Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Happy Holidays from the Nature Park (next clean up: Saturday, 1/10, 9 AM)


Tinsel on coyote brush (Photo by Lizzie Eisenstein)




Today I went to the Nature Park for the first time since last month and was very surprised to find it lovingly decorated for the holidays. Red, white and silver tinsel adorned the native shrubs and trees.

There was not much litter around and the weeds are still fairly well under control. TruGreen must be keeping after the Ailanthus because it isn't really coming back. I saw a few germinated seeds of milk thistle (Silybum marianum). If any of you go to the park, please look for these and either pull them out or just kick at them with your foot. This noxious, annual weed is easy to remove at this stage but is a real bear later. The picture below the seedling is a stand of milk thistle in the Nature Park in spring 2005. The prickly plants stand about 5 -6 ft. tall. Boyscouts assisted in it removal.




Remember park clean-ups are informally scheduled for the second Saturday of the month and I do expect to be at the Park on January 10th at 9 AM.

As always:

Meet at the park info sign on Pasadena Ave and then head down into the park. The group will pull weeds, pick up litter, and enjoy the park. Come for the whole time, for an hour, or just stop by to say hello.

Remember to:
- wear sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
- bring water- bring gardening gloves and tools (weeders, trowels, whatever you use in your own garden)- comfortable work clothes, including work shoes (sneakers or boots)
- binoculars for bird watching (optional)

Children are welcome but must be under adult supervision at all times. There is poison oak in the park, which we will point out before we start.

Please pass this info along to anyone else you think might be interested in the park. If you know of anyone who doesn't use the internet, let me know so we can be sure they are kept in the loop.

For more information email me at: barbara.eisenstein@gmail.com.

WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY, HEALTHY AND PEACEFUL NEW YEAR!

Barbara