Cypress Trees

 

Cypress Trees (Fort Bragg) - Mendocino County  2021

Across from our motel and Highway 1.

Monday Seal Blogging

 

Seal, Processing Salmon (Fort Bragg) - Mendocino County  2021

We were having an outside dinner in the Noyo Harbor district when we noticed some of our fellow diners peering excitedly at a recently arrived boat. Freshly caught salmon was being processed, and some of the scraps were being tossed into the water, where a large seal was waiting. Hard to concentrate on your fish tacos when there was so much action going on.

Salmon Processing (Fort Bragg) - Mendocino County  2021

Mendocino - 5

 

Flag, Statue (Mendocino) - Mendocino County  2021

Fire Department (Mendocino) - Mendocino County  2021

After a few extra photos, we walked back to our car and headed north on California's famous Highway 1.

Mendocino 4 - Masonic Statue

 

Old Masonic Building (Mendocino) - Mendocino County  2021

"Time and the Maiden" Statue (Mendocino) - Mendocino  County  2021

Interesting art work. There's an informative explainer online, if one is interested.

By the way, the statue was also photographed by Ansel Adams (below). He was able to get a more head-on view.

A. Adams, 1964

Mendocino - 3

 

Wild Roses (Mendocino) - Mendocino County  2021

Rose (Mendocino) - Mendocino County  2021

Mendocino was featured in a New York Times story recently concerning California's current drought (paywall, alas.) Future water supply is sure to be drastically restricted . . . wonder what will happen to all those flowers.

Mendocino - 2

Flowers, Wood Wall (Mendocino) - Mendocino County  2021

Hydrangeas (Mendocino) - Mendocino County  2021

I was lugging around the Nikon Z5 with a 24-200mm zoom lens, which combination veteran Nikon users somehow think is small and lightweight, but isn't.

Mendocino - 1

 

Fence, Water Tower (Mendocino) - Mendocino County  2021

Nasturtiums, Water Tower (Mendocino) - Mendocino County  2021

We stopped for a bit and walked through the small touristy town of Mendocino. Foggy with flowers: last year I compared Murren, Switzerland, to Mendocino.

North Coast

 

Driftwood, Ocean - Mendocino County  2021

Driftwood, Vetch - Mendocino County  2021

We paid a quick visit to Mendocino  County in July, staying for two nights at the Best Western in Fort Bragg. 

Monday Egret, Deer, Quail Blogging

 

Egret in Flight - Point Reyes  2021

Deer - Point Reyes  2021

There's quite a few egret pix on the blog. This one was taken with a Nikon Z5, not particularly known for its "birds in flight" ability. (Has been posted before.)

Deer and quail photos taken with an Olympus E-M1II with a 75-300mm zoom.

Quail, Deer - Point Reyes  2021

Yellow Flowers, San Geronimo Valley

 

Yellow Flowers (San Geronimo Valley) - Marin County  2021

Yellow Flowers, Trees (San Geronimo  Valley) - Marin County  2021

I don't know what kind of flowers these are. I guess that I'll have to get one of those flower ID apps for the iPhone.

Fancy Cars

 

Porsche - Berkeley  2021

Porsche - Berkeley  2021

The above Porsche was parked outside the restaurant where we were dining with Margaret and Jim. Quite loud when fired up!

Below, a Cobra seen in a Greenbrae parking lot. The Cobra Wikipedia entry is very extensive.

Cobra Front - Marin County  2021

Cobra Interior - Marin County  2021

Serpentinite, Coyote Bush

 

Serpentinite, Fog - Marin County  2021

Coyote Bush, Fog - Marin County  2021

Well, I thought that I could hike high enough that I could get really into the fog. But no . . . it was elusive, now above me, now below, now across the way. 

Fence, Buildings

 

Fence, Building - Point Reyes  2021

Fence, Building - Point Reyes  2021

Just before my Epson printer stopped working I tried printing one of these photos. The print looked a little strange . . . the buildings are so desaturated that they display as black and white, with some color in the grass. Huh.

Pierce Ranch Flowers

 

Fence, Flowers - Point Reyes  2021

Fence, Flowers, House - Point Reyes  2021

I don't know what kind of flowers. Geraniums?

Pierce Ranch

 

Ranch Building, Dirt Road - Point Reyes  2021

Since I was in the vicinity, I decided to drive over to Pierce Ranch for some "old white ranch buildings with overcast" photos.

Monday Heron, Pelican, Otter Blogging

 

Heron, Pelicans, River Otter - Point Reyes  2021

Taken from the bridge at Abbotts Lagoon. I  remember seeing something moving on the far shore, but didn't realize that it was an otter until I enlarged the photo in Photoshop.

Otter (crop) - Point Reyes  2021

Yellow Flowers, Abbotts Lagoon

 

Yellow Flowers, Abbotts Lagoon - Point Reyes  2021

I didn't venture out to the ocean, opting to turn back and drive over to Pierce Ranch.

Lagoon, Hills

 

Lagoon, Hills - Point Reyes  2021

Ripples, as seen before last year, but from a different viewpoint.

Abbotts Lagoon

 

Abbotts Lagoon (Upper), Ranch Buildings - Point Reyes  2021

Walkway - Point Reyes  2021

So, I had thought that there would be fog, maybe even dense fog. But no, I had to settle for it being nicely overcast.

Trailhead

 

Abbotts Lagoon Trailhead - Point Reyes  2021

Morning trailhead scene. School bus parked there for little girl's rest stop.

Tomales Bay / Fennel

 

Tomales Bay - Marin County  2021

Fenceposts, Fennel - Marin County  2021

Driving past Tomales Bay and Point Reyes Station on my way to Abbotts Lagoon.

Dirt Road / Fence, Building

 

Dirt Road - Marin County  2021

Fence, Building, Trees - Marin County  2021

Top: Taken leaning over a barbed wire fence just off Sir Francis Drake Blvd just before the Highway 1 intersection.

Next: In Point Reyes Station, seen before this year.

Monday Turkey Vulture Blogging (& Egret)

 

Turkey Vultures - Point Reyes  2021

Turkey Vultures - Point Reyes  2021

I was the first one on the trail, so these birds were having a nice rest on the bridge until I showed up. I was perfectly willing to let them stay there while I tiptoed past, but as I got gradually closer with the Nikon they decided to leave.

And, as a bonus, this photo of an egret in flight! A lucky shot . . . the Nikon is not known for its BIF (birds in flight) capability.

Egret in Flight - Point Reyes  2021

Sunrise, Monsoonal Clouds

Sunrise, Clouds - Marin County  2021

Early morning, on the way to becoming a hot and humid day. I had to underexpose the shot in order to prevent the highlights from being unrecoverable; Photoshop helped with the hill and trees area. I used a Nikon Z5.

San Rafael Sightems

 

Enrollment Center (San Rafael) - Marin County  2021

Beer Garden (San Rafael) - Marin County  2021

Enrollment Center for Covered California (ACA). We're not sure whether it's official or not.

Beer Garden on west end of Fourth Street. Never been there.

Morning Walk - Bay Trees, Fallen Oak

Bay Trees - Marin County  2021

Fallen Oak - Marin County  2021

Doing the back-of-school loop with the Nikon Z5.