Field Notes for April 2026

 Welcome back to Field Notes!

April 1, 2026

This Douglas iris pops up in the new landscape every year about this time. The delicate purples and yellows are perfect for its dainty presence. The iris is native to Northern and Central California and Southern Oregon. Its name sake is botanist David Douglas (1799-1834); see Plant Hunter: David Douglas.

Douglas iris (Iris douglasiana)

April 3, 2026

Easter Bunnies on a Grand Scale. I encountered these giant plaster bunnies on my morning walk. There are quite a few of them on a residential property, and they range in size from 8-10 feet at the base. I would love to know the back story on this permanent art installation, but for now, I just enjoy seeing it during the Easter season and throughout the year.

Plaster Easter Bunnies - art installation

April 6, 2026

View of Oakland from the Hills. I love a good view and this one is of Oakland and the East Bay area, as seen from the Oakland hills.

 

View of Oakland from the hills

April 9, 2026

OTHG Hike to Valle Vista. Mari, Gaymond, and I recently joined the Over-the-Hills Gang hike at Valle Vista, by the Upper San Leandro Reservoir and near Moraga, California. We had a good turnout of about 40 hikers, all 55+ and all eager to explore the area (new to many of us). Anthony Fisher was our hike leader.

Valle Vista is part of the East Bay Watershed, so hiking permits are required. Watershed trail permits can be obtained at https://www.ebmud.com/recreation. Several members of our group hold group leader permits, so we did not need individual permits for the hike.

Heading to the Reservoir from the parking lot

Upper San Leandro Reservoir

Our route (within the yellow circle)

Our group followed a loop of three trails: Ritchie Loop Trail (2 on the map), Rocky Ridge Trail (4), and then the Rimer Creek Trail (3). Expand the map above to see the route circled in yellow, and the additional routes available. The loop took us from the Valle Vista Staging Areas, across Moraga Creek, down to the San Leandro Reservoir, high up on the hills for spectacular views, down by a Moraga residential area, and then back up through the redwoods to the staging area. The hills were arduous at times, but everyone just took them at their own pace. Walking sticks and good conversation helped as well. We had our cookie break later than usual, but in a wonderfully shady area in the trees.

Crossing Moraga Creek (photo from Mari)

Heading for the hills (Rocky Ridge Trail)

Mari, Gaymond, and I finished the hike with Bento boxes and great conversation at Sushi Fighter in Moraga. Check the East Bay Regional Park District website to learn more about upcoming events, and join a wonderful group of 55+ hikers (bring a friend or come solo).

Lemon and ginger cookie break in the shade (Rimer Creek Trail)

Intrepid hikers at Upper San Leandro Reservoir (photo by Gaymond) 

April 11, 2026

Flora and Fauna at Valle Vista. While at Valle Vista, we saw lots of raptors hunting on the wing, ducks and geese gathering by the lake, and song birds flitting among the vegetation. We also saw a herd of horses grazing on the green hills near Rimer Creek Trail (2 on the map above). What a great spot for them - lots to eat, room to roam, and shady forest to beat the heat.

Horses grazing on the hillside (Rimer Creek Trail)

April 15, 2026

Cooking with Mushrooms. I purchased King Trumpet mushrooms from the grocery store, and used them to make a delicious omelet (six eggs, six ounces of sautéed mushrooms, and a mix of Asiago, Parmesan, and Swiss cheese). Yum! King Trumpets are in the oyster mushroom family; grow together in gregarious clumps; and have a tiny button cap with a large trumpet-shaped stem. The gills are decurrent, meaning they run down the top of the thick stem (see Mushroom Parts and Types to learn more about basic mushroom cap undersides). These King Trumpets were cultivated by the Far West Fungi company in Moss Landing, CA. 

King Trumpet Mushrooms (Pleurotus eryngii)

April 18, 2026

Bobo Chronicles: the Perpetual Water Station. Bobo the Husky and I recently discovered this perpetual water station on one of our neighborhood walks. The water station is always filled, and usually very clean, unless plants have dropped seeds or leaves. Bobo always likes to stop and take a deep drink of water.

Perpetual water station

I was very intrigued, and found this DIY version online, using a 10-gallon storage container and parts from a toilet fill valve to achieve the perpetual water level. Brilliant!

April 22, 2026

Lichen Fermentation. Remember the Lace Lichen I harvested in Mendocino last month? I am now fermenting it in preparation for a dyeing project this summer. Fermentation extracts the color pigment from the lichen over a 3-16 week period (you can also use the familiar heat extraction method instead). The basic steps for the fermentation method:

1. Prepare Vat: Place dried, crumbled lichen in a jar, filling it roughly half-full.
2. Add Liquid: Cover lichen with a 50/50 mixture of water and household ammonia.
3. Ferment: Seal the jar and store in a warm place for 3–16 weeks.
4. Aerate: Shake the jar daily and open weekly to introduce oxygen, which is essential for color development.

Lace Lichen fermenting in ammonia and water

Agitate the jar once daily, and aerate once weekly

I see tinges of red, but so far this looks like brown dye

April 26, 2026

Sweet Bouquet from the Garden. Many of the early spring bloomers are winding down in the garden, but more buds are forming fast. I'll enjoy this thin bouquet until the new buds burst into flower.

A few flowers for the kitchen window

April 30, 2026

Landscape Maintenance.  Time for spring maintenance, and to enjoy the flowers as they emerge! April has been cool and rainy most of the time, but I've still been inspired to work in the garden. It is such a pleasure to get outside to weed, see what is new, and watch plants go through their spring cycles. The birds must be nesting, because I fill the bird feeder once a day now, and the hummingbird feeder every other day.

🗷 Weed the garden paths and beds (ongoing task). Get them while they are small and easy to pull! Note: I discovered a big crop of dandelion-type weeds in the lower yard. They were huge! It was so satisfying to pull them out by the roots.

🗷 Clean up pittosporum berries and spent camelia flowers in the side yard. Note: both are finally tapering off, but a good sweep is still needed every couple of weeks.

🗷 Cut back invasive ivy from the street, and remove invasive French Broom from the curb. Note: the ivy grows so fast this time of year. It is a lovely shade of green and so fresh looking, but it will overrun the property if I don't keep working away at it!

🗷 Collect flowers and branches for spring arrangements. Note: I leave most of the flowers out in the yard to enjoy from every window in the house. But a few flowers in the bathroom or on the kitchen window bring cheer to the day!