Today I got to go NATURING. In my backyard. Amazing.

It’s been a while. This is going to be a long one.

So, yeah. Most of my free time has been spent at my parents’ house in San Jose. Prepping it for sale. With bits of seeing friends sprinkled here and there. Naturing has not been a priority, sadly. Though, we did visit San Bruno Mountain last Saturday for a couple hours so I could see ONE dang Checker Lily in bloom before they all croak from this ridiculous March heat wave.

Didn’t have time to write about it, unfortunately. But finding one darling Checker Lily amongst the driedupones was precious. As was getting to see SO MANY blue fairy butterflies flitting about, including one MAGICAL MOMENT when one Echo Azure shockingly stopped to pose for us and gradually turned around and opened its gorgeous dorsal wings to show them off to us! AND finding a surprising amount of quite large Amanitas. Always so much to see at SBM!!

But back to today. I got done with a randomish CT Scan (participating in a study to screen Asian women that don’t smoke but have lung cancer in their family history of an Asian woman that didn’t smoke but got lung cancer), and I had the early evening to indulge in a visit to my side of GGPark.

It has felt just awful having no idea what’s going on with any of the Great Horned Owls of the East for all this time while my mind and heart have been in San Jose. So I started straightaway to see what I could find.

And there she was. Sitting by herself. In her favored tree, the fakenesttree. Facing out, like she likes to do.

I had loads of time before the half hour before sunset, so I leisurely travelled through all my old haunts.

Stopped to pause at new and delicate strands of Coast Live Oak flowers. Admired the late afternoon sun on the Owl Nursery Trail. Noted the bizarre and haphazardly placed pink spots on Red-berried Elder flowers. Wondered at the dangling vine of California Manroot that astonishingly grabbed onto the Red-berried Elder flowers nearby. Adored the baby California Manroot spiky seed ball recently popping out. Grew concern for the considerable swath of missing Blackberry bramble that used to flood the area alongside the Slime Mold Lab Trail, where the Coyote liked to hide.

And then it happened. TWO fighting Butterflies, a West Coast Lady and Red Admiral, came into view as they danced together in the Secret Gardens. Both landed for me in their own time, so I got to appreciate them.

Having just read today the superfun Bay Nature article about moths from Allen Fish and Cat Chang, I kept my eyes wide open for moths. Even though it was daytime. I did think I saw some teensy tiny ones flutter into my peripheral vision for a split second before vanishing. But that was about it. I couldn’t help but be delighted by these Butterflies that fought and rested in front of me.

Not having had much time this Spring to be out Naturing, I’m just going to truly relish what I DO get to see. And these two Butterflies are dear to me. Hoping to use my moth goggles more frequently in the future, though!

Since I had the time, I took a second look at that huge Tree that peels in a Manzanita-like way. Still don’t know what it is. And I do not understand why I keep forgetting to get closer to grab a dang leaf from below it to find out. What is flippin’ wrong with me.

Down by the Lily Pond, there’s been some changes. More established trails on the West side. Even one of those outofplace Adirondack chairs on it to enjoy the pond view below. So strange. The Coyote liked to hide over there, too.

Stumbled onto a tiny handful of dried-up Fungi near the Tree Fern Dell. They looked like golden stakes in those wood chips. But it made me notice MANY Red-cage Fungus (both fruited and eggs) under the Mountain Grape and Ferns over there. Even got to see the bottom eggshell of one! Has the flippin’ outline of a FLOWER. WOW!!

They’ve started installing an actual metal fence around the chert wall of the Lily Pond. Guess they’ll be keeping out the partiers AND the Coyotes from that side of the pond?

Or should I say, swamp? Swamp. Yes. That side of the SWAMP.

A variety of plants are now opposite the path on the West side. Interesting. Not quite sure what the vision is exactly…

And that Rose Spirea plant is now gone.

While stooping to get a closer look at what I thought was moss on the side of a cut Man Fern (I think), I saw what looked like a metal piece inside the trunk. Huh. Those things were fake?

OH, NO. NOT AT ALL.

Turns out the inside of that tree’s trunk looks like an intricate metal wheel socket something or other! I had to look longingly at it. And even had to touch it to be sure. Nature is NUTSO and AMAZING.

Red Osier Dogwood is in bloom. And fresh new leaves on the Douglas Fir at the South entrance was nice to see. Had to inhale lovingly at the white Ceanothus over there. As well as the Autumn Olive. I wonder if that’s the only Autumn Olive tree in all of GGPark.

Was pleased as punch to see that Common Ravens were back in that nest that the Great Horned Owls of the East used not too long ago on Pelosi Dr.

And I even had time to stroll through the CAS’ Botanical Garden. Enjoyed the Bumble Bees devouring up the Blueblossom. Sat in a newly made treebranch wood chair, where the previous log bench was. Not terribly comfortable, but pretty to look at.

And while taking the time to sit there, I took it all in. Under that glorious California Buckeye tree. Just listening to the birds. Appreciating the view of the trail and the setting sun. So often, I’m all about observing the next thing that I can forget to slow down and drink it all in. Thank gawd for all the seemingly arbitrary benches on each and every trail I’ve ever been on that had one.

MORE Red-cage Fungus. Adorable California Sweetshrub buds.

And then I spotted them. THEM. What WAS that?? HUGE mushroom caps beyond the trail a bit. Took a closer look, and they appear to be The Prince (Agaricus augustus) mushroom. I’ve only seen them a couple times, once up on Strawberry Hill. But I’ve never seen them SO BIG. And I’ve never been able to see their majestic Universal Veil before!!

I mean, I’ve rarely had the chance to see the veil still flippin’ attached to the cap. Of ANY mushroom! That was dang special. I still can’t believe I got to see that.

Stopped to sit on the other log bench under the other California Buckeye. And I just looked up at the tranquil sight of being under that lush canopy. And then I saw a small bird bopping about above me. Bushtit? No. Could it be a Ruby-crowned Kinglet? Not making its dolphin clicks? That’s my best guess. But it was right above me. Apparently not minding me smiling up at it. So good to take the time to stop and look and SEE.

Even noticed some Common Sunburst Lichen on a tree limb just behind my head during the process.

Walked on the other side of Pelosi Dr. through all those newish trails. Spotted a totally rogue California Flannelbush tree popping right out of a tree stump!

Made it through a bit of the Monarch Bear Grove, which always feels like a secret rabbit hole. And then it was time.

Well, after quickly scarfing down a couple onigiri from Nijiya Market (thanks for being so close to it, Kaiser!), it was time to check in on Ma Owl. Or, what I believe is her.

She was still in the fakenesttree but turned around. So I was able to see her well from the Slime Mold Lab Trail. Er, a couple steps off it, rather. She preened a bit. Looked behind her a lot. But at one point, she looked straight at me. And I could see that injured left eye. And I so wish I knew how it happened.

She looked down at me with That Stare. For longer than she’s ever done so in the past at me. She can still stare me down. Love her for it.

She eventually started to hoot. At exactly 7:26pm. A bit late. But perhaps when solo hooting, it’s not a half hour before sunset? She continued. And no male returned her hoot for a duet. And I heard no other GHO hooting. Interesting.

My conclusion is that she’s alone. Not nesting. Not expecting any Owlets again this year. But maybe there’s a pair nearbyish? Of course I’m always thrilled to see any and all Owlets. But it warmed my heart to hear her hoot on her own. And that she’s honestly still alive with that eye injury that will never fully heal. We’ll see what her future holds…