January Birding: Putah Creek Cafe

Putah Creek Exterior - Winters  2012

Putah Creek Counter - Winters  2012

Hali and Mike joined Barbara (and later, Dan) for one of their regularly scheduled birding expeditions in mid-January. They left Marin County and drove to Winters, home of the famous Putah Creek Cafe, and ate there for lunch both going and coming back.

Its popularity is a bit of an issue, though. On Sunday the travellers opted to eat outside in order to avoid the 30-40 minute wait, but that involved sitting in a bit of wind chill while they ate. Also, seemed to take quite a while for the orders to arrive.

On Monday they opted to eat at the counter in order to avoid, yes, the 30-40 minute wait.

Anyway, the burgers can certainly be heartily recommended. Yelp reviews are here.

Monday Gull Blogging

Gull, Bay Bridge - San Francisco  2011

Gull seen on a post at the walkway outside the Ferry Building, most likely waiting for a handout.

Two More from the November Sierra Trip

Alpine Lake - Alpine County  2011

Leaves - Calaveras County  2011

. . . that Mike took in November.

Top: Alpine Lake. The shallower parts of the lake were frozen over.

Bottom: Leaves just off the highway in Arnold, probably from a non-native tree.

Spring Mannequin

Spring Mannequin (Nordstroms) - Marin County  2012

We will know that it's Spring when these cunning little hats start to appear.

Sausalito Pix

Boat - Sausalito  2012

Mast - Sausalito  2012

Boats, some quite large. Often wondered about renting one for an overnight stay . . . what would that be like? (Assuming they're available . . . don't know.)

California Buckeye

Buckeyes & Sky - Marin County  2012

Buckeyes - Marin County  2012

Leafless. Although leaves should start to appear very soon.

Same trees in June seen here.

San Rafael Sightems: Island Girl & Self-Portrait (Flare)

Island Girl - San Rafael  2012

Self-Portrait (Flare) - San Rafael  2012

Walking from the auto repair shop to the gym, and back again.

Balloons

Ballons 1 - San Anselmo  2012

Balloons 2 - San Anselmo  2012

Imagine each pix as a 4x6 foot print.

Whoa! Impactful!

iPhone pix.

Monday Horse Blogging

White Horse - Marin County  2011

White Horse in Rearview Mirror - Marin County  2011

White horse seen as Mike rounded a corner in his truck . . . was very interested in Mike's camera.

Hi Dive

Hi Dive - San Francisco  2005

Hi Dive - San Francisco  2012

Two views of the Hi Dive, a very photogenic bar, the top one taken in 2005 with the Olympus C-8080, the bottom one taken this month (on a blessedly smog-free day) using the Canon G12. Someday I must go in and have a beer.

San Francisco History

Hearst Building - San Francisco  2012

John's Grill - San Francisco  2012

Two photos conjuring up the olden times. For the Hearst Building: Mark Twain, Ambrose Bierce, etc etc.

For John's Grill: jazz 'n steaks! Whoa! Timeless! Someday I must eat there.

Speaking of Ambrose Bierce, we will all recall that:

In October 1913, the septuagenarian Bierce departed Washington on a tour to revisit his old Civil War battlefields. . . . After a last letter to a close friend, sent from that city [Chihuahua] on December 26, 1913, he vanished without a trace, becoming one of the most famous disappearances in American literary history. Subsequent investigations to ascertain his fate were fruitless and, despite many decades of speculation, his disappearance remains a mystery.

In one of his last letters, Bierce wrote:

"Good-by — if you hear of my being stood up against a Mexican stone wall and shot to rags please know that I think that a pretty good way to depart this life. It beats old age, disease, or falling down the cellar stairs. To be a Gringo in Mexico — ah, that is euthanasia".

(Readeasily.com)

Musicians

Saxophone Player - San Francisco  2003

Accordian Player - San Francisco  2012

Musicians playing down in the subterranean corridors of BART. Nice echos.

Sign, Tree

Sign & Tree - San Francisco  2012

Seen on Market Street. Thematically similar to this 1973 shot.

Mannequins

Mannequins #1 - San Francisco  2012

Mannequins #2 - San Francisco  2012

Seen during a recent lunch expedition to the city. Hm, Mike rarely sees these interesting styles in his various trips to here and there. In fact, Mike never sees these kinds of clothes.

But maybe there's not that much call for fashion in Arnold.

Trees

Trees & Wall - San Francisco  2012

Tree & Buildings - San Francisco  2012

Trees in San Francisco.

Monday Crow Blogging

Crow, Oak - Marin County  2011

Crow in oak, autumn colors in background.

Occupy Mindfulness

Occupy Mindfulness - San Rafael  2012

Today. Alas, Mike won't be able to make it.

Sonoma County Sightems: Gingko Trees & Himalayan Restaurant

Ginkos & Fence (Petaluma) - Sonoma County  2011

Himalayan Restaurant (Windsor) - Sonoma County  2011

Gingko trees outside Lorna's house in Petaluma, the restaurant found in Windsor.

Sausalito Art Festival

Volunteer (Sausalito) - Marin County  2011

Mike's Friday the 13th post concerns the Sausalito Art Festival. He checked it out last year as an interested observer.

The fee for a 10x10 booth is $1200, and it goes up from there.

Mike will not be putting in for this particular festival.

"Atmospheric Haze" in Marin

Mt. Tamalpais & "Haze" - Marin County  2012

Oak & "Haze" - Marin County  2011

. . . aka air pollution. This past fall, and now continuing into winter, has seen an outlandish number of "spare the air" days as stagnant air settles in over the entire bay area. (December had the second-lowest monthly rain total ever for Marin.) What's interesting is that crummy days get the same forecast as great days (sunny, highs in the 60's.)

Usually all the pollution that we generate is blown away from here . . . to San Jose, or Sacramento, or wherever. Somewhere else, anyway. How outrageous to have it stay right here!

Earlier annoyed smog report here.

Sports Photography

Runners - Marin County  2011

One main rule for effective action/sports photographs is . . . uh . . . well . . .

OK, I don't know what any of the rules are for effective action photographs.

San Rafael Sightems: Freeway Ramp, Orange Parka

Orange Parka - Marin County  2011

Freeway Ramp - Marin County  2011

Both taken with the iPhone.

Monday Geese Blogging

Geese - Marin County  2011

The geese were eyeballing the photographer as he was trying to fit them all into the viewfinder.

Baltimore geese here.

Two Bridges

Richmond Bridge - Marin County  2011

Bay Bridge - San Francisco  2011

. . . taken from the Larkspur ferry on a recent trip into San Francisco.

Garbage Cans, Mt. Tamalpais

Garbage Cans - Marin County  2011

Garbage Cans - Marin County  2011

Photos taken a month apart in the Trader Joe's auxiliary parking lot.

Booth Update

Canopy, Booth - Marin County  2011

Kettle Corn Guy - Marin County  2011

I got a new canopy from Costco in time to use it once last year, in early December. Seemed to work quite well!

But attendence at the farmers market was very low . . . even the Kettle Corn guy had lots of free time.

Berkeley Sightems: Tanks, White Door

Tanks - Berkeley  2011

White Door - Berkeley  2011

White door boosted quite a bit in Photoshop.

Berkeley Sightems: Space for Rent, Closed

Space for Rent - Berkeley  2011

Closed - Berkeley  2011

Wandering around Berkeley. The west side of town has a narrow band of industrial neighborhoods . . . very interesting.

Mt. Tamalpais (2011 Picks)

Mt. Tamalpais - Marin County  2011

One of many shots of Mt. Tam taken in 2011.

Happy New Year!

Monday Phoebe Blogging (2011 Picks)

Phoebe - Marin County  2011

On our backyard fence.