out we go Archives - until suburbia!

Drive up to Mount Diablo’s Summit

October 25, 2024Silvia

To take a drive up to Mount Diablo’s summit was on my bucket list for a long time. Mount Diablo with its 3,849 feet isn’t considered particularly tall, but the extensive views you might be able to enjoy are spectacular!

Check the weather before you go so you’ll be able to enjoy views that might stretch 100 miles! Winter and early spring, especially after a rainstorm, are recommended. You will be able to see San Francisco, the Sacramento Valley, and the Sierra Nevada mountains. You can pick up a map at the visitor center to help you identify landmarks.

The visitor center also has a short video presentation of the history of Mount Diablo. When we stepped inside, a tarantula (fixed in resin) greeted us together with the ranger. The tarantula was not a Halloween decoration, but a warning that you might encounter these spiders if you hike about.

We also hiked the short 0.7 mile Mary Bowerman Trail just below the summit. This partly accessible trail, not only, has more of these spectacular views but also an interpretative nature walk. I enjoyed the free binoculars at the end of the accessible trail.

Make sure to pick up the brochure at the visitor center. The Summit Visitor Center is open 7 days a week from 10 am – 4 pm.

When you drive up to Mount Diablo summit take your time and yield to bikers.

There are four entrances to Mount Diablo. The fee per vehicle is $10 at the North Gate Road and South Gate Road Entrance; $6 at Macedo Ranch Staging Area and Mitchell Canyon Staging Area. It’s best to bring cash to pay the fee. Gates open at 8 am and close at sunset. Visitors should plan to be in their vehicles by sunset and head out to avoid being locked in.

Tour Blake Garden, Kensington

April 5, 2024Silvia

Every second Thursday from 2 pm to 3 pm you can join a free tour of Blake Garden in Kensington. Here you learn about the history and design of the garden. This is a fascinating walk starting from the former residence of Anson and Anita Blake with the koi pond to the redwood grove, and to the more experimental parts of the garden.

The garden was deeded to the University of California in 1957. From 1967 to 2008 the former residence was used to house the UC Berkeley president. Now structurally unsound because the Hayward Fault Line runs underneath it, and crucial maintenance has been deferred. On clear days, as we had, you can enjoy a view of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge.

I really liked the projects that included art but also a few play gardens. There is a huge boulder and a wonderful tree that would invite kids to climb, but for security reasons it is not allowed. Luckily they created a few play garden areas that will inspire kids to interact with nature.

Nowadays, Blake garden is part of UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design (CED). It serves as a site for experiential learning for students in the Department of Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning.

Starting in 2009 the garden opened to the public. The next garden tour is Thursday, April 11, 2024 from 2 pm – 3 pm. The tour meets at 70 Rincon Rd., Kensington. Parking is free. To register for the tour email Kathryn Lincoln, Blake Garden Manager, at klincoln@berkeley.edu.

Besides the monthly tour, Blake Garden is also open for exploring on your own, weekdays, Mondays through Fridays, 8 am – 4:30 pm (closed for major holidays). Admission is free.

Please remember that you should not pick any flowers. Leashed well-behaved dogs are also allowed on the tour. Due to some steep hills and uneven ground this is not wheelchair or stroller accessible.

Watch Otters Frolicing, at the UC Davis Putah Creek Riparian Reserve

March 8, 2024Silvia

The UC Davis Putah Creek Riparian Reserve is a gem amidst agricultural land south-west of Davis. The 640-acre natural riparian, meaning wetlands adjacent to rivers and streams, and grassland ecosystem is a model in wildlife protection and restoration. Right now you’ll be enjoying the wildflowers during your walk along the river. But a surprising movement in the river – a family of river otters playing. Because there are many species of wildlife you should leash your dog.

In 2000 a lawsuit mandated year-round flow of the creek and was an invitation for wildlife. In fact, this scenic pass by the water is a green oasis that now hosts woodpeckers, kingfishers, and other birds. A paper on ecological restoration found that during the year 1999 and 2012 a significant increase in “the abundance of 27 breeding bird species as well as increases in the size and diversity of the entire breeding bird community”.

This is a reserve owned by the UC Davis and you can see student volunteers and interns removing invasive species and helping out with repairs. Nonetheless, it is open to the public for swimming, boating, fishing and hiking. They seem to have had trouble in the past with people vandalizing benches, and destroying experiments. This was especially true in 2020 when people sought nature as an escape from the shelter-in-place policy. Please be mindful of this model for riparian restoration.

There are four parking lots with gravel roads for the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve. The parking lots, due to recent rain, might be a bit bumpy. We entered Pedric Rd, which had space for maybe 10 cars. Please note that the south side of the creek is private property.

Hike the Sonoma Overlook Trail

February 16, 2024Silvia

Just a few minutes north of the Sonoma plaza on 1st Street and Mountain Cemetery is the entrance to the Sonoma Overlook Trail. Parking is limited, but you can also start your hike from the cemetery. This 3 mile hike with a steady gradual 7% incline took us about 1 hour to complete. Once you reach the top you will be rewarded with gorgeous views of the Sonoma Valley and San Pablo Bay. From the south end you can see San Francisco on a clear day.

The road is uneven and sometimes muddy, so I would recommend wearing hiking shoes. It is mostly shady until you come to the top with the loop of the overlook trail and its meadow. We returned through the historic cemetery and I think that in itself is worth a visit.

At the beginning, you can pick up several maps and info brochures by the map post near the parking area. No dogs, horses, or bikes are allowed. Please stay on the designated trail to avoid disrupting the hillside and encountering wildlife such as rattlesnakes, ticks, and mountain lions.

You can find the entrance to the Sonoma Overlook Trail on 198 First St. W. in Sonoma, CA. On many weekends docent led hikes are available.

Have you hiked in Sonoma?

The sun is setting overlooking the Bay at César Chávez Park in Berkeley

Look up at César Chávez Park in Berkeley

January 5, 2024Silvia

Originally we came to the César Chávez Park in Berkeley to see the kites. But even the waterfront park is not always a windy place. This park was known for its annual kite festival, organized by Highline Kites. But due to a rate hike by the City of Berkeley, the once beloved annual kite festival at the end of July will be canceled.

A nice surprise were the info panels educating you about César Chávez. One of the stations explains Chávez’s connection to dogs and even has an excerpt of the poem A Dog Has Died by Pablo Neruda. Unlike kites, dogs were plentiful the day of our visit. There is a large off leash area where many friendly furry friends meet up.

The highest point in the park is used for the crossroads observation point. Four virtues of César Chávez: hope, determination, courage, and tolerance are celebrated and each has an info panel connecting these to Chávez. The four words are chiseled in stone, appearing like an altar for each of them.

If you come to find a relaxing place you can sit on one of the many benches and enjoy the view of the San Francisco skyline. But be aware that some dogs might come and say ‘hi’.

The 90 acre park is located at 11 Spinnaker Way next to Berkeley’s marina. Hours are from 6 am to 10 pm (unless otherwise indicated).

Have you been to César Chávez Park?

Explore your local library

August 11, 2023August 11, 2023Silvia

Libraries offer much more than books to borrow. The Woodland public library teamed up with the Obama Foundation to show off their amazing programs: getting a pass for a national park, getting a backpack with nature activities, attending book clubs in English and Spanish, and being able to work in a maker space, Square One.

Woodlands public library is one of the few Carnegie built libraries that are still being used as a library. I already made you aware of the excellent rose garden, and the kids reading program on Saturdays during the farmers market. But did you know they also have Henrietta, the library cat?

Square One, the maker space in the basement, offers laser cutting, screen printing, 3d printing, woodworking, and much more. You must have a valid Woodland library card. And, you have to participate in a workshop in order to use some of the equipment.

Woodland’s library is doing a great job engaging the community. However, I’m sure if you explore your local library you will most definitely find more than books to keep you busy.

What programs does your local library have?

Check out the instagram post the library did with President Obama.

And their amazingly creative tik tok account (especially for updates on Henrietta):

https://www.tiktok.com/@woodlandpubliclibrary

Gift some Zinnia Flowers, Woodland, CA

July 7, 2023July 7, 2023Silvia

I remember when I volunteered at the Mountain View food bank (CSA) every time we had flowers to give out, these were the most precious items that day. Gifting flowers is something the Mezger family in Woodland understands very well. They provide the zinnia patch on the outskirts of Woodland. This is a give-it-forward patch. You can pick a bouquet of zinnias and you are asked to pick one for someone else, who is not able to come and pick their own. Check out their facebook page to follow the announcement when the zinnias are ready to pick, usually at the end of June until September. I love this concept so much! Thank you, Mezger family!

Some tips for zinnia picking. First, please note that the field has moved. It’s now located at 11990 County Rd. 96, Woodland, CA 95695. We brought our own scissors, but saw that there were scissors on a table. A very important fact I learned was that zinnias don’t like to lay down. They do much better in a vase during transport (and obviously when at home). It doesn’t have to be fancy, just bring a high jar with a wide mouth (or more if you have many to share). There is a water station to fill up the jars. Just make sure they can sit upright in your car and don’t tip over! If you have a lot of vases, this might be the spot to donate them. And I’m sure the scissors will need to be replenished, too.

Zinnias attract a lot of pollinators, and it was pure joy to see the butterflies dance around. What a fantastic place and a generous family.

How to get there

To find the zinnias patch follow the signs attached to the blue boxes. Located at 11990 County Rd. 96 in Woodland. I did not see any opening hours, but there is a private driveway next to the patch, so please be respectful and don’t park there.

Have you picked zinnias at the Mezger’s before?

Trudge the Cache Creek Nature Preserve

June 9, 2023Silvia

Besides the 1.5 miles of hiking trails the Cache Creek Nature Preserve has also a Tending and Gathering Garden (TGG) and the Jan T. Lowrey Memorial Grove. The Tending and Gathering Garden provides educational space to teach cultural practices of the Wintun people. You can learn about controlled fires known as Good fire or Leok Po, in a workshop, or check out some weaving baskets that were left behind.

We started our hike at the wetland overlook. A calming place to take in the beauty of the area. On clear days you will be able to see the Anderson mountains located to the West. Next stop was the heron boardwalk, a pier that is in the middle of the wetland, with info signs on local birds. We only took the short loop through grassy land. Afterwards, we checked out the old barn with the impressive Hold Harvester tractor. And finally we saw the natural lawn mowers – a herd of sheep with a lot of lambs – decimating the landscape.

You can do yoga under the oaks Sundays at 8 am for $15. Further, there are guided nature walks; June 11th and July 9th starting at 9 am. These walks are free!

If you have little kids and live near Woodland you might want to check out the library’s Creek Explorers program. Every Monday from 10-11am, in June and July, the Putah Creek Council will teach children about the biodiversity of the Putah Creek.

The Cache Creek Nature Preserve is located at 34199 County Road 20 in Woodland. Hours are Sunday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. The visitor center is currently closed.

A sign saying: 'The barking lot is occupied'

Take Care of an Animal

May 26, 2023Silvia

The last three weeks we were a medical foster family for Millie, a 2 year old husky mix. She’s been in the animal shelter since October of last year. Her dermoid, a condition that grew skin over her eyes, was removed a few weeks ago and paid for by the generous Friends of Yolo County Animal Services (YCAS). Now she is a beautiful, active doggy. I hope someone with a big yard and a furry sibling will adopt her soon.

I usually write more on sights to see, but I really wanted to introduce people to the idea of helping pets. After all, this is also a great way to spend your free time. And you will discover interesting parts of your neighborhood. You don’t need to adopt them (right away); there are lots of ways you can contribute. Shelters are overflowing right now with pets that became inconvenient after their people had to return to work, or it might be too expensive with a high inflation rate. Whatever the reasons, the shelters provide valuable care.

Here are some ways you can help:

Volunteer at the local shelter
I started a few months ago volunteering at the local animal shelter. It is a great way to spend time with dogs. You get to walk them, play with them, and connect with a new buddy.
Foster an animal
This is a short term commitment to give a pet a chance to be in a home and get more personal attention. [There is no shame in foster fails! Meaning if you decide to keep the animal after a short while this should be great news for everyone.]
Donate to your local shelter
You can make a monetary contribution, always welcome, and look for lists on the shelter’s website of things they might need, like towels, blankets or toys.
Spread the word
Use your social media presence to help get the word out and hopefully someone in your circle will see a pet they are interested in.

Yes, there are pitfalls to this, too. I am writing this after I returned Millie to the shelter yesterday. I know she is in good hands there, with a caring staff and volunteers. But even in these short three weeks we miss having her around. Yet we also know what Millie needs is a permanent solution. You can’t possibly help every pet. But the love you give will be returned; it means a lot to them to have human contact.

Do you volunteer? What areas do you like to give you time for?

Visit the Excellent Rose Garden in Woodland

May 5, 2023Silvia

The Carnegie Library in Woodland is on its own worth a visit. From the 121 libraries built by the Carnegie Corporation in California, from 1899 to 1917, 37 still operate as libraries. Since 1989 there is another attraction around the building, the rose garden. To be exact, this garden is composed of multiple rose gardens. In 1991 the Memorial Rose Garden was established. A year later the Perimeter Wall Garden opened up. Since 1998 the John A. Saltsman Garden has extended the gardens of the Library to the north and west.

With nearly 600 varieties of roses this is a delight for every rose lover. Furthermore, in 2015, they won the “2015 Garden of Excellence Award” by the World Federation of Rose Societies. It’s an incredible honor, overall there are only 11 US rose gardens that received this award. Other examples are: San Jose’s Municipal Rose Garden, Sacramento Historic Rose Garden, and Biltmore Rose Garden.

Gregg Lowery, an antique rose expert, reveals that

”Their two plantings of Rosa primula represent the only correctly named specimens that I have encountered in gardens, both public and private, in the world.”

If you would love to learn more about how to cultivate roses you can join the group, meetings are every 2nd Saturday of each month, membership fee starts at $15. Every January they invite you to learn about pruning. Check out their web site for further events.

The Woodland Rose Garden can be found around the Woodland library, between College and Court.