Foggy sailing

Our wonderful family birthday cruise last week was on the Sapphire Princess from Los Angeles to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas and back to LA. It was quite foggy as the ship sailed in the early evening on November 22 (Dick's 80th and Celeste's 50th birthday). Fog horns blared and the shore lights reflected eerily in the water.

Sunrise

The sky was beautiful last Thursday over Corte Madera Creek. This cloud photo is especially for my great-nephew Kirk who is a cloud aficionado.

Our whole family is going on a cruise to celebrate my husband Dick's 80th birthday and his daughter's 50th; she was born on his birthday 50 years ago. So this will be my last photo until November 30. I hope you won't suffer too many withdrawal pangs!

Mt. Tamalpais

Marin County's Mt. Tam is about 2500 feet but in the fog looks much more imposing!

Propeller

The City of San Francisco has a lot of public art and I've shown you some of it in the past. I walked past this one at 100 Spear Street on Tuesday. A mystery - I walked all around it and could not find a plaque explaining it, although there must be one somewhere. But by Googling 'propeller 100 Spear', I found the answer: it is a 36,000-pound brass screw (propeller) from a World War II tanker. It's big, shiny and beautiful - awe-inspiring.

Harlot

If this is what you're looking for, this might be a good place to start - in San Francisco. Salt House is mundane though - a restaurant; the button is probably for delivery.

PS - Ever curious, I looked up Harlot - s/he/it is not in the SF phone book. But Google knows, and if you want to know too, go here: http://www.harlotsf.com/

Nine geese

These Canada Geese were just nine of many on Corte Madera Creek the other day. I hope they are just passing through!

Tree tire

I wonder what the story is here, don't you? All I can say is - I know that tire is durable and isn't going to degrade any time soon because it's already been there a long time; the tree is no sapling!

The tree and its tire are along the Corte Madera Creek bike path near the Buddha(s). That's the creek in the background.

Sunrise on the bike path

Last Thursday, after the moonset came the sunrise along the Corte Madera bike path.

Moon-set

Yesterday's photo was of the moon-rise on Thursday evening; here is the moon-set Thursday morning. I know! - I have the sequence reversed! Oh well, this one happened first in the morning and the other was in the evening.

Moon-rise

Last night's moon rose big and orange as seen from our second floor balcony. It's coming up over the Richmond hills and the reflection is in San Pablo Bay. One of these days I'll be ready with a tripod and get a clearer photo!

Sconce

This graceful sconce is one of a pair that adorned either side of our meeting room door in the Holiday Inn Express last week end.

Shaggy mane

Tuesday morning on the Bear Valley Trail, Hans, Craig & I spotted this mushroom that none of us had ever seen before; it's about 5 inches tall. Hans researched it and it's almost certainly a shaggy mane mushroom. The shaggy mane is an delicious edible variety but still - I wouldn't bet my life on it by eating this one!! But for those of you brave enough, here are some recipes using it: http://www.mssf.org/cookbook/shaggymane.html

Fountain

This fountain made of three jars or ewers is in front of our hotel in El Dorado Hills. I always find it fascinating - understated and beautiful.

New tree

The spirit of plants is indomitable! This clump of trees was roughly cut to facilitate re-construction of the Physical Education Building at the College of Marin. But - this tree hasn't given up; it's sending up a beautiful fresh shoot to create a new tree.

My next photo will be on Tuesday November 11. I'm going to Carol Ritberger's weekend class on Destiny vs. Fate - in Eldorado Hills

Grebe

Thursday morning Corte Madera Creek was filled with birds: ducks, geese, avocets and one lone grebe.

Yesterday's salamander is probably a Rough-skinned Newt; thanks to Master Gardener Katie M. for this info. Newts are members of the salamander family but identifying it as a newt is more accurate. For more info see http://www.californiaherps.com/salamanders/pages/t.granulosa.html

Wild animal

Well, maybe not so wild . . . but definitely an animal. Tuesday morning about 9:30 a salamander lay sunning on the Bear Valley Trail. I could see him/her breathing but he hadn't warmed up enough to run away as I walked all around him and took this close-up photo.

Grass

All the grass and leaves along Bear Valley Trail were dripping with water on Tuesday morning. Here's some grass with drops on the end - the drops would have been bigger if I hadn't bumped the grass a bit! Darn!

Dogwood

Dogwood leaves in the rain. Yes, I did get a little wet.

Spider web

A dew-spangled spider web with no spider in sight is beside the Bear Valley Trail in Marin County, California. Note the three water drops in the center of the web.

Today's sunrise

Hot off the press! This is this morning's sunrise taken from our second floor balcony. The minute I got up I went for the camera because this was too good to miss.

On the path

Here are Hans and Ronni on the Corte Madera bike path last Thursday. Ronni had ghostly gloves and earrings and an orange shirt. She said this was just a preview; on Halloween morning she would really dress the part; unfortunately, we weren't there to see.