Schuster Pkwy: Poison Berries & Glacial Moraine

Usually when driving along Schuster Parkway, between the N end of Pacific Ave and the E end of N 30th St., we're watching the scenic water side. Today, I and my wife Kaaren walked the approximately 1.8 m stretch of sidewalk along Schuster, and paid more attention to the flora on the inland side (thanks in part to a stilled train blocking our waterside view).

The first things to catch my attention on the Schuster hillside were the beautiful ripe blackberries. (Do they thrive in the carbon monoxide of all the passing traffic?) The next thing Kaaren, the Master Gardener, noticed was the poisonous Red Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) growing right among the blackberries! The shiny red berries of the Nightshade, emerging green from their purple and yellow blooms, are an emergency room visit waiting to happen. If picking blackberries with your children, make sure they don't eat these inviting berries of the Red Nightshade!

Among other items of interest we saw along the Schuster hillside, was a spot where about 6 feet of the topsoil had fallen away to expose the glacial moraine. Any Tacoma homeowner who has attempted to plant a garden in their yard is well acquainted with this endless deposit of potato-sized rocks that dull our shovels and make us envy our Sumner friends!

Stones smoothed and dumped by ancient glaciers. Click photo for larger view.