I have started to plant the veggies for the spring and summer garden. I planted about 180 tomato plants from seeds in late February and they are now baking outside in the sun during the day and resting on heating mats in my living room during the night. These little babies will grow fast now, will go to other good homes (I usually sell about 100 tomato plants each year) and then ready to be put into the garden in about early May. Every morning, I check the overnight changes in my garden with my first cup of tea. It is amazing what can happen overnight. 

The outdoor weather is getting nicer and the evenings are getting longer. A couple weeks ago, I took my Meetup group on an epic hike up Mission Peak featuring a sunset and a (near) full moon rise. We started during the day and finished under the stars. This 7.5 mile hike at the south end of the SF Bay is very popular among local hikers and now features green fields, abundant wildflowers and a lot of wildlife – we saw cows and deer on the ground and raptors and vultures soaring overhead. This year, I definitely want to explore more of the Bay Area, both on hikes and during bike rides. Since then, I have hiked in Calero County Park and Rancho San Antonio, and I am taking my Meetup group this weekend up Mt. Umunhum, the fourth-highest peak in California’s Santa Cruz Mountains. Hiking is an activity which I appreciate tremendously in these times and in the California Bay Area. With everything going on, gardening and hiking have become my lifesavers, and I have hugged more than one tree this year

My van build is coming along! It takes about one more month until I can pick up the converted van in Bend, Oregon. Right now, I am looking into networks with other VanLifers and places to stay on my/our  upcoming trips. It seems many campgrounds are already booked for the summer, but one organization that has sparked my interest is “Harvest Hosts”. You join the network with an annual fee and then always have a place to stay within vineyards, farms, and orchards. This might be of interest to other campers and RV people as well. https://harvesthosts.com/