Looking Ahead to 2026

Happy New Year! I love having a new year stretching ahead of me with all of its possibilities. This year, however, I'm easing into 2026 instead of rushing in to fill it with projects, plans, and goals. Losing my Dad, at the age of 97 years, may have something to do with it. Upon my college graduation, his advice to me was to work hard, but stop and smell the roses. I'm finally taking the last part of his advice. Of course all my natural interests remain, but maybe at a different pace.

I've chosen the theme of "Fungus Among Us: Mushrooms" for Eden By The Bay in 2026. I'm always fascinated to see the mushrooms that pop up in our yard and that we encounter on our Over-the-Hills Gang hikes. I'd like to learn more about the Fungi kingdom, and explore mushrooms in the garden, great outdoors, kitchen, and dye pot.

Clockwise: Family, friends, and Bobo the Husky
Fungus Among Us
Hikes, nature, and the great outdoors
Enjoying the landscape, plants, and critters

Looking ahead, my husband and I continue to research trip ideas for the coming years. We love to travel, learn, and take photos, and want to do so while we are able. A few candidates include Hawaii, Yosemite and Yellowstone National Parks, and the New England states. We also plan more journeys up and down the West Coast including Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California (we might even take a road trip with Bobo the Husky). Travel enriches our lives and makes us more appreciative of what we have at home.

I'll continue some of my favorite activities like tending our new landscape (now almost two years old); visiting gardens and landscapes; enjoying the seasons and weather; and experiencing nature and wildlife. There are books to read, movies to see, puzzles to work, seeds to plant, fabric to dye, and new ideas to try. At the heart of it all are the family, friends, and Huskies that travel along on that journey!

Reflections on 2025

Farewell, 2025! It's been a busy year for plants, gardening, the great outdoors, family and friends, traveling, and the pleasures of life and retirement (despite the continual assault of horrifying news articles and dishonorable world events).

Our theme for Eden By The Bay this year has been "Ethnobotany and Dyeing with Plants". Since ethnobotany is such a broad topic, I focused on the plants used for dyeing by three specific people groups—Tlingit and Chimmesyan/Tsimshian (Alaska coast and Canada interior); Ohlone/Costanoan (Northern California); and Polynesian/Pacific Islander (Hawaii). As I progressed in my research, I expanded my vision to include dyeing and decorating baskets and other objects, in addition to fibers. I also realized that in past years my perspective has been on the plant explorers who were learning about dye plants from the people they encountered, rather than on the people who were already using them. Throughout the year I experimented with a few more dye projects, with blackberry cane and leaves producing the best color.

Clockwise: Ethnobotany and dyeing
Experiencing nature with family and friends
Exploring the world together
Learning to tend the garden

I spent a lot of time in our renovated garden this year learning about the plants, their seasonal cycles, and the wildlife they attract. I also enjoyed getting out in nature in the company of Mari, Gaymond (and Jayden in the summer), and the Over-the-Hills-Gang hiking group. Together we explored many of the parks and ecosystems of the East Bay Regional park system (and found some delicious lunch places). My husband and I traveled to Mesa Verde National Park in the fall and learned more about the geology and plants of the Great Basin. We welcomed Bobo the Husky to our home in October, kicking off the many pleasures and challenges of inter-species relationships. In December, I lost my Dad, who has been my inspiration for plants, nature, and the great outdoors.

We also continued to experiment with the monthly "Field Notes" format for reporting observations and projects throughout the month. We learned about two plant hunters in Western United States; and watched some movies. It's been a year of growth, beauty, pain, and joy, and I'm grateful to have you on the journey with me!

Christmas in Alaska: 2025

Greetings from Southeast, Alaska! We're having a low-key Christmas this year, gathering with my natal family and my Aunt Char and celebrating my Dad's life. It's cold and snowy outside, and warm and cozy inside. We've taken some wonderful car rides to see the sights and eaten at some of our favorite restaurants. My aunt and I have worked on a puzzle, while Mom plays favorite songs on the piano. We've watched some good movies and shows, and are all reading good books. Meals and festivities are simple and unhurried. Best of all are the long conversations and the time spent together.

Thoughts of home and loved ones!

The only thing missing is my family in the Bay Area, but we'll be celebrating in January when I return. Hope you have something to be grateful for, no matter what is happening in your life.

Merry Christmas to all!

Thanksgiving 2025

Greetings to my fellow gardeners, family and friends! Hope you are planning for some kind of gathering with good eats, whether a bowl of soup with a friend, an eclectic Friendsgiving celebration, or a large family dinner with all the fixings. These gatherings will look different for all of us, depending on individuals, families, nationalities, cultures, and season of life.

Roasting vegetables for a good harvest soup

This is also a good time for making a gratitude list (especially when life circumstances seem a little bleak). There is typically something to be grateful for, and often more than you expected when you started the list. Family, friends, shelter, something to eat, good books, nature, wildlife, pets, good memories, life lessons, talents, interests, hobbies, and more are on my list. I've found that sometimes I can even be grateful for hard times and painful life lessons, with hindsight and the perspective of time.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Looking Ahead to 2025

Happy New Year! I love looking ahead to a new year. There is so much potential一possibilities for exploring, travelling, creating, and enjoying friends, family, and life. Really, any new day offers a fresh start, but a new year gets me thinking about what's important, what I don't need any more, and what I'd like to do or learn in the next 365 days. I find that to be a better approach than making a list of new year's resolutions, which are typically cast aside after a week or so!

This year my theme for Eden By the Bay is "Ethnobotany". My focus over the years has been on the plant hunters of the past who discovered plants from all over the world and looked for economic uses for them. This year I'd like to focus on plants that indigenous people were already using when they were "discovered"!

Clockwise: Hawaii's state flower - photo by Conrado
Ethnobotany and dyeing with plants
Observing local flora and fauna
Enjoying the landscape in all seasons

Looking ahead, I'm researching trip ideas for the coming years. My husband and I love to travel, and to learn about the history, flora and fauna, natural history, and gardens of our destinations. A few candidates on our radar include Hawaii, upstate New York, Four Corners Monument, and Mesa Verde National Park. We also plan on more visits to Alaska, Washington, and Oregon, as well as "long weekends" anywhere in California. Travel enriches our lives and makes us more appreciative of what we have at home! 

While that's brewing, we'll continue some of our favorite pursuits like tending and enjoying our new landscape (I'm currently learning what tasks are required for each month and season), visiting beautiful gardens and landscapes, and delving into the seasons, weather, and critters we encounter. There are books to read, movies to see, seeds to plant, floral arrangements to create, projects to accomplish, fabric to dye, and new ideas to try. At the heart of it all though, are the people, loved ones, and Huskies that travel along on that journey!

Reflections on 2024

Twenty twenty-four is coming to an end, and what a year! There seemed to be upheaval all over the globe, whether it be in politics, society, weather, ideological conflict, or the economy. Thankfully we still have the grounding elements of gardens, nature, family, and friends.

Our theme for Eden By The Bay this year has been Sabbatical, Seasons, and Seasons of Life. Sensing that life was changing, I decided to take a "sabbatical" in 2024 by slowing down and thoughtfully evaluating everything. I had the opportunity to retire in May, which opened up a whole realm of possibilities for a new season of life. I am grateful for the extra time that retirement provides, enabling me to live in Alaska for several months, and to experience a new way to live. 

Clockwise: Big changes in the garden
Family time in beautiful Alaska and the Bay Area
Reunited with Dakota the Husky
The joys of retirement!

After many years of research and planning, we hired Four Dimensions Landscape Cooperative to landscape our yard in January and February. We love our new wildlife-friendly, native garden; and have spent the year learning about the new plants, shrubs, and trees, and observing them in each season. I didn't make any "movies" this year, but I did manage to try more solar dyeing projects, including poinsettia bracts and chokecherries from our yard.

We also had fun experimenting with a monthly "Field Notes" format for reporting observations and projects throughout the month. We read an antique gardening book from the 1930s to see how things have changed and what has endured; learned about several plant hunters in the Americas; and watched some films (not necessarily starring plants). It's been a year of growth, beauty, pain, and joy, and I'm grateful to have you on the journey with me!

Christmas in the Bay Area: 2024

My first Christmas as a retired person (don't worry, I won't inform you of every first in my first year of retirement, or maybe I already have)! I'm appreciating the slower pace of life, with fewer events and obligations, and am thoroughly enjoying the activities and events that we have scheduled. Today our nuclear family is together, with some good cooking and feasting planned for later today. We're missing our far-flung family in Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Arizona, and more, but look forward to being together with them in the new year.

Enjoying the gifts of the season

While we celebrate the season, the garden seems to slumber. Foliage looks green and lush from the frequent rains, but otherwise everything appears to be dormant. But not so! As we learned in previous posts, the garden is very active. Buds are forming, mushrooms are poking up through the woodchips, compost and fallen leaves are breaking down and fertilizing the soil, and early seasonal bulbs are preparing to poke through the soil when the conditions are right. Gardeners here in the Bay Area can enjoy a brief reprieve from the usual tasks, and enjoy making merry with family and friends.

Merry Christmas to all!

Field Notes for December

Welcome back to Field Notes - this is the last installment for 2024. Where did the year go? I have really enjoyed experimenting with this format for reporting events and discoveries made during the month. I plan to continue experimenting with Field Notes in 2025!

December 1, 2024

We have stunning sunsets in the San Francisco Bay Area this time of year (in between rainstorms). The sunsets are brief and early so you have to make a point to see them. But they are well worth the effort for the dramatic layers of colors.

Winter sunsets in the Bay Area

December 3, 2024

My Aunt Char is home after her trip to Alaska. She spent a month with my mom, dad, and brother in Juneau, and they celebrated Thanksgiving together. The last week has been dicey weatherwise, with a major winter storm rolling in several days before travel day. Luckily she made all her flight connections with no issues! 

Winter storm warning in Juneau, Alaska

December 6, 2024

What a treat to attend the annual Business Women's Network cookie exchange with my former colleagues in San Ramon. It was thoughtful of them to include retirees, and so much fun to catch up with old friends during the festive, tasty event! BWN sponsors speakers, networking events, and workshops to enrich women's careers. Many men attend the events to learn how to be supportive allies, and how to inspire and equip their daughters. Everybody wins!

 

Spoils from a Christmas cookie exchange

December 9, 2024

Our kitchen is overflowing with good eats. We're pulling out more of our favorite fall recipes and filling the house with the wonderful fragrance of good, hearty food. There's also an uptick in home-made cookie production that has everyone in the family smiling and humming along with the Christmas playlist.

More roasted vegetables - this time for a delicious tomato-based soup

Turkey cottage pie, with a fancy woven crust

December 12, 2024

My Aunt Char and I attended a local production of A Charlie Brown Christmas this week at the Contra Costa Civic Theater. It was so fun to see the Charlie Brown Christmas movie brought to life with talented actors and innovative sets. The production ended with a group-sing of favorite Christmas carols (holiday music really makes the season). Afterwards, Aunt Char and I enjoyed bowls of ice cream at her home and caught up on all the news from her trip and the folks in Alaska!

Support your local theater!

December 15, 2024

While doing holiday errands, I made a quick stop at the Castro Valley Library to pick up a Mrs. Malory mystery that was on hold. Nearby is a portion of Castro Valley Creek that has been restored with plants native to the area (and has attracted lots of birds, squirrels, and insects). I enjoyed a quick respite from my errands in the lovely library and natural park.

Late morning sun in the Castro Valley Library

Castro Valley Creek restoration

December 18, 2024

The Christmas tree is now decorated and I'm enjoying the lights, sparkle, and ornaments collected over the years. We have lots of angels and instruments and glass balls in beautiful jewel colors. Other ornaments were handmade by our son in his youth, and still others were gifts or were collected during our  travels (like the dinosaur bone ornament from our trip to Dinosaur National Monument). My small greenhouse ornament collection never fails to delight. A batch of gingerbread cookies nourished us while we decorated the tree and strolled down memory lane!

Greenhouse ornament

Another greenhouse ornament

Dancing gingerbread lady

December 21, 2024  ☔

Today is the first day of winter, and the longest day of the year! The rainy season has definitely started here in the San Francisco Bay Area. Last I read, the Northern Sierra snowpack is at 170% and the reservoirs are at a strong level. That is good news (although many of us, who have lived through serious drought in the West, still retain a conservation mindset when using water). It is raining as I write, and more is forecast in the week to come. The short, dark, rainy days are perfect for cozy holiday activities inside, but great to know that the days will start getting longer after today! 

December 24, 2024

Happy Christmas Eve Day! It's been pouring rain all night and hasn't let up this morning. For gardeners in the West and the Bay Area, all this rain is a gift from above! We are hunkered down at our home with no plans to go out unless the rain lets up long enough for a quick constitutional up the hill. Otherwise, we have puzzles, beautiful music, companionship and phone calls, and lots of cooking to keep us occupied. 

A few memories of the season - decorating the tree,
attending a Chanticleer Christmas concert with Aunt Char, and
completing The Inn at Christmas puzzle

Thanksgiving 2024

My first Thanksgiving as a retired person! This year I can really focus on preparing our home and garden for Thanksgiving guests and for the holidays to come (with time left over). In fact, the gift of time is the thing for which I am most grateful in retirement. After decades of squeezing projects, deadlines, and a full life into a constrained time box, it is a pleasure to have time to squander. 

Wild turkey in the neighborhood (photo by Rick Quisenberry)

Some of my favorite gifts of time in this season of life:

• Time to focus on the current project on which I'm working. I can go deep experimenting, learning, and researching (and even go down a rabbit hole or two in the process)!

• Time to pitch in when needed, such as being able to spend extra time in Alaska with family to face the challenges of life together.

• Time and mental bandwidth to assess priorities, projects, and possessions, and to identify what no longer serves me in this new season of life (and what I want instead).

• Time to squander. Yes, there are always activities and chores that have priority and must be done. But there is now more flexible time for life's small pleasures, like reading in the afternoon, trying a new recipe, working in the garden, writing an article, and learning a new skill. 

Hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving celebration, with whatever time is available in this season of your life. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Field Notes for October

Welcome back to Field Notes!

October 1, 2024

Yesterday I flew from Juneau, Alaska to Oakland, California, and the difference in weather is remarkable. Our flight to Seattle was delayed on the Juneau tarmac for several hours, due to a weather system rolling in, with heavy rains and winds. In contrast, Oakland is in the midst of a week-long heat wave. Where Juneau was cold, rainy and foggy, Oakland is hot, dry, and bright. Honestly, I love them both!

Back in Oakland, and we're having an Excessive Heat Warning!

October 3, 2024

I'm back in Oakland, California with my family, and am surviving an Excessive Heat Warning. To beat the heat, we're taking early walks with Dakota the Husky. My son has discovered some neighborhood treats, such as this brightly painted staircase that connects two streets. From the top is a spectacular view of Oakland and San Francisco; the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge; and many points in between.

Sunflower Path between Morpeth and Proctor

Vacant lot with a view on Agnes (Click on the photo to expand it,)

October 6, 2024

Even in the San Francisco Bay Area, where it may seem like we have no seasons, we have fall color. Here is an example of fall color that we spotted on our long morning walks with Dakota the Husky.

 

Fall leaves in the Bay Area

October 9, 2024

What a treat to rediscover our newly finished landscape, after being away for four months. Granted, a few plants need seasonal attention, and a few others definitely look like weeds. For the moment, I am getting reacquainted with the yard and plants in the current cycle of their lives. But soon, we'll meet with the landscaping maintenance crew to learn about the next steps.

Look at all that growth!

October 12, 2024

What an interesting plant! I found it while becoming reacquainted with our new landscape. The iNaturalist app identifies this as Bearded Flatsedge, but I don't recall that from the plant list. Click on the picture to see a closeup of those leaf blades.

Bearded Flatsedge (Cyperus squarrosus)

October 15, 2024

Just finished reading In the Shadow of a Rainbow, by Robert Franklin Leslie (W.W. Norton & Company, 1974). This true story is about Gregory Tah-Kloma (a young Chimmesyan/Tsimshian from British Columbia) and his friendship with Náhani (the strong she-wolf leader of a large pack). Trapper-Dan imperils the pack as he spreads lies about how the wolves have killed livestock and raided traps. This myth fuels an ever-increasing bounty on Náhani's head. Greg strives to protect the pack.

I started reading the book on my plane ride home, and was captivated by the story. I also enjoyed learning the Tsimshian moon names, including:

• January - Big-Sleep-Moon
• February - Moon-of-the-Fallen-Antlers
• March - Moon-of-Meltwater
• April - Moon-of-the-Flowers
• May - Moon-of-Fawns
• June - Moon-of-the-Moose-Child
• July - Moon-of-Walking-Thunder
• August - Sagamore-Council-Moon (meeting of the chiefs)
• September - Moon-of-Painted-Leaves
• October - Fallen-Leaf-Moon
• November - Moon-of-the-Storm-Chief
• December - Moon-of-the-White-Hare 

October 18, 2024

After a little more research—using the landscaper's Plant List, the iNaturalist app, and the internet—my husband and I have pulled quite a few weeds. The new garden already looks so much better without them. While working in the yard, I harvested some of the dried tassels, seed heads, and plant material to create a fall arrangement. For previous projects, see Pampas Grass, Fall Foliage Arrangements, and Fall Foliage Arrangement. I'm not very talented or experienced at it, but it is gratifying to use available material to create a fall arrangement!

Fall arrangement from the landscape

October 23, 2024

How do I like retirement? I'm just finishing my first six months of retirement (according to my research, the first year is the Vacation Phase), and so far, I don’t miss work at all (I do miss the daily interactions with colleagues, but keep in touch via phone calls and text messages). I am so grateful to have had the flexible time that retirement affords to be in Alaska for several months, and am now grateful for the time available for projects, people, and living life. Bottom line - I'm loving retirement!

More time for family and friends (photo by Chris Schuyler)

October 27, 2024

I started a new solar dyeing project, using drupes that I harvested from the Chokecherry (Prunus ilicifolia) in the lower yard. The deep purple berries ripen in the fall. Swarms of small migrating birds periodically descend on the tree and strip it of its drupes, so it an important food source for wildlife. I harvested what I needed from the tree and the ground,  and left plenty of fruit for the birds.

Solar dyeing with Chokecherries - day 1

I'm using two dish towels (WOF is 154 grams/5.4 ounces) that have been scoured, mordanted with oak gallnut extract, and brightened with alum and soda ash. I collected 660 grams (23.28 ounces, about 4 cups) of chokecherry drupes, so the WOF% is 428%. Dyers typically recommend equal weight of fabric and plant material when solar dyeing, so we're well over that. I added three teaspoons of alum and boiling water to the jar to create the dye bath, and plan to steep for two weeks. So far, I'm loving the color!

October 31, 2024 🎃

Halloween in the Hood! Skeletons abound in the neighborhood and make the afternoon walk so much fun. Here are a few for you to enjoy!

Surfer Skeleton and his playful pup

Waking up and ready for fun

Reflections on 2023

Another year comes to an end! Our theme this year has been The Roaring Twenties (for the 21st century). We shook off the dust of COVID-19 (with reasonable caution), and spread our wings to travel and explore further a field than our back yard and San Ramon.

It was a thrill to take some real trips again. Visiting Alaska required getting on a plane for the first time in several years. There we enjoyed seeing beloved family members and fantastic scenery that was just waking up from its winter slumber. Visiting Dinosaur National Monument in Utah and Colorado entailed an 1800-mile road trip across the high desert and back. There we explored dinosaur fossils, petroglyphs (patterns etched in stone) and pictographs (patterns painted with pigment on stone), and the geology, flora, fauna, and history of the region.

Clockwise: Birthday flowers in a pottery vase (by Brad Nebeker)
Travelling and exploring nature, dinosaur bone fossils, and petroglyphs (Utah)
Dyeing fabric with indigo (Indigo tinctoria)
Visiting beautiful gardens in all seasons (Filoli in summer)

Throughout the year we visited gardens, such as the Jensen-Olson Arboretum in spring and Filoli in the heat of summer, and enjoyed nature in all its forms, such as birds, critters, lichen, plants, and trees. Dyeing with indigo was also a thrill - seeing that transformation from emerald green to indigo blue, and trying out resist dyeing techniques from around the world. We also worked with a local landscaping firm and now have a firm plan just waiting to be executed. For fun we learned about the birth flowers of each month and the meaning they convey. Movies, books, and the history of plant hunters in the West added spice to life, along with the pleasure of family and friends!

Christmas in the Bay Area: 2023

The tree is decorated, the wreaths and stockings are hung, the Snow Village is set up, and Christmas music wafts throughout the house. The pantry is filled with ingredients for a feast, and a few goodies have already left the kitchen for parties, potlucks, and cookie exchanges. My Aunt Char and I recently enjoyed Home for the Holidays at the Contra Costa Civic Theatre. The beautiful singing and music was just what we needed! Santa is expected in a few days, and a few presents are already under the tree. 

Each year is a gift!

We're expecting a low-key holiday this year and looking forward to small gatherings, Zoom calls, good eats, and a chance to relax, reflect, and connect. 

Merry Christmas to all!

Thanksgiving 2023

Preparations are in full swing! The turkey is thawing. Pies are partially made and some baked. The two extra turkey drumsticks are roasting and will soon be made into a rich broth for gravy. The table cloth is on the table and ready for decorating and setting. The house is mostly cleaned and straightened, at least in the most visited rooms. I'm looking forward to hosting our Thanksgiving feast!

Fresh cranberry sauce

In the midst of all the preparations, my thoughts go to my far flung family and friends in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Southern California, Arizona, Idaho and beyond, and to all the Thanksgiving feasts of the past. This is a wonderful time of year to reflect on all the many blessings and pleasures of life.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Reflections on 2022

Another year comes to an end! For Eden by the Bay, our theme for 2022 was Homesteading in the City, the perfect follow-on to last year's Back to the Land theme. During those two years, we spent a lot of time at home because of COVID, and used the time to see what our little plot of urban land held for us for projects and observing nature, and then explored homesteaders and how we could make and do for ourselves in our urban lives. We spent a lot of time this year on dyeing and printing different types of fabric in different ways; observing nature; reading books; and making a few more videos (always experimenting in the process).

Half way through 2022, we finally went back to the office part time, started gathering in groups, and resumed visiting favorite parks and environments. So far I'm enjoying going back to the office a couple of days a week, typically on days on which there is a party or gathering of some kind! It is great to see my colleagues again, and flexible schedules help mitigate the increasing traffic.

Clockwise: Outing to Lake Temescal
Rugged northern California coast
Eco-printing on silk scarves
Winter sunset over the San Francisco Bay Area

I'm also getting back into the swing of planning outings and adventures. It's now more of a mind set than an external limitation. I just have to push myself into action! It took a couple of months for me to get around to planning our Mendocino trip - I was just unmotivated and out of practice! I'm so glad we did follow through on the visit (see Mendocino Coast Botanical Garden and Mendocino, Fort Bragg, and the Rugged Coast). It reminded me how much fun my husband and I have exploring Northern California, and how much we love adventures. Now I'm starting to think of some other destinations, like parks and gardens in the Bay Area, and further afield, like Hawaii and Alaska!

Christmas in the Bay Area: 2022

We're in the midst of a "cold snap" here in the San Francisco Bay Area. The temperature is in the 40s at night and in the 50s during the day (but I'm sure the marine air adds a "chill factor" that makes it feel colder). My family members in Alaska just roll their eyes when I speak about how cold it is (their night and day temperatures are in the low teens)! We've had a few good rains recently, so mushrooms are starting to push through the wood chips, and desiccated foliage is plumping up with the extra water. The skies are clear and blue again, with full sun. Perfect Bay Area Christmas weather!

We like to watch a few favorite Christmas movies over the holidays

Surprisingly, I'm caught up with my holiday preparations, so have time to really appreciate holiday activities. We recently had friends over for some "down home" cooking, and are looking forward to seeing my Aunt and cousins for Christmas dinner. Wherever you are, hope you're able to relax and reflect, and to gather with friends and family. Enjoy the traditions that you've developed over the years, and maybe even start some new ones.

Merry Christmas to all!

Thanksgiving 2022

The pumpkin pie is made, so really, what else is needed? A few friends and family, a chilly fall day, and a full heart should take care of the rest. Everything else is just gravy (and turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans, salad, fluffy dinner rolls, and mashed potatoes)!

A time for gratitude

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

A Year of Holidays

When it's time to celebrate a holiday, reach for The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays, by Ree Drummond (HarperCollins Publishers. New York, 2013). This book is packed with delicious recipes, illustrated instructions, and a homey narrative about family and holidays. With the July Fourth celebration close at hand, there is bound to be something delicious to add to the holiday spread!

The cookbook includes twelve chapters, covering the main holidays such as Valentine's Day, Easter, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as important occasions like Mother's' and Father's Day, Cinco de Mayo, Halloween and New Year's Eve. Recipes start with Resolution Smoothies (green, orange and purple) and end with Chocolate Mint Shooters, with everything in between, from Salmon Scrambled Eggs and Buffalo Chicken Bites, to Pasta Salad and Skillet Cornbread. The recipes are scaled for the holidays, so no need to calculate portions for a crowd. The steps are illustrated with beautiful photographs that instruct the new cook and delight the seasoned chef.

Instead of "homesteading in the city", Drummond is a city girl who married a rancher in Oklahoma and became a "homesteader" (sometimes pioneering just means trying something new)! She is a writer, photographer and entrepreneur (www.the pioneerwoman.com). I have really enjoyed learning more about her story in this book, and trying out her recipes. Since the book is all about holidays, I especially appreciated her "Do-Ahead Game Plan" sections, with strategies for starting preparations a day or two ahead of the event. Now, back to the upcoming July Fourth holiday - I've got my eye on a recipe for Key Lime Pie (and already have a three-pound bag of Key limes in the fridge)! 

Reflections on 2021

COVID drags on, but we made some headway in 2021. Many of us have been immunized and received the booster. We're finding ways to get back to theaters, schools, gatherings, and restaurants. We've also realized some of the benefits of moving more of life online - democratizing activities that many would not be able to attend because of age, location, time zone, or accessibility. We're learning to cope.

For Eden by the Bay, our theme for 2021 was Back to the Land. We stayed home for the most part, and used the time to explore what our property has to offer, looking at its role as a wildlife corridor, a source of materials for dye projects, and place to relax and enjoy nature. We added more wood chips to the landscape in our ongoing pursuit to restore and enrich the soil and to encourage wildlife visitors.

Clockwise: Hummingbird feeder
Calendula started from seed (with a friend)
Adventure close to home in Benicia
Solar dyeing with calendula petals

We learned about the plants, shrubs, and trees in our yard, and removed the Chinese Elm that had provided such beautiful dappled shade. We installed some wind chimes, added a hummingbird feeder, and spent a lot of time watching birds visit the water bowls. I continued my amateur movie-making projects, including videos about dyeing with plants, and going "into the landscape":

• Enjoying Winter Moss
• California Scrub Jay

Now it's time to follow nature's lead and "hibernate" for a bit, enjoy the winter rains, and pull out a few inside projects! 

Christmas in the Bay Area: 2021

Countdown to Christmas day! But this year I'm really behind. The decorations are up, but gifts are still waiting to be wrapped and sent. Ingredients have been procured, but my husband has remarked that few tasty treats have been produced. Strangely, I'm enjoying the slower-paced holiday season (Christmas gifts may end up being New Year gifts this year, and waistlines may not suffer as much). Is this fallout from living in the moment? getting older? another year of COVID? Or all of the above?

Hope you enjoy your holidays, whether at a fast-paced sprint or a delicious crawl. My husband and I have a few things planned, with plenty of time for creative projects, rest, and reflection. A Family Zoom call is in order. A week of rain is forecast here in the San Francisco Bay Area, which is great for the garden and a great excuse to pull out a puzzle and pour some eggnog! 

Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving 2021

Time to pause and reflect. The pandemic drags on, change is everywhere, and upheaval abounds, but there is still a lot for which to be grateful!

Enjoy the day, and spend some time appreciating the simple pleasures of life.

Happy Thanksgiving!