Giant Jerusalem Cricket in Black Star Canyon

Saw this giant Jerusalem Cricket on Saturday night up Black Star Canyon!

Wild Artichoke Season

Cut the heads off before it's too late!  Yum...

Trabuco Canyon & Yaeger Mesa

My pal Miguel inspired a trip to Yaeger Mesa up Trabuco Canyon.  It was a beautiful day full of wildflowers, flowing creek, springs, newts, ferns, firs and thousands of ladybird beetles!

Puffball Musrhoom

Rein Orchid

Hiking Towards Spring

Gambel's (?) Locoweed

Bracken Fern Meadow at Yaeger Mesa

Bracken Fern Meadow at Yaeger Mesa

Bracken Fern Meadow at Yaeger Mesa

Johnny Jump-ups

Bigcone Douglas-fir Forest

Bigcone Douglas-fir Forest

Slope Semaphore (Monkeyflower)

Trabuco Creek

Mushroom gift during action to preserve Silverado Creek

While our community works tirelessly to preserve Silverado Creek, despite the USFS's efforts to demolish historic dams and swimming holes during breeding season for Arroyo Toads, CA Newts and other sensitive wildlife species, I received a gift of three shaggy parasol mushrooms, which are my favorite edible species!  Thank you Mother Nature for fueling me in this time of stress!

Roasted Bay Nuts

I roasted another batch of CA bay laurel nuts (harvested at Adam's Packing Station parking lot) with olive oil and salt.  I roasted for quite a few hours at 350 degrees to make sure they cooked evenly.

Creek Water, Mushrooms & Bay Nuts

Collected water from the creek to drink.  Bumper crop of tasty Agaricus mushrooms found near the creek.  Harvested a ton of addictive bay nuts from trailhead parking lot.  Shelled the bay nuts and roasted with olive oil and salt.

Eating Roadkill Snake

During today's volunteer naturalist training, one of the trainees spotted a roadkill gopher snake on Maple Springs Rd in Silverado Canyon.  We observed and discussed its physical characteristics and behaviors.  Afterwards, I brought it home, skinned it and sautéed it for my lunch.  Tasted like chicken.  I am making a bone broth with its ribs and spine in a crock pot.

Miner's Lettuce in Mom's Yard!

Roughly 10 or 11 years ago, I decided to restore/rewild my parents yard with indigenous plants, so we could save water and benefit local wildlife.  A few of our neighbors hated the idea and called municipal code enforcement on us.  When the intolerant neighbors complained, the city harassed us and even threatened court and jail time.  Some of our new plants were poisoned.  A fire was set on the side of our yard.  I contacted the OC Register newspaper and they ran a few articles.  You can read the articles here and here.  Our issue received nationwide attention.  We ended up on the television and radio.  Most of the public supported our efforts, including a lawyer who offered his services pro bono.  With our lawyer's help, we were able to determine that the city had no legal basis for threatening us.  Now the yard is thriving without any irrigation required.  It is a beautiful and diverse wildlife habitat featuring plenty of edible, medicinal and material plant gifts throughout every season.  Eventually, I was able to convince my mom not to mow the grassy portions anymore.  2 days ago, I noticed a new plant species known as miner's lettuce in the yard.  I'm not sure how it got there, but it is super exciting to find a plant that normally grows in healthy oak woodlands, scrub and chaparral environments!  The fact that it is growing in the backyard of a 1970s tract home in the middle of suburbia is almost unbelievable!

Boletes for lunch!

Found some boletes on today's mushroom foray in Silverado.  They turn blue when cut or bruised!  Cooked them with wild mustard greens, dock and potato.  Perfect flavor!  BTW, LAMS Mushroom Fair is tomorrow (Sunday)!

Crystal Cove, Rewilding & Mushroom Fair

Crystal Cove, Rewilding & Mushroom Fair (below):
Went to Treasure Cove at Crystal Cove State Park for a homeschool experience.

Sea Hare

We had another rewilding activity at Heritage Museum of OC in Santa Ana.  This time we did cactus scrub restoration.

Prickly Pear

Coastal Cholla

The Los Angeles Mycological Society (LAMS) is hosting their Annual Mushroom Fair at the LA Arboretum this Saturday & Sunday, February 11 & 12.  Details here.  BTW, I found some cool mushrooms this past weekend.

Jack O'Lantern Mushroom (Omphalotus illudens) - supposedly gills glow at night

My daughter found this giant and tasty Agaricus.  I ate some for breakfast this morning!

More mushrooms + squirrel lunch

Found some big edible mushrooms today.  Also, caught and barbecued a ground squirrel.