Light in winter! A full moon rises on Jan. 12 and will be accompanied by Venus at its highest point in the evening sky. Look for the brilliant planet to the west over the Inverness Ridge as the sun sets just after 5 p.m. and before the moon rises at 6 p.m.
Has the Potoi-Hoipu, or Frost Chief, of the Coast Miwok been visiting recently? This spirit attends dances and influences the weather, according to the recollections of Bodega Miwok Tom Smith, who occasionally harvested the cheeks of whales washed up on the shore during the annual whale, or púsu, migration. The southern migration of the Pacific gray whales is underway; they leave Alaska in November and return north in March and April, traveling in “pulses.” Pregnant females go first, followed by breeding animals and finally females with calves.
This week also marks the naming of the Point Reyes Peninsula. Spanish explorers arrived off the coast on Jan. 6, or the “Feast of the Kings” on the Roman Catholic calendar. Interested in learning about fungi? Displays will be set up on Sunday, Jan. 8 at the Bear Valley Visitor Center with names and experts on hand, part of the Bay Area Mycological Society’s annual Fungus Fair.