Field Notes for July 2026

Welcome back to Field Notes!

July 1, 2026

Red-flowering Currants. The Ribes sanguineum is producing fruit! This hardy, deciduous shrub is native to western North America, attracts pollinators, and is a highly valued landscape plant for native ecosystems (we have several of them in the side and front yards). The shrub produces vibrant clusters of spring blossoms in red or deep pink, spicy-scented foliage, and dark purple-to-black berries in summer. Birds and wildlife love the berries, but they are a little bland to human taste, compared to true fruiting currants. However, I'm wondering if they would produce natural dye for a future project!

Red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum)

July 4, 2026 🎆

America's 250th Anniversary. Today we're celebrating America's semi-quincentennial anniversary. The anniversary commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, when the thirteen American colonies declared their freedom from British rule. This milestone reflects the founding ideals of liberty, equality, and self-governance, and honors the efforts of the Founding Fathers and early Americans who fought for independence and established the United States as a republic. We'll be attending a BBQ at the Pardee Home Museum in Oakland. The Pardee House is the historic home of California's Governor George Pardee (1903-1906). Ragtime and period music is to be provided by Frederick Hodges.

America celebrates its 250th anniversary!

Today is also the perfect day to get out my copy of National Review's American Classics, and read The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States, and The Bill of Rights and Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America. I try to do this annually to refresh my understanding of these documents, and reflect on their goals and ideals. They are a guiding light in a tumultuous time.

July 6, 2026

Party at the Pardee. My husband and I had a great time at the Fourth of July bash at Pardee House in Oakland. We joined friends John, Dale, and Ziva the Guide Dog at the barbeque and musical event. This was our first visit to the historic home and gardens.

Pardee Home Museum in Oakland

Gate to the backyard and water tower (EBMUD 1.0)

The bracketed Italianate villa was built in 1868 by Enoch Pardee, a gold rush immigrant to California who practiced medicine in San Francisco and Oakland and served as mayor of Oakland. He and his wife Mary had one son, George Pardee. George was also a physician, served as mayor of Oakland, Governor of California during the 1906 earthquake, and later lobbied for a water district in the East Bay. He was a long time President of East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), and resident of Oakland. The Pardee Dam was named to honor him, and is still a dominant water source for the region.

Picnic in the shade of two grand old oak trees

Ragtime and 1920s music provided by Frederick Hodges

Tours of the Victorian home and tea parties can be arranged, but they weren't available for the July 4th bash. We sat under the spreading branches of a couple of old oak trees, and feasted on delicious hamburgers, hot dogs, cold salads, corn-on-the-cob, chips and guacamole, baked beans, and delicious desserts. We enjoyed ragtime music from the turn-of-the century, played expertly by Frederick Hodges. My dad loved Scott Joplin music, and I recognized quite a few of the tunes (ragtime music also has an association with Goldrush Alaska, so I am also fond of it). The intimate gathering of about 60 people was a wonderful way to observe America's 250th anniversary!

July 9, 2026

OTHG Hike to Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. This week's Over-the-Hills Gang hike was at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, the site of an ancient volcano that was active 10 million years ago. Mari and I joined the group, led by Anthony Fisher, while Gaymond is on safari in Tanzania! The weather was overcast, foggy, chilly, and even windy at times!

Enjoying "the view" in the heavy morning mist 

Hiking through the misty forest at Sibley Volcanic Regional Park

Our route took us up Round Top Loop Trail, to the Volcanic Trail, and then to the Quarry Pit. The trails are nice and wide, so it's easy to amble along side-by-side and converse. I missed seeing some of the usual views along the trail, but I enjoyed the moist air and moody fog swirling in the oak and eucalyptus trees. We shared the trail with quite a few dog walkers and their dogs, and both seemed to be enjoying the cool, moist air. Our group had our mid-hike cookie break in the Quarry Pit. After a trip around the labyrinth, we feasted on an assortment of cookies for quick energy (lemon, peanut butter, and graham crackers). Life is good! 

"Annika Zinsley loved this place."

Mari and I topped off the hike at TGI Oni Sushi in Montclair Village for bento boxes, and great conversation. While there, Gaymond was able to get an early-morning internet connection from Tanzania, and we were able to see a few photos of his posh safari accommodations and the wildebeest migration! These hikes are so much fun, and the pace and company are excellent. Check the website to learn more about upcoming events at East Bay Regional Parks.

Intrepid hikers on a misty, windy morning at Sibley

July 12, 2026

Fauna and Rocks at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. While at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, we spotted an assortment of interesting plants, flowers, birds, insects, and geological formations. Here are a couple of snapshots.

This Black Swallowtail caterpillar looks like it is wearing a pair of yellow sunglasses on each segment! It is holding on tightly to a tall plant in the swaying breeze, possibly fennel. They love to dine on plants in the carrot family (Apiaceae) such as parsley, dill, fennel, and carrot tops.

Black swallowtail caterpillar (Papilio polyxenes)

 

Orinda Formation river gravels, sands, and mudstones

The Sibley Volcanic Regional Park Welcome Center has a series of informative signs and exhibits that describe the ancient volcano and its natural history, and provide samples of the various rocks and formations in the park. A series of signs deeper into the park provide additional information. The description at the site in above photo describes "redbeds", or streaks and layers in river beds that were caused by oxidation of iron in the sediments. Redbeds sometimes contain fossils of plants and animals.

July 15, 2026

Heading for Alaska. A group of us is heading to Juneau, Alaska to celebrate my Dad's life! He died in December 2025, and July seems like the perfect time to celebrate his life. Dad was born on July 28, 1928, and would have turned 98 this month. My husband Rick, Aunt Char, and I are flying together on Alaska Airlines, and my sister Marianne, and my two nieces (Sarah and Thea) are flying from Oregon.

Heading for Juneau, Alaska for a celebration of Dad's life

July 16, 2026

Beaver Patrol. It is great to be in Juneau, Alaska again! We're staying with Mom in our childhood home, with different family members flying in and departing on different days. Needless to say it is wonderful to be together!

The official Beaver Patrol headgear

Trail system with access to beaver ponds

My sister Marianne and I joined our brother Dave on Beaver Patrol out at Dredge Lake (where we used to swim and find tadpoles and tiny toads in our childhood). Beavers are an important part of the ecosystem in this area and they co-exist with housing developments and wooded areas near Mendenhall Glacier.

Cleaning out part of the pond-leveling system

Dave describes how pond-leveling works 

Dave and his team keep tabs on beaver activity, and keep the beaver dams from flooding using a pond-leveling system. Complicating the effort is the annual build of water and flooding of the jökulhlaup (or glacial outburst flood) from Suicide Basin behind Mendenhall Glacier. Marianne and I had a great time meeting the team and walking the trails with them. We saw beaver dams, lodges, scent mounds, and more (but no beavers). Dave is a retired biologist and very knowledgeable. We ended the day with taco chips and dips, enchiladas, refried beans, green salad, and ice cream sundaes.

Marianne by a work-in-progress

A glorious slime mold (possibly Brefeldia maxima, or tapioca slime mold)

July 17, 2026

Jensen-Olson Arboretum. The weather has turned sunny, warm and beautiful. When that happens, Juneau-ites head outdoors! My nieces Sarah and Thea arrived on a morning flight from Oregon, and our whole group headed out the road to the beautiful Jensen-Olson Arboretum on Pearl Harbor. It is an old homestead that opens its doors to visitors, eager to see the beautiful gardens and spectacular views. Many plants are in full bloom by mid-July.

Entering the Jensen-Olson Arboretum

Mom and Aunt Char enjoying the garden

We spent a relaxing afternoon at the arboretum, and it felt like time had suspended! We ended the outing with a short drive to Eagle Beach to see the Chilkat Mountains, and then returned home for a delicious meal of crab dip on crackers, smoked black cod, baked potatoes, green salad, and ice cream sundaes. Yum!

Kitchen garden with a view

Rick enjoying the view

July 19, 2026

Wildlife Cruise. Another beautiful day! This time our group took a wildlife and whale watching cruise, a fund raiser sponsored by the Juneau Symphony. Our catamaran left from Auke Bay and cruised around Shelter Island.

The busy marina at Auke Bay

Heading out into the bay

The cruise included snacks, music played by several musicians from the symphony, and a silent auction with some pretty awesome items. We saw lots of whales and birds, and just enjoyed the warm weather, great company, and beautiful weather.

A small gathering of symphony musicians

Looking for whales and wildlife with a 360 degree view 

We ended the adventure with dinner at Canton Asian Bistro and lots of great conversation!

July 22, 2026

Macauley's Fish Hatchery at Salmon Creek. On the way home from our last dinner together at The Hangar on the Wharf, Dave, Mom, Aunt Char, Rick and I stopped at the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery. I had never visited the hatchery, and found it so interesting. The fish have returned to breed and finish their life cycle. 

Sculpture of a mama bear and her three cubs at the hatchery

Birdseye view of the fish ladder leading to the hatchery

I'm pretty sure that Mr. Macauley was my seventh grade science teacher many years ago. He provided our class with an introduction to the scientific method and the fun of exploration. Great to see he has used his training and knowledge increase the fish population!

Window into the fish ladder journey

The terminus of the journey

July 23, 2026

Heading for Home. Our time in Juneau has come to an end. Our family had such a great time together exploring, enjoying life, and getting caught up with each other. The celebration of Dad's life was perfect, as we shared memories, music, and a delicious meal of Mexican food at Mar y Sol (Dad would have loved it)!

Returning to Oakland, California

Rick and I are flying out today and are looking forward to seeing our son Jason and Bobo the Husky. Aunt Char is staying on with Mom for another week, so we will see her again soon in the San Francisco Bay Area. Looking forward to that since we have some August birthdays to celebrate!

July 27, 2026 

Cooking with Mushrooms. For my latest adventure in cooking with mushrooms, I made portobello mushroom burgers with all the fixings. Portobello (also spelled portabella) is not a distinct species, but the fully mature, opened-cap version of the white button and cremini mushrooms. The scientific name for the mushroom is Agaricus bisporus. 

Medium sized portobello mushrooms from the grocery store

Marinating the mushrooms

I followed a recipe that called for marinating the mushrooms in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic and herbs, and then either grilling, broiling, or frying and topping with cheese. I had intended to just make mushroom burgers, but had requests from the family to include beef patties as well. I served both on a bun with tomatoes, lettuce, and the usual condiments to taste. Yum - perfect summer fare!

Portobello and beef burger, served with cantaloupe and potato salad

July 31, 2026 🌞

Landscape Maintenance. Time for summer cleanup, and lots of outdoor living. By now, many of the annuals are spent (except for a few California Poppy and the Clarkia, which keep on blooming because of light irrigation). Most of the perennials are still in flower. I'm afraid that our vacation in Alaska wreaked havoc with our yard in July— all the foliage seemed to double in size during the ten days we were gone! That's OK - we will just move the tasks into August and September as needed. It is important to live life to the fullest, and not just work to death.

☐ Weed the garden paths and beds (ongoing task). Check the driveway for weeds developing in the cracks and remove them. Note: the paths and beds look pretty good, thanks to ongoing efforts, but I'm postponing the driveway cleanup portion of the task until August (fallout from our trip to Alaska)! 

🗷 Cut back invasive ivy from the street, especially in the lower yard. Note: I was able to hard prune the ivy before we left for our trip.

☐ Trim the hedges in the side and lower yards. Note: the hedges look pretty good as they are, so I'll postpone until they start looking a little raggedy. Might be a good fall cleanup task.

☐ 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. Note: I'm also postponing the native shrub trimming until August (more fallout from our trip to Alaska).

☐ Add mulch or wood chips as needed. Note: ditto – postpone until August.

☐  Update: City of Oakland's annual vegetation inspection. I'm afraid I was too optimistic about being in good shape for the fire inspection. We got dinged on the "combustible grasses" near the house (we let them go to seed for the birds). We have 45 days to trim back the seed stalks. Fire safety is taken very seriously in this part of the country, for good reason. Surprisingly, the small wood pile that is close to the house was not an issue.

Field Notes for June 2026

 Welcome back to Field Notes!

June 1, 2026

Shopping at the Farmer's Market. This is a great time of year to shop the farmer's markets in Oakland and surrounding areas. The produce is beautiful, whether vegetables like broccoli, summer squash, and cucumbers, or fruit like blueberries, peaches, and melons. Time to put away the hearty recipes of fall and winter, and start using seasonal fruits and vegetables. Stir fry, spring rolls, grilled or steamed veg, and kabobs serve as healthy main dishes. Follow-up with fruit bowls, strawberry shortcake, homemade sorbet, or fruit pie for delectable desserts. Yum!

Spring-to-summer produce at the Montclair Farmer's Market

June 3, 2026

Cooking with Mushrooms. For my latest cooking-with-mushrooms adventure, I sourced 6 ounces (170g) of fresh shiitake mushrooms from the grocery store, and used them to make a delicious stir fry. Main ingredients included chopped chicken, mushrooms, pea pods, shredded cabbage, grated carrot, udon noodles and a teriyaki-inspired stir-fry sauce, garnished with dry-roasted peanuts. The shiitake mushrooms added a bold, fresh, umami flavor to the dish. The mushrooms were cultivated by the Far West Fungi company in Moss Landing, CA.

Shiitake grow in groups on the decaying wood of deciduous trees. Its natural distribution includes warm, moist climates in Southeast Asia. Prior to this experience, I had cooked only with reconstituted dried shiitake mushrooms, which are also delicious.

 

Shiitake Mushrooms (Lentinula edodes)

June 6, 2026

Big Bear Sighting in Juneau.  My brother Dave was hiking out by Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, Alaska recently, and encountered this big guy on the trail. Dave's account of the experience:

I was out walking in the mossy forest by the glacier and was almost back to my car when I saw something coming towards me on the trail ahead. It’s a big ol’ bear, and he's seen me too and stopped. Then he starts walking towards me again. I’m pretty sure we’ve seen him before and he's always been a good bear, and there were no bad vibes here, so I stepped out of the trail and stood next to bushes where he could easily see me. I stood there taking pictures and started talking. I told him what a handsome fellow he was, and that I would just stand here by the side of the trail and let him walk on by like the good bear he is. He paused a moment to check me out, but I kept encouraging him to walk on by and that’s what he did. Maybe 400 pounds?
Life is good!

Big Bear at Mendenhall Glacier (photo by Dave Harris)

June 9, 2026

OTHG Hike to Reinhardt Redwood Park. I joined Mari and Gaymond for the Over-the-Hills Gang hike through the redwoods, led by Anthony Fisher. We followed the Stream Trail along the creek, which still has quite a bit of water. Our group was pretty good sized, and we sauntered through the cool forest at a very comfortable pace. I was eager to learn more about Mari's recent trip to England and Scotland, and Gaymond's earlier trip to Greece. We were joined by fellow hiker and traveler, Lorie, who had recently sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, skirting the Sargasso Sea, and then visited Spain and England.

Hike in the redwoods

A favorite highlight of this trail is seeing the ladybugs (Hippodamia convergens) that congregate at a particular location along the trail about this time of year. This time we didn't see any ladybugs, although someone with a sense of humor had left several plastic ladybugs at the location. Anthony brought ginger and lemon flavored cookies for the half-way point in our hike, and someone else brought Girl Scout peanut butter sandwich cookies (Do-si-dos). We feasted!

Can you spot the plastic ladybug?

Mari, Gaymond and I finished our outing with lunch and good conversation at nearby Sparky's Giant Burgers. These hikes are so much fun, and the pace and company are excellent. Check the website to learn more about upcoming events at East Bay Parks.

June 12, 2026

Happy Birthday to my wonderful sister, Marianne! She is so much fun to be with, capable and accomplished, spirited and adventurous. We don't see each other very often, but it is such a pleasure when we do. Marianne works hard, loves her kids and grandkids, and deserves all good things. I'm looking forward to our next visit!

Picnic with my sister at Point Pinole a few years back!

June 15, 2026

Invasion of the Giant Puffballs. Bobo the Husky and I encountered several of these Giant Puffball on our morning walk (possibly Calvatia gigantea or Calvatia booniana). They were growing in the small redwood and oak grove by the upper reservoir. This one was about five inches across, but they can get much bigger (up to 19 1/2 inches, according to iNaturalist).

Giant Puffball

June 17, 2026

We Love Washing Windows. Bobo the Husky was temporarily displaced by a visit from a team of window washers. He was so interested in the whole process, and all the tools involved. Bobo volunteered to help (he pulled one of the sponges out of the soapy water), but got to relax and watch instead!

We Love Washing Windows

June 21, 2026 🌷

Happy summer solstice. Enjoy the longest day of the year and the official start of summer!

June 24, 2026

Prickly Neighbor. My brother Dave checks in periodically with photos and tales about his prickly neighbor. This porcupine forages on a spruce tree that is outside his home.

Porcupine in the spruce boughs (photo by Dave Harris)

June 27, 2026

Summer Read. The lazy days of summer are here, and a favorite pastime is reading on the patio. I'm currently reading The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers. It was published in 1934 and still sparkles after over 90 years. The mystery series features Lord Peter Wimsey as the gentleman detective. I've been reading through the series over the past couple of years and thoroughly enjoy each case no matter what the season.

June 30, 2026 🌷🌞

Landscape Maintenance. Time for end-of-spring cleanup, and the kick off to summer activities. We've had so many beautiful flowers in the yard all month in all shades of pink, yellow, blue, red, orange, and white. There aren't as many weeds, thanks to diligent weeding whenever they pop up. Many of the grasses have gone to seed, so the garden has a slightly messy look, but lots of birds, squirrels, bees, butterflies, and other critters. Here are a few things we've worked on throughout the month:

☑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. Note: I read through the literature supplied by the City, and I think we are in pretty good shape for the inspection. Thanks to the pruning we had done last October, we have no branches touching or hanging over the house. We have a lot of bark mulch on the property as ground cover, but learned that it is safe up to 12 inches thick (ours is 3-4 inches). One exception may be the small wood pile that is close to the house, so I might be asked to move that. Fire safety is very important in this part of the country. 

☑ 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. Note: we had a window-washing service do a thorough cleaning of cobwebs (they had really gotten out of hand), and of the windows and screens. The patio is swept and the furniture clean and repaired (one of the Brown Jordan patio chairs had been damaged). We practically live on the patio this time of year, so it's great to give it a little tender loving care. Still need to get out the grill!

☑ Sweep debris from other surfaces throughout the yard. Note: I've gotten better at keeping up on this chore. Sometimes I'm tempted to purchase a small leaf blower to help with this task, but, honestly, I kind of enjoy the slow-living, meditative aspect of sweeping these surfaces.

☑Collect flowers and branches for spring/summer arrangements. Note: so many wonderful flower combinations for small bouquets!

Field Notes for May 2026

 Welcome back to Field Notes!

May 1, 2026

Great Piece of Turf. This garden detail in the front yard contains California Poppy, Lithodora, Strawberries, and Polypodium. The photo reminds me of the Great Piece of Turf watercolor, painted by German master, Albrecht Dürer, in 1503.

A Great Piece of Turf - Bay Area style

May 4, 2026

BBTN Garden Tour - Bayside. My Aunt Char and I had a great time on our first in-person Bringing Back the Natives garden tour. We visited five gardens—three close to the coast and two high up in the hills. We saw so many beautiful native plants, creative ideas for the landscape, and lots of wildlife. We also stopped in at Fat Apples for a slice of pie and tall glasses of water. For all the details see Bringing Back the Natives: 2026.

Aunt Char viewing the beautiful native plants

Learning about the Pink Flowering Currant from signage

May 6, 2026

Treasures for the Garden. While on the Bring Back the Natives garden tour, my aunt and I each received a complimentary packet containing shady California wildflower seeds (Farewell-to-Spring, Punchbowl Godetia, Mountain Garland, Baby-Blue Eyes, Five Spot, Chinese Houses, Grand Linanthus, and Bird's Eye Gila. The seeds are from Larner Seeds, across the Bay in nearby Bolinas, CA. 

Blue Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium bellum)

In addition, I purchased a four-inch pot of Blue Eyed Grass to add to my collection. I just love their cheerful purple and yellow faces.

 

May 9, 2026

OTHG Hike to Fernandez Ranch. Mari and I recently joined the Over-the-Hills Gang hike at Fernandez Ranch, near Martinez, California. We missed Gaymond, who was on tour in Greece at the time! Fernandez Ranch is a historic 7,000-acre property that is part of the John Muir Land Trust.  Over 1,180 acres are open to the public, with multiple trails that wind through the diverse ecosystem, and connect to the 550-mile Bay Ridge Trail and the San Francisco Bay Trail. Hikers, bicyclists, and horses are welcome (as are well-behaved dogs—see the website for rules and requirements). Anthony Fisher led the hike.

Fernandez Ranch staging area

Map of Fernandez Ranch trails

The group met at the Fernandez Ranch parking lot, and followed sections of the Windmill, Woodrat, and Whipsnake trails. We stopped at several viewpoints for breathtaking views. The hills were still green from recent spring rains, and lots of wildflowers were in bloom. The day was overcast and a little chilly, which is ideal hiking weather in my opinion.

Heading out from the Fernandez Ranch staging area

The oaks have room to grow to their full potential

The trail winds through the oaks

One of the best things for me was seeing the magnificent oak trees, which have room to spread their limbs to astonishing proportions. They grow individually and in small communities. We saw several snags, but even they support life and habitat as they slowly decompose over the years. I'm so glad for this preserved land where nature has room operate.

Cookie break with a view at the half-way point

Intrepid hikers at Fernandez Ranch

At the end of the hike, a BurnBot machine was working near the staging area. It is a remote control machine for laying down a suppressing fire line, without endangering crew or sparking an unintended fire. The idea captured my imagination, and makes me want to learn more. Mari and I topped off the hike by celebrating Cinco de Mayo at La Primavera Restaurant in nearby Martinez.

May 11, 2026

Flora and Fauna at Fernandez Ranch. We saw so many wildflowers on our OTHG hike at Fernandez ranch, including the Mount Diablo Sunflower. This perennial herbaceous plant is native only to the San Francisco Bay Area and is primarily found in and around Mount Diablo State Park. It blooms from April to June. We also saw a surprising number of mushrooms, probably due to recent spring rains.

Mount Diablo Sunflower (Helianthella castanea)

Possibly Dog Vomit Slime Mold (Fuligo leviderma) – eww!

May 15, 2026

BurnBot at Fernandez Ranch. After seeing the BurnBot machine in action at Fernandez Ranch, I had to learn more. BurnBot is a California-based startup company that is developing robotic, remote controlled wildfire prevention technology, dubbed the "Roomba for the forest". The machine scorches the earth with fire from below in the front part of the machine, and puts out the fire from the back as it moves forward. Since the machine is remote controlled, it can be sent into dangerous situations without endangering people. The machine has been tested and deployed in California and Oregon to create fire fuel breaks. The John Muir Land Trust has been testing it for controlled burns as a fire management tool.

BurnBot machine
(photo from the BurnBot media collection)

Fireline laid down by the BurnBot machine
(photo from the BurnBot media collection)

My dad would have loved hearing about this machine. He was a retired forestry researcher and always interested in trees, plants, critters, ecology, and machinery.

May 18, 2026

Cooking with Mushrooms. For this month's cooking-with-mushrooms experience, I purchased .5 ounces (14g) of dehydrated Chanterelle mushrooms from the grocery store, and used them to make pizza! I reconstituted the mushrooms in water, sauteed them with leeks, and then topped the pizza dough with the mushroom mixture, and grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese. The pizza was delicious!

Chanterelle is the common name of several species of mushrooms in the Cantharellales order. These fungi are orange, yellow or white, meaty and funnel-shaped, with rounded, forked folds that run almost all the way down the stipe, which tapers down from the cap. These Chanterelles were cultivated in France and distributed by Melissa's Produce (according to the website, one ounce of reconstituted dried mushrooms equals four ounces of fresh mushrooms).

Chanterelle Mushrooms (Cantharellus spp.)

May 20, 2026

Dividing Heucheras. Over the past year I've been learning about Heucheras and how to care for them. They thrive in our landscape, but the leaves need to be thinned out periodically for better air flow, or they develop leaf fungus or rust. Additionally, as new sections grow, radiating out from the root, the plant becomes very gangly. Every two to five years the plant itself needs to be thinned. To do so, dig up the plant and separate the sections. Check for rootlets at the base of each section, and pot in potting soil. Once well rooted, transplant the healthiest sections back into the garden. That's the idea anyway. Wish me luck!

Heuchera maxima with leaves thinned, and sections (yellow lines)
radiating from the root (yellow circle)

May 24, 2026

OTHG Hike to Inspiration Point. I joined the latest Over-the-Hills Gang hike to Tilden Inspiration Point, a new hike for me. Inspiration Point is part of Tilden Regional Park, but on the Orinda side closer to the San Pablo Reservoir. Anthony Fisher lead the hike. Gaymond was just returning from Greece, and Mari was just leaving for England and Scotland, so I went solo.     

Tilden Inspiration Point

You are Here

The group met at the Inspiration Point parking lot and followed the Nimitz Way trail heading Northwest. The hills were still green from recent spring rains. We saw lots of wildflowers and interesting plants, and stopped for panoramic views of San Pablo Bay, the San Pablo Reservoir, and Mount Diablo.

Heading out on the Nimitz Way trail

San Pablo Reservoir

We had a great group of hikers as usual. The trail is paved and wide, with a 500 foot elevation rise, and we took it at our usual pace, with lots of time for conversation, observing nature and soaking in the views. Dogs are allowed on leash, and this would be a great trail for Bobo the Husky (not too busy, a good wide trail, and lots of places to sniff).

Cookie break at the half-way point

View of the San Pablo Bay

View of Mount Diablo in the distance

I love seeing the rolling, undeveloped hills, populated with native plants, birds, and critters. Of course we need places to live and work, but we also need wild places to visit. Nature is so restorative and seeing glimpses of the California of old is so inspiring. 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 like I did).

May 28, 2026

Flora and Fauna at Inspiration Point. We always see interesting plants, trees, fungus, birds, and other wildlife while on our Over-the-Hills Gang hikes. Our group leader, Anthony Fisher, is so good at finding specimens and identifying them (with both scientific and common names). Here are a few snapshots.

Spotted Tussock Moth caterpillar (Lophocampa maculata)

Paper wasp nest, just off the trail

Pink flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum)

May 31, 2026 🌷

Landscape Maintenance. Spring cleanup is coming to an end, and I'm momentarily caught up on my weeding (that is a precarious statement)! May has continued to be cool, with several unexpected rain storms passing through the Bay Area area in the night, and several short warm spells that got everyone outside to enjoy it. California native wild flowers are continuing to bloom. The days are getting longer, and summer is just around the corner! Here are a few maintenance tasks for May.

🗹 Weed the garden paths and beds (ongoing task). Note: I've removed "all" the weeds from the lower yard and the raised bed (this was quite a feat). With the periodic rain we've been receiving, I must stay diligent and remove weeds as soon as they pop up.

🗹 Verify that the irrigation system is running correctly, and fix any leaks or blockages. Note: I'm postponing this task, since we're still getting rain in May. In the meantime, I'm studying the irrigation plan from our landscapers, so I will be able to trace each line and evaluate.

🗹 Clean up the stone path from the street to the house. Trim back vegetation and ground covers. Note: I'm keeping the stone path clear of little weeds that pop up in the chinking, but am postponing the task of cutting back the grasses until after the seeds are ripe and the birds have feasted.

🗹 Clean up the heuchera leaves as needed to ensure light and free flow of air.  Note: fresh, healthy leaves are coming back after last month's hard prune.

🗹 Collect flowers and branches for spring arrangements. Note: we have so many lovely flowers in the garden at this time of year in shades of yellow, orange, pink, blue, and purple. They make wonderful arrangements.

Additional tasks include staking up the gangly California Bush Anemone shrub using bamboo stakes; and planting the Blue Eyed Grass starter from the Bringing Back the Natives tour earlier in the month..