Mendocino, Fort Bragg, and the Rugged Coast

My husband and I love travelling in the fall - fewer crowds, beautiful foliage, and golden sunlight. This year we decided to return to Mendocino on the rugged Northern California coast. We last visited in fall of 2020 when the pandemic was in full swing (see Visit to Mendocino), and wanted to do some more exploring now that things are opening up. We armed ourselves with warm clothing, maps, a bucket list of activities, and our cameras.

Highway 128 is very curvy!

Navarro Vineyards and Winery on Highway 128

From the San Francisco Bay Area, we headed north and then followed the very curvy Highway 128 through oak forests, vineyards, and redwoods to the coast. The sky was gray and overcast, with a weather forecast of rain, but periodically the whole landscape lit up with golden fall light, and then just as quickly returned to gray. Many deciduous trees sported fall shades of yellow, gold, and red, so we had to stop to snap a few pictures.

Room with a view at Little River Inn

Little River Inn Restaurant for dinner

We checked into the Little River Inn just south of Mendocino, relaxed and prepared for dinner at the inn. It's hard to beat a room with a view of the Pacific Ocean. The rain storm blew in at sundown, so we walked to the Little River Inn Restaurant through pouring rain, and then enjoyed a delicious dinner in the main dining room.

Breakfast at Flow Restaurant (with some brief sunlight before the next rain storm)

The Ford House Museum

Historical diorama showing the logging operation in Mendocino

Exhibit of local mushrooms

We spent a day getting reacquainted with Mendocino, starting with breakfast at Flow Restaurant (last time it was "to-go" only), and then spending some time at the Ford House Museum across the street. We learned about the origins of the Victorian-era town and its logging heritage; and about local mushrooms (Mendocino artist, Miriam C. Rice, developed dye and papermaking techniques using the mushrooms).

Blair House Inn (a.k.a., Jessica Fletcher's home)

Trillium Café for dinner (you can still dine in the tent if you choose)

Another rain storm blew in, so we ducked into Mendocino Jams and Preserves to stock up on a few supplies; and then drove by Jessica Fletcher's "home" (technically, the Blair House Inn, where some scenes from "Murder She Wrote" were filmed). During a break in the rain, we walked on the headlands north of town and snapped a few photos of the churning waves. We ended the day with a delicious dinner inside Trillium Café.

Breakfast at Egghead's Restaurant in Fort Bragg

Craggy coast seen from Noyo Headlands Park near Fort Bragg

A very bold raven greeted us at Noyo Headlands Park

We spent a day in and around Fort Bragg, just up the road. We started with a late breakfast at Egghead's Restaurant (Wizard of Oz themed), and then explored the botanical garden (see Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden). We stopped at Noyo Headlands Park to walk along the bluffs and enjoy views of the rugged coast and Glass Beach; and then headed back to Mendocino for dinner.

A sunny day after lots of rain

The beautiful coast as we head south to Point Arena

The Point Arena Lighthouse

The Point Arena Light Station Museum

The lens

A very unique slate fence

A protected cove near Elk

On our final full day, the rain storm had finally passed through the area, leaving full sun, blue skies, and sparkling clean air. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at Good Life Café & Bakery (inside) and then headed south to Point Arena and the Point Arena Lighthouse. We pulled the car over several times to enjoy sunny views of the rugged coast and snap a few pictures. Back at the hotel, I enjoyed our final sunset from the rocking chair on the veranda (with a large wool blanket), and then we headed to Patterson's Pub (inside) for a delicious dinner.

Our last sunset from the hotel

A dinner guest

The next day, we returned home via Highway 128 feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. We saw many new sights, tried new things, and enjoyed eating inside with fewer restrictions (but still with caution). We had a great time exploring the beautiful Northern California coast!

Homesteading in the City: Wrap Up

Is it December already? For this year's "homesteading in the city" theme, our definition of homesteading went beyond living off a 160-acre homestead; to finding resourceful and innovative ways to live, whether living off the land, pioneering something new, or choosing an alternative way to live. In that spirit, we delved into making and doing for ourselves with our modern gadgets; read books about and by homesteaders; and continued to appreciate plants, animals and the natural world.

Homesteading in the city - with all our modern gadgets and conveniences

Homesteading with Gadgets

Homesteading in the kitchen, with all our modern tools.

Making Yogurt (video)

Roasting Chicken (video)

Summer Treats (video)

Fluffy Dinner Rolls (video)

Books about Homesteaders

Interesting homesteaders of all kinds.

Four Walls Against the Wind

Tisha

Two in the Far North

I Married the Klondike

Little House in the Big Woods

Farmer Boy

Books for Homesteaders

Resources for homesteaders of all kinds.

Practical Formulas

Make the Bread, Buy the Butter

A Year of Holidays

Enjoying Nature

Enjoy the seasons, the moods of nature, and the local birds and critters.

Here are the Hummingbirds (video)

Rainy Winter Night

Should I Take Down My Bird Feeder?

Shadow Play

Mourning Doves (video)

Scrub Jay with a Mangled Leg

Fall Back and Full Moon

Eastern Fox Squirrels (video)

Garden Projects

Work on garden infrastructure, and enjoy the yard and neighborhood.

Month-by-Month: Winter   Spring   Summer   Fall

Landscaping Site Visit

Urban Forestry (video)

Fall Arrangement: Pampas Grass

Dyeing with Plants

Excursions

We took a few excursions to get out of the house, expand our horizons, and enjoy life.

Farewell to our Hemet Haven
Back to Work in San Ramon
Farmer's Market: Summer and Fall Bounty
Golden Hour at Lake Temescal
Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden
Mendocino, Fort Bragg, and the Rugged Coast

Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden

On a recent trip north of the San Francisco Bay Area, my husband and I stopped at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden, just south of Fort Bragg. We spent an hour and a half roaming through the gardens, despite overcast skies and a light rain (one of the hazards and benefits of travelling in the fall)! We had hoped to see the gardens two years ago (see Visit to Mendocino), but access was restricted and limited because of COVID-19, and closed during our stay. Now that things are opening up a bit, it was much easier to visit (still with appropriate caution).

Gardens and nursery

The botanical garden was founded in 1961 by retired plantsman, Ernest Schoefer and his wife, Betty, with a grand opening in 1966. The mild coastal climate, available water source, and acid soil inspired them to collect rhododendron species. They added other collections, including perennials, begonias and fuchsias, heath and heather, succulents, Mediterranean plants, camellias, conifers, dahlias, and magnolias.

Entrance to the gardens

During our visit, we caught a sneak peak of the lights being installed for the upcoming Festival of Lights, which runs after Thanksgiving through mid-December. Judging by what we saw, FOL should be a lot of fun. Seeing the decorations reminded me of the holiday lights celebration at Filoli (see Filoli at Christmas).

Printable version

Following is a gallery of photos showing what caught my eye while roaming the garden. Visiting a botanical garden in November is a great opportunity to study what plants look like the fall season. This is useful for assessing the year-round interest of plants, trees or shrubs that you are considering for your own garden or landscape.

Begonia in a beautiful shade of coral

Sedum "Autumn Joy" - perfect color for fall

The succulents and cacti are thriving in the mild coastal environment

A collection of carnivorous plants

Two important components that I look for in a botanical garden, besides amazing plants, include great signage and plenty of benches. The signs should be clear and informative, and the benches should provide a comfortable place to rest and observe nature. Another positive component is evidence of birds and wildlife. The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens has all of the above.

A young dawn redwood dropping its fall needles

An unusual magnolia

A spruce with a low growth habit

Contemplating the beauty of fall

In summary, we enjoyed exploring the plants, trees and shrubs of the gardens, despite the intermittent light rain and dark skies. The staff and volunteers provided helpful information and answered our questions. We didn't make the full loop out to the Cliff House, so we have that to look forward to in a future visit. But we made good use of our time and enjoyed fall in the gardens.

 

The deer gate

Fern collection

A few dahlias are still blooming

An appealing collection of heather

Trip to the Desert – Canceled!

Had all gone according to plan, my folks and I would be together in Southern California right now, enjoying each other's company, searching for wildflowers, and exploring the desert. We've been meeting up in Hemet, California every spring for over a decade – they fly down from Southeastern Alaska and I fly down from the San Francisco Bay Area. From there we fan out and visit our favorite haunts, like Whitewater Preserve, Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park, Bautista Canyon, and more. Had life not taken another turn, we would probably be in Anza-Borrego State Park right now.

Since we are all sheltering in place for the duration, here is a tribute to our trips to the Anza-Borrego area over the years. We've approached it from the Badlands (great desolate and sweeping vistas), and from the backside of the Salton Sea (great place to look for obsidian and mud volcanoes).

The Badlands near S22 (2015)

The Salton Sea is 227 feet below sea level (2017)

We always stay at the Palm Canyon Hotel in Borrego Springs (although it is getting more difficult to get reservations, as flower viewing has become so popular). Its Western theme and shady dry gardens are welcoming, and the accommodations are very comfortable (it is a Dark Skies hotel if you like to see the stars at night).

Dry garden at Palm Canyon Hotel (2015)

View from the veranda (2015)

The Anza-Borrego State Park is a main attraction near Borrego Springs, and a short hike to the desert palm oasis is a must (preferably early in the morning before the sun heats up). On the way you can look for interesting plants and geological formations, beautiful flowers, and Borregos. No matter how dry the year, there is always a refreshing stream of water under the Fan Palms (Washintonia filifera).

Palm Canyon Oasis in sight (2015)

Searching for Borregos on the hills from a nice shady spot (2017)

Respite in the oasis (2017)

Of course there are the flowers. It is amazing that such a hot, dry landscape can produce such delicate, breathtaking blossoms. Here are a few of my favorites from the Anza-Borrego area.

Ironwood tree (2015)

Palo Verde tree (2011)

Smoke bush and ocotillo (2017)

One year a huge windstorm swept through town with 60-80 mile winds. The Palm Canyon Hotel and restaurant lost power, just after we ordered dessert. We enjoyed our pecan pie in candlelight, then found our way to our cozy rooms using flashlights. We turned in early, and listened to the Big Wind swirling outside. The next day calm and power returned. After breakfast we encountered a super bloom of yellow and orange flowers on Henderson Canyon Road.

The Big Wind stirred up a lot of dust (2017)

Henderson Canyon Road (2017)

A mass of White-lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata) caterpillars eclipsed the flower show. They maneuvered across the hot desert sand with efficiency until they found a plant they liked, then went to work. The caterpillars were very particular in their tastes – only the tender leaves and stems of the desert evening primroses would do. Flower seekers were just as interested in the hungry creatures as they were in the beautiful flower blooms.

Photographing the caterpillars (2017)

White-lined Sphinx Moth caterpillar (2017)

Other favorite places include the Anza-Borrego Visitor Center for its dry landscaping and interesting exhibits (and for the air conditioned theater, where you can watch and rewatch its nature videos). The metal sculptures by Ricardo Breceda are also phenomenal; they are distributed all around the Borrego Springs area.

Landscaping at the Anza-Borrego Visitor Center (2011)

Serpent, by Ricardo Breceda (2015)

Sometimes it is just fun to take a stroll, or park the car and walk out onto the desert floor. There is always something interesting to see.

Sunset stroll at the Visitor Center (2015)

Walk up Mine Wash off Highway 78 (2015)

At day's end we head for one of our favorite restaurants for dinner. Sometimes we dine at the Palm Canyon Hotel restaurant, other times at Kendall's Cafe or Carmelita's Mexican Grill, but always in good company with great conversation. A beautiful sunset, an evening stroll, and a tumble of stars finish the day.

Dressed for dinner, desert style (2017)

Sunset over the Palm Canyon Hotel (2015)

For the whole story:
Desert Delight (2011)
Anza-Borrego Desert Park (2011)
Dry Gardens (2011)
Anza-Borrego Desert Adventure (2015)
Backside of the Salton Sea (2017)
Anza-Borrego State Park and the Big Wind (2017)
Borrego Springs to Palm Springs (2017)