Field Notes for March 2026

 Welcome back to Field Notes!

March 1, 2026

Cooking with Mushrooms. I decided to make quiche for dinner this week, and purchased this white Lion's Mane mushroom from the grocery store. The mushroom is cultivated by the Far West Fungi company in Moss Landing, CA, right here in Northern California. Some say its flavor is similar to seafood, but I thought it just had a nice woodsy flavor. This is a tooth fungi that resembles cauliflower in appearance, but is very light and spongy. The fungus grows in tight clumps from a shared base (gregarious). I used 12 ounces of mushrooms for a 9-inch crust.

Lion's Mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus)

I checked to make sure it was OK for Bobo the Husky to eat the Lion's Mane mushroom, and found that it is highly regarded as a beneficial, medicinal mushroom for canine cognitive, nervous system, and gut health. For senior dogs, it supports memory and brain function.

March 3, 2026

Greetings from Mendocino. We're in Mendocino, California for a short family trip, including Bobo the Husky. This is Bobo's first road trip and so far he is loving it! We took the very curvy Highway 128 from the 101 over to the coast and stopped at the Navarro Vineyards & Winery and their wonderful dog park for a quick break. Beautiful scenery and the hills are so green from winter rains.

Bobo the Husky on the way to Mendocino

In Mendocino, we checked into the Andiron Inn (the William and Mildred Suite), explored the grounds, and then headed to Mendocino for pizza at Frankie's Restaurant (another first for Bobo, eating in a restaurant). Back at the inn, we relaxed by the fire and then all fell into an exhausted, but happy, sleep!

View of the Pacific Ocean from Andiron Inn

March 4, 2026

Exploring Mendocino with Bobo. We spent the whole day exploring the Mendocino area. The weather was perfect - clear and sunny with a cool offshore breeze. It was such a delight to watch Bobo the Husky explore the Mendocino Headlands on a long leash. He sniffed everything!

Mendocino Headlands

Mushroom season is at its tail end, so I didn't find too many specimens. However, I found this lovely chalice-like specimen along one of the trails at the Mendocino Headlands. It may be a Candy Cap, possibly Lactarius rufulus or L. rubidus).

Infundibuliform, gilled mushroom at the Mendocino Headlands

The special delight was watching Bobo the Husky frolic in the waves at Van Damme Beach (part of the Van Damme State Park). He tried drinking a little of the salt water, and then cleared his mouth in the nearby Little River, which empties into the sea. Needless to say, he was a very sleepy dog by the time we returned to our cabin at The Andiron!

Bobo the Husky loved the waves at Van Damme Beach

March 5, 2026

Mendocino Mushroom Exhibition. One of the reasons for our trip to Mendocino (besides the lure of a family retreat in a beautiful coastal area) was that I wanted to attend the Mushrooms & Color Exhibit at the Mendocino Art Center. The exhibit was presented by the International Mushroom Dye Institute (IMDI). The Art Center is where Miriam Rice taught and conducted many mushroom dyeing experiments; collaborated with artist Dorothy Beebee; and worked with fabric artists from around the world (see Winter Movie 2026: Miriam Rice Documentary and Mushrooms for Color). 

 

Mendocino Art Center

Sweater knitted from mushroom-dyed yarn

The exhibit included beautiful fabric pieces dyed with mushroom dye, as well as paper made from shelf mushrooms and art work painted or printed with mushroom-derived medium. The variety and intensity of colors was incredible.

Throw crocheted from mushroom-dyed yarn

Silk scarves dyed with mushroom dye

Part of the exhibit was dedicated to showing the meticulous dye records kept for each dyeing experiments. The new discipline was well documented and paved the way for both art and science around the world. This is just a glimpse of what I saw, and I'll provide more information in a later post.

March 6, 2026

Home Sweet Home. We spent a leisurely morning in out cabin and roaming around the grounds of the Andiron Inn. I foraged for lichen and took Bobo the Husky on a couple of long walks, to wear him out before our three-hour car ride home.

The grounds of the Andiron Inn

The way home was long and winding and we hit some rush hour traffic near San Rafael. We got home in late afternoon and ordered pizza for dinner. A great time was had by all, especially Bobo the Husky!

The winding road through the redwoods

March 9, 2026

Big Wind in Mendocino. On one of our days in Mendocino, we experienced heavy winds up to 23 m.p.h. We had planned to take Bobo the Husky on a second excursion to the beaches near Fort Bragg, about 10 miles north of Mendocino. Our plans were curtailed, because of the strong winds that blasted through the area. We could barely get out of the car, and hats and glasses were at risk of blowing away!

Lichen harvested for a future dye project

Back at the Andiron Inn near Mendocino, the wind caused lichen downfall from the trees. I was able to gather quite a bit of the Lace Lichen, a.k.a., Fishnet Lichen, (Ramalina menziesii) for a future dye project. It is typically considered ethical to gather lichen that has been dislodged from its habitat, unless other restrictions apply. Recall that lichen is a "hybrid colony of algae or cyanobacteria living symbiotically among filaments of multiple fungus species, along with bacteria embedded in the cortex or "skin", in a mutualistic or symbiotic relationship".

March 12, 2026

The Beauty of the Every Day. The light hit the ivy just right on this tree trunk up by the reservoir. The orangey-yellow leaf seemed especially beautiful against the dark, textured bark. 

Orangey-yellow ivy leaf

March 15, 2026 🌞🌡

Heat Spell in March. We're experiencing our first heat spell of the spring, with temperatures in the high 70s F. and heading toward the mid 80s (record breaking for March). Luckily the days are still short, so the air cools off  by early evening and the earth doesn't retain as much heat as later in the year. I don't mind the occasional hot day (we usually experience them in a series of three), but I'm glad for our usual foggy, chilly Bay Area weather.

March 18, 2026

Spring Lunch with Aunt Char. Today we're having lunch with my Aunt Char at one of our favorite places - Fentons Creamery Restaurant. We haven't been together since we were in Juneau, Alaska with my Mom and brother Dave, so this get-together is long over due. Of course we will eat lunch responsibly, but finish it off with Black & Tan ice cream sundaes!

The Black & Tan at Fentons Creamery