Tag Archives: California

Ice Plants – Point Reyes National Seashore 2006

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Here’s a picture for Doug, who asked if I had any photos of ice plants on the beaches of San Francisco or Pacifica.  The closest I have is some photos of the ice plants at Point Reyes National Seashore, in Marin County, north of San Francisco.  This photo was taken at North Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, in March 2006.

Now that I’ve learned that ice plants are invasive, I understand that they should probably be ripped out of Point Reyes National Seashore.  I  know that, but the ice plants are wonderful to see in the spring – the brilliant color and the green leaves against the ocean.

North Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, March 2006

North Beach, Point Reyes Seashore, March 2006

Ice Plants

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The ice plants have started blooming, here where I live, south of San Francisco, in the San Francisco Bay area.  Ice plants are succulents which form a ground cover.  The most common species in my area appears to be Carpobrotus edulis.  They are very hardy, hold water (good for this dry area) and they have beautiful pink and yellow flowers in the spring.  They were popular as ground covers for commercial spaces, and were planted along the highways to help prevent erosion.  They grow well in our climate.  Here’s a description and some pictures – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpobrotus_edulis

I like them, though, yes, I know that they are an invasive species.  Ice plants are not native to this area.  They are native to South Africa, which has a Mediterranean climate like our climate, so of course they grow well here.  I realize that we need to get them out of natural habitats such as the Point Reyes National Seashore,  and the San Francisco estuary, but I do enjoy seeing them bloom in my area, in the spring.

The ice plants are pretty along Bayshore Drive.  I went there on Sunday, April 5, 2009, and took pictures.  

The California Poppy (our state flower!) has also started blooming.  I’ll have to go take pictures.

Ice Plants in Bloom, April 2009

Ice Plants in Bloom, April 2009

The Baylands in March – Another Heron Picture

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I like to walk in the Palo Alto Baylands Park, looking out onto the San Francisco Bay.   March is the end of the rainy season. 

I like how deliberate the heron looks – they always do.

Heron, Palo Alto Baylands, March 2009

Heron, Palo Alto Baylands, March 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

             

The bay is narrow, here at the southern end of the bay.

Here’s a link – map and pictures of the bay and areas around the bay.

http://baynature.org/

amarez – mszv

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Christmas 2008 – Harbor View – Oyster Point, California

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Last Christmas, before I flew to the northeast US  to visit family, I decided to do a “park, sleep, and fly” , since I had to get to the airport so early.  It’s a wonderful thing – you pay for a hotel room for one night, at a hotel near the airport.  The hotel keeps your car, takes you to the airport, and picks you up.    I love it. 
                            
I stayed at a hotel that was a little bit fancy,  a business hotel where I got an excellent weekend rate – The Inn at Oyster Point – http://www.innatoysterpoint.com/ .   The inn has a view of the Oyster Point marina in South San Francisco – http://www.smharbor.com/oysterpoint/ .  I didn’t even know that South San Francisco, an industrial town south of San Francisco (good name!)  had a marina!  I also forgot that people decorate their boats for the Christmas holidays, just like they do their homes. 

Here’s a view of the marina, at night, from my hotel room.   It was magical.    I had a wonderful time.

Christmas 2008 - Harbor View - Inn at Oyster Point

Christmas 2008 - Harbor View - Inn at Oyster Point

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                           
                   
                
amarez – mszv
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Merry Christmas

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Merry Christmas to everyone. 

Point Reyes Seashore - look in the distance

Point Reyes Seashore - look in the distance

 

 

If you click on the picture, you’ll see land, barely visible, in the distance – very mysterious.

Maybe it’s not land – maybe it’s a ship.

 

 

 

 

Amarez – mszv

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Travel Retropective 2008, Part 2 – Point Reyes

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I went to Point Reyes for my birthday in February, and stayed at the Point Reyes Seashore Lodge, in Olema.  It was a magical trip.  I love the Point Reyes seashore – it’s one of my favorate places in the world.
Point Reyes Seashore Lodge

Point Reyes Seashore Lodge

                   
                    
             
Here is a view of the hotel and the neighboring restaurant from the road.  The lodge is at one of the entraces to Point Reyes National Seashore.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Point Reyes National Seashore - Chimney Rock area

Point Reyes National Seashore - Chimney Rock area

 
 
 
 
 
Could a trail be any more beautiful?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                            
 
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Amarez – mszv

Travel Retropective 2008, Part 1 – Disneyland

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This was a year of short trips. In June I accompanied a family member to an ALA (American Library Association) conference in Anaheim, California.  So, for the first time in my life, we went to Disneyland, very convenient as our hotel was across the street from the park.

Disneyland was oddly fun!

Disneyland Fantasyland Castle

Disneyland Fantasyland Castle

 

 

 

 

 It’s hard to get pictures without random strangers in the background, so I had to be creative.  Here is a view of the castle that is different from the one we usually see.

 

 

 

Disneyland Tomorrowland from the Monorail

Disneyland Tomorrowland from the Monorail

 

 

You get good views from the Monorail.  The Monorail is fun, but it’s doesn’t have the same “wow” factor that I think it had in the 1950s.   Today, it reminds me of other forms of mass transit.

 

 

 

Disneyland Mickey's Toontown

Disneyland Mickey's Toontown

 

 

This section opened in 1993, but it’s based on old Disney, the original cartoons – very creative.  We loved it.

 

 

 

 

California Adventure Entrance

California Adventure Entrance

 

 

California Adventure is the Disney theme park that is across from the original Disneyland.

 

 

 

 

California Adventure - Hollywood

California Adventure - Hollywood

 

 

I liked the Hollywood part of California Adventure.  It seemed right that it was fake because, well, Hollywood is fake!

The front building is “real”, the back section is a picture on a flat surface.

 

 

 

 

 

Disneyland entrance - bench

Disneyland entrance - bench

 

 

Isn’t this bench clever?  I love the Mickey ears.

 

 

 

 

 

Amarez – mszv

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Walking in the Palo Alto Baylands

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Last weekend (and the weekend before) I felt better, so I went for a stroll in the Baylands Preserve in Palo Alto.  (Aside – recovery from knee surgery takes longer than one would think!).  The Bayland Preserve is one of the parks that ring the San Francisco Bay.  The goal is to have the entire bay ringed by parks and a walking trail, but we aren’t there, yet.

Here’s a map – http://baynature.org/places

Some pictures

Palo Alto Baylands Park

Palo Alto Baylands Park

 

 

You can see Bxybee park in the distance.   The poles are part of an outdoor sculpture. 

 

 

 

 

Palo Alto Baylands - Great Egret

Palo Alto Baylands - Great Egret

 

 

The bird is a Great Egret, a member of the heron family.

 

 

 

 

Great Egret at Sunset

Great Egret at Sunset

 

 

This one is from my camera phone.

 

 

 

 

 

I love the Baylands.

Amarez – mszv

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Fall – where I live

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This is Fall, where I live.  It rained yesterday, but it’s sunny today.  It’s not warm enough for swimming – well, maybe if the pool was heated!

My Pool in the Fall

My Pool in the Fall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some trees change colors, and some don’t.  Some deciduous trees keep their leaves.   Most of the trees and plants are not native to California (just like me!), so the effect can be a little strange.  It’s so wonderful, but at the same time you look around and ask yourself “where the heck am I”?

Fall - Trees and Plants

Fall - Trees and Plants

 

 

 

Even now, in Fall, something is blooming – the bush, below the trees, has little blue flowers. 

I love where I live – San Francisco Bay Area, south of San Francisco, coastal California.

 

 

 

 

 

mszv – Amarez

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My Weather Station

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I wanted to get myself a treat, so when I was in my local Longs Drug Store (sells way more than drugs) I ran across an inexpensive portable weather station.  The weather station consists of two parts: a wireless thermometer that you leave outside, and an inside unit.  The inside unit displays inside and outside temperature, the date and time, and min and max temperature.  There is a backlight and an alarm feature, which I don’t use.  The inside and outside pieces can be separated by a maximum of 100 feet, 30.48 meters.

Weather Station

Weather Station

 Here is a picture of the weather station.  As you can see, the inside and outside pieces don’t register exactly the same temperature.

I put the outside device outside, near my door, hidden by one of the containers of my container garden.  The outside device will run a little warm because it’s next to a wall, protected from the elements.  I get no end of pleasure looking at the inside and outside temperative!

 

You might wonder – why do I bother?  I can open my door and see what the weather feels like.  I’m in and out all the time.  I know that, but I love looking at something that reinforces my addiction to the wonderful and magical weather where I live, the San Franciscso Bay area (not SF itself), northern coastal California.  The temperature doesn’t vary all that much, which makes it so  comfortable.  I love seeing how it cools down at night, even during the warm season.   The weather station doesn’t report humidity, but if it did, I’d see that the humidity is generally low.  I love California.

amarez – mszv