6/15: UC Davis Arboretum & Meeting Max!

 Since Steven and I had a couple more hours before we were expected in San Francisco to see our son, Alexander, his wife, Cory, and their newborn daughter, Max, we drove just fifteen minutes down the highway from Sacramento to the town of Davis to while away some time at the University of California, Davis Arboretum and Public Gardens. They were a living museum comprised of the arboretum and the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve, a rare local ecosystem.There was a 3.5 mile loop through the arboretum, with each location shaped by university staff, faculty and community volunteers.

One of the prettiest bathrooms and the only one I could remember that had mosaics everywhere!

These gorgeous white flowers were double white oleanders.

The bed of needles was so, so comfy to walk on beside Putah Creek.

We read that we were walking along part of the UC Davis Nestbox Highway, that had been established in 2000 to provide a breeding habitat for important species. This was one of eleven nestboxes  in Shields Oak Grove, one of several nestbox trails. The boxes were all monitored weekly during the breeding system and chicks color banded to assess species productivity, population dynamics, dispersal and survivorship. I wonder if nestbox trails were unique to this area of California or whether they also existed in other parts of the state and country. Does anyone know?

The Oak Circle of Life was created in 2011 by a collaboration between students and community members. Each circle in the mosaic surface seat wall depicted a milestone in the life of a mighty oak tree beginning in 1210.

The immense tree providing shade to the seat wall was a Persian Oak.

Interlocking mosaic circles showed the relationships of living things that depend on live oak trees for food. 

We were so fortunate to have our time at the pretty arboretum almost exclusively to ourselves.

At last we arrived in San Francisco and met our firstborn grandchild, our entire reason for the road trip! As a friend rightly said, I fell in love all over again holding Max for the first time. Alexander and Cory, the happy but tired new parents of almost one-month old Max, were lucky to have several months of parental leave. After getting lots of cuddle time with Max, the four of us went out for a walk in the city's Mission District near their home. 

Next post: A walk along San Francisco's Oyster Point prior to spending time with Max.

Posted on August 29th, 2020, from Grayton Beach State Park in Santa Rosa, on Florida's Panhandle. In these troubling times, I hope you will stay healthy, stay strong, and stay connected.