Friends of Santa Teresa Park Zoom Meeting, 11/7/24

 

    • This was an online Zoom videoconference meeting. Mike sent out a meeting link for this Zoom meeting.
    • Attendees: Mike Boulland, Ron Horii, Joan Murphy, Park Interpreter Rob McDonnell.
    • Ron showed a slideshow:
      • 10/9/24: Santa Teresa Spring pond was covered with algae. (Cleared up later.)
      • 10/10/24: Graffiti on end of bench at the Hidden Springs Trailhead (Ron cleaned it off).
      • 10/19/24: View of Spina Farms Pumpkin Patch in the Coyote Valley from Coyote Peak, with big crowds and traffic (less busy on weekdays). Our Coyote Peak sign scratched, with graffiti and stickers on the back. Bench by the sign has memorial plaque stolen.
      • 10/26/24: Conditions at the Bernal Ranch and Santa Teresa Spring for future cleanup. Cottonwood trees changing color at the spring. Sign replaced by the chicken coop. Tarantula on the Joice Trail. Lots of people and pros taking pictures around the Bernal Ranch.
      • 11/1/24: First Friday cleanup day around the Bernal Ranch: Swept leaves around the ranch house, swept the flagstone walkway, cleaned the drain by the retaining wall, cut blackberries in the drain by the Caretaker's house, pulled weeds in the garden. Map sign of the Bernal Ranch by the chicken coop replaced.
      • 11/3/24: Graffiti on the restroom at the Bernal Ranch. Mike led "Whoppers" hike to Meetup group, starting at the Bernal Ranch, to Santa Teresa Spring, the Bear Tree, Bernal School, the Norred Ranch, and returning on the Norred Trail. The sign on the trail to the spring about farming was replaced. Saw coyote on the Norred Trail.
      • 11/4/24: Graffiti on restroom painted over. Bench on Joice Trail before it turns left below the Vista Loop has graffiti on leg.
      • 11/5/24: Graffiti on guard rail by the free parking lot near IBM (was painted over by Ranger Sadie). More graffiti (a saying) on the bench at the Hidden Springs Trailhead. The bench has graffiti scratched into it and is cracked.
      • 11/6/24: Graffiti on the upper barn on the Norred Trail. Jacoba Bernal House broken into.
      • 11/7/24: Fence broken at the free parking lot near IBM. (Ranger Sadie saw it.)
    • Rob McDonnell's report:
      • Ron saw port-a-potties and a security car parked at the Norred Ranch. Rob said he talked to Valley Water people, who were working on cleaning up the canal.
      • Rob's school programs show acorns and their uses. He's been showing coast live oak and valley oak acorns. He wants to get other species, like leather oaks. At Chitactac, the school programs feature acorn grinding.
      • Joan suggests putting a logbook on top of Coyote Peak so people can sign in and put comments. It might discourage people from leaving graffiti.
      • Rob showed new webpages he is working on for the Bernal Ranch, which will have information about how to get to the ranch, its history, education, programs, events (like La Fuente), volunteer opportunities, and interpretive signs and the timeline. There's a link to our website.
      • The new website for the County Parks will go live on 11/12/24.
      • On 11/30/24 from 1-4 pm, Rob will have a kids craft pop-up at the Bernal Ranch. Kids will make paper turkeys.
      • Next year is the Year of the Snake. On 1/31/25, Rob will be doing a snake program at Martial Cottle Park, featuring Morticia, the kingsnake. She's 22 years old and is too old to be taken from Martial Cottle. Ron asked about the snake at Hellyer. Its visitor center has a kingsnake named Crusher, but it bites. Joan suggests borrowing a snake from YSI.
      • March is Women's History Month. On 3/1/25, Rob will be leading a Women's History Hike that will focus on the women of Rancho Santa Teresa. They will go from the ranch to the spring and to the Bear Tree. Mike suggested going to the Norred Ranch and coming back on the Norred Trail. It might be a problem, because it involves going outside of park property.
      • Rob found a video of Patrick Joice, talking about life at Rancho Santa Teresa. The video was made in 2019 by Santa Clara County Newsbeat. (Rob sent the link to the video, now on Youtube.) Patrick said that in the 1950's, the big central room of the ranch house was the kitchen.
      • The Caretakers' house was built around 1854. There's no update about who is going to occupy it or the Pedro Bernal House.
    • We have been thinking about a memorial for Kitty Monahan. (At Almaden Quicksilver, there's a memorial concrete picnic table for her at a scenic overlook. There's also a trail and a bridge named after her.) We can't afford a bench. Maybe there could be a plaque or plate in the barn. They don't want to nail anything into the barn. Maybe something can be added to the timeline or a sign on a stand.
    • Other events:
      • 12/5/24: Volunteer Potluck at Parks Admin. office, 6 - 7:30 pm.
      • 12/7-8/24: Fantasy of Lights Walkthru, Vasona Lake.
    • No FOSTP meeting on 12/5/24 due to the Volunteer Potluck.
    • Next First Friday Workday: 12/6/24 at 9 am at the Bernal Ranch. We'll have a shorter workday. We will have our Volunteer Recognition lunch immediately afterwards. It will be outdoors at the ranch.
    • Beautify San Jose Grant Status:
      • The Cycle 6 mid-year report is due 11/30/24. Mike and Ron are working on it.
      • The Cycle 7 application is due 12/9/24. 
      • There is a Cycle 7 workshop on 11/13/24.
    • Treasurer's Report
      • The current $2,016 balance in the FOSTP Wells Fargo account is as of 10/3/24.
      • Currently, no outstanding checks.
      • Estimated $167 left in grant funds for the remainder of the year.
    Return to the Friends of Santa Teresa Park Home Page

       Created 11/12/24 by Ronald Horii, secretary of the Friends of Santa Teresa Park
    Funding provided by a Beautify San Jose Grant