tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19352767822868886052024-02-18T17:33:46.855-08:00Rooted in CaliforniaA random blog about gardening, hiking, native plants and other thingsbradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-41959164911181117732013-02-27T11:53:00.000-08:002013-02-27T11:53:09.914-08:00Acorn experiment #2 - PancakesI had some flour from a second batch of valley oak acorns that I had accidentally broiled instead of drying in my broiler. I forgot they were drying under the pilot light and I turned on the oven to cook dinner. Oops. The flour looked good, but I didn't want to serve it to guests just in case. So the other night I decided to try out one of the many acorn pancake recipes I saw on the internet. I finally went with <a href="http://siouxme.com/acorn.html">the recipe for acorn griddle cakes at the bottom of this page</a>, but didn't use any wheat flour, just 100% acorn flour, and I think alot more milk. These things were bone dry. I wonder if the recipe is supposed to be made with the damp, freshly leached acorn meal. They were still pretty dry once I cooked them, so I had to use a lot of butter (no complaints here). But they were delicious. The acorn had a great flavor. Served with salmon and a side salad.<br />
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<br />bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-8316738170694254212012-12-19T18:13:00.004-08:002012-12-29T21:48:39.632-08:00Acorns for dinner!So after I leached and dried my acorn flour I invited some friends over for an experimental dinner. I invited the 2 friends who helped me gather and then another friend stopped by purely by coincidence. I decided to make 2 different dishes with the 2 different acorns. I wanted to compare, though the dishes tasted so different it's hard to say which acorn tasted better.<br />
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With the black oak acorns I decided to make a soup. I found a recipe for <a href="http://honest-food.net/veggie-recipes/acorns-nuts-and-other-wild-starches/acorn-soup/">acorn soup</a> online. As always I changed the recipe a bit, substituting things I didn't have or that didn't sound like what I wanted. I didn't have the pear brandy so I substituted red wine. I also never added the cayenne, sour cream, or parsley.<br />
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With the valley oak acorns I decided to make a scramble, an idea I got from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Flavors-Home-Edible-Francisco/dp/0930588460">Flavors of Home</a> by Margit Roos-Collins. Basically I just sauteed garlic in butter and then added some damp acorn flour, some salt and pepper.<br />
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I paired this with some broiled salmon with a fresh raspberry sauce and some salad made by one of the guests.<br />
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The soup was a bit tangy/sour. The two friends who helped gather preferred the soup since they liked that tangy taste. My other friend and I preferred the scramble. Garlic and butter, how can you go wrong with that? A delicious meal. I just finished another round of valley oak acorns. I have about 2 1/4 cups of flour. I'm thinking of trying some acorn pancakes, before preparing the rest of my acorns for a larger dinner in January. And I still have to sample some Tanoak acorns I collected on Mt. Tam.bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-5782136197006858332012-11-21T20:10:00.000-08:002012-11-23T22:28:26.289-08:00Leaching Acorn MealSo as promised, here's a little more information about leaching the acorns. Acorns have tannins, a lot of tannins. Most acorns have so many tannins that they are not edible without leaching. Some possible problems that I've read they can cause are constipation, stomach upset, nausea or even kidney failure. Yikes. So what to do. You have to leach the tannins out with water.<br />
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First you have to grind or pound the acorns into flour. I used a spice/coffee grinder to do this the first time, and a blender the 2nd. With the blender make sure you don't put too much water or the bits of acorn will spin around without actually being chopped down Then to leach out the tannins there are many options. Native Californians diverted streams over beds in the sand, <a href="http://honest-food.net/2010/01/14/acorn-pasta-and-the-mechanics-of-eating-acorns/">some people boil the acorns changing the water</a>, or pour hot water over it, others pour cold water over the acorn flour, or tie it to a faucet in cheese cloth and let it drip over night.<br />
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I opted for yet another option I found on page 5 of <a href="http://www.californiaoaks.org/ExtAssets/acorns_and_eatem.pdf">Suellen Ocean's "Acorns and Eat 'Em"</a>. I didn't need the flour right away, so I put the acorn flour in a jar and filled it with water. I shook it up and put it in the fridge to let the flour settle out. Once or twice a day I would pour the dark, tannin-filled water off the top, fill the jar with fresh water and put it back in the fridge. I read you need to do this for a week or 2, depending on the type of acorn, until the water gets clearer. After two weeks, the water was definitely lighter, but still pretty dark. So I decided to run some water through it. I lined a strainer with cheese cloth and dumped the acorn meal in. I left a small stream of water pouring out of the faucet to keep the strainer filled with water for a couple hours. Normally you do this overnight, but I had already leached a lot of the tannins out in the jar.<br />
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I learned that cheesecloth is not the best method to do this. A lot of the acorn flour got stuck between the layers of cheesecloth. It was difficult to remove. So round 2 I used a linen dishcloth. Much better. I had no immediate need to use the flour, so I squeezed out as much water as possible, spread it out on a cookie sheet and put it in a warm oven. Stir it occasionally and break up any clumps. When you're sure it's dry you can store it. Many things I read said to store it in the fridge since acorn flour has a lot of oil and can go rancid if stored at room temperature for too long. Others said it's not a problem, but to be safe I stored it in the fridge.<br />
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On my second round there was less flour. After two weeks the water was pretty clear. I put it in the strainer and just filled the strainer a few times until the water ran clear, then dried that flour as well. Now I had some flour to experiment with, which I'll describe in my next post.<br />
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<br />bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-82842855615918665242012-11-14T19:09:00.002-08:002012-11-23T22:28:07.638-08:00Acorns - The HarvestWell it's been a very long time since I last blogged. A little harder to keep up with this when I no longer have a garden. I've been doing a lot of hiking and camping in the last 6 months. Perhaps more on that later. But since it's Fall and Thanksgiving is approaching I thought I'd post about my current attempt to eat acorns for the first time. <br />
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I attempted to harvest some last year, but got to it too late and basically got a small amount of wormy acorns. Not fun. This year I was a lot luckier. I was able to collect acorns from both the California Black Oak (Quercus keloggii) and the Valley Oak (Quercus lobata). *The common names are often used in other regions to refer to different oaks* As you can see from the picture the acorns look very different.<br />
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The black oak acorns are on the left above. They are much smaller and rounder. The valley oak acorns on the right are much longer and bigger. And once they are cracked they are very different as well.<br />
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Just to confuse you all, in the bowls, the shelled valley oak acorns are now on the left and the black oak acorns on the right. The black oak acorns have a very difficult to remove skin. Especially hard with undersized acorns of which I had more than my fair share. I read somewhere to sprinkle them with water, let them dry and then rub the skins off. I had to do this twice, but it definitely helped speed up the process.<br />
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Then into my spice grinder and the flour (which smells really nice) into a jar with some cold water. And into the fridge. You have to leach the tannins out of acorns to make them safe to eat. More on my adventures in leaching the acorn flour in my next post.<br />
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<br />bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-40960643448696264692012-05-22T22:35:00.003-07:002012-05-23T22:39:14.068-07:00Eclipse and blooms in the SierrasSo I went up to the Sierras with some friends to see the annular eclipse this last weekend, and was also pleasantly surprised to see a lot of spring flowers. First some pics of the eclipse and the weird suncircles that would filter through the leaves of the trees.<br />
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And now onto flowers. The dogwoods were in bloom. This one was next to our campsite.<br />
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I've never seen so many fairy lanterns (Calochortus albus) before. They were scattered all along this trail.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hKj-bvMtHQghkRBjm3p_kT0cDts1GO6M_GpurPtWrbs2NaM18r7N9Xck-3zJBTss67kUy1-SjJ6zZxnqkrv3GAK4L4pB1ZyxMBAdQ53FA1Fomi2ir29pzY_DH6MiR_8SLRFV5NAEeRmT/s1600/sierra00002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hKj-bvMtHQghkRBjm3p_kT0cDts1GO6M_GpurPtWrbs2NaM18r7N9Xck-3zJBTss67kUy1-SjJ6zZxnqkrv3GAK4L4pB1ZyxMBAdQ53FA1Fomi2ir29pzY_DH6MiR_8SLRFV5NAEeRmT/s320/sierra00002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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More after the jump.<br />
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I was even able to capture the full life cycle of the flower (albeit on various plants). <br />
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And here's another from the same family, yellow star-tulip (Calochortus monophyllus).<br />
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Here's what I think is sierra checkerbloom (Sidalcea redans) with and without a visitor.<br />
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And I'm a bit rusty, can anyone ID this one? [Edit - Thanks to James at <a href="http://www.soenyun.com/Blog/">Lost in the Landscape</a> for the ID on this one. Looks like a Triteleia, specifically bridgesii]<br />
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<br />bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-68906153917967107442012-02-05T17:40:00.000-08:002012-02-05T17:40:08.437-08:00Angel IslandSo the bizarre weather continues. It being Super Bowl Sunday today, I decided to take advantage and go to Angel Island out on the bay. We caught the <a href="http://www.angelislandferry.com/">ferry from Tiburon.</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkt0iWrArL4QXrQPxFIwiNZBzgc9YyCgOewA9-q7_m-bYSaeoaU2-O7U-YALRBlxe8xbxkTRUvDytQQaTcww5QoADdX2d2Y3W7aXgVvdw3HVlYh62PMqWQbVrLCFNta24CR7VuHk3B7GYf/s1600/angel24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkt0iWrArL4QXrQPxFIwiNZBzgc9YyCgOewA9-q7_m-bYSaeoaU2-O7U-YALRBlxe8xbxkTRUvDytQQaTcww5QoADdX2d2Y3W7aXgVvdw3HVlYh62PMqWQbVrLCFNta24CR7VuHk3B7GYf/s320/angel24.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Had some great views of the Golden Gate Bridge on the ride over, and from the island itself.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SwicZOHKqXmCWdULXll7jPC83d786fGZPtJSF3M37elC4JF4caRvguq4rxwi4LD7a0MW93oHziU2ThBISbUQfXP7qKweU0i9scHLn98HU4j7P6wvsnfbGGFwlyzGnK5ItqmqB6Q_wL3a/s1600/angel27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SwicZOHKqXmCWdULXll7jPC83d786fGZPtJSF3M37elC4JF4caRvguq4rxwi4LD7a0MW93oHziU2ThBISbUQfXP7qKweU0i9scHLn98HU4j7P6wvsnfbGGFwlyzGnK5ItqmqB6Q_wL3a/s320/angel27.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Hiked up the North Ridge trail to the top of Mt. Livermore, the highest spot on the island. Saw a lot of California hazelnut (Corylus cornuta) with long dripping catkins along the way.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBPxsTu26U_eiNL0qYdvcwMBHKPkbvCF6gV-_sSMsbcoT_0WrjjWNg8_q0aYrLu4iwNok1tnOMyVkC20bw0wTVx392K7_KbvdqBPbh9AdkOvuuG0qoglcM9EeKLyi1CAB7pHsrppN2bvR/s1600/angel28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBPxsTu26U_eiNL0qYdvcwMBHKPkbvCF6gV-_sSMsbcoT_0WrjjWNg8_q0aYrLu4iwNok1tnOMyVkC20bw0wTVx392K7_KbvdqBPbh9AdkOvuuG0qoglcM9EeKLyi1CAB7pHsrppN2bvR/s320/angel28.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>And fields and fields of Star Lily, or Death Camas (Zigadenus fremontii) Most haven't bloomed yet, but quite a few have.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSxz2M_jbzT-UtI5jRPDWl2pAnC_bUsqQYD3asXv1h3TW4x7AdBtdRHzV5KHkM3UkFEUJNszT_PQwJXf1clxBU9TkGLjo7GI4w-virE0DbeJfA0dQmLnaD9FjwUPLbYw20DRhM4bmsVxZ/s1600/angel35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSxz2M_jbzT-UtI5jRPDWl2pAnC_bUsqQYD3asXv1h3TW4x7AdBtdRHzV5KHkM3UkFEUJNszT_PQwJXf1clxBU9TkGLjo7GI4w-virE0DbeJfA0dQmLnaD9FjwUPLbYw20DRhM4bmsVxZ/s320/angel35.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Although there were some signs of <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/12/BAVT13G0AJ.DTL">the fire in 2008</a>, which <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/13/BASR13G48J.DTL">apparently burnt about half the island</a>, the island seemed really green to me. The north side of the island is still heavily forested and there were quite a few big oaks and other trees in other parts of the island.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8McrpreIDGIktPslZQMNw-OapQmOetOzAT7tb1PeAnyqcngFZhpTxWdzpQ9xM_m_UoJy5S_EfgarVljGZWNYzsRuwRu3A-6EYbR8RWKoerE02-Bf3KM_EgxronDomEyZ-m4qY_1egpYnv/s1600/angel32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8McrpreIDGIktPslZQMNw-OapQmOetOzAT7tb1PeAnyqcngFZhpTxWdzpQ9xM_m_UoJy5S_EfgarVljGZWNYzsRuwRu3A-6EYbR8RWKoerE02-Bf3KM_EgxronDomEyZ-m4qY_1egpYnv/s320/angel32.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>We saw one deer, several hawks and vultures, and not too many people. A really spectacular day. In the 60s, sunny, almost no wind and great views. All at the beginning of February.bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-12389025585016622172012-01-14T12:06:00.000-08:002012-01-14T12:06:23.351-08:00Volunteer sunflower in JanuarySo in case you haven't stuck your head outside, or don't live in the western region of North America, the weather has been unseasonably warm and dry. So warm and dry in fact that my neighbors yard has a volunteer sunflower! Not the mightiest of sunflowers, only about 2 1/2 feet tall, and already looking worse than in this photo from a couple days ago, but still, very strange. The weather is finally supposed to start to cool, and rain is forecast for the middle of next week, so I'm off to the local pool to enjoy it while I can.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Z8SETrpJqoCfd0UaR3Dz3cgoLgliinOuu48Bvgkyv71nabe-ista5Jx9YHrfuWtMjXcLy5UuBr5IrOaAKGGRufDnHqlK9vxvOcbeDty08z0AWzpW_Scm67cdQ2WG0bbPikRM4mROtzac/s1600/sunflower1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Z8SETrpJqoCfd0UaR3Dz3cgoLgliinOuu48Bvgkyv71nabe-ista5Jx9YHrfuWtMjXcLy5UuBr5IrOaAKGGRufDnHqlK9vxvOcbeDty08z0AWzpW_Scm67cdQ2WG0bbPikRM4mROtzac/s320/sunflower1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-31131608434762431792011-12-23T09:33:00.000-08:002011-12-23T09:33:46.416-08:00Happy Solstice, Christmas, Holidays and New YearI went to a solstice celebration in Muir Woods 2 days ago. They opened most of the main grove for free from 3-8pm. Music, carolers, children running around with flashlights. It was good fun. And they lined the path with luminaria, something I know more from my time in Arizona. A great way to guide people through the trees without the need of flashlight. But as you can see, it's really dark under redwoods at night.<br />
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I've had a very busy 2011 and have not been blogging, but will be back in 2012. A very merry season to you all. And from here on out the days just get longer. bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-7134711961902308192011-04-15T10:29:00.000-07:002011-04-15T10:29:33.160-07:00Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - April 2011The tax day addition. Fortunately for my procrastinating self, taxes aren't due till Monday, and my first appt was a no-show, so I have time to blog a bit.<br />
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On my little patio/potted garden I have a couple things blooming, the first four Ca natives. The biggest surprise were my western bleeding hearts (Dicentra formosa). They die back completely in the dry season, and I mean completely. I was a little afraid they wouldn't come back, but a couple of weeks ago they started leafing out and today, blooming beautifully.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihElCGFaIBckADh3udTG106WZvSKh_6QbrGkMOKXevkUNDYGCTQtMghmMwozxX4FiSaQ7rv1AAtbaw0pqx4-UedJoyD1BoToxmxRIaWep2_FIF2NzbC7b0cZqqu0114srIyIe81wMNEs4s/s1600/gbbd1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihElCGFaIBckADh3udTG106WZvSKh_6QbrGkMOKXevkUNDYGCTQtMghmMwozxX4FiSaQ7rv1AAtbaw0pqx4-UedJoyD1BoToxmxRIaWep2_FIF2NzbC7b0cZqqu0114srIyIe81wMNEs4s/s320/gbbd1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XpH1A-BLMJdxKTsBJ7MpOfSaOrSfqSw9ipkXrowGrHmJ5jEXNgW_kfDZOxfB3vVzuiOXODxzHmnp6Ab-5608ci2pQSGgZynd2iOiOIJ5oEgP-6h1NN5rfqco7QGs8zsPnXj0DPaocqeI/s1600/gbbd4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XpH1A-BLMJdxKTsBJ7MpOfSaOrSfqSw9ipkXrowGrHmJ5jEXNgW_kfDZOxfB3vVzuiOXODxzHmnp6Ab-5608ci2pQSGgZynd2iOiOIJ5oEgP-6h1NN5rfqco7QGs8zsPnXj0DPaocqeI/s320/gbbd4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>My redwood sorrel (Oxalis oregana) has been green continuously, but just started flowering for the first time in almost a year. I like the second pic. I looks like the one flower is incredibly shy.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEtehx5g1DBUeSEWs3VwyokwfB29D_SGB4Gt1FYCe9rlULdTOwhPY8rGVgBMD0YkSythJMCbUls0LbQ0NXldc6cyxBe8y5QHmaoDJ43bABEbG9CH2Md2OQ9wz4di-HRnE46d-XwyWlijQ/s1600/gbbd7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEtehx5g1DBUeSEWs3VwyokwfB29D_SGB4Gt1FYCe9rlULdTOwhPY8rGVgBMD0YkSythJMCbUls0LbQ0NXldc6cyxBe8y5QHmaoDJ43bABEbG9CH2Md2OQ9wz4di-HRnE46d-XwyWlijQ/s320/gbbd7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid345XxJldUq8oK82qYvz9OmllK5oNs0bA9pwqh0a_mWnlgT3LKNqLTBxxPx4RqwSWlC9BlYS0r3yWpLePKGdArMLUHnGnFXon_Kj8sn9x-FrMvC2aRCSuFc-jTa1sgJYKNHSOxleELQsW/s1600/gbbd6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid345XxJldUq8oK82qYvz9OmllK5oNs0bA9pwqh0a_mWnlgT3LKNqLTBxxPx4RqwSWlC9BlYS0r3yWpLePKGdArMLUHnGnFXon_Kj8sn9x-FrMvC2aRCSuFc-jTa1sgJYKNHSOxleELQsW/s320/gbbd6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The columbine (Aquilegia formosa) has also just started to flower. It's also covered in these monstrous giant bugs. Well they look that way with my macro lens. Way to go macro lens. Boo to the bugs. They were actually pretty small, and have now met their doom.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUEfaTuF_mnkkpRdutaJa_R4NbOX34BcbswL0SZ5Lf1mFyhr0f6-ZxPdEW9efrvFSieKcZQBoJwIO6TwrsZPv5kZhWaUYAl7tSocAu9BnAoJVsKk0BY8q0zTKlmOc9xhHP-jeVN1ckKim/s1600/gbbd9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBUEfaTuF_mnkkpRdutaJa_R4NbOX34BcbswL0SZ5Lf1mFyhr0f6-ZxPdEW9efrvFSieKcZQBoJwIO6TwrsZPv5kZhWaUYAl7tSocAu9BnAoJVsKk0BY8q0zTKlmOc9xhHP-jeVN1ckKim/s320/gbbd9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTLiEKdQKAejwZGzx75rJbReiIlIX00R9F5Hygi8dyHqSrFnYGdyOu3N3zYyZ4YntKYkLxK5s7DpB1oUCz_XOn4VgnlSaPDt2h8_9_LAi1riL5NNVs_eOIP20v5W7xoK3Z0OtGxqatJcP/s1600/gbbd10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTLiEKdQKAejwZGzx75rJbReiIlIX00R9F5Hygi8dyHqSrFnYGdyOu3N3zYyZ4YntKYkLxK5s7DpB1oUCz_XOn4VgnlSaPDt2h8_9_LAi1riL5NNVs_eOIP20v5W7xoK3Z0OtGxqatJcP/s320/gbbd10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The last of the Ribes sanguineum glutinosum. It was actual beautiful last bloom day, but I wasn't around to blog about it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoviQVprnEoNeeGhze8pNEeHkmfC1JQO12FVkfoGdCC9i-EQFAl_pTo6dMFp4YF0GetFwMDicDLuHe6sJwo8Ly_5d3D-DRbPnfabnEl29ITSoVlFIpTn-j-mIifRZNvI3Xd7QpK_7SjjIX/s1600/gbbd17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoviQVprnEoNeeGhze8pNEeHkmfC1JQO12FVkfoGdCC9i-EQFAl_pTo6dMFp4YF0GetFwMDicDLuHe6sJwo8Ly_5d3D-DRbPnfabnEl29ITSoVlFIpTn-j-mIifRZNvI3Xd7QpK_7SjjIX/s320/gbbd17.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V1XgnlmXffM3PNyGP_yt5WSogQNhLmNK2XA9orRKQLTKZLMyb79lVx01EppVPn1FU1YgMhpFjFWNkXwglXR_3_GdghHgjnmWX7j_NYtseLEEuDy-Wxl0FkZvZE-WwAmouFq-smLP_J6h/s1600/gbbd19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8V1XgnlmXffM3PNyGP_yt5WSogQNhLmNK2XA9orRKQLTKZLMyb79lVx01EppVPn1FU1YgMhpFjFWNkXwglXR_3_GdghHgjnmWX7j_NYtseLEEuDy-Wxl0FkZvZE-WwAmouFq-smLP_J6h/s320/gbbd19.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>And this volunteer oxalis in one of my pots.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDmjZ7zbVeA5sJ5uGY66PCIYVzKBiVVOMiVePM64UzcQhnsLrj2u-b8kndQMMJfqkj2YGoIvT44MAtNci-fSpHth_GJa8xmLPOWymSZEfNiSHFaY4du-QPA7syj43ZhAfculEsbET_BlY/s1600/gbbd20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDmjZ7zbVeA5sJ5uGY66PCIYVzKBiVVOMiVePM64UzcQhnsLrj2u-b8kndQMMJfqkj2YGoIvT44MAtNci-fSpHth_GJa8xmLPOWymSZEfNiSHFaY4du-QPA7syj43ZhAfculEsbET_BlY/s320/gbbd20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Happy bloom day, and thanks as always to <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/">Carol at May Dreams Garden</a> for hosting <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/2011/04/garden-bloggers-bloom-day-april-2011.html">bloom day</a>.bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-56332884977628514512011-04-10T20:10:00.000-07:002011-04-10T20:10:50.366-07:00Hiking in Redwood Regional Park - 1 New, 1 OldSo my blog is now 2 years old, as of a couple days ago. I'm mildly proud of that, even though I haven't been blogging as much as I would like to. Completely unrelated, this year I've been trying to see parts of the Bay Area that I haven't seen before. This can be exploring a new park, new hot springs, a new restaurant, or something as simple as hiking unfamiliar trails in a familiar park. This post is a conglomeration of photos from hikes I did about in Redwood Park about 3 weeks ago. The first, hiking out of the serpentine prairie (new) and the second leaving from Skyline Gate(old). <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCLRKsRNFyk5JPXsID3bUE2_z1_o_q9owUDBEb4VX5xy8Oftv0dAcNOZHT6LNcZOJzdjhxzHVqTO5xnS0vO1W8GErLXkBVVoKJD1th8Qhaeaneq1fE1NqtkPOdMQ0lXsHtcw2GnPws_bj/s1600/dunn10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCLRKsRNFyk5JPXsID3bUE2_z1_o_q9owUDBEb4VX5xy8Oftv0dAcNOZHT6LNcZOJzdjhxzHVqTO5xnS0vO1W8GErLXkBVVoKJD1th8Qhaeaneq1fE1NqtkPOdMQ0lXsHtcw2GnPws_bj/s320/dunn10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>For the first hike I went up to the Serpentine Prairie (<a href="http://rootedincalifornia.blogspot.com/2010/05/skyline-serpentine-prairie.html">see my previous post about this area here</a>) and then went out the Dunn trail and back on the Golden Spike trail for a short loop.<br />
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The first blue dicks were out, as were some tiny insects. Are they flies, tiny bees? <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXE7heQTJnRC5Z39gML2DfkVbWY-zctTblWnFu0JtFQpdIg49LD14DR16TYm3RRFGNLKqv_UtkCmrlSwxCvER_Cz1X5NlzDqxbkEXpBXCvp2qK9UOaA0kuYaCt9zdjSzbw3zGQ7JAnlpbe/s1600/dunn1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXE7heQTJnRC5Z39gML2DfkVbWY-zctTblWnFu0JtFQpdIg49LD14DR16TYm3RRFGNLKqv_UtkCmrlSwxCvER_Cz1X5NlzDqxbkEXpBXCvp2qK9UOaA0kuYaCt9zdjSzbw3zGQ7JAnlpbe/s320/dunn1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>A field of common star lilies (Zigadenus fremontii).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFoQAXz3-1zP-1uISu2mcy-c74PbRc7lrhZ3aXFVvkw8qDxz4i_YW0MrFL-nPvkA3vgf7vo9o6CbndmifKxESbQcKfDEKg8FyevQt9bfiGB5hBhKydKrrNK-3mycUC0gbC876TmDC2qRT/s1600/dunn2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFoQAXz3-1zP-1uISu2mcy-c74PbRc7lrhZ3aXFVvkw8qDxz4i_YW0MrFL-nPvkA3vgf7vo9o6CbndmifKxESbQcKfDEKg8FyevQt9bfiGB5hBhKydKrrNK-3mycUC0gbC876TmDC2qRT/s200/dunn2.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZGwP-WjA_axd-fCs0h70Z9UDzaF1i8dzuzXYk3tRJfS1WghspagZVFUwqUwGPK5EAD0tn1VvzyF23Oajp3bozh5E1FVj88gG2ULk7IQ-csK42iui_rRXHPsvSbmdRoXvTUficNV79G4b/s1600/dunn4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZGwP-WjA_axd-fCs0h70Z9UDzaF1i8dzuzXYk3tRJfS1WghspagZVFUwqUwGPK5EAD0tn1VvzyF23Oajp3bozh5E1FVj88gG2ULk7IQ-csK42iui_rRXHPsvSbmdRoXvTUficNV79G4b/s200/dunn4.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> And does anyone know what this is? It looks like red asparagus. It was growing in some shade under oaks I believe.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJzK0vdu-2fuKn9dii7WQ5_xIW8IlEOFhT8O3WD-kkAuOVNhaToJWl7-udXM_55nH8eLlZLmMVWN9yYJE4aeFyevPXE_5Z43k7q1plL0ePEC7xgSoNBma8Q7yJv59LiNuS3GyB7s34uc5/s1600/dunn7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJzK0vdu-2fuKn9dii7WQ5_xIW8IlEOFhT8O3WD-kkAuOVNhaToJWl7-udXM_55nH8eLlZLmMVWN9yYJE4aeFyevPXE_5Z43k7q1plL0ePEC7xgSoNBma8Q7yJv59LiNuS3GyB7s34uc5/s200/dunn7.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqiumfgWiWDNj4lP19ZA6CUuz5-3EFMMYz4wU1doHowqla47lf4nrGXxf3sIgegLQgL81mDxCBYy7CieJ9VeS8AOD-3y8WqmuYrEHe_dMLOkzmOUrFWfJYF3dQBV4vdAkPlEIPYUJZF9_L/s1600/dunn8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqiumfgWiWDNj4lP19ZA6CUuz5-3EFMMYz4wU1doHowqla47lf4nrGXxf3sIgegLQgL81mDxCBYy7CieJ9VeS8AOD-3y8WqmuYrEHe_dMLOkzmOUrFWfJYF3dQBV4vdAkPlEIPYUJZF9_L/s200/dunn8.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> Find the other hike after the jump.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The second hike started out at the Skyline Gate. We hiked out along the West Ridge trail and then down Chown trail to French trail, following that at least most of the way back. This made for about 6-7 mi loop. If you've never hiked the Chown, French and other trails between West ridge and Stream trails, I highly recommend it. They are not used very much so you won't see too many people even on weekends, and you get to hike under a canopy of redwoods and bay laurel, with occasional bursts of madrones. They are some of my favorite trails here in the East Bay.<br />
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On this day we were lucky to see several western leatherwoods (Dirca occidentalis) all in flower and all in a big clump. I say lucky because these plants are endemic to the Bay Area, and, I think, really beautiful when flowering.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8ercbq-9i4zl6Id4jm5axklgzYkzk-ls2o9sJRuDU6W12XgDPqo8WfpdDvcOooqYOYzCG4ZhK_VQRnxohuxo9zTjLPDChw91TDfKZMcSuQ2yaRLul9LJbeKwkKyQRV1y_LVny-Ti0BLL/s1600/briones3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8ercbq-9i4zl6Id4jm5axklgzYkzk-ls2o9sJRuDU6W12XgDPqo8WfpdDvcOooqYOYzCG4ZhK_VQRnxohuxo9zTjLPDChw91TDfKZMcSuQ2yaRLul9LJbeKwkKyQRV1y_LVny-Ti0BLL/s320/briones3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>We also got to see hundreds and hundreds of Trillium ovatum. (For more about these plants checkout <a href="http://curbstonevalley.com/blog/?p=1501">Curbstone Valley's post</a>) And I'm not kidding about the hundreds. We passed at least a dozen patches. My friend and I stopped to count one average patch and counted at least 40. It was very cool hiking in the cool, dark of the redwoods and seeing small fields of these guys popping out of the duff.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Cc-g9oBZ_PYqaXtp5NUXpJe2onVARtIN3JHZSD1KgcDjUK4v3u48i8bE_tsMTrd9gKkY-xqaTyFRUPCPlYytMKLZWQFTmkCeXEMUjSld7lxcesKoVyqLdfSZYOm-_w4a4hiE7rMi6VVA/s1600/trillir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Cc-g9oBZ_PYqaXtp5NUXpJe2onVARtIN3JHZSD1KgcDjUK4v3u48i8bE_tsMTrd9gKkY-xqaTyFRUPCPlYytMKLZWQFTmkCeXEMUjSld7lxcesKoVyqLdfSZYOm-_w4a4hiE7rMi6VVA/s320/trillir.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOHH-QPTwfoy7uKY1kKYUHgsYX7Vu00UYxmLXi30meSfd9lWr7B9nTb1M8Yvbqw8KHXGN8oH5KTUSs4MVrCEPrEvgMVdT3kkdfQi7NzaX5cJNYdXvByTNAUYmxJDqMMF1mGuczuXXbUdi/s1600/trillr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOHH-QPTwfoy7uKY1kKYUHgsYX7Vu00UYxmLXi30meSfd9lWr7B9nTb1M8Yvbqw8KHXGN8oH5KTUSs4MVrCEPrEvgMVdT3kkdfQi7NzaX5cJNYdXvByTNAUYmxJDqMMF1mGuczuXXbUdi/s320/trillr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-jUnMk_IYoZA6qFqZs6_H_PJcyHa35NR49IIx4wWV_kl8LZIhLaqYoY7T5KXFBPnwjQX_rwYTrV63DnTUaNmCzu5IP6NO0fFuwUUAVdT54ejmY63O33sPUzFvq-OOTDknEISX_-eR3N1/s1600/trillium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-jUnMk_IYoZA6qFqZs6_H_PJcyHa35NR49IIx4wWV_kl8LZIhLaqYoY7T5KXFBPnwjQX_rwYTrV63DnTUaNmCzu5IP6NO0fFuwUUAVdT54ejmY63O33sPUzFvq-OOTDknEISX_-eR3N1/s320/trillium2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Many of the madrones were blooming as well. I might have mentioned this in another post, but the blooms are edible. I don't recommend making a meal of them, though they do make a nice little trail taste. The flowers are kind of papery and they have a very sweet taste, perhaps from the nectar inside. Some are sweeter than others, so if you don't like your first ones try a different tree.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDWNbDO7ZF_sZurFrFhLkdxlar9pURJoOtZY4CsJ5IVaGovzxJX7ghflM_FzlThsuI-krA9HBCeuVXZXaIXYcseOuLPDOBXR7TenGTGTewUew11WkUUxrfmORvoAnLDzjIkP2TXauNFtf/s1600/briones1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDWNbDO7ZF_sZurFrFhLkdxlar9pURJoOtZY4CsJ5IVaGovzxJX7ghflM_FzlThsuI-krA9HBCeuVXZXaIXYcseOuLPDOBXR7TenGTGTewUew11WkUUxrfmORvoAnLDzjIkP2TXauNFtf/s320/briones1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-5322344845222097572011-03-19T14:19:00.000-07:002011-03-19T14:19:21.328-07:00Alien life forms at Huckleberry Regional PreserveI went to Huckleberry a couple of weeks in search of Ribes sanguineum blossoms. I found that and quite a bit more. One of the storms seemed to have knocked a tree over at the beginning of the trail. But I saw some people coming up that part of the trail so I went on down. Shhh, don't tell. I think it was only for liability reasons anyway.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYIK1lFoDVay8Q52ZSfuoDuiIg0pwQ42ui9Yhcyoo7kD1XIGUJJflwjGcLQ7bgvFmfbFql28W3fwzAyZbyXCuovNWiunzhTHzwY0T-faV8VZf-i_SwiJdV4K_rd_kvosBU-EMOSOIfTyl3/s1600/ahuck56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYIK1lFoDVay8Q52ZSfuoDuiIg0pwQ42ui9Yhcyoo7kD1XIGUJJflwjGcLQ7bgvFmfbFql28W3fwzAyZbyXCuovNWiunzhTHzwY0T-faV8VZf-i_SwiJdV4K_rd_kvosBU-EMOSOIfTyl3/s200/ahuck56.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMkqpBX0HX-qZhG43VjxZjSTJoJo9UVtCy31x9EEZ7YnIKm3mh-i0jTvQN193yqN3iushCcVWxdxlv94HJpujwf2e1CS0XD1HwhjYOfx1VM3I6Wmtm06z4Gto5OTBbFkrlWG2S8moVV-x/s1600/ahuck59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMkqpBX0HX-qZhG43VjxZjSTJoJo9UVtCy31x9EEZ7YnIKm3mh-i0jTvQN193yqN3iushCcVWxdxlv94HJpujwf2e1CS0XD1HwhjYOfx1VM3I6Wmtm06z4Gto5OTBbFkrlWG2S8moVV-x/s200/ahuck59.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> The ferns were emerging from their dry season slumber.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQvp6uhpomO_nrjt7uZROq9qo8BApcIxuPaKostY3SEvqYxZeuEvGTlf23lxJn5Ft6ORhvLCr6_8E1MDiT1MwSQj1YxKCcUZn_ze-w2EjmLkWpJAQoQW2vnYDkCiqEUZsGmlQEtVgGnke/s1600/ahuck27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQvp6uhpomO_nrjt7uZROq9qo8BApcIxuPaKostY3SEvqYxZeuEvGTlf23lxJn5Ft6ORhvLCr6_8E1MDiT1MwSQj1YxKCcUZn_ze-w2EjmLkWpJAQoQW2vnYDkCiqEUZsGmlQEtVgGnke/s320/ahuck27.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdxtL5g0YQ1RHZhOx2CQNU2Ng-ii6mK5U4k7YmpBbrIIux4OpCLWAB6Ajr0reqjlKrccCYBDb98YPy2pnIGPwy1qYhCAJus4AmtE-jiF69sKyBbhCmQ3phaNtx4uevRL9Tv1ZXhelJpCx/s1600/ahuck26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdxtL5g0YQ1RHZhOx2CQNU2Ng-ii6mK5U4k7YmpBbrIIux4OpCLWAB6Ajr0reqjlKrccCYBDb98YPy2pnIGPwy1qYhCAJus4AmtE-jiF69sKyBbhCmQ3phaNtx4uevRL9Tv1ZXhelJpCx/s320/ahuck26.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
These weird shapes were on the madrone trunks.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Po8toKqupQ2XM47-SKnxUtRNz3r9tRkaP9GDg9sxLckRW6oxH_AFJlyvvHKrvqrKvyskH3fpgxO74MOsrmivPS-RIW0r7C0L6ZqApQxA0dfDoOty0Y2UcwXdinDMVLd3SZbaMWAyN-Xu/s1600/ahuck38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Po8toKqupQ2XM47-SKnxUtRNz3r9tRkaP9GDg9sxLckRW6oxH_AFJlyvvHKrvqrKvyskH3fpgxO74MOsrmivPS-RIW0r7C0L6ZqApQxA0dfDoOty0Y2UcwXdinDMVLd3SZbaMWAyN-Xu/s320/ahuck38.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HSH8_ilT8gWUXqlTvPD4s6Pi70pSSqusoWy-6wLgt0G_7NTHqgG_LZpsfHeCkAM6WrhTTgBwsyIk_0VBsVxDk_Y_hWb8zSb353LeqB49TtksXUNaX_Z3US7EKLi6Qas7yV4PLiE0VqT8/s1600/ahuck37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HSH8_ilT8gWUXqlTvPD4s6Pi70pSSqusoWy-6wLgt0G_7NTHqgG_LZpsfHeCkAM6WrhTTgBwsyIk_0VBsVxDk_Y_hWb8zSb353LeqB49TtksXUNaX_Z3US7EKLi6Qas7yV4PLiE0VqT8/s320/ahuck37.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIRjs78hrcw0yMoD4ZBtaD0HuR6ggZy2cQg-tJcS8mL_qm6WGJZnKOty0w6t8f_CZXCYAs9KB7chZHG4bI5D7Jvf2PWsP7BJmBrwiHt3nAK6w_whDSPgL-JoRcKxo5sRYU1Fkn4Ey4e4e/s1600/ahuck36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIRjs78hrcw0yMoD4ZBtaD0HuR6ggZy2cQg-tJcS8mL_qm6WGJZnKOty0w6t8f_CZXCYAs9KB7chZHG4bI5D7Jvf2PWsP7BJmBrwiHt3nAK6w_whDSPgL-JoRcKxo5sRYU1Fkn4Ey4e4e/s320/ahuck36.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> More after the jump...<br />
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The hazelnuts putting out their catkins. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9L-wTydF0aCYgW_WgTnw5RtBAyfFQt7vWuekprGD7Pp9AeMDJpdh1o-v1cJELIoVkiPGSZQQbC5Q3K_7Bjn5kVyHTfcikLjT2l1c80XhVYY-qMSx6KBlSjs2sHVTgrvL5Q8UolP2B6Xx/s1600/ahuck33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9L-wTydF0aCYgW_WgTnw5RtBAyfFQt7vWuekprGD7Pp9AeMDJpdh1o-v1cJELIoVkiPGSZQQbC5Q3K_7Bjn5kVyHTfcikLjT2l1c80XhVYY-qMSx6KBlSjs2sHVTgrvL5Q8UolP2B6Xx/s320/ahuck33.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>A couple of bright mushrooms under the duff.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPkGayC9Ks2O1iFLXfWQx-dsNN3lRgSiULlLf5ZHaxLRnVBmn8CfNxDLO3TRqWyee95lSkM3HSpooI1lIh0BrnGZxz0EkaZLNEtzfN_zpjm_lIBGEkE2QaRRhxPHxgm6pAmAjZGL_ILXW9/s1600/ahuck9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPkGayC9Ks2O1iFLXfWQx-dsNN3lRgSiULlLf5ZHaxLRnVBmn8CfNxDLO3TRqWyee95lSkM3HSpooI1lIh0BrnGZxz0EkaZLNEtzfN_zpjm_lIBGEkE2QaRRhxPHxgm6pAmAjZGL_ILXW9/s320/ahuck9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQDOn_wCSz_GqzKCqlLbo-hr3F82BMCo_Dpa68PKGwk1v8EmGID5hmj7jpTdftSTwOClThyg0HV5B90D_6Ji5nzcEWE1ZG1vmNqfTxU010XxE8SsVW7WwR1R2KIS4mLvhBT2KTba3f8Gs/s1600/ahuck10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBQDOn_wCSz_GqzKCqlLbo-hr3F82BMCo_Dpa68PKGwk1v8EmGID5hmj7jpTdftSTwOClThyg0HV5B90D_6Ji5nzcEWE1ZG1vmNqfTxU010XxE8SsVW7WwR1R2KIS4mLvhBT2KTba3f8Gs/s320/ahuck10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6k-Eg67B3kidbai_skPbYUCZafKAdz9Rvd_hGR9_efgKN-XgysRAKIUBONz2jnU0Ls8Z2ATxf-HCevPaiFoBWYwoRks_KsCWSerHRDWi5pyMWMgBm66vCqbwobjLfmjn_qMPpF2Cq7eHj/s1600/ahuck19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6k-Eg67B3kidbai_skPbYUCZafKAdz9Rvd_hGR9_efgKN-XgysRAKIUBONz2jnU0Ls8Z2ATxf-HCevPaiFoBWYwoRks_KsCWSerHRDWi5pyMWMgBm66vCqbwobjLfmjn_qMPpF2Cq7eHj/s320/ahuck19.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>A very angry bumblebee visiting manzanita blooms. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcyWBoTO6RdB8T6Jtbw2aIXnSMJLO4e-vTPnmpFeqVfqzLgj_HUGk7_QAru6pLyj46J3TpxegOv_b9nBj4oi3ZHIbX-nETp-yt1pvt000dymyx_DDicIZMV_ME-tM4gnGUTRSHMYNybEx/s1600/ahuck53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXcyWBoTO6RdB8T6Jtbw2aIXnSMJLO4e-vTPnmpFeqVfqzLgj_HUGk7_QAru6pLyj46J3TpxegOv_b9nBj4oi3ZHIbX-nETp-yt1pvt000dymyx_DDicIZMV_ME-tM4gnGUTRSHMYNybEx/s320/ahuck53.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>And of course the Ribes I was looking for.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifT_lJN1C8hhfGyXuJrXoLHC9GpjEKR8zY7iznjSEU862plAENVG2_9hCQzeCbCdp3_pYGBmsi38GQZhMcQq2p0W5o_zUwjpW1HuoeqBq_ztrPGuVqQZ3lbGA8XjEvhnZEO3bB0orVOw88/s1600/ahuck5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifT_lJN1C8hhfGyXuJrXoLHC9GpjEKR8zY7iznjSEU862plAENVG2_9hCQzeCbCdp3_pYGBmsi38GQZhMcQq2p0W5o_zUwjpW1HuoeqBq_ztrPGuVqQZ3lbGA8XjEvhnZEO3bB0orVOw88/s320/ahuck5.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxokUS9FPfLFadPxzzmkcJyYD1kJ7F8Wm6kKWZ-NUPXT7ZG3D472Y_x73H76tbEl0TVMXMdWeVUt49cgoN8MjjSmFHU5md4n1_oeRh_4noAe-LoC2xbBPw0FRuqZseL05uXcFoGN5sh-A/s1600/ahuck29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFxokUS9FPfLFadPxzzmkcJyYD1kJ7F8Wm6kKWZ-NUPXT7ZG3D472Y_x73H76tbEl0TVMXMdWeVUt49cgoN8MjjSmFHU5md4n1_oeRh_4noAe-LoC2xbBPw0FRuqZseL05uXcFoGN5sh-A/s320/ahuck29.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-49003240027011433312011-03-11T21:31:00.000-08:002011-03-11T21:31:08.952-08:00Catch up - Photos of Mt. Diablo with Snow and Roasting the Bay NutsA few days after my aborted attempt to see snow on Mt. Diablo, I went out to Walnut Creek to do some work. Luckily my friend was driving. He was even nice enough to pull over, but strangely the best pics were just taken through the windshield while moving.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-ADx6l63tZr4jY4Xq_wl7orIEhCr-fiLdWnPuDGYE9apmc3UVDyA3mptbNoHCvgBdUTbffgfUn9vhFjrogBd_XwvSljeRy1VQxgKY-wPQ76X0ZGpZ-U7QvfRERBzwQn36KvHtbs_x2bB/s1600/a1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib-ADx6l63tZr4jY4Xq_wl7orIEhCr-fiLdWnPuDGYE9apmc3UVDyA3mptbNoHCvgBdUTbffgfUn9vhFjrogBd_XwvSljeRy1VQxgKY-wPQ76X0ZGpZ-U7QvfRERBzwQn36KvHtbs_x2bB/s320/a1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhesp3f5U3jJbA4_kGjAhN_wwHgomXW6-0ws8HJR6ToZKqQ2q3YDQj4uRsVaR2LluyH9-Fr7uIIUCU79FS9JsIChnjdc_9V6dVlnfSntFKb0v26LOH-jn3c03PquJ-q96-7bTXO0vvNjMva/s1600/a2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhesp3f5U3jJbA4_kGjAhN_wwHgomXW6-0ws8HJR6ToZKqQ2q3YDQj4uRsVaR2LluyH9-Fr7uIIUCU79FS9JsIChnjdc_9V6dVlnfSntFKb0v26LOH-jn3c03PquJ-q96-7bTXO0vvNjMva/s320/a2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And I realized I did in fact take some pics while roasting the bay nuts. The shells are very easy to remove, leaving two halves of a creamy colored nut. The 2nd and 3rd pic are the roasted nuts. The 2nd picture is without flash and the 3rd with. The actual color of the roasted nuts is somwhere in between, think a ruddy chocolate brown.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmx_8fO4tu8w4DUd1rsatkXBhAeel-qf9oUeBqcq7lNSWPhY_DsYWtLfFo0bxWcYQ-Y-IjEMn7wSjrtFdBaBPMKUHBs0tyc2AEpjdiYiUB_6TPb-SMBaZEhKwEhokPCTWg8Wpe8mH_08Gb/s1600/bay1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmx_8fO4tu8w4DUd1rsatkXBhAeel-qf9oUeBqcq7lNSWPhY_DsYWtLfFo0bxWcYQ-Y-IjEMn7wSjrtFdBaBPMKUHBs0tyc2AEpjdiYiUB_6TPb-SMBaZEhKwEhokPCTWg8Wpe8mH_08Gb/s320/bay1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqPvIyorJzvCzxdWHFT9_H9cZkktjrIdpGlv08WyOrXvdxulV7bJlT0_Lk55pAxglXvOoUpLsKtUCBXL_a54ZSKhiqkNHdci66NUZClqlNGXgTCrdn-8XURl725Sc6x_qgu1CAIK3JPdM/s1600/bay2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqPvIyorJzvCzxdWHFT9_H9cZkktjrIdpGlv08WyOrXvdxulV7bJlT0_Lk55pAxglXvOoUpLsKtUCBXL_a54ZSKhiqkNHdci66NUZClqlNGXgTCrdn-8XURl725Sc6x_qgu1CAIK3JPdM/s200/bay2.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Mp8Vtl-aQmAsne5YFZUgbr6GxIxCGeSmsAOMYtasdMgW9u8kbNp0JtR9OzQ5Atsh3dQyO3CkbjPy-Rhin3dOvdtrgIDxQzTmTeAiiKLt0sdEG87raZfpJN5Un4J_PLDRFHmkBTA6XpIS/s1600/bay3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Mp8Vtl-aQmAsne5YFZUgbr6GxIxCGeSmsAOMYtasdMgW9u8kbNp0JtR9OzQ5Atsh3dQyO3CkbjPy-Rhin3dOvdtrgIDxQzTmTeAiiKLt0sdEG87raZfpJN5Un4J_PLDRFHmkBTA6XpIS/s200/bay3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-30072386400259949662011-02-28T21:56:00.000-08:002011-03-01T15:11:15.876-08:00No snow and California bay nutsSo the forecast for this last weekend was for snow in the SF Bay Area. They were even forecasting snow down to sea level. I was pretty excited. But there was no snow. I should have known better than to trust a weather forecast.<br />
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In other news, I finally roasted some California bay (laurel) nuts. As you might have read in <a href="http://rootedincalifornia.blogspot.com/2010/11/bay-area-foraging-successes.html">another post</a>, I collected some back in November. And I finally got around to roasting them recently. <a href="http://rootedincalifornia.blogspot.com/2010/07/bay-area-edible-plants-flavors-of-home.html">Flavors of Home</a> suggested roasting them in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. It seems a little less might be better.<br />
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The first time I roasted them for a little longer and they tasted like burnt popcorn. I tried it again and took out the nuts at different times (between 25-35 min of roasting). Too little and they taste a little raw/bitter. Too long and they taste too burnt, but even when cooked right they still have the taste of burnt popcorn to me. When I told this to a friend, he immediately asked, "Burnt popcorn in a good or bad way?" Sometimes burnt popcorn is not so bad. So I would say burnt popcorn in a good way. I can really see eating a lot of them, but they definitely weren't bad. I have a few more nuts, so I'm gonna try one more round and experiment a little more.<br />
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For another blog post and video on roasting them check out <a href="http://feralkevin.com/?p=295">FeralKevin</a>. (Thanks for the link Katie)bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-21488919257529405772011-02-20T18:01:00.000-08:002011-02-23T10:34:18.501-08:00Castle Rock Regional Recreation AreaSo the plan today was to get up to Mt. Diablo to see the snow. But just near the entrance on Northgate we saw a long line of cars, and a long line of cars turning around to come back the way we had come. The thumbs down from one of the returning drivers sealed it, so we also turned around and headed to <a href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks/castle_rock">Castle Rock Regional Recreation Area</a> (try and say that ten times fast) instead. I had never heard of this park, but it was actually a really nice find just on the edge of Walnut Creek.<br />
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We followed the course of a creek, having to cross it several times. That made for some interesting dances across the rocks. Above us there were tons of beautiful rock formations.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbRSWjCa2UcQ0H0TMV2ZsGWDZIVy5Nqihp5oT3aPWS5aoDH8Uo79eoIRuiWogrcszHlfIcncTrso4hHRVw9WGYja2YmqY2z6B1Ms_zq9mfCDHRqiOKKcDLRpJsXKxeKyRZuar3ROBet-j/s1600/castle1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbRSWjCa2UcQ0H0TMV2ZsGWDZIVy5Nqihp5oT3aPWS5aoDH8Uo79eoIRuiWogrcszHlfIcncTrso4hHRVw9WGYja2YmqY2z6B1Ms_zq9mfCDHRqiOKKcDLRpJsXKxeKyRZuar3ROBet-j/s320/castle1.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_UMPhXkOwk2VA79UGlsCWgYOZo3gqp_9Ldo7USCTkO0NT8L2GQBW7OXall-1SzYW7teiaC-RpEtRdX4QinkZ-4vvcul0zYhsOnruMdzoyj9cYDFaIboJjgtM-fnGeCr-o-Mh0BT6q-M5/s1600/castle3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_UMPhXkOwk2VA79UGlsCWgYOZo3gqp_9Ldo7USCTkO0NT8L2GQBW7OXall-1SzYW7teiaC-RpEtRdX4QinkZ-4vvcul0zYhsOnruMdzoyj9cYDFaIboJjgtM-fnGeCr-o-Mh0BT6q-M5/s320/castle3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> And there were also caves big and small scattered about.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJ14yid3ubNv4tp0Asm19y3iZD5QOACPs-Pah0F43IDSt_YtGe0TZ7ZGFRDqULuAY_99Xy5EwY2rZf8YFmkV0YmNcpXVjr6oALk9ugM1VC4ntlqTF2rBIrFpX17E1yEup-ZDXvVufP59P/s1600/castle18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJ14yid3ubNv4tp0Asm19y3iZD5QOACPs-Pah0F43IDSt_YtGe0TZ7ZGFRDqULuAY_99Xy5EwY2rZf8YFmkV0YmNcpXVjr6oALk9ugM1VC4ntlqTF2rBIrFpX17E1yEup-ZDXvVufP59P/s200/castle18.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>The buckeyes were just leafing out, filling the woods with bright green light.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsC3UZUWLHFZCq64Nac3EMhw0GmEwNMld6zoCMR_7QBConChh7tr9lCjjVY4JCHA01Lkp23qB7dQv84U2rOyxkRURv3jU2S5witQUgNmTZQmdOtk9w0VJQByt1ZY6r3HIejCJ7XO_Xbbg/s1600/castle9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsC3UZUWLHFZCq64Nac3EMhw0GmEwNMld6zoCMR_7QBConChh7tr9lCjjVY4JCHA01Lkp23qB7dQv84U2rOyxkRURv3jU2S5witQUgNmTZQmdOtk9w0VJQByt1ZY6r3HIejCJ7XO_Xbbg/s200/castle9.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Db9fDKXCOFPGjFlYQqDqGHvr68tEsgw1AgTLgo0XOhfa1oryVjgGNuspcSvCN38zuVmpwFioIey6DH3rnokKSrOIo1bpeAJTqZ4L25RH_f3hR1MFc82JrsTGKGsirI0zzZqnw4__2td_/s1600/castle6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Db9fDKXCOFPGjFlYQqDqGHvr68tEsgw1AgTLgo0XOhfa1oryVjgGNuspcSvCN38zuVmpwFioIey6DH3rnokKSrOIo1bpeAJTqZ4L25RH_f3hR1MFc82JrsTGKGsirI0zzZqnw4__2td_/s200/castle6.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsGscDr4v54VaX9pxybCJrSaDPGbhPgWaFl9EP8mwsR4fYdX2iMV9zPny8o5_ZFq3JfKaTVm4LFls9-Q5gHg2Rx5CW8Cc0RYfcZZKqReIXhzWWBaqr8eSn2UkA0KmmSFI3WUovkFl5tXU/s1600/castle7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsGscDr4v54VaX9pxybCJrSaDPGbhPgWaFl9EP8mwsR4fYdX2iMV9zPny8o5_ZFq3JfKaTVm4LFls9-Q5gHg2Rx5CW8Cc0RYfcZZKqReIXhzWWBaqr8eSn2UkA0KmmSFI3WUovkFl5tXU/s200/castle7.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>Lots of baby buckeyes too and the first blue dicks were popping out.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVXk3yZ4Ju-0Zbf6PW8-CIvcZ2FrHKA7Do4gTAtUEWqpICPKmVjhcUlDG5KS3UlTEeQ2Fqd5qX9uakAfrfEXIrgdRU07fb4dBKDagV4GRF-yyVCWz5SUB-DqNth3dG42CiaWR0q_EFMqv6/s1600/castle12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVXk3yZ4Ju-0Zbf6PW8-CIvcZ2FrHKA7Do4gTAtUEWqpICPKmVjhcUlDG5KS3UlTEeQ2Fqd5qX9uakAfrfEXIrgdRU07fb4dBKDagV4GRF-yyVCWz5SUB-DqNth3dG42CiaWR0q_EFMqv6/s200/castle12.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1a6rwqBfZAbNLgwsZyIAjAAULyZkpx44rZMYtKJLw1EGOWIDfhnS4ry3LI6usHlhceNCxsqIks29FlF9aGce-cXhHbeFedFvqlmtX9KUOZpOJ1asIvuTanm31_4JpewBoPwJrAcqPCrRO/s1600/castle16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1a6rwqBfZAbNLgwsZyIAjAAULyZkpx44rZMYtKJLw1EGOWIDfhnS4ry3LI6usHlhceNCxsqIks29FlF9aGce-cXhHbeFedFvqlmtX9KUOZpOJ1asIvuTanm31_4JpewBoPwJrAcqPCrRO/s200/castle16.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> We also saw buttercups and lots of miners' lettuce, some red-tailed hawks and a woodpecker.<br />
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And in the end we did end up seeing some snow, though from far away. Here are some of the foothills covered with a nice dusting. The peak itself was covered in a much thicker coat.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwCuXqBH4_EX3xUlZy428P2UGW0LPo9Q0KsVIRkkmv9X-ry91k3_PU7xYZhq9kUpBCKTn-YPROxFf-IqTlTnBvW_oI4u8-_m6JMZy-u1jVJ0OG771M8o8vt-PqhtKUDDT3s-rJM7iALGv/s1600/castle14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwCuXqBH4_EX3xUlZy428P2UGW0LPo9Q0KsVIRkkmv9X-ry91k3_PU7xYZhq9kUpBCKTn-YPROxFf-IqTlTnBvW_oI4u8-_m6JMZy-u1jVJ0OG771M8o8vt-PqhtKUDDT3s-rJM7iALGv/s320/castle14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-76782011260612471292011-02-15T00:02:00.000-08:002011-02-15T00:06:47.234-08:00Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day - February 2011Spring has arrived here in the Bay Area thanks to several weeks in the upper 60s and there is stuff blooming all over town. I managed to snap these pics right before the rains started up again today, though.<br />
My own gardening is limited at the moment, but I was very excited to see some blooms on my patio. And not just any blooms, but Ribes sanguineum, aka flowering currant, one of my favorite flowers. It's just started to open, so soon the flowers will be dripping in longer pendants.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9NVQWX5scQX65_WF5IjbBbMFFhi3soVQlVsCh_NFZ9mNlAseDMAViB6KZz-y8sarFiTveDZhN8hmWggD0aMyKS0RKQhpbupLgxfpxB01skLyqZ-F7Qzb3V927KD5TKsgxwmOCD6tiFia/s1600/gbbd4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9NVQWX5scQX65_WF5IjbBbMFFhi3soVQlVsCh_NFZ9mNlAseDMAViB6KZz-y8sarFiTveDZhN8hmWggD0aMyKS0RKQhpbupLgxfpxB01skLyqZ-F7Qzb3V927KD5TKsgxwmOCD6tiFia/s320/gbbd4.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8J6aJf3sUEYQwVfBQh8wANo3SCY2_lu-5z87EsPFRfILZAcjeeyudWXOu1kzNaoJ9uZG9HnMB7ugFR_16XJahdWyYVhNYvHqrIhi63Kg9tYxM0G4zR7-DHZe7V25QKV5eykiWX-gIVY6A/s1600/gbbd3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8J6aJf3sUEYQwVfBQh8wANo3SCY2_lu-5z87EsPFRfILZAcjeeyudWXOu1kzNaoJ9uZG9HnMB7ugFR_16XJahdWyYVhNYvHqrIhi63Kg9tYxM0G4zR7-DHZe7V25QKV5eykiWX-gIVY6A/s200/gbbd3.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMx86cp8FUr0-E0VV5nbYo-U4Ck48xWugKJ68OSx8iggmeDpyv-z_HQe9biRAuhMvKwH5Ic1e6su4zhilYwM8PnFYr4tWAl1f1NzQs2NnBtDfWETBvKheqZsnJobAUDl7V3QCbhHLlMGAV/s1600/gbbd2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMx86cp8FUr0-E0VV5nbYo-U4Ck48xWugKJ68OSx8iggmeDpyv-z_HQe9biRAuhMvKwH5Ic1e6su4zhilYwM8PnFYr4tWAl1f1NzQs2NnBtDfWETBvKheqZsnJobAUDl7V3QCbhHLlMGAV/s200/gbbd2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Also flowering is one of my 3 blueberries. The other two are a different variety.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1-kNqtv8zXJZR5OJcQwW5gYdaGnLSFaHiKcrTYtxJSRq8sJ_z5iXdzfzFq-CV824Gt_54naQq3NmGV7Vj75AyuRs4w22yBMS34kkZ_3XP46yXZdxJ90umdkA62F8PPxeKDYAIRsZyR7L/s1600/gbbd5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1-kNqtv8zXJZR5OJcQwW5gYdaGnLSFaHiKcrTYtxJSRq8sJ_z5iXdzfzFq-CV824Gt_54naQq3NmGV7Vj75AyuRs4w22yBMS34kkZ_3XP46yXZdxJ90umdkA62F8PPxeKDYAIRsZyR7L/s200/gbbd5.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8g0a_HuZqCKxZPzgnnOzAZcMCmwzRUKeItWc3HiC_O7tK92zX0lffuhGsi2ndQ3GssiQCLTQZ63RHNIALqMpfP24jA6tXb7Psjf-hpTEytRGDJwkQVHYcsri4bzH0HlCIcVfmtXkYx_m/s1600/gbbd1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8g0a_HuZqCKxZPzgnnOzAZcMCmwzRUKeItWc3HiC_O7tK92zX0lffuhGsi2ndQ3GssiQCLTQZ63RHNIALqMpfP24jA6tXb7Psjf-hpTEytRGDJwkQVHYcsri4bzH0HlCIcVfmtXkYx_m/s200/gbbd1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>In the house, I just bought two orchids.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnvr_GLhpETD9StKvFo0zNfshXHiw7BmH0uTlHCDKRstLMfbSmlpfR1k0Mefp37vEtVhcpEQhHwvaQ0HolmP0RsY33KSg1hGY9iS3SZr429_dt3HA0JpfqHZ0EQdwLpU6q33IPpSmLfly/s1600/gbbd8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZnvr_GLhpETD9StKvFo0zNfshXHiw7BmH0uTlHCDKRstLMfbSmlpfR1k0Mefp37vEtVhcpEQhHwvaQ0HolmP0RsY33KSg1hGY9iS3SZr429_dt3HA0JpfqHZ0EQdwLpU6q33IPpSmLfly/s200/gbbd8.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwInwODAY-wm3mzPVv4ZmmDrdTgqd-BJe733PxY1dMtYDOvZzcA3ijCjIgY_VDrPrYJgF77SrITMQ4ZBVfouGY3L4gAvoLMCRyJIVUA9tmKdHY49pa-rmxyPe7RCwAdYOYg4R38HDSTw4_/s1600/gbbd9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwInwODAY-wm3mzPVv4ZmmDrdTgqd-BJe733PxY1dMtYDOvZzcA3ijCjIgY_VDrPrYJgF77SrITMQ4ZBVfouGY3L4gAvoLMCRyJIVUA9tmKdHY49pa-rmxyPe7RCwAdYOYg4R38HDSTw4_/s200/gbbd9.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdOiEP9bCA2x4yGprSoQD7RhYMX_wbBCCrPup1iJNTqJOVO__5QmN5angYYdojNw8BtGm7OjuUbB3R_v-0PNqsqzeVelBf9T8G-WLDKACYOiQwUA44FLCcAuCFBcwo8RV86taWUaVKjmj/s1600/gbbd7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdOiEP9bCA2x4yGprSoQD7RhYMX_wbBCCrPup1iJNTqJOVO__5QmN5angYYdojNw8BtGm7OjuUbB3R_v-0PNqsqzeVelBf9T8G-WLDKACYOiQwUA44FLCcAuCFBcwo8RV86taWUaVKjmj/s200/gbbd7.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>And I have some cut birds of paradise in the house that were brought over for my birthday party. This shot just reminds me of many a rainy day in the Bay.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXoweYlJqNHdDrMdq3gYxu_6j7fc6PW0zgLswkSjV1tzo2SLvqUIK5q-L-ZWBwlFqMxX-J-Jtp2jpoRTT-xouXPeB47l9IpzRH2qJu2TZcw6Znp9g0JuY8d-N27Jo-kAhUuyyknkQsLOV/s1600/gbbd6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXoweYlJqNHdDrMdq3gYxu_6j7fc6PW0zgLswkSjV1tzo2SLvqUIK5q-L-ZWBwlFqMxX-J-Jtp2jpoRTT-xouXPeB47l9IpzRH2qJu2TZcw6Znp9g0JuY8d-N27Jo-kAhUuyyknkQsLOV/s320/gbbd6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Thanks as always to Carol over at <a href="http://www.maydreamsgardens.com/">May Dreams Gardens</a> for hosting Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-39022103006819426782011-02-08T16:45:00.000-08:002011-02-08T16:47:41.421-08:00Old Growth Redwoods and Hot Springs Last fall, my partner and I were looking for a day escape from the Bay Area. Fortunately, we found a great one. We decided to head north to check out Orr Hot Springs near Ukiah. I insisted on also stopping at <a href="http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=434">Montgomery State Reserve</a> which protects five groves of old-growth redwoods for a short hike beforehand.<br />
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We found this to be a really easy (though fairly long) day trip from the Bay. Orr Hot Springs is just some 14 miles outside of Ukiah, so it's actually a nice straight shot up the 101. Those last 14 miles are anything but straight, however. And Montgomery State Reserve is just another 3 miles past the springs.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0WRvdk421SFsfIgb5oy6wFnC4tyk4OIEma1j5_TmfanyLOQUjlA7o1OvGikVlZDwuVt6HkC7QXI-J99b23vheKcUZkelxu3maK7MduvCLDyVXQk0qV9kjC7g3ysz77bFnRLGeTxKLBWdI/s1600/mont3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0WRvdk421SFsfIgb5oy6wFnC4tyk4OIEma1j5_TmfanyLOQUjlA7o1OvGikVlZDwuVt6HkC7QXI-J99b23vheKcUZkelxu3maK7MduvCLDyVXQk0qV9kjC7g3ysz77bFnRLGeTxKLBWdI/s320/mont3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> The hike in Montgomery starts up a decent hill, but once you flatten out you are rewarded with an incredibly beautiful stroll through several redwood groves. Water branches out in several directions and the forest is carpeted with ferns and sorrel. And the trees are, as expected, immensely tall.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8TpN3MwRqWwY13B9YiM7DnjlWON9M1SKhVaYp_t8qryW8GgpRhYWlWVRXiwoY3kRY5BdmOELT2X9IA1BZFe4P6xKV5jfdeJlLoT1VppWDZUBqp04Maqb0vE8I7Y8A7klT_4fxCS51y0Aa/s1600/mont1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8TpN3MwRqWwY13B9YiM7DnjlWON9M1SKhVaYp_t8qryW8GgpRhYWlWVRXiwoY3kRY5BdmOELT2X9IA1BZFe4P6xKV5jfdeJlLoT1VppWDZUBqp04Maqb0vE8I7Y8A7klT_4fxCS51y0Aa/s320/mont1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>If you've never visited an old-growth redwood forest, you're missing out. There is something magical about the experience. Since it's a little off the beaten track Montgomery doesn't seem to have that many visitors making it a really pleasant experience. Here is the rootball of one of the giants.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHakmuv2K8Iioxv0hnJ6Dk36UphE-QpFAagqp-us6Th0VS-kq6Aav0RAAZJ_7n8d1v9YxE3Yvnp7yLXuBTTtZMeDL8zaXyWX65GYG2HuMHYim9TqrXu8rQKn8HujF8eyCNc1XfvLjTliry/s1600/mont4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHakmuv2K8Iioxv0hnJ6Dk36UphE-QpFAagqp-us6Th0VS-kq6Aav0RAAZJ_7n8d1v9YxE3Yvnp7yLXuBTTtZMeDL8zaXyWX65GYG2HuMHYim9TqrXu8rQKn8HujF8eyCNc1XfvLjTliry/s320/mont4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Here are signs of a fire, started by lightning, that burned in the forest in 2008. Otherwise the undergrowth seems to have recovered.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQd7T04DbhMMThlcWxDgnvfKxFIOxcquIGi5CgnBeXvt81lAfpTsJECHfT5k589KziRQU19c7lzJf2-P_l3s-hS2XpVKhdqLFVFbtH63Tm5_1pnAS35DiieYodSMLCKUrD2G1KDlGRMRV/s1600/mont2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQd7T04DbhMMThlcWxDgnvfKxFIOxcquIGi5CgnBeXvt81lAfpTsJECHfT5k589KziRQU19c7lzJf2-P_l3s-hS2XpVKhdqLFVFbtH63Tm5_1pnAS35DiieYodSMLCKUrD2G1KDlGRMRV/s320/mont2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>After the redwoods we headed to Orr Hot Springs. The pools are for the most part small, but they were clean, and this was one of our favorite hot springs to date. Sorry no pictures of the springs. But check out <a href="http://www.andersonic.net/orr/">this site</a> for one person's perspective.bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-5445991202313241672011-01-24T19:13:00.000-08:002011-01-24T19:13:46.941-08:00Garden UpdateAs anyone who has read my blog for a while knows, I moved into an apartment with no real garden in the spring of 2010. And I just wanted to post a quick update about my gardening endeavors and my old garden.<br />
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This post was inspired by my working near my old place today. I decided to go to the bakery nearby and check out the garden to see how things looked, at least in the front yard. And I was very pleasantly suprised. (Sorry no pics, since i thought it would be weird to post pics if I don't live there anymore. For previous posts on my old front yard check <a href="http://rootedincalifornia.blogspot.com/search/label/front%20yard">here</a>.) The person who moved in has been keeping the front yard up and almost everything has survived and even flourished. The Ribes malvaceum is in full bloom right now, as is the Arctostaphylos pajaroensis 'Paradise'. Beautiful pinks. The other manzanitas are just starting. 3 of the 5 columbine survived, look great and are blooming right now. At least 2 of the 3 iris survived, as have all of the salvias. That last one is a surprise. The blue-eyed grass have spread, and the new inhabitant has kept the licorice plant and California fuchsia in check. The only things that seemed to have disappeared are the paprika yarrow (I'm guessing they got pulled for looking weedy), 2 of the columbine and one of the iris. Not bad at all. The hellstrip is looking raggedy, but that's how they generally look.<br />
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As for my own gardening, a friend of mine moved into a place about 5 blocks from where I now live. Back in the late fall she called to see if I would help her start and share a veggie garden and so I did. We currently have kale, lettuce, chard and arugula that we've been harvesting. Just starting to produce are some snap peas and some broccoli (Decicco, an Italian heirloom variety brought by immigrants to SF a long time ago, and one of my favorites.) And on their way are a bed of fava beans.<br />
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Here at my apartment there is a trumpet vine choking the life out of several trees. I've neglected the small shared yard here, but today a neighbor and I started freeing a couple of the trees from the smothering biomass that is this vine. It will be a multi-day job, but already there is some more light pouring into the yard.bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-12459744017177423472010-12-22T12:48:00.000-08:002010-12-22T12:48:59.567-08:00Crystal Cove - Orange County<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ImLvtYXlJdmjkiJHuoA7nw1W4uR0H1Ubh6rH8HkBE96y8SQBxffgiRxrdtO8To7jJJ0mffI0Tn0Jn2ALvSThVNLvOIAJLpzUq9l2IGQZEPC42V-fak2knW5wL9n5du369Mz3pJ3nLQm_/s1600/socal2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ImLvtYXlJdmjkiJHuoA7nw1W4uR0H1Ubh6rH8HkBE96y8SQBxffgiRxrdtO8To7jJJ0mffI0Tn0Jn2ALvSThVNLvOIAJLpzUq9l2IGQZEPC42V-fak2knW5wL9n5du369Mz3pJ3nLQm_/s320/socal2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> This year my family decided to do Thanksgiving the weekend after the fact, and we met in Orange County to celebrate. My parents were staying in a very nice place near Corona del Mar (view from balcony pictured above) and very close to <a href="http://www.crystalcovestatepark.com/about.htm">Crystal Cove State Park</a>. Walking distance as a matter of fact. Though I love the Bay Area, every time I go down south, I marvel at how much more comfortable the climate is and how nice (and easy to get to) the beaches are. So here are pics from two hikes on a beautiful winter day in So Cal.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68Qw7gFSFXLI9iQKt_R5tpzRwdN9Ex_8Q7sls-hLhyphenhyphenzijLCBnMPnD4v8DStLJHeeT8K01IVjLCKE1iXDaIowcC5QaEqeibQGPp_9Ai6W-BiV3Di-P12y91XJ6LVg3foVKYoA96UBOHfUr/s1600/socal4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68Qw7gFSFXLI9iQKt_R5tpzRwdN9Ex_8Q7sls-hLhyphenhyphenzijLCBnMPnD4v8DStLJHeeT8K01IVjLCKE1iXDaIowcC5QaEqeibQGPp_9Ai6W-BiV3Di-P12y91XJ6LVg3foVKYoA96UBOHfUr/s320/socal4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>First I was amazed at how many native plants I saw along the bluffs over the ocean. This area has seen heavy development so it was good to see some familiar plants. Like artemisia and toyon (lots of toyon), as well as sages and coyote brush. My dad and I tried a few of the toyon berries, which are supposedly somewhat edible. Usually they are described as astringent. I think that is an excellent word. Many are mealy as well. I did find one bush right along Highway 1, however, that had sweeter berries. It tasted citrusy, but can't imagine eating a whole lot.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEc6DUTtKQzvbXexfuP-h4EgLUXwPFOiwxwBk1QLER4IzJ1BWXYzRURdFY9s3QuRySl4QItiCgAZenbdlMYYSv2ahFesB-DfNYg4tmqQr2kFZD03B_a0ksYmA66VyPe6jsuy19HCqM5ImE/s1600/socal5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEc6DUTtKQzvbXexfuP-h4EgLUXwPFOiwxwBk1QLER4IzJ1BWXYzRURdFY9s3QuRySl4QItiCgAZenbdlMYYSv2ahFesB-DfNYg4tmqQr2kFZD03B_a0ksYmA66VyPe6jsuy19HCqM5ImE/s200/socal5.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd34t_1lHkAyU0rd3w5YICpypsXYHk4tlfwUDpLLqgCsGeOTFTJt4Vv7R4c-yfr2W6QBpfXjjgEqysx_GNBxecjcdIiLydqnHkqX8vanXrFXOz3vfBRf2iiRQ1gC0YnlP-58BQUAG3yGH4/s1600/socal8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd34t_1lHkAyU0rd3w5YICpypsXYHk4tlfwUDpLLqgCsGeOTFTJt4Vv7R4c-yfr2W6QBpfXjjgEqysx_GNBxecjcdIiLydqnHkqX8vanXrFXOz3vfBRf2iiRQ1gC0YnlP-58BQUAG3yGH4/s200/socal8.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Not all the familiar plants were a good thing, like this oxalis. But it was nice to see they are trying to restore the area.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifukYEe5m1pXN5Tp7BgEGPCerFXHLKfrZ1vV6iVr8LM4IOL1GYqo_WkInHu4AdB7d5yDd1z_YZpoCEI-bmHFSmXsWg3mw-wmg3A4M8QZKqbMjPoW7rJQ8gNBryzxz-VHsY0yaONZ2CQXj/s1600/socal18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifukYEe5m1pXN5Tp7BgEGPCerFXHLKfrZ1vV6iVr8LM4IOL1GYqo_WkInHu4AdB7d5yDd1z_YZpoCEI-bmHFSmXsWg3mw-wmg3A4M8QZKqbMjPoW7rJQ8gNBryzxz-VHsY0yaONZ2CQXj/s200/socal18.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodaX1AEByxzsamxzSBZxHyjz44-c1m3qIfAOBfkcvXqDa_OcDRPOEksbO6rOLA7tnHevPWpzfCdeYKMbEyMnyUgkigDSeBfSwpfYlQBFAukeji91RzK-Z7o0Dcjs-Y_TMlXjVFvardiNf/s1600/socal6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodaX1AEByxzsamxzSBZxHyjz44-c1m3qIfAOBfkcvXqDa_OcDRPOEksbO6rOLA7tnHevPWpzfCdeYKMbEyMnyUgkigDSeBfSwpfYlQBFAukeji91RzK-Z7o0Dcjs-Y_TMlXjVFvardiNf/s200/socal6.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Some of the plants I wasn't familiar with.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYp99xS53o8b5mxCWWUBZxnWb_j5ApZMx2BPR339UMauGD6PpTFonx5Gnnu86_dGlKozQbFy-2SkNU7JPtBPMHL3ENuSV-YpgS6lYyyEUlbeqWAu0AoohcXsZtzh3DWp1aUfSo7lvWTS_G/s1600/socal21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYp99xS53o8b5mxCWWUBZxnWb_j5ApZMx2BPR339UMauGD6PpTFonx5Gnnu86_dGlKozQbFy-2SkNU7JPtBPMHL3ENuSV-YpgS6lYyyEUlbeqWAu0AoohcXsZtzh3DWp1aUfSo7lvWTS_G/s200/socal21.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitH-F69xMBbkOr6lfYoWvi8EVtV1R-Lncd7-zlP6ddWvPePdxH7tSSO6NQvbcz2iELFxOjonXHrVq9Tl228je7kgAOIAR38SYqdNHlusm8lJDU8mCjfWWE21frwpe51b5E1HMbccuTXeFO/s1600/socal20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitH-F69xMBbkOr6lfYoWvi8EVtV1R-Lncd7-zlP6ddWvPePdxH7tSSO6NQvbcz2iELFxOjonXHrVq9Tl228je7kgAOIAR38SYqdNHlusm8lJDU8mCjfWWE21frwpe51b5E1HMbccuTXeFO/s200/socal20.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> And then in historic Crystal Cove, a small beach village, they had a Christmas tree lighting ceremony. Nothing like a walk on the beach in December with a Christmas tree to usher in the holidays. A happy solstice, merry Christmas and happy holidays to all.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxMxy3sSeZ8SHtxC1jfuiTgMSVOQSOCVg4MNxW0w_xBu0E-CIkE-bUKQi9_1xYIhu6EDQ1HpeApLR1TlWvjHtKVLIW77b5JKoAA7o5mWahBvxCzSG2Td02A0WzQ70M1iP0Y2hR6x1TNvp/s1600/socal70.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxMxy3sSeZ8SHtxC1jfuiTgMSVOQSOCVg4MNxW0w_xBu0E-CIkE-bUKQi9_1xYIhu6EDQ1HpeApLR1TlWvjHtKVLIW77b5JKoAA7o5mWahBvxCzSG2Td02A0WzQ70M1iP0Y2hR6x1TNvp/s320/socal70.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-64994295952587240672010-11-24T20:41:00.000-08:002010-11-24T20:41:37.255-08:00Bay Area Foraging Successes?So I've tried a couple of things I foraged or wrote about a while ago. I left you all hanging with my last post, but I still haven't tried the laurel nuts. I'm thinking I'll try and roast them this weekend. I did however try the fruit. Hmmm? How to describe it? As you can see in this pic, it looks like a tiny round avocado.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIP2QTATQh4zIOLPQO00-P8YZnYrcHweMjJPWZRC8cmYrYy2LQ8T2bbaibdCfN7VUYXpVYBXU3ScnSzdtdF_IEiljVe1HgGvOj4Ovd0kj5iwTt3xZOeqAWAiINeq-bLnVlcmjNjJ6k_g_a/s1600/redwoodparkfall27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIP2QTATQh4zIOLPQO00-P8YZnYrcHweMjJPWZRC8cmYrYy2LQ8T2bbaibdCfN7VUYXpVYBXU3ScnSzdtdF_IEiljVe1HgGvOj4Ovd0kj5iwTt3xZOeqAWAiINeq-bLnVlcmjNjJ6k_g_a/s320/redwoodparkfall27.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Pretty cool looking really. The flesh was much firmer, so I'm not sure it was ripe. I read you're supposed to wait till the fruit turns purple before eating. Most of the fruit was purple, but maybe it wasn't long enough. I think I've lost the opportunity to try again this year, but it was hard to motivate after tasting it. What did it taste like? I only tried tiny nibbles. One was hard and didn't taste like much. The other was like chewing on a fleshy bay leaf. A really strong bay leaf. Blech. It took me a while to get the taste out of my mouth. Here's hoping the nuts are tastier.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicosvG1Q0RzT_deb7cqxruw574uSUDMaAA4gsD3F89ggGqT4G_Ss8XBcDlpbsveZDdL3uo3Qqmtx0BFlG3VzU84NJf2aqJzJ7TFbH7TVoKgBZYzQi_r2g4BuCd1Dw-0kw0Vu9MjIL_2qpk/s1600/redwoodparkfall26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicosvG1Q0RzT_deb7cqxruw574uSUDMaAA4gsD3F89ggGqT4G_Ss8XBcDlpbsveZDdL3uo3Qqmtx0BFlG3VzU84NJf2aqJzJ7TFbH7TVoKgBZYzQi_r2g4BuCd1Dw-0kw0Vu9MjIL_2qpk/s320/redwoodparkfall26.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I have had some better success with some infusions, or teas. I tried both a fresh and a dried rose hip tea, made from hips of Rosa californica. There didn't seem to be much difference between fresh and dried. It tastes like vitamin C, if that makes sense. Not bad, a little sweet. I also tried adding a couple of hips to other teas. The taste definitely powers through, but fortunately I like the taste.<br />
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I also tried an infusion of madrone (Arbutus menziesii) bark. I really like this stuff. I've had it a couple times now. In <i>Flavors of Home</i>, Margit Roos-Collins describes the flavor as "a little like Chinese green tea mixed with the fragrance of bark or wood. It's flavor is homey and a little musty, like the smell of a room full of books that has been closed up for a season by the ocean." I don't know about that last part, but I do know I had forgotten how she described the flavor and after my first couple of sips, I thought to myself that it tasted like green tea. But an earthy green tea. It's very pleasant. I've mixed it with rose hips and white sage. So far I think I like it on its own.<br />
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And last, but not least, I tried madrone berries. I don't know if I've never paid attention before, but I have seen tons of madrone berries this year, both in the East Bay and on a trip up north to Mendocino. The hills along one section of 101 south of Ukiah was blazing red with all the berries. I finally spotted a tree with low-hanging branches on the side of a small road, and picked some. I don't think they were ripe. They were kind of hard and astringent. Ms. Roos-Collins did say in her book, that fruits vary in taste from tree to tree. I'm supposed to hike on Thanksgiving, so I'll look for some more.bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-67411856164405930872010-11-07T15:24:00.000-08:002010-11-07T15:24:36.025-08:00East Bay Fall, Redwood ParkSo reminded by <a href="http://idoradesign.blogspot.com/2010/11/oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh.html">Christine's post</a> over at <a href="http://idoradesign.blogspot.com/">Idora Design</a>, I decided to go for a hike yesterday to look for California bay, or laurel, fruits. I had read about eating them in <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=ZVSd-ZAnB1gC&printsec=frontcover&dq=flavors+of+home&source=bl&ots=SgIhLyVUrg&sig=fNkjmJR0qyZlhQZuYsfFbbJb97o&hl=en&ei=GTXXTI3qJo7WtQPJ4ISNCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CDUQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q&f=false"><i>Flavors of Home</i></a> and was quite curious. I know there are a lot of laurel trees on the laurel trail in Berkeley's Tilden Park, a really beautiful section in fact, but I got a late start and it's not very convenient for me to get to from Oakland. That and traffic on the 24 made me take a last minute turn towards Redwood Regional Park in the Oakland hills. And I'm really glad I did.<br />
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I parked at the Skyline Gate Staging Area and then preceded to go left on the West Ridge trail. The area near the gate has been worked on quite assiduously by <a href="http://baynature.org/events/volunteer-workdays/french-broom-removal-project-at-redwood-park-east-bay-2010-11-06/view">habitat restoration volunteers</a> and the efforts really show. There were tons of different natives peaking up all along that first part of the trail, and several cages around some planted natives as well. This is a different area of the park than <a href="http://rootedincalifornia.blogspot.com/2010/10/riparian-restoration-redwood-regional.html">where I volunteered</a>.<br />
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Here there were a lot of honeysuckle and some snowberries.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis82LNmCN0s2OFF6RgNL2jWJrr4KyJk0RAyVOdTqjcIIzy5ID_AyK39A_ch6apIQOZtd2RoQbBzXRRx-ky3yVAVJhgUcP3UH_pV5Q6MZQMtpMXEZXpa-TwkKqKwuh_8ASX8VOnhrBl6DZb/s1600/redwoodparkfall7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis82LNmCN0s2OFF6RgNL2jWJrr4KyJk0RAyVOdTqjcIIzy5ID_AyK39A_ch6apIQOZtd2RoQbBzXRRx-ky3yVAVJhgUcP3UH_pV5Q6MZQMtpMXEZXpa-TwkKqKwuh_8ASX8VOnhrBl6DZb/s200/redwoodparkfall7.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigK-swmwd1brqvBJmOrPzyMW_Qen7Cb51jCdPfrkwCZYL6WqLP-Qwg2xRErVjh8hgMM2p6OrsCxfNlJWHg2aCfB_EWL2lOVZhjdmpSBpNOysllcHd7OYgO7wO6EOnMJ5DLArHn9TO0fcaU/s1600/redwoodparkfall1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigK-swmwd1brqvBJmOrPzyMW_Qen7Cb51jCdPfrkwCZYL6WqLP-Qwg2xRErVjh8hgMM2p6OrsCxfNlJWHg2aCfB_EWL2lOVZhjdmpSBpNOysllcHd7OYgO7wO6EOnMJ5DLArHn9TO0fcaU/s200/redwoodparkfall1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>There were California fuchsia doing their thing, and hazelnuts getting ready to do theirs.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFci6u8sPX7XkC7XRshYE1sMUS2X6x4wTF4mpr6sVFUNWDUV-Uw4sTeWxDgTas7AZkjd6KmQaStIZ2F5kcU3egtASDP_rI2g5qKqIG2H1Bjd-WErMU80vV5uQ2EhbjaEStaTD5YPQg_G91/s1600/redwoodparkfall12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFci6u8sPX7XkC7XRshYE1sMUS2X6x4wTF4mpr6sVFUNWDUV-Uw4sTeWxDgTas7AZkjd6KmQaStIZ2F5kcU3egtASDP_rI2g5qKqIG2H1Bjd-WErMU80vV5uQ2EhbjaEStaTD5YPQg_G91/s200/redwoodparkfall12.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd79pdl0LdMnsgQ0IMMXA6Zx1wj6pgWitikkpp6BhD-MlURfj-PBZfcq_L7G75GMTpxXhxcWPyg7gHe7rr85zyU4hGx1rp990OPvoe4qrhWTCALpbiu5dO1QzA6C6OJHxH62v5iyR4EjKq/s1600/redwoodparkfall3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd79pdl0LdMnsgQ0IMMXA6Zx1wj6pgWitikkpp6BhD-MlURfj-PBZfcq_L7G75GMTpxXhxcWPyg7gHe7rr85zyU4hGx1rp990OPvoe4qrhWTCALpbiu5dO1QzA6C6OJHxH62v5iyR4EjKq/s200/redwoodparkfall3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>And this has already done its thing. Anybody know what this is?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8QmUPTSiJDJfVzm-nXi4U3NZSinPs0rP3-dX7jHSv1i7sLo26Wni3hafg0LbOz6PhaS5u_WXV0pTC6O5XiKRXuLlUIx_utROL6_qppgFzl7x3mMQIu2oNI72Am0_p1EP_wJeiRiYNZ48t/s1600/redwoodparkfall10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8QmUPTSiJDJfVzm-nXi4U3NZSinPs0rP3-dX7jHSv1i7sLo26Wni3hafg0LbOz6PhaS5u_WXV0pTC6O5XiKRXuLlUIx_utROL6_qppgFzl7x3mMQIu2oNI72Am0_p1EP_wJeiRiYNZ48t/s200/redwoodparkfall10.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The most impressive were the madrones. All the tallest trees were fruiting. I'd never seen, or at least never noticed, this before. Really beautiful.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWrQQhV06PT5Mvk9jOTMw4BtdnIvlsy5ZRFw6iscaWhT1ZTT3Qadlc2bZre5oV3Xe-wn9cuTq0bn00WLwsUKTzWrKDYuf28c2p91Hjz6mG1Hwgmi13FOgGzRlR1fmLjOQP0sl9UM3Jj0lp/s1600/redwoodparkfall5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWrQQhV06PT5Mvk9jOTMw4BtdnIvlsy5ZRFw6iscaWhT1ZTT3Qadlc2bZre5oV3Xe-wn9cuTq0bn00WLwsUKTzWrKDYuf28c2p91Hjz6mG1Hwgmi13FOgGzRlR1fmLjOQP0sl9UM3Jj0lp/s200/redwoodparkfall5.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1PHlba7QBl5fV0xi1HZ8g9wiYnhwvSRAMusFKUIp1G9Li7w5VOv7j2UVMhkDEEmRdoAFzaOqZ4jr0lSzgjKW57TC7dxJV6TYv3VeQI-LOunrWt-0JPXVUMctXtib8faTci2qlAdoK7Za/s1600/redwoodparkfall6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1PHlba7QBl5fV0xi1HZ8g9wiYnhwvSRAMusFKUIp1G9Li7w5VOv7j2UVMhkDEEmRdoAFzaOqZ4jr0lSzgjKW57TC7dxJV6TYv3VeQI-LOunrWt-0JPXVUMctXtib8faTci2qlAdoK7Za/s200/redwoodparkfall6.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3D2YeHcfnjrTZTR8z1ITaQi1KjQWn6lfCumJf5VJseIBnChH62W07Jq2CgtbZQMCcM2pfHD6ji9oWMIpqKWf2rkHK5JgtEIhmTTBppXAreIYxgDux7X5i3Nl_LGPYZrFuLHqpmv1MFI56/s1600/redwoodparkfall16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3D2YeHcfnjrTZTR8z1ITaQi1KjQWn6lfCumJf5VJseIBnChH62W07Jq2CgtbZQMCcM2pfHD6ji9oWMIpqKWf2rkHK5JgtEIhmTTBppXAreIYxgDux7X5i3Nl_LGPYZrFuLHqpmv1MFI56/s320/redwoodparkfall16.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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I turned left off again and took the Tres Sendas trail to the French which looped me back to the West Ridge trail. Not very far at all, a little more than 2 miles, but I think I took 2 hours to do it because I kept stopping. There was even our Bay Area Fall colors on display. Like this poison oak.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgje2C5PNlgVCKYz1DMRo8LoEpVOyr_qjUS3sC4h4yUOHtD7HM0Z3wneg3lEO7FgSlCavrKkL6xK4HwR08MBIkuwjfxUd8NtmHj1hNsQ9wr1NwPUa1frlLJw_NvP3vw0dMw7CuOxTF4rhDz/s1600/redwoodparkfall20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgje2C5PNlgVCKYz1DMRo8LoEpVOyr_qjUS3sC4h4yUOHtD7HM0Z3wneg3lEO7FgSlCavrKkL6xK4HwR08MBIkuwjfxUd8NtmHj1hNsQ9wr1NwPUa1frlLJw_NvP3vw0dMw7CuOxTF4rhDz/s320/redwoodparkfall20.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Or perhaps more impressive, this big leaf maple.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmsBq7gN5eYWCSaznzgzSkpVGfa_roXtaMH6qzyfJ_58GxpF9bQuaYHXfCnnybilwm-nA7KAAeo3PQdNTyPKLPH_xVDYTv4lyl9e10xFeNEh29oRqCTejrw0Z3aMotVP2y63CFeAUghp5/s1600/redwoodparkfall24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmsBq7gN5eYWCSaznzgzSkpVGfa_roXtaMH6qzyfJ_58GxpF9bQuaYHXfCnnybilwm-nA7KAAeo3PQdNTyPKLPH_xVDYTv4lyl9e10xFeNEh29oRqCTejrw0Z3aMotVP2y63CFeAUghp5/s320/redwoodparkfall24.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>So what about the laurel, or bay, fruits? Well I did in fact find some, but for that you'll have to wait till my next post.bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-8002340609487916712010-11-02T17:27:00.000-07:002010-11-02T17:28:41.493-07:00Acorn GelatoSo when I started this blog, I had thoughts of blogging about food fairly often. Those posts have been few and far between, but here's one I had to blog about. I went to my favorite local gelateria, <a href="http://gelaterianaia.com/">Gelateria Naia</a>, last night. I usually get something with chocolate and so was trying to branch out. Their flavors were very different than the last few times I've been there. Since they use a lot of local ingredients I guess it makes sense that they would have to be in season as well. I sampled the prickly pear sorbetto, which was good, but a little sweet for my taste. And then I saw the acorn gelato. What could be better for a California fall? The sample was good, very light, and I decided would pair well with chocolate. Ah well, I did at least try to branch out. So I ordered the acorn with dark chocolate a perfect combination.<br />
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I went to Italy this summer and have been a little disappointed with the different gelato places I've tried. In Italy, the gelato was very light. Here most gelato is much heavier. It seems more like regular ice cream, but with more unique flavors. The gelato at Naia is much lighter, but still incredibly flavorful. Some of the flavors are a single-malt whiskey and an earl gray, along with other more basic flavors like stracciatella. There are now several stores and places you can buy their gelato <a href="http://gelaterianaia.com/?page_id=14/">here in the Bay Area</a>. They'll also <a href="http://gelaterianaia.com/?page_id=131/">ship to several western states,</a> though you kinda have to be there to receive it.<br />
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For another blog entry about Gelateria Naia from KQED, click <a href="http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/2010/01/24/gelateria-naia-goes-local/">here</a>.bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-2806884070353061382010-10-21T22:35:00.000-07:002010-10-21T22:35:33.441-07:00Riparian Restoration Redwood Regional Park in Oakland aka Pulling French BroomSo I'm back. Two weddings in the last month. But weekend before last I spent my Sunday morning up at the Redwood Regional Park here in Oakland volunteering. The <a href="http://www.ebparks.org/parks">East Bay Regional Parks</a> have <a href="http://www.ebparks.org/getinvolved/volunteer/operations">ongoing volunteer projects for habitat restoration</a>. I was interested in doing something in the parks where I frequently hike here in the Oakland Hills. I missed the one in the Huckleberry Botanic preserve, the second Saturday of every month, but had time for the <a href="http://www.ebparks.org/files/redwood_resto_project_brochure.pdf">riparian restoration project </a>in Redwood Park the second Sunday of every month.<br />
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I've been wanting to do this for a while, but a week or two before I volunteered, I was hiking in the park and saw lots of colored flags marking native plants that had been planted along the stream that runs through the park. I thought what better way to spend a Sunday morning than planting natives along a a beautiful creek.<br />
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Well I didn't quite get to do that. Instead I and several other volunteers were up on a sunny slope cutting down French broom and then pulling the stumps out by the roots. French broom is incredibly invasive here in the East Bay hills and crowds out or shades out natives. I had no idea it got as tall as it does. I was cutting down broom 10 feet tall. I always assumed they were small shrubs, but they in fact get to the size of small trees.<br />
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Though not quite what I expected I had a good and rewarding time. All of the volunteers were friendly and Pamela, who works for the park district and organizes this volunteer group, could not have been more helpful. They showed me areas they had already cleared and all of the natives that were discovered hiding under there, or other areas they replanted with natives. I myself uncovered/rescued 3 live oaks. One might have been able to compete with the French broom at 12 feet high, the other two could not at chest high and 10 inches high. I also found a tiny bay, 2 ribes and a sword fern. Very cool. I'm sure the seedbank of broom is quite high, but I'm sure there are also some other native seeds in their two that might now have a chance.<br />
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I didn't take any pictures, but <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBD5y_HuJjY">here's a youtube video</a> posted by a volunteer named John, who I was working beside for most of the morning. In it you see the ingenious weed pullers that easily yank the broom out, rootball and all.bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-70042850149056807622010-09-21T23:31:00.000-07:002010-09-21T23:31:59.685-07:00Wild Berries in the Sierra Nevada<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCUalbR4ewEhZoxkFt-RbOrTdpuGRC3yZSPD28Jp4WznMAD70jUWZ1hYMH3EmWIKazfmpviZIbJ6f3XRNqyjkUtBkDvrP0Hy7Say8u1yIH95RV7K3zmA5457T9tl2KK1XePVCfpU3_Yoae/s1600/yose1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCUalbR4ewEhZoxkFt-RbOrTdpuGRC3yZSPD28Jp4WznMAD70jUWZ1hYMH3EmWIKazfmpviZIbJ6f3XRNqyjkUtBkDvrP0Hy7Say8u1yIH95RV7K3zmA5457T9tl2KK1XePVCfpU3_Yoae/s320/yose1.jpg" /></a></div>So two weekends ago I went to Yosemite and the Sierras. This was my first trip to Yosemite where I completely avoided the valley floor. It was wonderful. It's such a beautiful park no matter where you go.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FuVWmE-9oj-j1fZrzq2kV90448anXBdIWUmj39NOqf7kg5r72X6mr986FzASjPfhvFqcaOfmx8x7sK0qZbg8HVGGSDoQHh56hcKn6_Bein9AD0u3IqDXTzE94HW-9PhTqKvYnlyNtDx9/s1600/yose3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FuVWmE-9oj-j1fZrzq2kV90448anXBdIWUmj39NOqf7kg5r72X6mr986FzASjPfhvFqcaOfmx8x7sK0qZbg8HVGGSDoQHh56hcKn6_Bein9AD0u3IqDXTzE94HW-9PhTqKvYnlyNtDx9/s320/yose3.jpg" /></a></div>It's late summer coming onto fall and so there were quite a few berries scattered about on different bushes. Some edible, some not, some undetermined.<br />
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The first berries we found were along a creek on some species of Ribes. They had thorns on the stems so they would fall under the common name gooseberry I think. Not sure which one specifically since our book just said there were various species of Ribes scattered throughout the Sierras. It had small red berries. Near the creek, they were a little mealy and not so sweet, but higher up they had a pleasant tartness balanced with a little sweetness.<br />
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In the same area we found twinberries. Beautiful, plump glossy berries looking like conjoined twins. My recent favorite book <i>Flavors of Home</i> describes them as officially edible, but not good to eat, at least here in California. Further north in Oregon, they are supposedly prized and considered tasty, here in California no mention is made. I now understand why. I tried one, just to see, even after my friend said they weren't worth it. It had a pretty foul taste. So foul we had to go back and eat some more Ribes berries to get the taste out of our mouth. Ah well.<br />
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On the last day, on our way home, we stopped for another short hike. We walked through the woods, it was quite beautiful, but then we found some thimbleberries. I had heard they were really good, but had never found them ripe. They are really good. They are kind of like a small fragile raspberry in the shape of a thimble (hence their name). They have a very nice, but complex flavor. Very good.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27xsoPYJaqvKNr6hsHeBzyjA00KBPDCs1E2-Ds3D_o72ENa1i-B1rqib8l4poyO5Qz2_mGnYiNXDA6xVHUx6qNd-3QmTLPD0f3CU2F26oAgOedMwjeFMoC8G8zxaCJNAF_8mhQPE_WCOc/s1600/yose4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg27xsoPYJaqvKNr6hsHeBzyjA00KBPDCs1E2-Ds3D_o72ENa1i-B1rqib8l4poyO5Qz2_mGnYiNXDA6xVHUx6qNd-3QmTLPD0f3CU2F26oAgOedMwjeFMoC8G8zxaCJNAF_8mhQPE_WCOc/s200/yose4.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzh7Q-EkbV45c19T3V9_NBnbo7BQNVHT0vkxdWYE0MFcao2KuehsQ9v8OocWtPdMxrQzxv9sAdLkhPlCyKDSOGhEi3K-mEh8HUsRP4pzDYVqXTzw5WF2dqdiJMcaVug_Yo7SFi07aVzYzo/s1600/yose6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzh7Q-EkbV45c19T3V9_NBnbo7BQNVHT0vkxdWYE0MFcao2KuehsQ9v8OocWtPdMxrQzxv9sAdLkhPlCyKDSOGhEi3K-mEh8HUsRP4pzDYVqXTzw5WF2dqdiJMcaVug_Yo7SFi07aVzYzo/s200/yose6.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Then further up we saw more gooseberries. These had full on spikes to protect the berries themselves. I kept thinking to myself that this plant, unlike most berry producers, did not want mammals (or at least me) disbursing its seeds. I seemed to get impaled more than my friends, but it was worth it. They were sweet and very juicy. I thought to myself at the time that they would make a nice sorbet. <a href="http://honest-food.net/veggie-recipes/sweets-and-syrups/gooseberry-sorbet/">Evidently someone agreed</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDGKcSWhnqmGcNdzu-aLGN_7JM1IpwT1Idlb2ckoDklOaDA-TY2Iwztmfl4kEDquxsZo_8cyN64OpUNTBgmnmdlUY_HJxgEYFkmhLmie2jIzGtJ9IxIw8xi9i8ncNzcvGO5axh0YWJlBuK/s1600/yose5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDGKcSWhnqmGcNdzu-aLGN_7JM1IpwT1Idlb2ckoDklOaDA-TY2Iwztmfl4kEDquxsZo_8cyN64OpUNTBgmnmdlUY_HJxgEYFkmhLmie2jIzGtJ9IxIw8xi9i8ncNzcvGO5axh0YWJlBuK/s320/yose5.jpg" /></a></div>I pulled a bunch off with some twigs I used as impromptu chopsticks and brought them home in a bag. At home with a fork and a sharp knife they were much easier to open, and a small spoon easily scooped out the flesh. Next time I'll just remember to bring gloves.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQIL7WQJo4c2pY-45BiWTZtiWIlX2o5ZLAeeug_cNyzF9FnwDMf-uMegmbZinwmYhYQkxDRVYeR0VmsPmWpqchyphenhyphen28WeUb2eobEutb0Q-EwIXJLltFCxR4vQmpoxC3ht8DQEOMw7g_JrG5G/s1600/yose7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQIL7WQJo4c2pY-45BiWTZtiWIlX2o5ZLAeeug_cNyzF9FnwDMf-uMegmbZinwmYhYQkxDRVYeR0VmsPmWpqchyphenhyphen28WeUb2eobEutb0Q-EwIXJLltFCxR4vQmpoxC3ht8DQEOMw7g_JrG5G/s200/yose7.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_g6PZ0CuN6Lr0vT8fSxHQfJfbhQ3OiWsVJmUWSP4Yfk7jy26woJeebKIAH48ht_sz81lFH1Wp_fFsVkrsRVergRx6bzkdTHRHADb2DzNHbfW1Z492uKbEKejl2DP6FQ0F-WWvzmqhksMC/s1600/yose8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_g6PZ0CuN6Lr0vT8fSxHQfJfbhQ3OiWsVJmUWSP4Yfk7jy26woJeebKIAH48ht_sz81lFH1Wp_fFsVkrsRVergRx6bzkdTHRHADb2DzNHbfW1Z492uKbEKejl2DP6FQ0F-WWvzmqhksMC/s200/yose8.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>There were also quite a few hazelnut shrubs on that hike, but no hazelnuts were ready.bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-17127632917832385712010-09-13T22:17:00.000-07:002010-09-13T22:17:06.393-07:00Birds in TildenSo on a hike about 2 weeks ago with some friends, I saw two birds in an unexpected place. I see these birds all the time, but I don't usually expect to see them in the trees.<br />
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The first was what we believe was a juvenile red-tailed hawk. Red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) are very common not just here in California, but throughout North America, and their range extends to islands in the Caribbean and down through Central America. They are quite variable in coloring and here in the West they have three forms, light, dark and intermediate. The dark are completely dark brown, so it looks like that's what we've got below. For more pics and more info, check out <a href="http://10000birds.com/western-red-tailed-hawk.htm">this post</a> on 10000 Birds.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-7mTjhyphenhyphenuNK7jSbnKnGZsmCSOZR9U0cxfRgCKCPGMBBwUXedc3fXprWiLfCIb65z1bDc1W5CoVVHL0u5NIuwZtD_k2n_9DEGVh4XVkKiZMGYu6_d1u0kJwLp7NeJ6AGpebls8xdbT2LwB/s1600/wilds2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-7mTjhyphenhyphenuNK7jSbnKnGZsmCSOZR9U0cxfRgCKCPGMBBwUXedc3fXprWiLfCIb65z1bDc1W5CoVVHL0u5NIuwZtD_k2n_9DEGVh4XVkKiZMGYu6_d1u0kJwLp7NeJ6AGpebls8xdbT2LwB/s320/wilds2.jpg" /></a></div>The second bird was a turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), just sitting in a tree a mere 20 feet from the trail. It wasn't a tree on the edge of a clearing, we were in the woods. We thought maybe it was hiding from something, but really we had no idea. This bird too is a juvenile. It's head is grey instead of the characteristic red of the adults. Turkey vultures are the most widespread of the New World vultures from Southern Canada to the end of South America.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWd8A5tYP7wH7DSbGumZ75VUM2QV8ZoZV9Z5YIeTA7tG06EKdv55zPZNXk5BPmRNPnf8I4uUhUg4y83_yzAlxRRp3wSPQdBb_y-ZhH71KVB8DuqfV5EBiO9WkE1frKoQF6aFRZGb5G6gLb/s1600/wilds6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWd8A5tYP7wH7DSbGumZ75VUM2QV8ZoZV9Z5YIeTA7tG06EKdv55zPZNXk5BPmRNPnf8I4uUhUg4y83_yzAlxRRp3wSPQdBb_y-ZhH71KVB8DuqfV5EBiO9WkE1frKoQF6aFRZGb5G6gLb/s200/wilds6.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWktfVIGqsDTGLj06rF0QS1CsLKtkNtFSra29rrHdD54O64eOPWOXiuFFORWyWFKXlzmL6GHjmR3zYiCG75O2oiALEHZDGDUITThf5pQFcmD5jxq9vDq4mke5BXBHmc6RZnlzoosX5LC-/s1600/wilds9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWktfVIGqsDTGLj06rF0QS1CsLKtkNtFSra29rrHdD54O64eOPWOXiuFFORWyWFKXlzmL6GHjmR3zYiCG75O2oiALEHZDGDUITThf5pQFcmD5jxq9vDq4mke5BXBHmc6RZnlzoosX5LC-/s200/wilds9.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>These are two birds I think of when I think of open space here in California. I often see them on hikes or long car rides in less populated areas. But it looks like people all over North America probably think the same.<br />
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And as an added bonus, here's a pic of a heron (I believe it's a great blue heron) that I saw while paddling down the Russian River in a canoe over Labor Day weekend. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_61-mFVV-jrw4Roqibut_eEKvKi18nZl68MumiROn-lmb27SZbuDnySj2VkF_gU9IdM4_-7UIyJM2xy__QXYvLoU3wYFlUmYhWvxeHmGh6pZM8PEQyLnyNdT00q8dzCLj-BshJ8QoCGv/s1600/wilds13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_61-mFVV-jrw4Roqibut_eEKvKi18nZl68MumiROn-lmb27SZbuDnySj2VkF_gU9IdM4_-7UIyJM2xy__QXYvLoU3wYFlUmYhWvxeHmGh6pZM8PEQyLnyNdT00q8dzCLj-BshJ8QoCGv/s320/wilds13.jpg" /></a></div>bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1935276782286888605.post-21224217308137266912010-09-08T21:48:00.000-07:002010-09-20T11:43:20.052-07:00Wild Late Summer HarvestInspired by the book <i>The Flavors of Home</i>, which I wrote about in a <a href="http://rootedincalifornia.blogspot.com/2010/07/bay-area-edible-plants-flavors-of-home.html">previous post</a>, I decided to try and find a few of the things that are available in August or September.<br />
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First I decided to look for some California hazelnuts which are ripe in July and August. While hiking in Huckleberry a few weeks ago I was unsuccessful. But this last week in Marin I was, though not very. Although there were many hazelnut bushes along the trail, I found only two, count them, two California hazelnuts. I ate one on the trail and saved the other to take some pictures.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVekozR_OYyiFXpbsywitQCdQIZzA1eze_pQeAgREJaGJYONxmStG9BzpNKp-NfwhBlKhVQ0X5uoFxHh3cUhrTy3R5kwYMMSAz-9iBfqfkqwsZTPI_JGwLVn2qh7SDY2NODLlZTQ3aHo4d/s1600/wilds26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVekozR_OYyiFXpbsywitQCdQIZzA1eze_pQeAgREJaGJYONxmStG9BzpNKp-NfwhBlKhVQ0X5uoFxHh3cUhrTy3R5kwYMMSAz-9iBfqfkqwsZTPI_JGwLVn2qh7SDY2NODLlZTQ3aHo4d/s200/wilds26.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaD68hd2hRVqQOF3Dqf8kvZCj1VWdJB5hGakBRvUh02WQ82ZENc_cFsKumKYnUxa-S7Yrkxt_pXo-85xQUWxGOnXyLJcNEU13T8BJHA-7bOrPN9xfqnNzhG-dQbl-q-kCN9uNt-AXeobTS/s1600/wilds29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaD68hd2hRVqQOF3Dqf8kvZCj1VWdJB5hGakBRvUh02WQ82ZENc_cFsKumKYnUxa-S7Yrkxt_pXo-85xQUWxGOnXyLJcNEU13T8BJHA-7bOrPN9xfqnNzhG-dQbl-q-kCN9uNt-AXeobTS/s200/wilds29.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The book warns that they are a favorite of squirrels and so hard to find. It tasted kind of like a walnut to me. I don't think I've ever had hazelnuts outside of chocolate though, so I'm no expert. The green sheath below surrounds the nut when it's not yet ripe. And then dries to brown as the nut ripens. Be careful though. There are a lot of tiny hairs on it that will stick in your fingers and hands. Felt kind of like nettle. Peeling the first one, I only got a couple, the second a handful of stinging hairs. The first seemed drier. I wonder if that made the difference. Then you've got to crack the nut to get to the meat.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpN-treRWplFXnrwSpOtejseTBAlLQTI4Eq-W04BzbtDWm6MDtq9VmThF7IT1eAAsLocCfmkAigviIIB2iiISCwNtgJgMLf0Il4zXE5tqXgFXhrX_71EUECzxODerKcSmwg_njGQG-_aXb/s1600/huckle47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpN-treRWplFXnrwSpOtejseTBAlLQTI4Eq-W04BzbtDWm6MDtq9VmThF7IT1eAAsLocCfmkAigviIIB2iiISCwNtgJgMLf0Il4zXE5tqXgFXhrX_71EUECzxODerKcSmwg_njGQG-_aXb/s200/huckle47.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Next up was madrone bark. This is the time of year when sheets of the bark starts to dry and curl on the tree and is easily removed. It's used to make an infusion (i.e. tea). I haven't tried it yet, but will definitely blog about it when I do.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxzqEuT1PANpUExmsrAllSf6zm6fhrqoxFQ3KDlnKrBMEPVgt-k8XFzBcXhPj23ydiDYl-NKFZE3tQlQ-u1isPYPb2e-2m3k4phUbaQTnWQYmpAFnQvslQ82_fFsEFCXIBRnlEg_PkNjC4/s200/wilds14.jpg" width="200" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBwMT6bHprQnSr3gNDnIPFQ2ib9EC3-GeaIZhS3MHRE-NHL0N6MP9KJ55toIB5dQQnf65SKMSKE_xT1Nad6BlRN67TpqkJrTUK-kb9K-TdhIpepq8_NTFR6vselaZBVk1L0Lm4N0WYpQsJ/s1600/wilds22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBwMT6bHprQnSr3gNDnIPFQ2ib9EC3-GeaIZhS3MHRE-NHL0N6MP9KJ55toIB5dQQnf65SKMSKE_xT1Nad6BlRN67TpqkJrTUK-kb9K-TdhIpepq8_NTFR6vselaZBVk1L0Lm4N0WYpQsJ/s200/wilds22.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>And last up were rose hips of one of our native wild roses. Much like the hazelnuts, I've seen lots of wild roses lately, but almost no hips. That is until I stumbled upon a small group of bushes covered with hips. They are very tiny in comparison to the domesticated varieties. I'm not sure I took enough for more than a cup of tea, but when I have it I'll blog about that as well.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARcEerLwkykApel8sLUcQmkf7T2u6TomyYzHCCnVMn-pxCDKEK_sSQm5nV9WesWspn02941sx0v9lvjDVVEuv75YEcWd3WaY5KX5fd84cZZUQ59-GB8zE7FMtPqsJiXrHa4eYTEMSOums/s1600/wilds20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARcEerLwkykApel8sLUcQmkf7T2u6TomyYzHCCnVMn-pxCDKEK_sSQm5nV9WesWspn02941sx0v9lvjDVVEuv75YEcWd3WaY5KX5fd84cZZUQ59-GB8zE7FMtPqsJiXrHa4eYTEMSOums/s200/wilds20.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCZgavLfdjuhD0wQ69Jrwf0jWOSkpXcXXD4TU4_aGgfTt-G6E5yrabGcfF5LygAJoiC7wxBVzsYRQmNiuwaCVL649ZAyaWw04tG3eRWVG3jD-leEQIufB7YkIxEdUqg4fJ3PaTaDn0kJN/s1600/wilds24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCZgavLfdjuhD0wQ69Jrwf0jWOSkpXcXXD4TU4_aGgfTt-G6E5yrabGcfF5LygAJoiC7wxBVzsYRQmNiuwaCVL649ZAyaWw04tG3eRWVG3jD-leEQIufB7YkIxEdUqg4fJ3PaTaDn0kJN/s200/wilds24.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I was trying to dry them whole, but then decided to cut them in half and dry them in a low oven for about 30 min as per the book's suggestion. Rose hips are high in vitamin C. And rose hip oil is commonly used in parts of Latin America to minimize scarring and as an anti-aging cream. I tried one on the trail. It was pretty mealy. Not so great. The book does say that some bushes have better tasting hips than others and if you find mealy ones, to move on. But those were the only hips I've seen in weeks.bradziohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159166125768562973noreply@blogger.com5