
Toyon
Pittosporum
Liquidambar
Hollyleaf Cherry
Chinese Elm
Hawthorn
Magnolia

Enjoying Nature

We enjoyed the seasons and the local birds and critters that visit our residential yard. The small plot is part of a larger virtual "wildlife corridor" that provides water, food, and shelter for urban wildlife and migrating birds.

Signs of Spring
Summer Time
Fall is in the Air
Winter is Coming
Red-Bellied Sapsucker
Enjoying Winter Moss
California Scrub Jay
Where are the Hummingbirds?

Garden Projects

We're working on garden infrastructure in preparation for future projects, and enjoying the yard just as it is.

Soil Restoration Under the Oak
Wood Chips Under the Oak
Oak Patrol
Symphony in the Garden
Raised Bed Prep for Fall Greens
Farewell to the Chinese Elm
Dyeing Fabric with Plants

Seeds to Dye For

This year I sowed seeds for several plants that are good for dyeing fabric - calendula, coreopsis, and marigold. I tried solar dyeing for the first time, using calendula flowers.

Seeds to Dye For
Seeds to Dye For: July Check In (Calendula)
Seeds to Dye For: September Check In (Coreopsis)
Seeds to Dye For: November Check In (Marigold)
Dye Project: Solar Dyeing with Calendula

Excursions

As the pandemic drags on, even an outing to the grocery store becomes an adventure! My husband and I made a few special excursions to remind us of normal life.

Van Gogh Immersive Experience
Judge John Sutter Regional Shore
Benicia and the Delta

Books and Movies

We traveled the United States and the world vicariously with famous British landscape gardener, Monty Don, to enjoy plant movie stars. We also learned more about the mighty oak tree and its lifecycle.

Winter movies:  Prairie Gardens  Southern Gardens  Western Gardens
Summer movies:  Southeast Asia  The Med  India
The Life of an Oak