Did you know there’s a volcano right here in the San Francisco East Bay? Yep, Round Top, a volcano so long extinct that it’s now lying on its side, is located in Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve in the Berkeley Hills. On Sunday, I enjoyed a fun Mother’s Day hike around the Round Top Loop Trail … Continue reading »
Over the past several years, I’ve tried running at just about every park in the Pleasanton through Danville area, searching for ones with trails both long enough for a nice-length run and shady enough to provide protection from our blaring summer heat. I’ve decided my favorite is Osage Station Park in Danville. The trail looping … Continue reading »
The cacti in the the New World Desert Collection of the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley are in stunning bloom. How have I missed this in past years? The flowers are gorgeous! All these photos were taken during my visit on Sunday, May 5th, 2013. If you live in the San Francisco area, I recommend … Continue reading »
This Friday, May 10th, is National Public Gardens Day. To celebrate the event, Better Homes and Gardens magazine is offering readers a free admission coupon for two to visit participating public gardens, arboretums, and green spaces on this day. Head on over to the Better Homes and Gardens National Public Gardens Day page… http://www.bhg.com/gardening/arboretums/celebrate-national-public-gardens-day/ … … Continue reading »
I’m excited to announce that I’ve been selected to be a See Jane Run Ambassador! I realize I don’t write about it much, but in addition to getting out for my weekly hikes and outdoor play with my son, I also run a couple times each week. I run with friends on Wednesday mornings and … Continue reading »
Photos of my husband and son making sand globes, from the Create-With-Nature Earth Day Celebration, 2013, at Stinson Beach, California. Instruction was provided. Apparently, once these are made, they’ll keep indefinitely, as long as they are misted with water daily. We won’t be able to find out… my son had fun using the ones they … Continue reading »
Photos of the labyrinth created in the sand, from the Create-With-Nature Earth Day Celebration, 2013, at Stinson Beach, California. Usually, these are made for meditation, but that’s not how my five-year-old used it. He had so much fun running around and around and around the winding path. Either way, the design was appropriate for the … Continue reading »
Photos of the evolving outdoor sculpture gallery, from the Create-With-Nature Earth Day Celebration, 2013, at Stinson Beach, California… For more information about the celebration, visit the official website… 9th Annual Free Create-With-Nature Earth Day Celebration. All photos taken April 20th, 2013. Continue reading »
Saturday was the perfect beach day… not hot, not cold, not a bit foggy. With such gorgeous weather, we couldn’t resist heading to Stinson Beach to attend the 9th Annual Create-With-Nature Earth Day Celebration. There were so many fun art activities to participate in, I can’t possible contain them all within one post! So, for … Continue reading »
Blake Garden in Kensington may be the best botanic garden in the Bay Area for nature play. A favorite feature for my son is the Create-with-Nature Zone, which is stocked with sticks, rocks, flowers, and other nature items for kids to play and build with. The second best feature here is the bamboo tunnel sculpture. … Continue reading »
Photos taken April 5th, 2013 Blake Garden, Kensington, California Continue reading »
No visit to the Lawrence Hall of Science is complete without a bit of playtime on the massive DNA Sculpture and on Pheena, the life-size model of a fin whale. Photos taken April 2nd, 2013 Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley, California Continue reading »
Ever wanted to learn how to groom, feed, lead, and interact with llamas?? You can take a class through East Bay Regional Parks and take a walk through the redwoods. During our bike ride earlier this week (Kid Bike Ride: Redwood Regional Park), the kids stopped to watch this, a line of people walking with … Continue reading »
A few days ago, we went to Redwood Regional Park for a bike ride with friends from our Nature Time! playgroup. Super fun! Photos taken March 30th, 2013 Redwood Regional Park, Oakland, California Continue reading »
Photos taken March 29th, 2013 Martin Canyon Creek Trail, Dublin, California Interested in going? See this post: Hiking the Martin Canyon Creek Trail Continue reading »
I enjoyed a lovely hike yesterday morning along the Calaveras Ridge Trail in Dublin Hills Regional Park. The wildflowers are beginning to bloom, especially the lupine. A few photos from the hike… Photos taken March 23rd, 2013 Continue reading »
Apparently, back in the 1950′s, engineers were considering building two dams in the San Francisco Bay to create fresh water reservoirs, right in the bay. Luckily, the US Army Corps of Engineers decided it would be a good idea to study the potential impacts that such a huge undertaking might have, both environmentally and economically, … Continue reading »
Love this park! It has a huge field for play, paths for bike riding, an awesome play structure, and a creek with ducks. Fun! Photos taken March 7th, 2013 Continue reading »
Yesterday, I hiked this section of the Bollinger Creek Loop Trail in Las Trampas Regional Wilderness with some friends. It’s is one of the few trails in Las Trampas that is shade-covered. It’s also relatively short, with the section along the creek and through the trees being only 0.69 miles (one-way). This is a fun … Continue reading »
Yesterday, my son had a school field trip to Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area, a large park located in Pleasanton, near the Livermore border. The students have been learning about the life cycle through the study of trout. They went to Shadow Cliffs to release baby trout into the lake. But they also had a … Continue reading »
I consider the Japanese Garden in Hayward to be a bit of a hidden gem, as so few people seem to know about it. Whenever I mention it, the response is usually, “There’s a Japanese garden in Hayward?!?” Yes, there is, and a lovely one at that. Interested in going? The garden is free, open … Continue reading »
A great place to see turtles! Japanese Garden, Hayward Photos taken February 24th, 2013 Continue reading »
I’m surprised I haven’t written about the Chabot Space Center before, as we’ve been members for two years and visit frequently. I’m frequently asked the question, “Is the museum OK for 3-year-olds?” Yes! My son has always loved our visits here. The museum is filled with hands-on exhibits, which children enjoy. In the Beyond Blastoff … Continue reading »
Photos taken January 29th, 2013 Rainforests of the World California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco Continue reading »
Photos taken January 29th, 2013 California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco Also see… The Living Roof: California Academy of Sciences Continue reading »
We love to visit The Living Roof whenever we visit the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. This paragraph from the Academy webpage states it best… “An open-air observation terrace enables visitors to get a close-up look at the roof’s lush canopy of plants. The view encompasses the densest concentration of native wildflowers in … Continue reading »
Photos taken January 27th, 2013 Redwood Regional Park, Oakland Interested in going? The ladybugs cluster at Redwood Regional Park between November and February. You’ll find them at the intersection of the Stream and Prince Trails. Look on, around, and behind the bench, as well as across the trail, near (and on) the sign. You can … Continue reading »
As I sit here at my computer with the backdoor open to allow some fresh air into our home, I’m listening to the lovely sound of frogsong. The chorus is coming from the creek on the other side of our backyard fence. Up until today, we’ve only been hearing one frog at a time. Suddenly, … Continue reading »
Saturday morning… a misty, wet hike with friends on the Calaveras Ridge Regional Trail in Dublin Hills Regional Park. Photos taken January 26th, 2013 Dublin Hills Regional Park Continue reading »
One of the great things about playing in nature is that bouts of exertion and excitement are often interspersed with quiet, contemplative time. I don’t have to recommend these quiet moments… my five-year-old sits down and calms himself entirely on his own whenever he’s inspired by the beauty around him. I often wonder what he’s … Continue reading »
