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Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Landscaping: Monthly Maintenance

Our redesigned landscape recently turned a year and a half, and I'm so pleased with the progress. Over the last year I've been observing the trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals as they progress through their seasonal cycles. In October 2024, we hired a landscaping service to provide monthly maintenance, so I've been learning from them. Plus, I spend a lot of hands-on time in the garden—pruning, mulching, cleaning up, and weeding.

Speaking of which, I can't emphasize enough the importance of weeding. Before the landscape project, we had almost no weeds, because we had no irrigation. A few weeds or unwanted plants might sprout in the spring after winter rains, but they dried up quickly with the first heat spell. Since we have implemented drip irrigation to help the native plants get established, we are now seeing lots of weeds. It is important to keep on top of the weeds in the early stages, so they don't get a foot hold. Once established, weeds proliferate by dispersing millions of seeds and by competing for light, water, and nutrients that are meant for favored plants. 


Landscape maintenance. Clockwise, from the top left:
weeding, planting, treating disease, and raking leaves


Following is a monthly maintenance schedule that I've compiled over the last year from watching our landscapers and from my own notes and observations. I'm starting the maintenance calendar with October, since fall really kicks off the gardening year here in Northern California. We get most of our water from fall and winter rains, which typically last from late October through February (longer if we're lucky). Planting in the fall (and into early spring) helps plants establish strong, deep roots. This schedule is customized for our yard, but the ideas can be generalized for any yard. 


October 🍂

Time for fall cleanup, and to prepare for planting before the rainy season starts. The winter rains can start any time, depending on the year! 

☐ Weed the garden paths and beds (this is an ongoing task throughout the year, but worth mentioning every month). 

☐ Clean up leaves, berries, and drupes from the patios and paths, and either recycle in the compost bin or send to Waste Management to recycle. Retain the leaves under the oak tree to maintain the oak duff, which is important for the caterpillars that feed baby birds in the spring. Remove annuals that have scattered their seed and are at the end of their life cycle.

☐ Hire our arborist to prune the big oak tree, and the shrubs that are too tall for us to tackle.

☐ Prepare the soil in the rock garden, raised bed, and containers for fall planting. Plant seeds, bulbs, or starter plants, as appropriate. Be sure to water periodically until winter rains start.

☐ Collect grasses, seed pods, and dried flowers for fall arrangements.


November 🍂

Time for more fall cleanup and planting. Fall is one of my favorite times to work in the garden. The air is sparkly clean, and the temperature is a wonderful combination of warm in the sun and cool and crisp in the shade. Expect winter rains at any time!

☐ Weed the garden paths and beds (ongoing task). Continue removing spent annuals (or wait until their seeds have been distributed, and then remove them).

☐ Clean up leaves and berries or drupes from the patios and paths (ongoing task). Cut back spreading perennials and ground covers. Also trim perennials in the front planter, such as the Bush Monkey Flower; and the gooseberry bushes in the upper and lower yards.

☐ Prune camellia and pittosporum shrubs to let light into the understory. Cut back invasive ivy from the street.

☐ Close up the main patio—remove cobwebs, wipe down the patio furniture, protect the cushions, clean up the brick surfaces, wash windows, and toss anything that is old, damaged, or no longer needed. Clean and put away the Weber grill.

☐ Collect dried plant material for a Thanksgiving arrangement.


December 🍂⛅

Hopefully the rainy season has started by this time. Thoughts naturally turn to the holidays and inside activities—creating delicious food, gathering with friends and family, decorating, and finding the perfect gifts for friends and loved ones. If the rain pauses, there are always a few more outdoor cleanup tasks to do as the season transitions from fall to winter.

☐ Weed the garden paths and beds (ongoing task). After a soaking rain, the roots slide out of the soil so easily.

☐ Cut back ornamental grasses to low mounds. 

☐ Remove dead or diseased leaves from perennials, such as the heucheras, and trim dead branches from the juniper and pine trees.

☐ Replace plants that are not doing well and plant new plants to try. This timing takes advantage of the winter rains in our Mediterranean climate and helps ensure a deep, healthy root structure.

☐ Harvest a few green conifer branches for a holiday wreath. 


January ⛅

Winter seems like a dormant time in the garden (although we know that a lot of plant development is going on behind the scenes). This pause provides an opportunity for us to rest, recharge, and plan for the coming season. Winter storms sometimes result in fallen branches or trees that need to be cleaned up.

☐ Weed the garden paths and beds (ongoing task). Learn to identify the weeds in their early stages, and remove them while they are easy to pull.

☐ Clean up leaves, sticks and cones—blown in via winter storms—from patios, paths, and the driveway.

☐ Cut back invasive ivy from the street.

☐ Take an inventory of any early blooming flowers in the yard, such as California poppy and Clarkia. Watch for buds and new growth.

☐ Watch for mushrooms that pop up in the yard. Some may indicate decay, but I've found most indicate a healthy soil environment. Some might be suitable for dyeing fabric!


February ⛅

Time for winter cleanup. It's still cold and rainy, but it's invigorating to get out in the yard and accomplish a few things.

☐ Weed the garden paths and beds (ongoing task).

☐ Trim the large mounding grasses into cone or tear drop shapes, as needed.

☐ Trim the Dracaena in the side yard.

☐ Clean up the spent camelia flowers in the side yard. Use them as mulch under the camelia shrubs.

☐ Trim perennials in the front planters. 


March ⛅🌷

End of winter cleanup, and kick off to spring activities.

☐ Weed the garden paths and beds (ongoing task).

☐ Cut back invasive ivy from the street, and remove invasive French Broom from the curb.

☐ Clean up pittosporum berries and spent camelia flowers in the side yard. 

☐ Add mulch or wood chips, as needed. This really helps cut down on the spring weeds trying to take hold.


April 🌷

Time for spring cleanup, and to enjoy the flowers as they emerge!

☐ Weed the garden paths and beds (ongoing task). Get them while they are small and easy to pull!

☐ Clean up pittosporum berries and spent camelia flowers in the side yard.

☐ Cut back invasive ivy from the street, and remove invasive French Broom from the curb.

☐ Collect flowers and branches for spring arrangements.


May 🌷

Time for more spring cleanup. This is a beautiful time for gardens here in the Bay Area.

☐ Weed the garden paths and beds (ongoing task).

☐ Verify that the irrigation system is running correctly, and fix any leaks or blockages.

☐ Clean up the stone path from the street to the house. Trim back vegetation and ground covers.

☐ Clean up the heuchera leaves as needed to ensure light and free flow of air.

☐ Collect flowers and branches for spring arrangements.


June 🌷🌞

End of spring cleanup, and kick off to summer activities.

☐ Weed the garden paths and beds (ongoing task).

☐ Check the property for fire safety, in preparation for the City of Oakland's annual vegetation inspection. Trim branches that are close to the house, and clear the five-foot zone around the house, where needed.

☐ Spruce up the main patio—remove cobwebs, wipe down the patio furniture, fluff up the cushions, clean up the brick surfaces, wash windows, and toss anything that is old, damaged, or no longer needed. Break out the Weber grill.

☐ Sweep debris from other surfaces throughout the yard.

☐ Collect flowers and branches for spring/summer arrangements.


July 🌞

Time for summer cleanup, and lots of outdoor living. By now, most of the annuals are spent (except for the California Poppy and Clarkia, which keep on blooming because of light irrigation). Most of the perennials are still blooming.

☐ Weed the garden paths and beds (ongoing task). Check the driveway for weeds developing in the cracks and remove them.

☐ Cut back invasive ivy from the street, especially in the lower yard.

☐ Trim the hedges in the side and lower yards.

☐ Prune the perennials in the front yard, such as Yarrow, Heuchera, Manzanita, Sea Thrift, Cotoneaster, and Juncus. Prune the native shrubs in the lower yard.

☐ Add mulch or wood chips as needed.


August 🌞

Time for more summer cleanup, and lots of outdoor living. Prepare for heat spells, and keep tabs on fire activity in the Bay Area. Monitor plants for heat distress and provide extra water as needed (this may not be needed once the native plants get firmly established, which can take two or three years in a new native garden).

☐ Weed the garden paths and beds (ongoing task).

☐ Sweep debris from surfaces throughout the yard. 

☐ Clean up the stone walkway from the street to the house. Remove the weeds that pop up between the pavers, and that sneak into the planting beds and nearby cracks in the street (some people recommend spraying with vinegar to desiccate the leaves, although it may not kill the roots). Cut back the ground covers that spill over onto the pavers, and the grasses that spill over the path.

☐ Likewise, clean up the streetside, easement area for weeds and trash. There are some beautiful native plants in this area; prune or thin as needed to show them to their advantage. Add mulch or wood chips as needed.

☐ Arrange for a pruning estimate to trim the oak. Some very tall delivery trucks keep hitting the branches, which could weaken them. The last pruning was about six years ago so it is time.


September 🌞🍂

End of summer cleanup, and kick off to fall. Prepare for more heat spells, and continue monitoring fire activity in the Bay Area. Monitor plants for heat distress and provide extra water as needed.

☐ Weed the garden paths and beds (ongoing task). Remove the spent annuals and cut back dead foliage. Trim up iris, ivy, goldenrod, heucheras, Clarkia, California hedgenettle, maple, succulents and California buckwheat.

☐ Sweep debris from surfaces throughout the yard (patios, steps, and walkways).

☐ Clean up leaves, berries, and drupes. Assess for potential dye sources. Sweep up any fallen oak leaves from the street and add to the leaf duff under the trees.

☐ Continue cleaning up the streetside easement around the property for weeds and trash. Inventory and document the beautiful native plants in this area. Add mulch or wood chips as needed.

☐ Schedule aesthetic pruning for the big oak tree, and any shrubs that are getting too tall for us to tackle. Optionally schedule a professional fall landscape clean up, and arrange for new plants to be planted in time for winter rains.


Habitat Maintenance

Ongoing habitat maintenance tasks include emptying and filling the bird bath with fresh water daily; cleaning and refilling the hummingbird feeder every several days; and cleaning and refilling the Bird Buddy feeder as needed (sometimes once a day during the nesting period). Birds add so much to our garden, and these tasks help ensure a healthy and inviting environment for their visits. In addition, the garden provides pollinator-friendly blooms, and many of the ornamental grasses provide seeds for birds.


Habitat maintenance. Clockwise, from the top:
birdbath, humming bird feeder, and the Bird Buddy feeder


Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Plants to Dye For: Wrap Up 2025

I'm closing up my atelier for the season, and looking back over several projects. One of them was to consolidate all the steps to prepare fabric for dyeing (scouring, mordanting, and brightening or saddening) into one blog article, eliminating the need to access multiple articles to find the information.

The rest of the projects used dye source material from our yard. The best color came from blackberry canes and leaves, using classic heat extraction, which produced a nice strong yellow. For the remaining projects, I used solar dyeing, with somewhat disappointing results (although it is always interesting to experiment). I also researched how to keep a dye journal.


The best of this year's dye experiments - Blackberry Canes and Leaves


Projects

Prepare your fabric for dyeing, and dye with blackberry canes, pyracantha pomes, beet stems, and pittosporum capsules. Get inspired to keep a dye journal of all your projects and experiments.


Ethnobotany: Dye Sources

Learn about the dye sources used by several First Nations people in the United States. This research inspired me to try dyeing with more plant material from my own back yard. See the "Dye Sources" section in each reference.


Books and Articles

Great books and articles for learning about plants and dyes.

  • Plant Dyeing with Blackberry Canes & Leaves - this article was inspiration for dyeing with blackberry cane and leaves.


Resources

Favorite sources for plant dye supplies and information.

  • Dharma Trading Company: shop for Professional Textile Detergent (a.k.a., Dharma Dyer's Detergent), dyes, fabric and supplies, and learn how to dye.
  • Amazon.com: shop for alum, Synthrapol, soda ash, washing soda, dyes, and jars.


Thank you for joining me on this journey. To see what we did last year, see Sabbatical, Seasons, and Seasons of Life: Wrap Up, the "Plants to Dye For: Wrap Up 2024" section. Stay tuned for more dye projects in the seasons to come!



Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Dye Project: Pittosporum

I tried another solar dyeing project using capsules from the Pittosporum (Pittosporum undulatum) shrubs in the side and lower yards. The fruit is in the form of orange woody capsules that ripen in the fall, contain multiple seeds, and are eaten by local and migrating birds. I thought this project might yield a yellow or orange dye, but the project turned out to be doomed from the beginning!


Solar dyeing with pittosporum capsules - day 1


I harvested 220 grams (7.7 ounces) of the woody capsules for the project, and then rinsed the fruit in water to remove dust and small insects. I let the capsules dry in the furnace room for about a month, which resulted in 103 grams of dried capsules (3.6 ounces).


Pittosporum capsules - freshly picked (look at those colors)

Pittosporum capsules - dried


For this project, I used one cotton dish towel that had been prepared as described in Preparing your Fabric (Scour, Mordant, Brighten or Sadden). The towel had been scouredmordanted with oak gallnut extract, and brightened with alum and soda ash. The weight of fabric (WOF) was 77 grams, or 2.7 ounces.  The WOF% was 133% for the 103 grams of dried fruit. Dyers typically recommend equal weights of fabric and plant material for solar dyeing, so we're well over that. 

I added three teaspoons of alum and boiling water to my favorite solar dyeing jar, and the jar "cracked and exploded"! I have poured boiling water into that jar many times, and have washed it in the dishwasher with no problems. I am so disappointed to lose my 1.5 liter dyeing jar (a thrift store treasure)! 


The whole bottom cracked in my favorite solar dyeing jar!

I found another jar, although not as desirable, and added three teaspoons of alum to about a cup of hot tap water. After stirring to dissolve the alum, I layered capsules and the dishtowel in the jar, and topped it off with more hot tap water. I found the capsules (especially the capsule seeds) to be very sticky. 

My typical experience has been that some dye is released from the dye source almost immediately in solar dyeing experiments, but this time I noticed that no dye was released. I wondered if this was a bad sign, but decided to continue the experiment. After all, perhaps pittosporum dye takes more time to be released, or the color is transferred to fabric through direct contact. If that isn't the case, then the failed project would be a way to eliminate a dye source that does not work using the solar dyeing technique.


Dyeing with pittosporum - day 28


Initially, I steeped the dishtowels in the pittosporum dye bath for two weeks as I usually do, making sure to rock and rotate the jar daily to distribute dye and fruit evenly. At two weeks, dye was still not released, so I was tempted to abandon the project. Still, I thought I saw the beginning of a very pale yellow tinge to the dye bath, so decided to continue the project for another two weeks.

As with previous solar dyeing projects, I shook out the capsule material, rinsed the fabric, and then ran it through the washing machine without detergent, and hung to dry. Streaks of pale yellow remained on the fabric!


Hang to dry


After waiting two more weeks to set the dye, I washed the fabric with a mild textile soap [like Synthropol or Professional Textile Detergent (a.k.a., Dharma Dyer's Detergent)] and hung it to to dry. The result is almost white, but with streaks of yellow in certain light. It will be interesting to see how colorfast the dye is over time. The color that did stick is promising; I'm wondering whether the color could be extracted with heat. On the other hand, with so many plants that produce excellent, strong yellows—weldtulip treemarigold, and blackberry cane come to mind—it may not be worth the effort!


Wednesday, September 24, 2025

Plant Hunters: Dr. Isabella Aiona Abbott

Another plant hunter - this time collecting plants of the sea! This report is about ethnobotanist Dr. Isabella Aiona Abbott (1919 - 2010), affectionately nicknamed "First Lady of Limu". Limu is the Polynesian term for edible plants living underwater, such as seaweed, or plants living near the water, like algae. Isabella's love of botany, including limu, started when she was a child, learning at her mother's side. I first learned about Isabella through an article on women botanists of California that was published by the East Bay Regional Parks (unfortunately, the link is no longer active). Regardless, the article captured my attention about her life and work, and I wanted to know more.  


Dr. Isabella Aiona Abbott
(photo is in the public domain)

Isabella Kauakea Yau Yung Aiona (a.k.a., "Izzie") was born in Hāna on Maui, Hawaii to a Chinese father and Kanaka Maoli mother. Her father had come to Hawaii to work on a plantation, and then opened a general store once he had completed his contract. The family moved to Honolulu for educational opportunities, but returned to Maui during summer vacations. They stayed with her maternal grandmother and spent time at the beach, where her mother taught Izzie and her brother the names of edible limu and their uses.


Maui coast and limu-covered rocks at low tide
(photo by Starr Environmental, Creative Commons)


Isabella graduated from Kamehameha School for Girls, and then earned a bachelor’s degree in botany at University of Hawaii Mānoa in 1941. While at the University, she met zoology major, Donald P. Abbott, and they married in 1943. Isabell earned a master’s degree in botany from the University of Michigan in 1942; and a doctorate in algal taxonomy from the University of California, Berkeley in 1950. She was the first Kanaka Maoli woman to receive a Ph.D. in science.

Dr. Donald P. Abbott became a zoologist at Stanford University, and the couple made California their home. In 1960 Isabella began teaching at Hopkins Marine Station at Stanford (the first Kanaka Maoli faculty member at Stanford), and in 1972 she became a full professor in Stanford University’s biology department. She published her book Marine Algae of California in 1976 with George J. Hollenberg (earning her the nickname of "First Lady of Limu").


Dr. Abbott collecting limu
(photo source unknown; possibly Celia M. Smith, Stanford)


After retiring from Stanford in 1982, the Abbotts returned to Hawaii where Isabella began teaching botany at University of Hawaii. She later taught Hawaiian ethnobotany at the University, incorporating what she had learned about traditional Hawaiian foods and the Hawaiian language from her mother. She worked to create an ethnobotany major to help advance Hawaiian knowledge. Her efforts contributed to the Hawaiian Renaissance that had started in the 1970s.


Dr. Abbott describes edible limu species (screen shot from
An Introduction to Ethnobotany, ~marker 5:07) 


During the course of her career Isabella studied and cataloged limu, coral reefs, and medical plants. She wrote over 150 articles and eight books, and discovered over 200 species of limu. She was know as a warm person and wonderful cook, often experimenting with culinary uses of limu (including a seaweed cake that was featured in Gourmet magazine in 1987). She collected oral histories and combed through archival material to understand Kanaka Maoli culture and cuisine, and published her book Lāʻau Hawai‘i: Traditional Hawaiian Uses of Plants in 1992. I recommend watching several of the YouTube videos listed below, to experience this pioneering ethnobotanist.


Learn More

  • Ethnobotany of Limu (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeWi1PlaaLI). 73rdStProductions, "Introduction to Ethnobotany" series, Video 14, May 17, 2012. Presented by Isabella Aiona Abbott. This episode discusses some of the species of algae that are eaten in Hawaii, and the life experiences of Isabella Abbott as a native Hawaiian scientist.

  • Isabella Aiona Abbott. Long Story Short, interview with Leslie Wilcox (https://youtu.be/4qvIXFS5k-k). PBS Hawaii, 2017 (original air date 2008). This interview really captures Dr. I.A. Abbott's personality and presence, as well as her accomplishments.

  • Lāʻau Hawai‘i: Traditional Hawaiian Uses of Plants, by Dr. Isabella Aiona Abbott (https://bishopmuseumpress.org/products/laau-hawaii). Bishop Museum Honolulu, 1992. This book provides a detailed description of the Polynesian canoe and Hawaiian native plants that are important for Hawaiian culture.


Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Field Notes for September 2025

 Welcome back to Field Notes!


September 1, 2025

We're in the midst of a heat wave here in the San Francisco Bay Area, and coming to the end of the long Labor Day Weekend. While trying to stay cool on the patio, I have been reflecting on my four-plus decades of labor; celebrating retirement from the labor force; and spending time on end-of-summer activities. Life is good! 


End-of-summer puzzle with a seaside theme


September 3, 2025

My Aunt Char is heading for Juneau, Alaska to visit my Mom (her sister), Dad, and brother Dave. September is a wonderful time to visit Southeast Alaska – fewer tourists, beautiful sunsets, a crispness in the air, and outside walks and cozy inside activities. I'll miss her presence here in the Bay Area, but look forward to hearing all about their outings and adventures!


Alaska Airlines ready to fly


September 6, 2025

I was surprised to cut into a watermelon from Costco, and find beautiful yellow fruit (I hadn't read the label)! This got me be curious. According to Specialty Produce:

Yellow watermelons, botanically a part of the genus Citrullus, are a naturally occurring fruit belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. Yellow-fleshed watermelons pre-date red and pink-fleshed cultivars of the modern day and are one of the oldest types of watermelons, traced back to Africa.


Yellow watermelon from Costco


The fruit was delicious and the perfect snack on a hot summer day, and apparently has high nutritional value as well!


September 9, 2025

This is a new thing for the Bird Buddy feeder - birds lining up to take their turn! Here, a House Finch waits, while a Mourning Dove enjoys a quick snack.


Waiting for a table


September 12, 2025

Dye potential? While weeding, I accidentally pulled up the root of a California Poppy. I hand intended to pull up a spent stem, and found that the spent stem and new growth were attached to the same root. I further discovered that the root was bright orange, and similar in color to the plant's flower petals. I checked the internet for dye recipes, but AI Overview informed me that it found only recipes that use the petals, not the root. This sounds like a future dye project and experiment!


California Poppy plant with root (Eschscholzia californica)

California Poppy flower


September 15, 2025

Time to do some good and give back to the community! Economic uncertainty and soaring prices are hitting families hard, so what better project than to chip in at the Alameda County Community Food Bank in Oakland, California? Food and produce that is donated or purchased in bulk at a discount, must be sorted and packaged for distribution. Gaymond, Mari, and I registered with a group that was sponsored by AARP.


Intrepid onion packers

The finished product - bags of red onions for home use

Our mission was to sort and distribute red onions (Allum cepa) from 25 pound bags, into smaller packages scaled for households. We had a great time, getting to know our table mates and comparing notes on retirement. The time flew by! Soon we were wrapping up our last bags of onions and cleaning up our work areas. Volunteering at the food bank was a great experience.


September 17, 2025

Alaska check-in time! Sounds like Mom and Aunt Char are enjoying time together and getting out and about. Here they have finished a great meal at The Hangar restaurant, with my brother Dave. This is a favorite place for food and drink, located on the wharf with views of the cruise ships anchored in the harbor. I miss them all!


Two sisters at The Hangar (photo by Dave)

September 19, 2025

I recently finished reading "The Name of the Rose" by Italian author, Umberto Eco (1980; translated by Harcourt, Inc.). This historical murder mystery is set in an Italian monastery in the year 1327. William of Baskerville, a renowned Franciscan monk, and his apprentice, Adso of Melk, travel to the abbey, where a suspicious death has occurred. Together they work to solve the mystery over a seven-day period.


End-of-summer read

The story is filled with semiotics, biblical analysis, medieval studies, and literary theory, so I had my dictionary and Wikipedia close at hand. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the herbalist's infirmary and medicinal garden (around page 71), and the whole notion of a labyrinth library full of mystery and symbolism (around page 231). I could not put the book down – perfect reading for our hot Bay Area heat spells!


September 22, 2025 🍂

Today is the first day of autumn, where the sun is exactly above the Equator and day and night are of equal length. This is one of my favorite seasons of the year (although I can truthfully say that I love them all)! The crisp mornings, hot afternoons, and subtle color changes in nature all proclaim that fall is here.


September 28, 2025

Greetings from Route 66! We're travelling on the highway that is immortalized in the song by the same name, written by Bobby Troup in 1946. We especially enjoyed a stay at La Posada Inn in Winslow Arizona, a restored railroad hotel with beautiful native gardens and grounds. Close by is the Standin' on the Corner Park, which honors the Eagles' song entitled "Take it Easy". This is why I love to travel!


La Posada Inn, under a crescent moon


Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Salesforce Rooftop Garden Tour

Spent a wonderful day at the Salesforce Rooftop Garden in San Francisco! Mari and I took BART to Embarcadero Station, and then walked the short distance to the Transit Center. From Salesforce Plaza at Street Level, we could look up to Salesforce Park on the fourth floor, and the gondola perched at its upper terminus. We didn't realize it at the time, but behind the white lacy metal screen below the trees is the third floor Bus Deck of the Transit Center (click on the photo to enlarge it and see more detail). The buildings towered over us and provided contrast with the forest of trees and plants on the fourth floor.


View of the gondola and trees in Salesforce Park (floor 4),
from Salesforce Plaza (Street Level)

Winding trail around Salesforce Park


We checked the gondola schedule, hoping to catch a ride up to the Rooftop Level. It didn't seem to be running, so we rode the elevator up instead and explored briefly. At 10:00 AM we joined the monthly walking tour at the Main Plaza (there is also a monthly birding walk and many other health, dance, and musical events). Our tour guide and botanical expert, Ingrid, introduced us to the history and development of the Transit Center and the botanical garden. The garden design celebrates the Mediterranean climate and incorporates plants from all of the earth's five Mediterranean climate zones – Mediterranean Europe, central Chile, South Africa, Western Australia, and the California coast.


Transbay Transit Center Concept - the big picture (click to enlarge) 

Ingrid describes the Wollemi pine at
Salesforce Park (Wollemia nobillis


We were surprised to learn that the plants and trees are rooted in only five feet of soil. The roots receive ample water and spread out to anchor themselves, without the need to send down deep tap roots to find water. The soil supports a Redwood grove and many other tall trees. 


View of one of the skylights that help illuminate the Transit Center floor below

Mari snaps a shot of a Monkey Puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana)


The tree and plant collection is amazing. I was especially interested to see my first Wollemi pine specimen. It is one of those "fossil plants" from dinosaur days that was thought to be extinct, until a small grove was discovered near Sydney, Australia in 1994. I remember my Dad (a retired forester) sharing a newspaper article with me about the discovery. Another dinosaur plant (in terms of size) is the Gunnera, which is a tough plant with huge leaves that grows to an enormous size and then dies back during the dry season. (Note that its roots are high in tannins and used to create a black dye and to tan leather, hence the use of tinctoria in its scientific name).


Chilean Rhubarb (Gunnera tinctoria

Deep shade under the trees


After the tour we found a table in the shade, and ate our lunch with hiking buddy, Josephine, who joined us. It was fun to relax in such a beautiful environment, surrounded by trees and tall buildings, and catch up on all the news. After lunch, Mari and I sought out the gondola again. This time, we found it at the Street Level terminus below us, seemingly unattended with no intention of moving. We decided to pursue the gondola ride in another visit.


View of the gondola at Street Level
from the Park Level (floor 4)


Instead, we explored each floor of the Transit Center, marveling how beautiful and clean everything is, and filled with natural and diffused light. We studied a comprehensive poster showing all the bus, Muni, and train options available. I felt inspired to both learn the system and do more exploring using my Clipper Card; and to return to the garden to see its seasonal changes. This is a wonderful public garden and a destination worth exploring!


View of the Bus Deck Level (floor 3)


Wednesday, September 3, 2025

Fall Watch

We are definitely experiencing our "summer" weather now, despite what the calendar says. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area the traditional summer months of June, July, and August are typically fairly cool. We often have "June gloom", meaning cool, overcast, morning fog that burns off in early afternoon. The temperature may approach the high 70s F. during the day. but then cools as evening approaches. We actually experience summer weather in September and October, when it is hot, dry, and sometimes smoky.


Fall colors


Lately however, I've been feeling that crispness of fall around the edges, and seeing red and yellow leaves that also foretell seasonal change. These clues are very subtle compared to other climates, but they are evident if you watch for them. Fall is coming!


Wednesday, August 27, 2025

Traditional Hawaiian Uses of Plants

To continue this year's exploration into ethnobotany (or, "the study of how people use plants in different cultures, regions, and time periods"), our next book is Lāʻau Hawai‘i: Traditional Hawaiian Uses of Plants, by Dr. Isabella Aiona Abbott (Bishop Museum Honolulu, 1992). The book provides a detailed description of the Polynesian canoe and Hawaiian native plants that are most important for Hawaiian culture. Before its publication, such a a general text on the traditional cultural uses of plants did not exist. [Although Plants of Old Hawai'i, by educator Lois Lucas (Bess Press, Honolulu, 1982) provided us with a wonderful high-level introduction to canoe plants.]

Dr. Isabella Aiona Abbott (1919-2010) earned her doctorate degree in algal taxonomy from the University of California, Berkeley in 1950. In 1972 she became a full professor in Stanford University’s biology department, and published her definitive book Marine Algae of California in 1976 with George J. Hollenberg (earning her the nickname of "First Lady of Limu"). She later taught Hawaiian ethnobotany at the University of Hawaii. She learned about traditional Hawaiian foods and the Hawaiian language from her mother. Dr. Abbott chose to emphasize the ethnobotany and cultural aspects of Hawaii's plants in this book, rather than focusing on the plants themselves.



The Preface and Introduction set the context for the book and how it came to be. Chapter 1 describes the first Hawaiians—their origins from the maritime Lapita people (later the Polynesians), the migration routes from Polynesia to the Hawaiian islands, and the plants they brought with them. Chapter 2 describes the evolution of Hawaiian culture and its relationship to the land and crops, using a framework of development periods—First Settlements and the Development Period, the Expansion Period, and the Historic Period. Chapter 3 describes the religious dimensions of Hawaiian agriculture, which included sustainable practices of caring for the land to ensure ongoing productivity.

Chapters 4 - 17 describe important canoe and native Hawaiian plants that provided sustenance and met every need of cultural life, including food, housing, transportation, ritual, healing, warfare, music, and leisure. Woven throughout the chapters is information about "Kapu", the ancient Hawaiian laws, rules, and taboos that governed all aspects of life, including social interactions, gender roles, religious practices, and food preparation. As an example of kapu, taro was a forbidden food for women and limu was forbidden for men (in this example, women became the cultural experts on seaweed as a food source and knew the names of Hawaii's limu species, while men did not). The Afterward describes changes in society and plant use after first contact with European culture in 1820. The backmatter includes an appendix of flowering plant and fern names, chapter notes, a bibliography of citations, and an index.

My husband and I are planning a trip to several of the Hawaiian islands in the next year or two, so I  especially appreciated reading about the migration from Polynesia to Hawaii, the developmental phases of Hawaiian culture, the impact on Hawaiian culture after first contact, and the renaissance of Hawaiian culture in the 1970s. I also appreciated learning more about canoe and native plants, the reliance on plants for all aspects of Hawaiian life (ethnobotany), the deep respect for the land; and the dedication to its stewardship. I was also interested to learn about making kapa, cordage, war regalia, and houses, from plants and other natural materials. The chapter on war regalia includes a photo showing the netting to which bundles of feathers were attached to construct the helmets and cloaks worn by Hawaiian nobility. I recommend this book for anyone who is interested in the people of Hawaii and Hawaiian ethnobotany.

Wednesday, August 20, 2025

Field Notes for August 2025

Welcome back to Field Notes!


August 1, 2025

All summer I've been marveling at the many faces of Clarkia (Clarkia amoena) in our native garden. According to Wikipedia, Clarkia is native to western North America and can be found in the coastal hills and mountains from British Columbia south to the San Francisco Bay Area. This is a wonderful self-seeding annual that attracts pollinators, and thrives in the Bay Area.


The many faces of Clarkia amoena


Clarkia is also known as Godetia and Farewell to Spring, but all species have been reclassified as Clarkia, in the Onagraceae (evening primrose) family. Note that the name "Godetia" was given to  honor Swiss botanist Charles-Henry Godet. "Clarkia" honors William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition.


August 3, 2025

My sister, Marianne, is visiting Southeast Alaska this month, and they are having a run of beautiful weather (temperatures have been warmer than the Bay Area some days)! Mom, brother Dave, and Marianne have been enjoying time together with Dad at the Pioneer Home, taking drives, and working on family business. Recently they had a delicious meal at the Salmon Bake, and then took a walk out at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. This brings back fond memories of my summer visit in 2024!


Mom and Marianne at Mendenhall Glacier
(photo from Marianne)


August 6, 2025 🎂

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband! We celebrated remotely last year, while I was in Alaska. This year we are observing a Week of Celebration! Today we celebrated at Scott's Seafood Grill & Bar, with a delicious dinner, a beautiful sunset, and moon rise over the harbor. Chocolate cake and mint chocolate chip ice cream awaited at home.

 

Moon over the harbor by Scott's Seafood Grill & Bar


August 9, 2025

Naked ladies always start blooming around my husband's birthday. They are native to the Cape Province of South Africa, but have naturalized in Northern California and elsewhere. Strappy green leaves appear in spring and then die back. The flowers appear from the bulb with no foliage in late summer. These bulbs were a gift from gardening buddy, Pam Konigsberg. They have grown in the same spot for years, and have never become invasive.


Naked ladies ready to bloom (Amaryllis belladonna)


A group of Warriner Lytle Buckwheat is planted in the street-side easement. The low growing shrub has finely textured needle-like leaves and globe-shaped clusters of tiny flowers that appear in late summer. This is a California native and quite lovely. Here the buckwheat has surrounded a grass clump.


Warriner Lytle Buckwheat (Erigonum fasciculatum 'Warriner Lytle')


Several groups of California Goldenrod have shot up in a sunny section of the yard. The yellow flower spikes grow to five feet tall, and spread from common rootstock, so can become invasive. California Goldenrod likes to be wet in winter/spring and dry in the summer when it blooms. Goldenrod is a dye plant, so I may harvest and dry the flower spikes for a future dye project (although I'm enjoying the flowers in the garden, so I may wait until next year)!



California goldenrod (Solidago velutina ssp. Californica)


August 12, 2025 - Jökulhlaup Alert

Mom and Marianne have been hiking at Eagle Beach! As you may know, Eagle Beach State Recreation Area and Eagle River are some of our favorite hiking areas in Juneau (located near the Boy Scout Trail hike, another favorite). Eagle Beach is a great place for sweeping views, easy terrain, and lots of interesting birds, sea creatures, and plants to investigate.


Mom at Eagle Beach
(photo by Marianne)

Mom and Marianne (the Chilkat Range is in the background)
(photo by Marianne)


In other news, there is a Flood Warning for the Mendenhall Lake and River, due to a Suicide Basin release of water and ice (called a jökulhlaup). To learn more, see the Juneau Glacial Flood Dashboard. This is a good time to stay away from Mendenhall Glacier!


August 15, 2025 - Be Brave Day 

For this week's hike, Mari, Gaymond and I decided to go to Huckleberry Botanical Regional Preserve, instead of joining the Over-the-Hills Gang hike at Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park. We had just hiked at Redwood in June, so we decided to go rogue and visit its nearby neighbor instead. The Huckleberry Botanical Preserve is tucked between Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve and Redwood; and is also a good choice for summer hikes, with its shady forest, green understory, and cooling breezes. Gaymond's grandson, Jayden, has already started back to school, so we missed his inquisitive mind and lively conversation!


Huckleberry Trail winds along the canyon

Mount Diablo in the distance, beyond the chapparal (photo by Mari)


We followed the self-guided, 1.7 mile Huckleberry Interpretive Loop Trail (both the Upper and Lower sections). The 21 Interpretive Panels are so informative about the plants and ecosystem of this unique canyon. We learned that the native plant community is found nowhere else in the East Bay and represents a relic plant group similar to plants that originated in the southern coast of California, when its climate was more moist and tempered by the cool coastal fog. The unusual geology of the Preserve also contributes to the plant community (the nutrient-poor soil was once an ocean bottom that has been compressed, pushed up, and folded).


Manzanita trees and shrubs

Fallen limb from a California Bay tree,
with new sprouts in the background  

Mari surprised us with our favorite lemon and ginger cookies from Trader Joes, so we took our usual cookie break at the half-way point. We sat on the bench at Panel 11, surrounded by Canyon Live Oak, Manzanita, and Coast Huckleberry, and enjoyed our snack and companionship.

We returned to the car via the Lower Huckleberry Loop through the bay forest. This portion of the trail has quite a few switch backs and steep elevation changes, both up and down, so it was quite arduous for our 55+ year old bodies. We were grateful to end the hike at TGI Oni Sushi in Montclair District, for restorative Bento Boxes and interesting conversation!


Intrepid hikers (photo by Gaymond)


August 16, 2025

We always see interesting plants, trees, fungus, birds, and other wildlife while on hikes in the East Bay Regional Parks. Huckleberry Botanical Regional Preserve is no exception. The Coast Huckleberry berries were ripe, or on their way to being ripe; as were the berries from a second variety (V. ovatum var. saporoslum). We liked them both!


Coast Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum)
(photo by Gaymond)

Following are a few snapshots of plants; clockwise from the top left corner: (1) Pacific Madrone (Arbutus Menziesii) - native to the western coastal area of North America and California, with beautiful, red, shreddy bark. (2) Pacific Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) - native to the Pacific Northwest and California; "leaves of three, let it be". (3) Coastal Wood Fern (Dryopteris arguta) - native perennial; notice the spores on the underside of the leaves. (4) Jim Brush (Ceanothus sorediatus) - native/endemic to California. (5) Possibly, California Spikenard (Aralia californica) - native to California, with greenish-white flowers in large ball shaped clusters, and small dark purple or black berries with 3-5 seeds (we saw both).




August 18, 2025

My sister Marianne's family—a son, daughter, and grandkids—have joined the family in Juneau  (missing are a second son and daughter). What a fun opportunity for family members to be together! New activities include exploring and playing at Overstreet Park and taking the tram up Mount Reports. Photos indicate the weather is beautiful and warm!


Playing on a Tlingit war canoe at Overstreet Park
(photo by Marianne)

Harper and Sarah on the Mount Roberts Tram
(photo by Marianne)

Uncle Luc on the Mount Roberts tram
(photo by Marianne)

Ferocious bear cub in the forest
(photo by Marianne)


August 20, 2025 🎂

Happy Birthday to my wonderful Aunt Char! She is so much fun to be with, enjoys puzzles and books, and is wise, kind, and adventurous. We have visited many gardens and garden shows, traveled in Alaska, and enjoyed family gatherings together. She loves her kids and a growing brood of grandkids. She has written her memoirs, gone white water rafting, and has recently gone hot air ballooning! 


Intrepid balloonists (photo from Jen)

What a view! (photo by Jen)


August 28, 2025

Mari and I met up with the Over-the-Hills Gang hike at the Marina Bay in Richmond for the latest group hike (Gaymond was travelling). Marina Bay is located in the Richmond Inner Harbor, the former location of the World War II-era Kaiser Shipyards. The area has been transformed to now include Marina Bay Park, Marina Bay Yacht Harbor, a Yacht Club, the Rosie the Riveter Memorial (National Park Service), and a residential community. Across Harbor Channel is the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park (NPS).


View of the East Bay shoreline from Marina Bay Park 

Pelicans assembling in formation


Meeker Slough is close by, and a popular spot for birds and birders to gather. We saw pelicans, herons, ducks geese, and many shore birds. The San Francisco Bay Trail runs through the area, all the way to Point Isabella and the Point Isabella Dog Park. The view across San Francisco Bay takes in the San Francisco skyline, Sutro Tower, the Bay Bridge, the Emeryville skyline, Oakland shipyard, and the hills behind Cerritos, Albany, Berkeley and Oakland.


View of San Francisco skyline from the shore

Meeker Slough

Cookie Break at Meeker Slough bridge


Anthony Fisher led our bay-side hike, and provided information about flora and fauna and delicious lemon and ginger cookies at the half-way point. These hikes are so much fun—the pace is perfect for the 55+ crowd and the company is excellent. Check the website to learn more about upcoming events offered by the East Bay Regional Park District.


Intrepid hikers at Rosie the Riveter Memorial (photo by Mari)


August 30, 2025

While at Marina Bay in Richmond, we saw so many interesting native and exotic plants, and local and migrating birds.


Matillija Poppy (Romneya coulteri, naive to California), against a back drop of Red Conebush (Leucadendron salignum, native to South Africa) 


Following are a few snapshots of some of the wildlife we encountered, clockwise from the top: (1) Mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos); (2) Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias occidentalis); (3) Hornet's nest (deserted); (4) Black Crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax); (5) Black lab enjoying its yacht (Canis lupus familiaris); and (6) Canadian goose (Branta canadensis).