Oki Dog

Oki Dog - Los Angeles  1990

Oki Dog first appeared on the blog in 2008!

Pay Phone (Melrose Avenue #100)

Pay Phone - Los Angeles  1990

Please note the displayed contact information for the Hollywood Army Recruiting Station.

(I recently scanned some 1990 film negatives.)

Monday Red-Shouldered Hawk Blogging

Hawk (Fairfax) - Marin County  2026

Hawk (Fairfax) - Marin County  2026

Very noisy, especially the one on top. Might have been young and wanting to be fed.

Morning Walk Photos

Clouds, Trees, Fog (Fairfax) - Marin County  2026

Grass, Hill (Fairfax) - Marin County  2026

Both photos taken with a Sony RX100.

Hills, Clouds / Trees, Clouds (Fairfax)

Hills, Clouds (Fairfax) - Marin County  2026

Trees, Clouds (Fairfax) - Marin County  2026

Both photos taken with an iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Iris / Lupin

Iris - Lake Lagunitas  2026

Lupin - Lake Lagunitas  2026

Spring photos. Both taken with an Olympus E-M1II.

Stonecrop / Madrone

Broadleaf Stonecrop - Lake Lagunitas  2026

Madrone (New Growth) - Lake Lagunitas  2026

Photos taken last May.

California Hedgenettle / Cobweb Thistle (Abbotts Lagoon)

California Hedgenettle - Point Reyes  2026

Cobweb Thistle - Point Reyes  2026

"This native annual species is not really a nettle at all, but a member of the Mint Family."

"Cobweb thistle - Cirsium occidentale is a native plant found in California and parts of Oregon, Nevada and Baja California. . . . The whiteness of the stems and base of the flower heads are your first indication that this is not one of those invasive thistles. This is the real deal - a native thistle."

A couple more photos taken on the Abbotts Lagoon trail. Nice to see some native plants!

Everlasting Pea / Velvet Grass (Abbotts Lagoon)

Everlasting Pea - Point Reyes  2026

Velvet Grass - Point Reyes  2026

So, "Everlasting Pea?" Mike has always identified this plant as vetch. But it's not vetch.

"Unlike the related annual sweet pea, Lathyrus odoratus, with which it may be confused, it has no scent. While grown as a garden plant it may be pervasive and difficult to remove. Because of this, this species is often considered to be a weed despite its attractive appearance."

Velvet Grass is an invasive species, no question.

"In North America, Holcus lanatus is an invasive species in native grasslands and other ecosystems. In Yosemite National Park it is one of nine priority noxious weeds to control for habitat restoration and regenerating native plant balances. It forms dense stands that can exclude other plants."

Monday River Otter Blogging

River Otter - Point Reyes  2026

River Otter - Point Reyes  2026

Seen first while swimming underneath the trail bridge between the upper and lower lagoons. Then he - or she - got up on land, thought for a while, then went back into the water.

Lupin, Lagoon (Abbotts Lagoon)

Lupin, Lagoon - Point Reyes  2026

Photo taken using the wide-angle option on an iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Yes, Mike's spelling of "lupin" (vs "lupine") is idiosyncratic. Although to be honest, Wikipedia shows "lupin" as one of the options:

"Lupinus, commonly known as lupin, lupine, or regionally bluebonnet, is a genus of plants in the legume family Fabaceae."

Driftwood / Ocean (Abbotts Lagoon)

Driftwood - Point Reyes  2026

Ocean - Point Reyes  2026

There's no established trail to the ocean, just walk through the dunes towards the sound of the waves.

Lupin, Fence / Trail (Abbotts Lagoon)

Lupin, Fence - Point Reyes  2026

Trail - Point Reyes  2026

Top: view from the trailhead parking lot.

Next: Abbotts Lagoon trail. Overgrown in some spots . . . my pants got soaked walking through wet grass.

Hills, Clouds / Lagoons, Bridge, Ocean (Abbotts Lagoon)

Hills, Clouds - Point Reyes  2026

Lagoons, Bridge, Ocean - Point Reyes  2026

Changeable weather that day . . . warm sun giving way to foggy mist. At times I wished I had brought a parka.

Top photo taken with a Nikon Z7II. Bottom one with an Olympus E-M1II using a 75-300mm zoom lens.

The bottom photo show both upper and lower lagoons as well as the bridge over them.