Volunteers of Oakland #5

I once asked a friend who was encouraging me to grow potatoes exactly why I would want to do such a thing. Her reply: "Do you like Easter egg hunts?" I couldn't really answer because it had been such a long time since I had gone foraging for colored eggs. But I do now grow potatoes and understand better what she was getting at.

So what happens when one of those potatoes does a better job of hiding than you do of finding?

That potato stays in the ground and freely grows yet more potatoes (perhaps out of sheer loneliness?).  And we are rewarded with fresh roasted potatoes for dinner.

We are All Birdwatchers Now?

Or so many news outlets would want us to believe. And not just those services oriented to birdwatching.

Sooooo, if you have a bit of free time, are completely exhausted by attending to every little nuance of the news cycle, and want to see a bit of nature in action, I have a few ideas.

Peregrine Webcam Screenshot

First, and this has a time deadline because those little fluff-babies are growing by the minute, visit the webcam focused on the peregrines nesting on the UC Berkeley Campanile:

UC Berkeley Peregrines

Three babies, one bad egg (over in the corner) and all the little birdie eating and pooping you can or don't want to imagine.

Next:

Feathered Photography

This guy takes absolutely beautiful photos of western birds - he roams all over Utah and occasionally other parts to see them (right now, he too is in lockdown so it's pretty local). Sometimes he can go on a bit too much for us non-camera geeks about specs and stuff, so just look at the pretty pictures and forget about the rest. That's how I handle it each morning over my first cup of demi-decaf.

Or just wander through your neighborhood (face covering in back pocket). Because there is so much less traffic, and because you can't easily go out with a friend, you may simply focus on seeing and hearing.

Trust me, not only is this way easier than minding your own sourdough starter, but it also doesn't take up any space on the kitchen counter.

A Work in Progress

Some people are cleaning out the closets, but that doesn't spark any joy for me. Besides, where would I even store the stuff except back in the closets, given that Goodwill is closed? Instead, I've been heading out to the garage for a little mosaic work. I swear, by the time this lockdown is over, all my cactuses will be very well-housed.

So what's left to do? Well, just for the weather to warm up so that I can move the Staphelia gigantea into its new home.

A Nod to the Future

Growing plants from seeds is a small act of hope (these days, one might say the same about going to the grocery store). Hope that with care, attention and a bit of time, a garden will provide ample rewards.

For the past ten years, mid-March has been my time for starting the warm weather seedlings - think tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. They need an early and warm beginning to be big and sturdy enough by mid-May to survive outdoors.

Yes, I know that you can buy plants at the nursery. But I also know that you can't always count on finding what you want, especially this year when so many nurseries are now closed down. Nor can you rely on them being disease-free.  So I plant my own.

Amish Paste Seedlings

Odessa Market Peppers

Two weeks ago as I was loading up little pots with potting mix, I had no clue that this might be the year when it could be very important to start seeds at home. I can't claim to be smart, only stuck in my ways. And a bit of a Nervous Nellie.

I am not alone. Seed companies are being hammered by a surge in demand from a new crop of Nervous Nellies. No worries, though - there should be plenty of seeds this year; getting them into your hands is simply going to take longer.

Anecdotally, two of my neighbors are starting new gardens. One poor soul has to battle a stand of ornamental bamboo. I'm impressed with his fortitude - it's been five days and he's still working on it.

Happy Gardening!

A Few Favorite Seed Suppliers:

Fedco
Baker Creek
JL Hudson

Grounded

My friend Adrian used to get "grounded for life" by his mother when she thought his transgressions were sufficiently serious. Right now it looks like we are all in serious trouble, perhaps even life-or-death for a few, which is why we are staying at home. Truth to tell, it's also raining (hallelujah!), and most things are closed down anyway, but that hasn't really been part of the decision-making process - except maybe for not taking a hike today.

So what to do except wash your hands, wash them again and then find something else to do. 

I started with the 2020 Census. It only took four minutes to complete - it must have been the short form - and now no one will be coming to the door to nag us. I suppose taxes are something else I could be doing while grounded at home, but that seems a bit too much like real punishment. 

And there is the hearty minestrone soup in the slow cooker, something that is always good for a rainy day, whether or not you are supposed to stay away from the world.

One family member is just going to sleep the time away - nothing new there, actually.

And I have a big, new book to read. I'm not in love with the cover, and the print is mighty small, but there are lots of pages to help make the time pass. I loved the other books in the series, especially the audio versions, but I can't say much about this one, yet.

Birdhouse w/o Its Top

So, one day down, and who knows how many more weeks of at-home days. The only big-little regret I'm having is that my ceramics class is cancelled, and I was so very close to finishing up a new birdhouse. Except for the top needing a bit more work, it's all ready to be fired. But I expect that it will all be waiting there when it's prudent to go out again. 

Five Years Later

It was a beautiful day at Gray Lodge, although a little too windy to be outside for much time. So no watercolor painting for my best guy this time around. We even ate lunch in the car.

But the birds didn't seem to mind the wind at all. They were too busy eating their own lunches.

Traffic was, well, traffic, even on a Monday holiday. So next time, say in the next five years or so, we will be leaving even earlier. Nothing like breakfast in the car...

King Tides: They're Coming For You

King Tide at César Chavez Park, Jan 11th, 2020

This weekend you have the chance participate in the California King Tides Project simply by taking a walk along the shoreline with your camera. Friends, family and/or a furry walking companion (on a leash, of course) may add to your pleasure, as would lunch out afterwards, but are not at all required. Or you might attend one of the many events around the bay instead.

A "King Tide" occurs when an alignment between the gravitational forces of the sun and the moon create an exceptionally high tide. And the California Coastal Commission wants you to help document it this weekend - February 8th and 9th - so the youngsters of the future may see how the shoreline once appeared. So be happy that the weather is supposed to be clear this weekend or you could get really wet.

Don't forget to check the tide charts for wherever you might be photographing.

Politics At Home

While some of us here were watching the debate, the rest of us were writing letters to would-be voters in key states. Or in the words of Vote Forward:

"Send a letter, a warm note, good feelings, to someone you don’t know — but who needs to hear from you. That’s right — write a letter to a constituent in [a GOP-held] district, a registered Democrat who doesn’t always vote, and tell them, as a FRIEND, how important it is for them to turn out."

It's easy, it's fast, it's effective, you don't have to leave the comfort of your own home, although you do have to buy stamps (yes, that dreaded trip to the post office). Or you can join up and write letters with others; often there are letter-writing parties - they usually serve snacks, but you still may have to buy stamps. However, most parties are on the weekends, and somehow that rarely works out at this house.

So with impeachment underway, and an election around the corner (I'm exhausted already), somehow  handwriting letters to strangers seems normal.

What to Do with the Family Now?

They're here, and it's all been fun - the singing, the cooking and the eating, the Santa look-alike costumes - you name it. But now what?

I have one idea: a trip to the Oakland Museum to see, No Spectators: the Art of Burning Man. It's fun, it's for the whole family (mostly. But should the little ones get restless, you can take them downstairs to see the stuffed wildlife), and on Friday nights, an amazing array of food trucks offers up dinner for everyone.

Heck, with Discover and Go, you just might find tickets for free. Or if your guests are still around into the new year, the first Sunday of the month is always free admission.

Let It Rain, Let It Rain, Let It Rain

The first real storms of the season - an atmospheric river, even - are supposed to arrive any minute now and I've been getting ready for days.

The garlics are in the ground. And the last of the eggplants have all been harvested. Yup, we had baba ganoush at our Thanksgiving. It could become our new traditional Thanksgiving dish, given how well received it was this year.

The counter is almost cleared of the the last-to-ripen Marzanos. Just in time for the lemons from the tree to take over that space in the kitchen. And the fava beans are up and well on their way to becoming good eating by early spring.

So why not curl up and relax - with or without that favorite book. It's all good.