Mistletoe and Winter Plant Walk

December 8, 2014    The morning was crisp and beautiful as we walked along the Shady Canyon Trail.  We saw golden sycamores with big, green clumps of mistletoe in them. The Toyon (Christmas Berry) had bright red fruit and the Coyote Brush was blooming with big fluffy seeds taking off in the slight breeze. The mushrooms were popping up in the rich soil under the Mother Oak – but also in the middle of hard packed trails.  Some surprises…the amount of butterflies seen, especially the Painted Ladies (8 of them). We saw many interesting spider webs, plant galls, birds, flowers…the scenery sparkled.  Before going home, each person decorated sprigs of mistletoe to hang up in their own home.  Winter will soon be here. It’s a wonderful time of year to get out into the wildlands.